The Australia Institute Targets Landlords

October 14, 2026 Edward Dever

The Australia Institute has released the results of an online survey of 1100 people.

One of the questions was:

‘Laws limiting how much landlords can raise rents exist in the Australian Capital Territory and some foreign countries. Which of the following is closest to your view on regulating rent rises?’

1. There should be no limits on rent rises - 14%

2. Rents should only be allowed to rise in line with inflation or less - 55%

3. Rents should be frozen temporarily - 23%

4. Don’t know/not sure” - 8%.

48% of renters agreed that rents should only be allowed to rise in line with inflation or less and a further 46% of renters thought that rents should be frozen temporarily.

It would be interesting to reframe the question as:

‘Should rents only rise by reference to inflation or be temporarily frozen if that means it becomes harder to find a rental home or that landlords only do the bare minimum required maintenance?’

Freezing rents or restricting rent increases to inflation adjustments ignores the costs to a landlord which can rise far beyond inflation.

As an example, on a strata building, we are currently required to upgrade the unit front (fire) doors. One of the quotes has increased by 24% between June and October 2026.

Other Queensland examples this year include:

- Brisbane City Council rates on units in some suburbs have risen 11.4% year on year.

- Qld Urban Utilities sewerage service charges are up 9.5%.

- Qld Urban Utilities water service charges have increased 16.4% while Tier 1 water costs are up 6.8%.

Added to this are increases in interest rates, strata levies, insurance and maintenance costs.

Landlords in Queensland are already limited to one rent increase per annum.

Any cap on rent increases is likely to lead to reduced rental housing stock by landlords selling their investment properties (albeit generally to owner-occupiers) and, more importantly, also by a decline in new rental housing stock as investors look to other sectors. This has been the case overseas in places such as in Ireland, St Paul, Minnesota and San Francisco, California.

In 2024, the Qld Department of Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works formed the same view - that forms of rent control are generally ineffective.

Option 2 of the survey is also somewhat misleading. In the ACT, landlords can generally increase rent by no more than 10 per cent above the growth in the rents component of the CPI for Canberra. It may have been better to rephrase option 2 to reflect the ACT position.

Any form of rent control would need to be implemented on a State by State basis. The Albanese Government has, in the past, rebuffed requests by The Greens to coordinate some form of rent control with the States. The current LNP Government in Queensland is similarly unlikely to make any further reforms in this area.

The Australian Institute - Polling – Renters, reform and public housing

October 2026

The content of this publication is intended to provide a general overview on matters which may be of interest. It is not intended to be comprehensive. It does not constitute advice in relation to particular circumstances nor does it constitute the provision of legal services, legal advice or financial product advice.

NSW Greens Make Another Play for Rent Controls

July 30, 2026 Edward Dever

Rent controls are back on the agenda.

The NSW Greens aim to make rent controls an issue in NSW by introducing legislation later this year. They are also calling on the Federal Government to implement controls.

On their wish list at the NSW level are limiting rent increases to inflation, restricting increases to once a year or preventing increases during fixed-term leases. At the Federal level, the NSW Greens are calling for a 12 month rent freeze and a moratorium on no-cause evictions to protect renters during the fuel crisis. Their previous attempts at rent controls in NSW have been unsuccessful.

The Federal Government has been reluctant to pressure the State Governments into any form of rent freeze.

Limiting rent increases to inflation is similar to the scheme operating in the ACT. Restricting increases to once a year already applies in Qld and, after initial landlord grumbles, has been implemented without issue.

Any further form of rent control seems unlikely in Qld with the current LNP Government in power.

Even under the previous ALP government, the Qld Department of Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works stated that it believed forms of rent control are generally ineffective.

During the 57th Qld Parliament, the Greens twice attempted to introduce rent control legislation in Qld, in each case the relevant Committee recommended against its introduction and the Bills were scrapped.

The Greens claim that, with inflation at 3.8%, rents have risen 3.6%. Absent from the discussion is any mention of landlord costs.

As examples, Brisbane City Council rates on units in some suburbs have risen 11.4% year on year. Qld Urban Utilities sewerage service charges are up 9.5%. QUU water service charges have increased 16.4% while Tier 1 water costs are up 6.8%.

Across Sydney, rates in some suburbs have increased at least 5%. Sydney Water charges are up by 7.2%

In a regional Queensland city, rates have increased 9.2%.

Added to this are increases in interest rates, strata levies, insurance and maintenance costs. Landlords also face property valuation costs as at 30 June 2027 ahead of the implementation of the new CGT rules.

It seems unlikely that the NSW Greens will succeed with any form of rent freeze. They may have more success in NSW focusing their attention on restricting increases to once a year.

