Honest Government Ad | the Rental Crisis
Dear Patrons
Here is the latest Honest Government Ad you've helped us to produce!
The rental crisis gripping Australia (and many other countries, too) is currently being reported a lot in the media. The countless stories of people, especially children, experiencing homelessness make me sick to the stomach.
But few outlets ever connect the dots to help us understand what's causing the crisis. Often these issues - housing affordability, rental affordability and public housing access - are dealt as separate problems. When in fact they are all part of the same problem (and no, it's not just a lack of supply!).
Which is why I wanted to write this HGA in such a way that it would help connect the dots by including them all in the same frame.
I thought this would be a good topic for the first HGA about our new Labor government. Coz, whilst it is infinitely better than the last government at addressing a number of important issues, it is clearly not serious about fixing this particular issue, beyond flashy headlines that make it look like it's dealing with housing unaffordability, without addressing the underlying causes.
And until we have a government with the spine, and the political mandate, to address the underlying causes, the problem will only get worse for those who can least afford it.
I know - it's been a while since we tackled social justice issues like these. I've been trying to cover as many topics as possible, and wish we could do more! In 2023 I plan to use our Patreon funds to hire a guest writer or two who can help me increase and diversify our output.
Which is why I'm stoked to inform you that I worked with a guest writer on this very HGA - Jayce Carrano. Jayce contributed some great writing to this episode - including the intro - and he's clearly familiar with the satirical tone of the HGAs. So hopefully we'll continue to collaborate in the new year.
I also want to thank Matt Grudnoff - senior economist at the Australia Institute - who assisted me with the graphs in this HGA. I strongly recommend reading this article he recently wrote - which also provided inspiration for the HGA.
We've already agreed to collaborate on another HGA next year which will focus on explaining how negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount work - so that we can improve public literacy about these policies; and why they need to be reformed (probably by a future government).
Ok that's all from me for now.
I hope you enjoy this HGA. And as always, my deepest thanks and appreciation for supporting our work and helping us to keep governments honest.
I'll catch you soon - till then, take care.
Giordano
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Comments (23)
I am a PR so I cannot vote yet, but I came across this policy idea and I need to share it! https://www.tumblr.com/gayahithwen/656999783043629056/the-fine-the-full-rent-amount-theyre-asking-for , pasting below. What if we started actively disincentivizing landlords letting real estate stay empty rather than renting at reasonable prices? Like, give them a maximum of three months to get a new tenant in, and then they start accumulating fines for the unused space. And some similar system to disincentivize the ridiculous airbnb market as well. Make it unprofitable to have homes sitting empty in a city where people with jobs find themselves living in tents. Hell, make it unprofitable to have homes sitting empty anywhere that has a homelessness problem. The fine? The full rent amount they're asking for. You think $1700/month for a studio apartment is reasonable? Well, until you get someone into that apartment, you're going to be fined that same sum every month. For Airbnb, a lower cost, but still based on how many nights/month the space is unused, and the fine will be based on the asking price per night.
Do you get comments from Labor supporters telling you you're mean to compare Labor & Libs? Are there Labor voters who are also Juice patreons? (If you know & can disclose.) As a past #1 Labor voter, I see so much shitfuckery I contributed to with my ignorance & it makes me cringe. Your HGAs make me chuckle from your sharp wit. I'm so grateful for your capacity to educate with a twist of cheeky humour to help. Thankyou.
A few comments like that, yes, but not so many. I imagine we do have Labor voters who support us, but who also appreciate the benefits of keeping Labor honest! If Labor plays its cards well, they'll hold another majority govt. If not, Australians will force them into minority govt. So I think everyone has an incentive here to push them to be better. Frankly, I think Labor itself wants Australians to push them to be better (they can't lead from the front without a mandate, as we've seen!)
I felt guilt laughing at this and then remembered I am a renter and struggling to save up for a deposit to buy. Made me feel a bit bitter er better. Seriously, great vid peeps. I’m loving your work!
Thank you Jb, we truly appreciate the support given that you're also trying to save - we'll make sure it's worth it!
I've become a Patron because of this ad. Can I request a "part 2" please that addresses how the ALP has recommitted to selling homes to foreign buyers https://www.afr.com/property/residential/foreign-buyers-return-to-new-homes-market-nab-20220421-p5af2u https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/foreign-investors-to-pay-extra-455m-in-fees-20220721-p5b3j5 (as though there's not enough local demand for houses) and also how money laundering floods the housing market (there are much tougher laws on money laundering in finance than in housing) https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/nov/09/widespread-money-laundering-in-property-locking-out-australians-from-owning-homes-senate-told and also how the government is turbo charging another 1,000,000 migrants without housing, and also how the government has plans to shovel government land into the hands of investors and property developers and then beg for a tiny percentage to be "affordable" and also how the "Minister for Housing/Minister for Homelessness" Julie Collins owns 3 or 4 houses with her husband, how Albanese owned 6 houses before his divorce. Also, how residential housing is now used as tourist housing via AirBNB.
no words
There are all manner of horror stories about abuses of the system. Every tenant who has had more than 2-3 homes has a "nightmare landlord" story. Every landlord will have a nightmare tenant story. So, rent for a 3bd unit in San Jose is now twice what my last mortgage home loan payment was. If you can afford that, why would you rent instead of buying a place? Oh, because there's no place available to buy. San Jose managed to beat out Philadelphia, New York, Boston, and San Francisco this year as "Most Expensive Place to Live." We won. Yay?
Brilliant, and sadly the situation is replicated in many places in the world! In the US, background checks are also required on renters - who have to pay for them, of course. There was a successful class action lawsuit a few years ago in the US against one of the management companies landlords hire to run their businesses - massive refund of background check fees ...
Actually, I don't charge potential tenants for background checks/credit checks. Most do. To me, it was much simpler than collecting lots of checks for $30-90. But I'm weird, as a landlord.
Damn…! Ellen can't find a rental either? What a fncking sh¡tshow. We've now reverted to the Dark Ages, with a small handful of dukes, barons, and earls owning several castles each, while the serfs who work their fields are barely able to scramble to have a straw thatched lean-to over their heads. I foresee that there are pitchforks and torches lying ahead worldwide. Thank Gaia I don't have many years left.
She eventually managed to find one, but it took a long time!
Same strategies same international Bankers here in America.” As above so below” , to our friends down under the Eagle shits on us to. Thanks again for spotlighting the shitfuckery. We’ll try to keep the light on. Wasn’t it Klause Schwab who said, “You will own nothing and you will be happy”? Really
This is such an important issue. Thank you for the coverage.
Agreed, and thank you Andrea x
It’s a great initiative! I have rented for 18 years and co-living as a preferred way to keep living affordable and connect with people. About to goto VCAT because I was given 2 weeks to vacate (after 5 years of renting and caretaking a Chinese owned property) because a narcissistic agent wants more rent, and thinks living with and sub-letting to a PhD student and school teacher is abhorrent.
I am so sorry to hear this Benny :( Good luck at vcat
Well there is accommodation sitting empty up here in the tablelands in FNQ thanks to local government. You might want to dig into LGs as a fundamental unit of corruption rolling out the agenda of the local chamber of Commerce. Yup. We are high value agricultural land and that changes everything. I can't even build a second home in 60acres. Unreal.
Not a fan of the sociopathy bit, but otherwise this was very helpful.
As someone who has been a life-time renter and likely to remain that way, this is one of the most depressing HGA's I've watched. I now understand how unlikely this is to ever be changed.
I'm sorry Rod :(
Thanks for this one, Giordano. I've already shared it on Twitter & FB.
you're so welcome Fern