[Greens-Media] Rental affordability bill passes; green opportunity missed

[Simms, Robert (Sen S. Ludlam)]

Monday 24th November 2008 

Rental affordability bill passes; green opportunity missed

"The Greens welcome the passage of the National Rental Affordability
Scheme Bill and hope it will provide some overdue relief to renters, but
we're disappointed that the government passed up an opportunity to green
it up," Australian Greens housing spokesperson Senator Scott Ludlam
said.

Senator Ludlam moved to amend the National Rental Affordability Scheme
(NRAS) this afternoon, but the amendments failed without government
support. 

"The government missed an opportunity to give additional cost of living
relief to thousands of renters today, by failing to support simple
amendments to the rental affordability plan."

"Housing affordability is about more than rent. It's about reducing the
cost of living expenses that hit households, costs like petrol,
electricity and water. " said Senator Ludlam.  

"I proposed some very straightforward changes to the regulations to
ensure that energy and water efficiency and public transport were taken
into account in the regulations. This would have provided a long-term
affordability benefit, to off set rising oil, electricity and water
prices."

"Greener houses are cheaper houses to live in. Unfortunately this simple
change has been rejected by the Federal Government."

For more information or media enquiries please call Robert Simms on 0417
174 302


Robert Simms
Media Adviser to
Senator Scott Ludlam
Australian Greens Senator for Western Australia

Sitting weeks: Tel: 02 6277 3467 | Fax: 02 6277 5821 
S1.36, Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600

Non-Sitting weeks: Tel: 02 6277 3566 | Fax: 02 6277 3185
SG111, Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600

Mobile: 0417 174 302  

www.scottludlam.org.au <http://www.scottludlam.org.au/>