Monday 16 July 2018

In Parliament, I supported Member for Newtown Jenny Leong’s motion on the affordable housing crisis. Anglicare's research shows only 1 per cent of private rentals are affordable for people on low incomes across Sydney, and it is worse in the inner city. About 40,000 people are sleeping rough every night and 60,000 families are waiting for social housing.

Monday 9 July 2018

I’m pleased that the government new sexual assault strategy includes priority social housing for survivors of childhood sexual assault, which was introduced in response to my advocacy after I heard terrible stories of abuse from constituents. I congratulate the government on developing a strategy that responds to recommendations from the Royal Commission for action on prevention, early intervention, education and support. My question in Parliament: HERE and the strategy: HERE.

Monday 2 July 2018

Given the final court appeal for tenants in Millers Point has been lost, ongoing City of Sydney support for social housing is very welcome, with Lord Mayor Clover Moore again calling on the government to retain and re-tenant the remaining 26 vacant homes that have not been sold yet, to keep the Sirius building and not sell any further properties. I’ve repeatedly called for the government to retain all inner city low cost housing.

My most recent questions ask the government to return some of the tenants forced to leave Millers Point to the homes included in the 28 properties we saved from the sales program that remain empty. My questions: HERE and Clover Moore’s Lord Mayoral Minute: HERE.

Monday 25 June 2018

The Legislative Assembly passed my amendment to ensure that the government’s short term letting bill provides for a registration system to enforce laws and collect data.  

(Bills - Consideration in detail, 20 June 2018, Legislative Assembly, NSW Parliament)

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I move amendment No. 1 standing in my name on sheet C2018-079:

No. 1 Registration of premises used for short-term rental accommodation

Page 3, Schedule 1, proposed section 54B. Insert after line 43:

(c) provide for the registration of residential premises used for the purposes of short-term rental accommodation arrangements and for the registration system to include details about when residential premises are used for those purposes, and

The amendment is a straightforward one. It ensures that the short-term rental code of conduct in the Fair Trading Amendment (Short-Term Rental Accommodation) Bill 2018 can include a mandatory registration system where all hosts add their premises to a register and provide data on the nights that they are there on a short-term basis

(Bills - Second Reading Debate, 20 June 2018, Legislative Assembly, NSW Parliament)

(Motions, 21 June 2018, Legislative Assembly, NSW Parliament)

Tuesday 12 June 2018

Our community campaign got the government to give owners’ corporations the power to ban holiday lets for lots that are not the “principal place of residence” of the host, but this very limited power will do little to stop buildings turning into quasi hotels.

Thursday 24 May 2018

The community message that short term letting must be properly regulated is reaching government members, with a retreat from a reported policy that would have allowed homes to be let out to visitors for half a year with no rights for apartment buildings to set their own rules.

Thursday 17 May 2018

In response to my request, the Minister for Social Housing will recognise the far-reaching and ongoing impacts on survivors of childhood institutional sexual abuse by making this a qualification for urgent social housing. The serious impacts like mental illness, addiction, self-harm and other destructive behaviours can contribute to and entrench homelessness. Priority for urgent social housing for eligible survivors of institutional child sexual abuse will provide real help for healing and recognise the role of successive governments in allowing and covering up this horrific abuse.

My question and the minister’s response is HERE.