Ms DONNA DAVIS (Parramatta) (13:06): My question is addressed to Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading. Will the Minister update the House on the Minns Labor Government's work to build a safer rental system for victim‑survivors of domestic and family violence?
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) (13:07): I thank the member for Parramatta for her question and her keen interest in rental regulation, given that 56 per cent of households in her electorate are renters. The Minns Labor Government has already implemented some of the most significant rental reforms in over a decade, including bringing in no‑grounds eviction and making it easier to have pets in rentals, and we are introducing stronger protections for renters' personal information. Today I am extremely proud to advise that victim‑survivors of domestic and family violence will soon have greater rental protections. Under our new proposed laws being introduced this week, victim‑survivors will have the power to leave unsafe homes and have their privacy protected. They will also have the ability to remove themselves from residential tenancy databases and to recover their share of rental bonds.
We know that building a fairer rental housing system will ensure that the 2.3 million renters in New South Wales can make a house their home. We also need to ensure that victim‑survivors have a clear legal pathway to secure their safety. Domestic and family violence is the leading cause of homelessness for women and children across the country as victims are often forced to flee their homes, jobs and support networks to escape their perpetrator. That is why the Minns Labor Government is committed to delivering practical but compassionate laws, supported by frontline service providers, to make a real difference to the safety and security of people experiencing domestic violence in our State.
These reforms stem from the statutory review of the domestic violence provisions in the Residential Tenancies Act. The Minns Labor Government is implementing key recommendations that empower victim‑survivors to leave unsafe situations quickly and without unnecessary red tape. Our proposed changes will make it easier for victim-survivors to leave a tenancy by removing the need for victim‑survivors to notify an alleged perpetrator that they have left their shared lease and by expanding the list of approved people who can declare that a renter is experiencing domestic violence so that they can break the lease without incurring a fee or penalty. Crucially, the bill will shift the obligation to notify a co-tenant of a domestic violence termination from the victim-survivor to the landlord or their agent. The Government's work does not stop there. We cannot build a fairer rental system without also strengthening victim‑survivors' privacy and security protections. Those who are unable to leave a property need practical and fast solutions that work in real‑life situations. [Extension of time]
That is why we are allowing domestic violence victim-survivors to change locks without landlord approval if there is a court order or bail or parole conditions that exclude the alleged perpetrator from the property. We also understand that victim-survivors' safety can be compromised by photos of the exterior of a property as belongings may be clearly visible, including in driveways, backyards and through windows. Under our new legislation, landlords will now require permission from renters for images or videos of the exterior of their property to be published in advertising. That is just one way the Government is working to reduce the risk of victim‑survivors being tracked down by perpetrators and to empower them to feel safe in our communities.
As a result of the consultation, the Government heard from over 400 individuals and 40 organisations. They told us that victim-survivors who manage to leave the negative consequences of an abusive relationship often face increased financial hardship for many years. I am proud to say that some of those economic burdens will be lifted through the bill. We are making it clear that victim-survivors are not liable for property damage caused by a perpetrator by allowing the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal [NCAT] to decide whether the damage was likely to have been caused during an incident of domestic abuse. We are also supporting victim‑survivors in recovering their share of rental bond by giving the NCAT the power to break up the bond and order partial repayments to a co-tenant.
No-one should have to choose between their safety and their home. The bill will improve the operation of the existing laws and introduce important new protections for victim-survivors. Those changes will make it easier for victim‑survivors to leave their rental home quickly and reduce the risk of further financial harm. It will also help to reduce disputes and to provide clarity and certainty for all involved. We cannot allow victim-survivors to be left behind any longer. Their safety, security and empowerment are all crucial parts of the Government's commitment to making renting fairer.
