Rent assistance is ‘laughably low’, economists warn, but calls for an increase fall flat

Low-income households face the prospect of rising rents without an increase in rent assistance, as the government rebuffed calls to boost the payments on offer.

An emphatic Productivity Commission report on Friday called for an overhaul of taxpayer spending on housing help, saying the government should prioritise a review of rent assistance given the “strong case” to improve its adequacy and targeting.

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth said reforming Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA) was not on the agenda in the coming budget, blaming this on the “$1 trillion debt left behind” by the former Morrison government.

Read More: https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/property/news/rent-assistance-is-laughably-low-economists-warn-but-calls-for-an-increase-fall-flat-20220930-p5bmbt.html