- by theguardian
- 20 Mar 2023
Amid a fresh push for reform to the rental market, an analysis of MP disclosure records show landlords are disproportionately represented on Macquarie Street.
Of the 93 MPs in the legislative assembly, 54% own more than one property, with more than a quarter listing three or more.
In contrast, just 12% of NSW residents are property investors, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics data. All lower house MPs own at least one property, either personally or through their spouse.
Australia Institute senior economist Matt Grudnoff said the parliament should be truly representational if it did not want to continue failing renters.
This comes as Greens MP Jenny Leong this week introduced a bill to ban no-grounds evictions in the state.
The bill would stop landlords evicting tenants unless they fit certain criteria including renovating the property, or if close family or friends wanted to live in the property for at least a year.
Labor, which notionally supports an end to no-grounds evictions but is yet to show its hand on the Greens bill, is also under pressure to beef up its own rental policies.
By 2027, numbers will exceed totals from 2019.
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