1. Housing Rental—Minimum StandardsDAVID SEYMOUR (Leader—ACT) to the Minister of Housing and Urban DevelopmentORAL QUESTIONSQUESTIONS TO MINISTERSHousing Rental—Minimum Standards1. DAVID SEYMOUR (Leader—ACT) to the Minister of Housing and Urban Development: Does he believe that the residential property market as currently regulated leads to excessive profits for landlords?Hon PHIL TWYFORD (Minister of Housing and Urban Development): Although steep rent rises have hurt low-income renters in many cases in recent years in general I do not believe that the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 leads to excessive profits for landlords. I do however consider that the Act does not strike the right balance between landlords and tenants. That's why we've announced proposals to strike a new balance between providing tenants with more secure tenure and allowing them to make their house a home while protecting the rights and interests of landlords.David Seymour: If landlords are not making excessive profits then who will pay the costs of the new standards the Minister intends to regulate for the upkeep of rented homes?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: Well I would expect that the cost of meeting the new standards like those that are set out in the draft standards for the Healthy Homes Guarantee Act—like for instance putting in a heat pump or some insulation or draught-stopping or drainage—will be dealt with in exactly the same way as landlords do currently as when the house needs painting or the roof needs replacing or the piles need fixing.David Seymour: So is the Minister saying that landlords are not making excessive profit tenants are hurt by steep rent increases and now new costs will be put into the renting of property and that will somehow be paid for by magic?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: No that's not at all what I said. I said that in some cases in some regional housing markets low-income renters have been hurt in recent years by rising rents primarily caused by a lack of housing supply. But I would say that our Government is unapologetic about the fact that we are modernising the standards for rental properties because in our view it's long past time that this country was sending 40000 kids to hospital every year with infectious diseases mostly because they're living in rental properties that are cold and damp. David Seymour: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. My question was tight and asked who will pay the cost of improvements to homes. I don't believe the Minister even tried to address that basic kernel of who pays the cost.SPEAKER: I think he did.Paul Eagle: What changes is the Government proposing to how the residential property market is regulated?Hon PHIL TWYFORD: Our tenancy laws are antiquated. They don't reflect the fact that renting is now a long-term reality for many many families. The Government is proposing changes that will strike a fairer balance between providing tenants with security of tenure and allowing them to make their house a home while protecting the rights and interests of landlords. We know that the vast majority of landlords take good care of their properties and treat their tenants fairly. Those people will see no real change from the Government's reforms. However the current law is so weak that it permits a small number of exploitative people to rent out unhealthy dangerous houses and charge exorbitant rents. Our reforms will clean up the rental market and that's good for the vast majority of landlords and their tenants.