Ms DONNA DAVIS (Parramatta) (12:58): My question is addressed to the Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading. Will the Minister update the House on how the Government is taking immediate action to protect renters in New South Wales?

Mr ANOULACK CHANTHIVONG (Macquarie Fields—Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading, Minister for Industry and Trade, Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology, Minister for Building, and Minister for Corrections) (12:58): I thank the member for Parramatta for her question. I know that the member is a strong advocate for rental reform for people in her electorate, both renters and rental providers alike. No doubt the 15 per cent swing that she achieved proved how good she was against the Opposition's candidate. We all know how hard and how challenging the rental market has been, but this week I found a new definition for short‑term rental accommodation in the National Party leadership. I have never seen somebody who signed a short‑term rental—

Mr Matt Kean: Point of order: My point of order relates to relevance.

The SPEAKER: Government members will come to order so that I may hear the point of order.

Mr Matt Kean: Clearly, the National Party has nothing to do with rent at all. Mr Speaker, please direct the Minister to return to the question.

The SPEAKER: I rule that the point of order is an interesting aside that has achieved the result it was designed to achieve. I ask the Minister to be more relevant to the question and return to his answer.

Mr ANOULACK CHANTHIVONG: We all know that in the short-term rental market vacancy rates in New South Wales have reached historic lows, putting increased pressure on renters who are looking for a rental property. Rising interest rates and the rising cost of living make people more vulnerable to housing stress, but that is why this Government is getting on with the job of implementing its election commitments to protect renters and to make renting fairer. I am pleased that the important role of the NSW Rental Commissioner has been advertised—an important voice that has been missing for 12 years. The Rental Commissioner will be a critical part of this Government's coordinated response to rebalancing the rental market and providing renters with improved protection and improved rental experience. He or she will be an advocate and a strong voice for renters in New South Wales.

The SPEAKER: The member for North Shore will come to order.

Mr ANOULACK CHANTHIVONG: In a balanced approach, they will work closely with rental advocacy groups, rental providers and agents to identify issues impacting renters and to inform future reform. They will work towards improving conditions for New South Wales renters by advising and consulting on the Government's commitments to ending no-grounds evictions and developing a list of reasonable grounds for all evictions.

Ms Donna Davis: Can the Minister please provide additional information on how the Government—

The SPEAKER: I am sure the Minister can provide additional information. A two-minute extension has been granted.

Mr ANOULACK CHANTHIVONG: As Barack Obama would approve: Yes, I can. The commissioner will introduce rules to prevent rental providers from unreasonably refusing a tenant's request for a pet; implement a portable bond scheme, saving renters thousands of dollars as they move from one property to another; and identify options for longer term agreements, giving renters stability and also giving rental providers stability in tenancy as well.

The SPEAKER: The member for North Shore will come to order.

Mr ANOULACK CHANTHIVONG: Of course, future policymaking reforms will ensure that we continue to make improvements in the rental market and for rental providers by analysing good data that the commissioner will collect. The Rental Commissioner will be asked to identify barriers to increasing housing supply for renters, because you cannot get rental affordability if you do not have rental availability: That is what this Government will focus on trying to do. We must ensure that all future reforms and any other proposals do not add extra pressure to the rental market. The Premier has ruled out rent freezes because we know that such an approach ultimately will reduce supply and make things even worse for the people in the rental market we are trying to help.

Over the past few months I have had some very meaningful discussions with stakeholders about our Government's rental reforms. My overriding message is this: Collaboration is the key. We must balance the need to make renting fairer for renters with ensuring that rental property providers are encouraged to stay in the market, or indeed increase market supply. It is in the interests of renters' advocacy and industry groups to work collaboratively with the Government on reform to strengthen the rental market as a whole.

[Interruption]

The SPEAKER: The Minister does not require a countdown from members in the Chamber. I appreciate that they may not realise we have a clock.