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Residential Tenancies Act amendments a significant step for renters’ rights

The South Australian Council of Social Service today welcomed the passage through SA Parliament of amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act. The amendments provide greater rights for renters living in up to 190,000 SA households, including:  

  • An end to no cause evictions (tenants can now only be evicted for prescribed reasons, not simply because the landlord wants a change) 
  • Making it easier for renters to own a pet  
  • Increasing the notice period for a non-renewal of a fixed term lease  
  • Greater support for victims of domestic violence  
  • Improving water billing transparency and bringing SA more in to line with other states and past SA practice. 

The review of the Act began last year, and smaller changes were made in legislation in June. The final bill was passed in the lower house on 15 November.

On Friday (24 November) SACOSS, along with Uniting Communities, Better Renting, the Anti-Poverty Network and Shelter SA, wrote to all MLCs asking them to pass the bill as quickly as possible. It was passed today by the Legislative Council with the support of the Greens and SA Best. 

Quotes attributable to SACOSS Director of Policy and Advocacy, Dr Rebecca Tooher 

This bill represents a significant step for South Australian renters’ rights and support for tenants. We welcome any legislation improving conditions for renters, particularly for those on low incomes. Some of the issues affecting renters have been around for a long time, so it is good that parliament moved quickly to give renters greater certainty before the Christmas break.

The importance of ending no-cause evictions can’t be overstated. It gives renters greater security of tenure so they can live more stable lives, and it will allow them to ask for repairs and negotiate with landlords without a fear of losing their home at their next lease renewal.

There remain further areas for improvement. SACOSS will continue to advocate for rent capping and for minimum energy efficiency standards, but today we congratulate Minister for Consumer and Business Affairs Andrea Michaels and the Malinauskas government on these significant reforms. We also thank SA Best, and particularly the Greens for supporting the bill through parliament and for their achievement of funding for a tenants’ advocacy organisation

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08 8305 4222

sacoss@sacoss.org.au

Marjorie Black House
47 King William Road Unley SA 5061

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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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