Dr DAVID SALIBA (Fairfield) (12:12): My question is addressed to the Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading. Will the Minister update the House on how the Minns Labor Government is making renting fairer and providing cost-of-living relief by introducing the State's first Smart Rental Bonds system?
Mr ANOULACK CHANTHIVONG (Macquarie Fields—Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading, Minister for Industry and Trade, Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology, Minister for Building, and Minister for Corrections) (12:12): I thank the member for Fairfield for his question. As a renter himself, he understands the challenges of renters in his local community. The 2.3 million renters across New South Wales are under significant pressure in the housing market in these uncertain times. The Minns Labor Government's focus is very clear: making the rental market fairer for everyone. That is why this week we were proud to give renters a first look at the Smart Rental Bonds scheme. The IT infrastructure is built, the testing is being done and the scheme will be launched in the middle of this year. Labor offers the right plan and the steady leadership that is required and that the people of New South Wales deserve, while the Liberal Party and The Nationals have proven to be unreliable when it comes to helping renters in New South Wales.
Confronting long-term challenges and investing in the State's future requires a commitment to policymaking that can make a real positive difference to the lives of renters. That means delivering on our promises to provide cost-of-living relief for renters, introduce a Portable Rental Bond Scheme and make renting fairer. Around 330,000 households move every single year, with most rental tenancies lasting less than two years. Moving is tough and quite expensive. Thousands of renters face up-front costs when moving homes. The average renter spends about $4,000 every time they move. The Smart Rental Bonds will allow tenants to digitally transfer their bond between properties for a small fee of only $25. That means that renters will no longer have to find the thousands of dollars for a second bond while waiting for the previous bond to be refunded.
Renters will only need to follow a few easy steps to access that crucial cost‑of‑living measure. If the bond is higher than the old one, they will need to pay the difference; if the bond is cheaper, they will get that money back as long as there is no agreed claim on the bond. If a landlord makes a claim on the bond and the renter agrees, the Government will pay the landlord up-front, meaning that the renter repays the Government and the landlord faces no financial risk. The system will forever change the way millions of renters live and rent their properties in New South Wales. Members opposite have been quick to criticise our announcement. Earlier this week on 2GB, the member for Willoughby talked a big game and said, "The Coalition committed to a 12‑month timeline to get this done, delivered and ready for the renters of New South Wales." [Extension of time]
I hate to break it to the member for Willoughby that, sadly, the Coalition did not meet that timeline. Let us go on a trip down memory lane.
The SPEAKER: I call the member for Willoughby to order for the third time.
Mr ANOULACK CHANTHIVONG: Now, 12 months is one year. As I read the facts—
Mr James Griffin: Point of order—
The SPEAKER: The Clerk will stop the clock. The Minister will resume his seat. The Manager of Opposition Business rises on a point of order.
Mr James Griffin: I take a point of order under Standing Order 52, "No noise or interruption of debate". The Minister should be heard in silence. I cannot quite hear what is going on.
The SPEAKER: There is no point of order. The Minister has the call. Members will come to order.
Mr ANOULACK CHANTHIVONG: If my maths is correct, the Liberal-Nationals Government promised a rental bond rollover scheme in 2018. In October 2018 the then fair trading Minister said in this House that the phantom rollover scheme would help relieve cost-of-living pressures associated with moving house. Those opposite had five years. Mathematically, five times 12 is 60 months. I ask the member for Bankstown, who was a great principal, what mark would you give the member for Willoughby? I say a big F.
The SPEAKER: The Minister will come to order. That comment was disorderly, especially as the Minister referred directly to the member for Bankstown.
Mr ANOULACK CHANTHIVONG: Those opposite said they would deliver their scheme in 12 months, and in five years they did nothing. In contrast, the Minns Labor Government is doing exactly what we said we would do. We have the right plan for the people of New South Wales to feel comfortable and secure in their homes. We will start our phased rollout of the Smart Rental Bonds scheme in the middle of this year, to make sure we get it right. Let us remember that there is $2 billion worth of renters' money in the scheme. The Smart Rental Bonds scheme comes on top of a suite of other measures, including ending no‑grounds evictions, limiting rent increases to once a year, banning rent bidding and mandating fee-free ways to pay rent. Those opposite said one thing in government and say another in opposition, and they deliver nothing. They are uncertain about what they stand for, unable to deliver policies and unreliable when it comes to helping renters in New South Wales.
