❓ Hon Nick Goiran questions the Minister for Commerce regarding the Residential Tenancies (COVID-19 Response) Act 2020, specifically concerning rent relief applications, data accuracy, and the justification for extending the emergency period. The Minister provides answers and context regarding the data and decision-making process.
AnsweredQoN 1099Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS —
RESIDENTIAL TENANCIES
1099. Hon NICK GOIRAN to the minister representing the
Minister for Commerce:
I refer to the minister's
responses in September to questions without notice 915 and 1025.
(1) Were 3 872 applications for
residential rent relief approved and paid as at 16 September 2020?
(2) Did that
figure represent less than two per cent of the 238 372 residential tenancy
bonds lodged with the bond administrator?
(3) Has the
minister responded to the Real Estate Institute of Western Australia to confirm
that the minister's data supports REIWA's assessment that less
than two per cent of all residential tenancy agreements in Western Australia have experienced
COVID-19-related financial hardship caused by the economic effects of
the COVID-19 pandemic?
(4) Will the
minister table the documentation that the minister relied upon to justify
extending the emergency period under the Residential Tenancies (COVID-19
Response) Act 2020 to 28 March 2021?
(5) If no to (4),
will the minister undertake to table a notice under section 82 of the Financial
Management Act 2006?
RESIDENTIAL TENANCIES
1099. Hon NICK GOIRAN to the minister representing the
Minister for Commerce:
I refer to the minister's
responses in September to questions without notice 915 and 1025.
(1) Were 3 872 applications for
residential rent relief approved and paid as at 16 September 2020?
(2) Did that
figure represent less than two per cent of the 238 372 residential tenancy
bonds lodged with the bond administrator?
(3) Has the
minister responded to the Real Estate Institute of Western Australia to confirm
that the minister's data supports REIWA's assessment that less
than two per cent of all residential tenancy agreements in Western Australia have experienced
COVID-19-related financial hardship caused by the economic effects of
the COVID-19 pandemic?
(4) Will the
minister table the documentation that the minister relied upon to justify
extending the emergency period under the Residential Tenancies (COVID-19
Response) Act 2020 to 28 March 2021?
(5) If no to (4),
will the minister undertake to table a notice under section 82 of the Financial
Management Act 2006?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the
question. The following information has been provided by the Minister for
Commerce.
(1) Yes.
(2) The
percentage of grants made to date relative to the daily bond lodged number is
not an accurate measure of the number of households in hardship. It is the case
that there are tenancies impacted by hardship for which there has not been an
application for a grant. That is due to any number of reasons; for example, the
tenant may have retained their job but suffered a significant drop in pay or
increase in expenses. This may have placed the tenant in circumstances of
hardship, but insufficient to warrant qualification for the targeted rent
relief grant scheme.
(3) The minister
has been in regular contact with the Real Estate Institute of Western Australia
and met with REIWA as recently as 6 October 2020 to discuss a range of matters.
(4)–(5) In
arriving at the decision to extend the emergency period, cabinet considered a range
of factors, including the current level of unemployment, diminishing payments
for JobKeeper and JobSeeker, and low rental vacancy rates. The risk of COVID-19
remains. Cabinet was also mindful that the arrangements under the Residential
Tenancies (COVID-19 Response) Act 2020 have produced a period of relative
stability.
question. The following information has been provided by the Minister for
Commerce.
(1) Yes.
(2) The
percentage of grants made to date relative to the daily bond lodged number is
not an accurate measure of the number of households in hardship. It is the case
that there are tenancies impacted by hardship for which there has not been an
application for a grant. That is due to any number of reasons; for example, the
tenant may have retained their job but suffered a significant drop in pay or
increase in expenses. This may have placed the tenant in circumstances of
hardship, but insufficient to warrant qualification for the targeted rent
relief grant scheme.
(3) The minister
has been in regular contact with the Real Estate Institute of Western Australia
and met with REIWA as recently as 6 October 2020 to discuss a range of matters.
(4)–(5) In
arriving at the decision to extend the emergency period, cabinet considered a range
of factors, including the current level of unemployment, diminishing payments
for JobKeeper and JobSeeker, and low rental vacancy rates. The risk of COVID-19
remains. Cabinet was also mindful that the arrangements under the Residential
Tenancies (COVID-19 Response) Act 2020 have produced a period of relative
stability.
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