New Report Highlights Rental Affordability Problems in SA

MEDIA RELEASE: The South Australian Council of Social Service (SACOSS) today released its latest Cost of Living Update, which highlights problems of rental affordability in South Australia.

Drawing on data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the South Australian government, the report shows that the increasing cost of renting has coincided with a decline in the provision of public housing and concludes that greater investment in public housing will boost supply and help all renters.

The data in the report shows that:

  • renters on average have lower incomes and proportionately higher housing costs than home-owners, and so are particularly impacted by housing affordability issues;
  • even rents at the less expensive end of the market in Adelaide are unaffordable for people on very low incomes (e.g average rent equals 75% of JobSeeker payment);
  • rents have gone up significantly in the last 20 years – faster than both inflation and key income sources such as the JobSeeker allowance, and the minimum wage;
    (e.g. average rent for a 2 bedroom unit in Adelaide increased by $113 in real terms between 2000 and 2021: JobSeeker increased by $34.50, the minimum wage by $87);
  • In the last 12 months (Dec 2020 – Dec 2021), the price of new rentals in South Australia has increased by 7.2%, including an 11.1% increase for 3-bedroom houses in Adelaide. This 7.2% increase is more than double the general inflation rate.
  • the number of social housing dwellings has declined from 9.9% of the housing market in 2000 to 6.7% in 2021.

SACOSS CEO, Ross Womersley said:

“While much of the public debate around housing affordability centres on home owners and house prices, it is often renters that have the biggest affordability challenges – particularly those on the lowest incomes.”

“Our report shows that an age pensioner in a 2-bedroom unit could easily be paying over 50% of their income on rent, while a single parent on the minimum wage would see around 35% of their income go on rent at the bottom end of the market.”

“Many of the levers of rental affordability lie with the federal government, but the biggest thing the state government could do would be to invest in social housing. This would provide much-needed housing for those who otherwise struggle in the private market, but it would also provide an economic stimulus and increase the supply of rental properties – which could benefit all renters through less competition for properties and lower prices.”

SACOSS is calling on all parties in the state election to commit to a significant investment (at least around the same order-of-magnitude as the Victorian package – pro-rata = $1.4bn over 4 years) to increase the net stock of public housing in South Australia.

The Cost of Living Update #49 is available at: www.sacoss.org.au/cost-of-living-49

For more information on SACOSS’ proposals for the state election, see www.sacoss.org.au/basics

Story in InDaily ‘Low Income earners in SA spending big on rentals 

 

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KELLY VINCENT

Kelly is a writer and an advocate living on Kaurna land. At age 20, they won the State Theatre’s Young Guns Award for young playwrights for Gravity. At 21, they became Australia’s youngest Member of Parliament and first-ever appointed specifically on the platform of disability rights. From 2010 to 2018, Kelly represented the Dignity Party in the Upper House of South Australia’s State Parliament, making vital changes to the way service providers, the built environment, and the justice system respond to the needs of disabled people. They are now Creative Director of True Ability, a disabled persons’ theatre company they co-founded in 2020.

CHERYL AXELBY

Cheryl is a proud Narungga Woman, living on Kaurna land, and is passionate about improving the quality of life for her people. Cheryl has extensive experience working with Aboriginal communities, and federal and state government sectors at senior and executive level in a career spanning over 43 years. Currently she is National Co-Chair of Change the Record, Head of Aboriginal Housing – Housing SA and in March 2024 she was elected as the Central Region 1 representative in the historic First Nations Voice to SA Parliament.

DAVE ADAMSON

Dave moved to Australia following a 30-year academic career in the UK. He has since worked in the Community Housing sector and authored the 2016 Towards a National Housing Strategy, and helped to establish the Everybody’s Home campaign. He also researches the interface between poverty and climate change and actively supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. He has worked with government at all levels and has experience of policy development and evaluation. He is co-author of Sustainable Places: Addressing Social Inequality and Environmental Crisis (2022, Routledge). In his spare time he plays and builds guitars.

ROHAN FEEGRADE

Rohan is an experienced and forward-thinking CEO, senior executive and board director with demonstrated expertise across the not-for-profit, private and government sectors. Currently CEO of Lutheran Care, he has proven record for creating substantial organisational, stakeholder and client value, and has extensive experience in strategically positioning organisations for transformational change and growth within the health, disability, education and community service sectors. Rohan is a socially responsible professional, genuinely passionate about creating opportunities for people who live with disadvantage and disability, always acting ethically to serve those he works with and for.

DR JEN CLEARY

Jen is a human geographer, with a background spanning social services and social policy ,vocational and higher education and regional, rural and remote research and development. She is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Centacare Catholic Country SA (CCCSA), a for-purpose organisation providing social services in regional, rural and remote communities in South Australia, across a footprint of some 980,000 square km. She was awarded a PhD in Geography from the University of SA in 2014. She holds an adjunct professorial position with the Centre for Social Impact at Flinders University and is a member of the Advisory Panel for the University of SA Justice and Society Arts Program.

NANCY PENNA

Nancy has than 30 years of experience in South Australian community services, and a a unique understanding of the political and social landscape and the issues and opportunities facing South Australia. Currently responsible for the strategic and operational oversight of AnglicareSA’s community services portfolio, she has previously held executive roles in government within child protection and disability, with her executive experience underpinned by her earlier career as a social worker in child protection and youth justice. She is also Chair of the Child and Family Focus South Australia (CAFFSA) Board and most recently on the Housing Security for Older Women Taskforce.

NICOLE CHAPLIN

Nicole is a dedicated and experienced youth support professional, specialising in solutions for disadvantaged young people in South Australia. As CEO of St John’s Youth Services, she oversees innovative programs like youth110 and Foyer Port Adelaide. With over thirty years in the community sector, Nicole has built extensive networks and her expertise spans governance, service delivery, policy development, and partnerships. Recognised with the 2018 AHI Inspirational Leader Award, Nicole is an active participant in housing and homelessness networks. She holds leadership roles in various organisations, including Anglicare Australia’s National Reconciliation Network.

EMMA CROSBY

Emma is a chartered Accountant with more than 15 years experience as a board member, finance and business professional, strategic advisor and company secretary. She has strong values and a passion for enabling and leading organisations to meet its operational and strategic direction through long-term financial sustainability, operational efficiency, innovation, leadership, transformation and partnerships. As Treasurer and Board member at SACOSS, she is committed to successfully leading and making a purposeful impact to the organisation and its stakeholders.

David PANTER

David has worked in health and social care for almost 45 years, over half of which has been as a Chief Executive. In the UK he initially worked in the NHS and more latterly in local government, where he was Chief Executive of Brighton & Hove City Council. In 2004 David was recruited to the South Australian public health system for over 10 years leading reforms including the development of the new Royal Adelaide Hospital. From 2015-2022 David was the Chief Executive of not-for-profit aged care provider ECH. At the end of January 2022 David became the Chief Executive at Minda, SA’s largest provider of services to people living with an intellectual disability.

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