Locally based Senator Paul Scarr has spoken in the Senate about the dramatic increase in rents across the Ipswich region since the Albanese Labor Government took office.
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There has been much discussion about inflation and cost-of-living pressures in the Senate this week. Since the Albanese Labor Government came to power in 2022, we’ve seen inflation soar.
“We’ve watched home-grown inflation spiral out of control, and the impact on renters has been devastating. I wanted to see exactly how this is affecting our community, and the research I commissioned from the Parliamentary Library reveals shocking numbers,” said Senator Scarr.
In his speech, Senator Scarr provided the figures of this research. “For a one-bedroom flat in Ipswich, the cost of renting that in June 2022 was $265 a week but that has now increased in the space of two years to $350 a week, an increase of $85 a week, 14.9 per cent, or $4,420 a year extra in rent.
“If you have a larger family, for a three-bedroom house in Ipswich the average rent has gone up by $5,720 a year.”
“For an average three-bedroom house in my area of Ipswich, where my office is located, rent has gone up by $5,720 a year. That is an astronomical amount. A four-bedroom house has gone up by the same amount.
“For a three-bedroom townhouse the cost to rent over the year has gone up by $130 a week. That’s an average change of 16.2 per cent, which is $6,760. There were 195 tenancies for a three-bedroom townhouse in the Ipswich and Somerset local government authority region commencing on the June quarter 2024.
Senator Scarr emphasized that these increases, driven by the Albanese Government’s policies—higher interest rates and higher taxes—are hitting Ipswich residents hard.
“Those tenants, those families, will be $6,760, after tax, worse off as a result of the increase in those rents. These are astronomical figures,” said Senator Scarr during his speech.
Senator Scarr is extremely concerned about the affordability crisis affecting every corner of the Ipswich region. “It’s not just about numbers—these hikes represent families struggling to keep a roof over their heads, individuals being pushed to the limit, and young people finding it harder than ever to enter the rental market.”
“Housing affordability is one of the most pressing issues facing our community, yet under the Albanese Government, renters are paying more than ever. This situation demands urgent action, and the people of Ipswich deserve better,” said Senator Scarr.
Appendix 2: Excerpt from Senator Paul Scarr’s speech in the Senate on October 10, 2024 at 4.33pm..
Senator SCARR: I move:
That the Senate notes Labor’s high taxing, high spending 2024-25 Budget will make the lives of Australians harder by putting further pressure on inflation and keeping interest rates higher for longer.
My office is located in the outer urban area in Queensland, in a place called Springfield, which is in the Ipswich City Council area. I want to talk to you about the increase in rents in my local area. This is based on research I got the Parliamentary Library to do and it is quite staggering. There are a lot of battlers who live in my region of Ipswich doing it tough in the cost-of-living crisis, so I did some research to see how much the rent has increased in the greater Ipswich region.
For a one-bedroom flat in Ipswich, the cost of renting that in June 2022 was $265 a week but that has now increased in the space of two years to $350 a week, an increase of $85 a week, 14.9 per cent, or $4,420 a year extra in rent. The rent for a basic minimal standard of living, a one-bedroom flat in my area of Ipswich where my office is located, increased by $4,420 in the two years since the last election. That’s a staggering increase… If you have a one-bedroom flat in Ipswich, you are a battler and the property you rent has gone up by $4,420 a year.
Looking down these figures, a two-bedroom apartment’s cost per year has gone up by $3,640. A three-bedroom apartment has gone up $5,200. A two-bedroom house has gone up $5,200. If you have a larger family, for a three-bedroom house in Ipswich the average rent has gone up by $5,720 a year. For an average three-bedroom house in my area of Ipswich, where my office is located, rent has gone up by $5,720 a year. That is an astronomical amount. A four-bedroom house has gone up by the same amount.
For a three-bedroom townhouse the cost to rent over the year has gone up by $130 a week. That’s an average change of 16.2 per cent, which is $6,760. There were 195 tenancies for a three-bedroom townhouse in the Ipswich and Somerset local government authority region commencing on the June quarter 2024.
Those tenants, those families, will be $6,760, after tax, worse off as a result of the increase in those rents. These are astronomical figures. These are absolutely astronomical figures and are deeply concerning. We have people in my Ipswich region who are living in parks because they can’t afford to pay these increases in rent, which, as I’ve outlined, are up to $6,760 a year greater than what they were.
