The latest SGS Rental Affordability Index has found Tasmania's rental market remains the worst in the nation.
Shadow Housing Minister Alison Standen said despite overwhelming evidence that Tasmanians are experiencing acute housing stress, Will Hodgman is still not treating the housing and homelessness crisis with the urgency it demands.
"The new data shows that in Hobart rental affordability has dropped below a critical threshold, meaning that even an average income household would be in rental stress, paying more than 30% of their income or more on rent.
"Hobart is the only capital city in Australia where rental affordability for the average income household has dropped below the critical threshold.
"Low income households in Hobart are spending as much as 86% of their income on rent. Rental stress at this level pushes people to the outer fringes of our cities, well away from jobs and critical social infrastructure. This makes it harder for them to get into and stay in a job."
Ms Standen said the SGS data shows rental affordability in regional areas of Tasmania has also declined and remains the least affordable of the regions studied.
"Household incomes in Tasmania are significantly lower than the national average, but rents are only marginally lower than mainland averages. The recent ABS Wage Price Index shows that under Will Hodgman wages are failing to keep up with the cost of living.
"The gap between income and rent has been widening over the past three years. More and more people are living in housing stress, rents are rising and incomes aren't keeping pace.
"This means people struggle to pay for other essentials such as food, heating, medical treatment and education. Housing stress is also a key contributor to increasing rates of homelessness.
"Will Hodgman's Government has failed to adequately plan, accurately forecast, or appropriately resource the sector to ensure that a basic and essential human right is delivered for all Tasmanians.
"Tasmanians deserve to be able to afford to put a roof over their heads. If the economy is going as well as Will Hodgman and Peter Gutwein claim, there's no excuse for sitting idly by while Tasmanians suffer."
Alison Standen
Shadow Minister for Housing
