Warning rent could increase by $50 a week in south-west

Member for South West Coast Roma Britnell made the shock prediction in parliament this week.

"We did not have land tax applying to land that was less than $300,000; now with the increases in land prices and the increase in the tax we will see every rental property, more than likely, in South West Coast having that tax applied," Ms Britnell said.

"That will put the rent up per week at a minimum, more than likely, $50.

"That is a lot of money per week for families that are struggling. These are taxes that the government have put on our community."

Her comments come after The Standard revealed a growing number of people were struggling to find affordable rentals.

Ms Britnell said the state was experiencing a rental crisis and many Victorians were struggling to make ends meet.

"For young families, with the cost of children going to school, nappies, formula - all of those things that they have to afford when they have a young family - I really do not know how they are doing it," she said.

"Power bills - despite using less power, they are still paying more, even if they are being as conservative as they possibly can, than they were at the same time last year."

Member for Polwarth Richard Riordan also spoke about the state's housing crisis in parliament this week.

"The issue that we have in Victoria at the moment is this government has been overseeing since 2014 the decline in availability of housing in this state, and whether it is land supply, whether it is rental accommodation or whether it is public housing, social housing or affordable housing - whatever type - Victoria is in a critical mess," Mr Riordan said.

"We hear the minister talk about 12,000 new homes and his $5.4 billion Big Housing Build, but what are the results of that investment for Victorians? It is a very, very poor outcome."

Mr Riordan said the state was in desperate need of additional housing.

"Sadly members of the government do not understand the difference between opening a new housing development and replacing one they have just demolished," he said.

"What Victoria needs is a net increase in available houses and places for people to live, not a net-neutral amount or an actual decline.

"We saw a decline from about 2016 to 2020 in actual housing stock, and then the government tried replacing houses, but not at a rate sufficient to meet the demand."

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