Max Chandler-Mather (Griffith, Australian Greens) | Link to this | Hansard source

If you're a renter, you have a real chance to have your voice heard on the national stage for the first time. One-third of this country rents—around eight million people—and far too often renters are treated as second-class citizens, completely ignored by our political class, which is all too often interested in the profits of banks and property developers above renters. Well, after the Greens secured the country's first ever national inquiry into the rental crisis, you have a chance to share your experience and force the government to finally listen—force them to listen to stories like Jessica's. She is a single mum in South Brisbane who has copped a $100-a-week rent increase. This increase has meant she's had to take her kids out of swimming lessons and make tough choices at the supermarket. If she copped one more rent increase, she'll likely have to move her family out of her community and pull her kids out of their school and away from their friends.

There are stories like Jay's. He's the father in a family of five who has just copped an eviction notice for no reason after they made multiple improvements to the home at their own cost, including fly screens and a clothesline. Now it looks like the property will be advertised for $100 a week more. It's stories like these that are too often ignored, but, if you're are a renter and you have a story like this, now is your chance. You have until 4 August to make a super-easy submission. It takes just a few minutes.

We know that the federal government has the power to coordinate a national freeze and cap on rent increases and give renters real rights. We know national cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, is considering a national agreement on renters' rights right now, but, if we want them to act, we need them to listen to stories like yours.