Brisbane tenants rallied on the streets of the CBD on Saturday to demand housing justice. Source: own work
Renters across Brisbane and Southeast Queensland took to the streets of the CBD on Saturday to protest the injustices faced by tenants.
This rally comes amid the worst rental crisis in Australia in decades, with more and more people, particularly young people, students, and the working-class population, simply unable to afford their rent.
The rally was organised by the Southeast Queensland Union of Renters (SEQUR) who’s aim is to build up tenant power and fight against soaring rent prices and the unethical, corrupt landlord system and real-estate industry.
Citizens and union members marching in the rally shouted messages, including, “housing for people, not for profit,” and “money for housing, not for war.”
One of the key messages being delivered through this rally was that housing needs to be a human right, not an investment opportunity for the wealthy.
According to SBS, essential workers, including childcare workers, aged care workers, nurses, cleaners, hospitality workers, and postal and freight workers, are being hit the hardest by the rental crisis, with the average worker spending two-thirds of their income on rent.
On top of skyrocketing rent prices, increasing numbers of Australians are reporting unfair treatment by property managers and landlords, including unjustified evictions, racial discrimination, and ‘blacklisting’ tenants simply for making a complaint or protesting unreasonable rent increases.
Speakers at the rally on Saturday also raised the current issue of negative gearing – investors owning multiple houses purely for profit while over 100,000 people are homeless.
Earlier this year, the Palaszczuk Government limited rent increases to once per year to give a “fairer” go to tenants in Queensland. But, as speakers at Saturday’s rally said, this does not address just how high rent increases are.
Over the past year alone, less and less properties have become available to tenants, and rent prices have soared, with some increasing by nearly 50 per cent.
Another major issue facing renters today is that while rent has drastically increased, neither wages nor income support payments have increased with it.
With no end to the housing crisis in sight and ongoing inaction from both the Labor and Liberal governments, renters across the country are calling for urgent action.
