THE Blackwood-centred renters' rights movement has spread Australia-wide after the Renters Alliance was swamped with emails and calls from distressed renters.
As a result of the burgeoning movement other organisations have begun highlighting the plight of renters, rent stress, those in social housing and the increasing hardship most face.
WA Renters Alliance co-ordinator Lea Keenan said a rally in the Blackwood region in July would launch the movement and would then be followed by a rally on the steps of the WA Parliament in August before a Renters' Rights National Day of Action Australia-wide in October.
The Renters Alliance will organise a schedule of meetings throughout the South West for June in the lead up to the first rally and will meet with concerned South West renters to both involve them in the movement and to highlight their stories to politicians and to the news media.
Ms Keenan said the June visits would include Bunbury, Busselton, Donnybrook, Bridgetown, Collie, Margaret River and Albany.
"We may visit other towns too however we are listening to everyone wherever they may live," she said.
"Enough is enough with what renters go through and the hardship is only getting worse, with political parties geared to inherently supporting the interests of landlords and investors, who are actually fewer than the renters."
The Renters Alliance said nearly 70 per cent of Australians lived in rentals or in social housing and that proportionate to population, less Australians than ever before were able to step into home ownership. Social researcher and secretary of the Multicultural Union of Australia Reveli Affleck said it was only going to get worse for renters unless politicians stopped neglecting them.
"We are being hurt badly by rent rises and both Liberal and Labor have not shown any inclination to push for reducing rents," Mr Affleck said.
"Policies for reducing rents would win the support of 67 per cent of the people."
"In the Blackwood property prices are still ridiculously high despite a declining market and rent prices are on average, in our view, $100 per week too much, and in Perth $200 per week too much," Ms Keenan said.
"Landlords and realtors in the South West should be looking at the regional social conditions, the local wages and the job market when considering what a fair rent should be.
"Many South West property owners are investors who do not live in the South West and are after maximum returns - they do not have the mindset that their investment is someone's home.
"We've got politicians worried about a looming renters' rights movement and so they should be.
"When we get to the Blackwood and the South West come June it would be great to have the local politicians from all sides at the meetings.
"If they want to win the respect of the people they need to rock up and of course we will contact their offices to meet with them nevertheless.
"Next week we will release the schedule of the Renters Alliance visits to the South West - the dates, times, venues."
