Page 432 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 21 March 2023

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I have, in recent times, been contacted by constituents to talk about their experiences of rent bidding. It has been a long time since I have applied for a rental, so I cannot speak to my own experiences, so I will speak to theirs. They go through the long and varied processes of different real estate agents to apply for a property. Then they get hit with the rent bidding. It is gross. There is an argument that this is just the free market at play. That is not entirely correct. There is a power imbalance with prospective tenants on the verge of homelessness being prepared to bid up the property for immediate relief from that risk. That price then flows through the entire market, driving everyone’s prices up.

These are good reforms; they are important reforms. I am proud to be part of the government delivering them. I know, and I think every Canberran knows, that, when they get their next lease renewal, like I just did, they will be on level ground.

MR PARTON (Brindabella) (12.11): Just briefly, in a perfect world, legislation of this nature would not have last-minute amendments, but we can understand why these amendments are required and they are pretty self-explanatory, so we certainly will not be opposing them.

Amendments agreed to.

Question put:

That the bill, as a whole, as amended, be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

Ayes 13

Noes 6

Mr Braddock

Dr Paterson

Mr Cain

Ms Cheyne

Mr Pettersson

Ms Castley

Ms Clay

Mr Rattenbury

Mr Cocks

Ms Davidson

Mr Steel

Mrs Kikkert

Mr Davis

Ms Stephen-Smith

Mr Milligan

Mr Gentleman

Ms Vassarotti

Mr Parton

Ms Orr

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Bill, as amended, agreed to.

Sitting suspended from 12.16 to 2.00 pm.

Ministerial arrangements

MR BARR (Kurrajong—Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Climate Action, Minister for Economic Development and Minister for Tourism) (2.00): The Deputy Chief Minister will be absent from question time today, so I will endeavour to assist members with questions in the Deputy Chief Minister’s portfolios.

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