[Greens-Media] Report shows rental homes need strong new laws

[Elizabeth.Ingham at parliament.vic.gov.au]

Victorian Greens leader Greg Barber says the Footscray Community Legal 
Centre's report into housing standards, released today, shows vulnerable 
people will continue to live in unsafe and unhealthy conditions unless the 
government lends support to a minimum standard for rental accommodation.

"The report shows that the system isn't working.  A mother washing herself 
and children in a bucket because she's been waiting five months for the 
shower to be repaired.  Long VCAT fights or no action at all to get cracks 
and mould repaired.  More than half the tenants surveyed needed repairs to 
their properties, but we put the onus on the tenant to request the repair 
and fight for it in VCAT."

"The report concludes that there's an urgent need for Victorian housing 
standards and I couldn't agree more."

"Last year I introduced legislation that would give the Minister the power 
to set a basic standard for rental accommodation. The Greens' "Rental 
Health" laws put the onus on the landlord - not the tenant - to make sure 
the property is up to standard."

Greg Barber will host the formal launch of the report at 1pm today, 
Parliament of Victoria, Legislative Council Committee Room

Background: 
"Home Sweet Home: act for the house, not the tenant" by Footscray 
Community Legal Centre - 
http://www.footscrayclc.org.au/images/stories/home_sweet_home__-_act_for_the_house_not_the_tenant_report_2013.pdf

Greens Rental Health legislation - 
http://vicmps.greens.org.au/rental-health-FAQ

For comment: Greg Barber - 0433 044 771

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Liz Ingham
Office of Greg Barber MLC
Northern Metropolitan Region
Victorian Greens Leader

60 Leicester Street, Carlton 3053
P: 9348 2622
M: 0409 333 595
E: elizabeth.ingham at parliament.vic.gov.au
W: http://mps.vic.greens.org.au

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Parliament of Victoria                                                                                                                    . 
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