Greens call for rent freeze amid rising inflation

Report No. 7, 57th Parliament, Housing, Big Build and Manufacturing Committee, May 2024

July 2026

Lithium-ion Battery Fires And More Fatal Blows To Rent Controls

May 13, 2025 Edward Dever

Some interesting claims data for landlords and homeowners on the causes of lithium-ion battery fires.

At the top of the Allianz claims list are power and garden tools (38% of fires) followed by devices with battery cells, like flashlights and torches (31%), mobile phones (12%), e-scooters and e-bikes (11%) and remote-control toys and hobby devices such as drones and kids’ ride-on cars (8%).

Key causes of fires were leaving them plugged in after the batteries were replenished and charging devices with cords and chargers meant for different devices.

One issue raised in the report is that tools are often charged in garages where there are no smoke detectors. "They are just left to charge for not just days, but months. Garages will often have additional fuel lying around like junk or petrol for the mower and it can set alight easily.”

There is currently no requirement in Queensland to add smoke detectors in garages.

Dangerous recharging practices have been the catalyst for a growing number of Aussie house fires

Meanwhile, the Queensland Government has launched an inquiry into e-mobility safety and use in Queensland. This includes "issues associated with e-mobility ownership, such as risk of fire, storage and disposal of lithium batteries."

Submissions are due by 20 June 2025.

Following the NSW approach requiring battery-powered devices to meet a set of internationally accepted product standards, including appropriate tests and certification is hopefully the way forward.

Inquiry into e-mobility safety and use in Queensland

Rent controls

At the 2024 Queensland State Election, the Greens' most outspoken advocate for rent controls, Amy MacMahon, was defeated.

The Federal election on 3 May 2025 saw both the Greens' Federal leader, Adam Bandt, and Queensland Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather, who consistently advocated for rent controls, become electoral roadkill, losing their seats to the ALP.

With a number of Greens MPs still in the Senate (and one in the Lower House), continued advocacy for rent controls remains unclear. However, the main proponents of this policy, particularly Mr Chandler-Mather, are no longer in Parliament.

In June 2024, the Qld Department of Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works stated that it believed forms of rent control are generally ineffective.

The Report (on page 20) states:

"the department noted that economic research has identified that rent price controls, such as restricting or limiting the amount rent can be increased by, are generally ineffective at improving rental affordability and can have other negative effects, such as reducing the quality of rental stock and reducing renter mobility. They noted that the best way to address rental affordability is by increasing housing supply..."

Department of Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works Report

May 2025

Property Sector in Political Crosshairs Again

September 27, 2024 Edward Dever

Rent controls, National Renters Protection Authority and negative gearing changes.

In the lead up to the 2024 Qld State election, Ch 9 News is reporting that the Qld Government is considering ACT style inflation-linked rent controls.

Sounds like a pre-election thought bubble. Any move towards greater rent controls in Qld runs contrary to the position of the Government's own Department of Housing, Local Government, Planning and Public Works

In May 2024, the Department stated that it believed forms of rent control are generally ineffective.

The ALP risks losing several seats to The Greens at the October election so it is not surprising that they may make election promises that seek to limit voter bleed to The Greens.

Meanwhile, The Greens want to implement a National Renters Protection Authority.

Costing $200m per annum and staffed by 1,000 public servants, the NRPA would investigate rental breaches as well as offering advocacy, advice and education to renters around Australia.

The NRPA would deal with tenancy disputes and enforce the minimum standards the Greens want, including rent freezes, ventilation, heating, cool and insulation standards. The NRPA is part of a wider $2.5b Greens Plan to convince the States to enact rent freezes.

How the NRPA would work in practice is unclear. There seems significant overlap with the role of State Government Departments.

Victoria, as an example, is planning to implement far reaching housing standards to include heating, cooling and insulation.

Qld's latest round of rental changes come into force on 30 September 2024. These include new standards for re-letting costs, methods for paying rent, timelines for utility bill payments, and supporting evidence for bond claims.

NSW is also moving towards tightening the rules for no-default evictions.

And just to top it off, media reports indicate that the Federal Government has asked Treasury to look at the implications of changing negative gearing rules.

Lots of political obfuscation peppered with some denials by Government members.

Similar to the Government's superannuation changes which targeted the higher end of superannuation balances, it wouldn't be surprising to see the Government target negative gearing changes, for example, at the 5% of landlords who own 6 plus properties.

Any uncertainty over rent controls and negative gearing just reinforces nervousness amongst investors at a time when Australia needs greater investment in rental housing.

Ch 9 News - Rent Controls

Report No. 7, 57th Parliament Housing, Big Build and Manufacturing Committee, May 2024

National Renters Protection Authority Plan

Negative Gearing Changes

September 2024