Tuesday, May 1 2018 For immediate release
New research highlights lack of affordable rentals in Muswellbrook
Local research by Samaritans has highlighted the lack of affordable rentals for some of the mostvulnerable people in our community.
Research undertaken in April, as part of Anglicare Australia’s national Rental Affordability Snapshot, has shown that Muswellbrook had a significant decrease in properties available to rent (-37%) and of those rentals, none were affordable and appropriate for a young person on youth allowance, even in shared accommodation.
Samaritans Acting CEO, Brad Webb, said “For young people on Newstart or Youth Allowance, this is the 7th year where there have been no private rental properties affordable or appropriate across the total snapshot region.”
“We see the direct impact on people’s lives when they can’t find secure and affordable accommodation. As people go without basic living needs to pay the rent, we see an increased demand for our emergency relief and financial counselling services. These are people in our communities who are trying hard to avoid homelessness, but who are finding the system stacked against them,” Mr Webb said.
“In 2017 Samaritans provided 967 young people in Newcastle and the Hunter with accommodation support. These numbers and the recent insights from the Rental Affordability Snapshot highlight a significant level of rental stress, which is pushing some people into homelessness. We need all levels of government to commit to eliminating homelessness and making housing affordable and accessible to every Australian.”
Samaritans findings also indicate while the renewed confidence in the Hunter economy due to higher coal prices has boosted the Upper Hunter mining sector and employment, this has contributed to a decrease in the amount of private rental properties advertised due to people moving back into mining related jobs.
The research was undertaken by analysing the number of rental properties advertised during one day in April and assessing affordability (30% of weekly income on rent) and appropriateness (accessibility and suitability for number of people or family type).
In the lead up to the Federal Budget, Samaritans is voicing its support for the Everybody’s Home campaign ( and calling for state and territory governments to develop a National Housing Strategy to meet Australia’s identified shortfall of 500,000 social and affordable rental homes.
Mr Webb said, “Without taking strong and deliberate action, it will be some time before the results of the Rental Affordability Snapshot reflect a positive outlook for vulnerable people in our region. There is no further time to wait.”
-ENDS-#rentalsnapshot2018
Contact Samaritans Communications team on 4960 7100 or 0438 475 772 to arrange interviews. Local young person, Tabatha, who has experienced housing stress and is currently supported by Samaritans, is also available for media interview.