In response to the latest COVID restrictions, HAAG has signed this joint letter with the Renters and Housing Union in support of assistance for older renters, casual workers and homeless people.

To the Victorian State Government and Australian Federal Government

We the undersigned are calling for the urgent need to immediately reinstate the COVID19 Rental Protections.

Victorian renters are overrepresented in casual work and will lose more than a week’s income that is urgently needed to pay rent.

Victorian renters including older renters are already facing eviction, including self-evicting due to significant rental stress and Notices To Vacate since the COVID19 protections were lifted.

Renters in significant hardship are facing rental increases in some cases by 25% in regional areas, as well as compounded COVID19 rental debt in addition to standard rental payments since the moratorium legislation was lifted on March 29th.

Insecure, casual and low income workers are in significant insecurity and displacement since income support measures and the Rental Moratorium were scrapped from March 29th.

Temporary Visa holders have been hit with extreme debt and forced into repayment of up to $20,000 in JobKeeper payments, as well as student and rental debts.

RAHU and the undersigned urgently demand the following measures to be instated immediately, in order for renters to stay at home:

RAHU urgently demands the Victorian State Government:

    Immediately reinstate the COVID19 Protections for Renters
    Immediately enact an amnesty on rental payments for renters affected for any reason by COVID19 for the length of Stage 4 Restrictions
    Provide a $500 stimulus support payment for every rental household in Victoria

RAHU demands the Federal Government immediately:

•     Reinstate JobKeeper payments
•     Reinstate the JobSeeker COVID19 Supplement
•     Double Commonwealth Rent Assistance payments and fast track applications
•     All rental debts accrued due to the impacts of the pandemic are to be forgiven with no fault or penalty

Signed:

• Renters And Housing Union (RAHU)
• Retail and Fast Food Workers Union (RAFFWU)
• Australian Unemployed Workers’ Union (AUWU)
• Migrante Melbourne
• Gabriela Australia
• Anakbayan Melbourne
• Industrial Workers of the World – Kulin Nations (IWW)
• Housing Action for the Aged Group Inc. (HAAG)
• Fair Go for Pensioners Victoria (FGFP)
• Save Public Housing Collective (SPHC)
• Living Incomes For Everyone (LIFE)
• Flat Out Inc
• Disabled and Neurodiverse Workers’ Alliance
• Homelessness Action Geelong