Will a national rent freeze fix Australia’s housing crisis? Depends on who you listen to

‘Landlords make money from higher rents, so they are going to complain about policies that work to make rents lower, and support policies that don’t.’ Photograph: OlekStock/Getty Images/iStockphoto

In the face of rapidly rising rents in Australia’s capitals, the Greens are calling for the federal government to work with states on a national rent freeze to protect tenants from the “bill shock” of sudden rental increase of 20%, 30%, or more when they renew their lease.

Berlin froze rents in 2019 on apartments built before 2014. It saved that city’s renters billions before being ruled unconstitutional in 2021. Perverse supply outcomes that were promised failed to materialise, with Berlin seeing much faster new housing development than the 13 next-largest German cities in the two years of the policy.