Housing should be a basic human right. But because of COVID-19 we know renters and landlords are struggling to pay rent or their mortgage due to lost income. What has not helped during these already stressful times, is the confusion and uncertainty the rules and concessions around renting.

The the PM declaring a rental evictions moratorium for 6 months - however, each state has chosen different way in which to 'implement' this. To help answer some of the most common questions about renting, we have compiled information from South Australia's trusted tenant support agencies.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Can my landlord evict me?
The state Government has announced that a landlord will not be able to evict a tenant if they are unable to pay their rent due to the loss of income or employment as a result of COVID-19. You still need to talk to your agent if you have concerns about paying your rent or being evicted for any other reason. You can ask to make alternative payment arrangements. If you can’t reach an agreement, the landlord may apply to the South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (SACAT) to try to resolve the matter.

If my rent is reduced for now, will I be expected to pay it later? 
At this stage, nothing has been announced to say that outstanding rent money will not have to be paid back, once this pandemic is over. The safest option is to assume that the rent debt will still need to be repaid until told otherwise

If I get money from Centrelink, will my rent go up?
During this time, a landlord can not increase the rent of a residential tenancy. Tenants in public housing are usually charged a portion of their income as rent. People who receive many types of welfare payment will receive additional COVID-19 stimulus support payments. SA Housing and community housing tenants will not have to pay increased rent because of this additional income. 

For more information about changes to renting in South Australia, please see the websites below:

TIAS 
Tias advisors are experts in helping people to navigate the challenges of renting and stay in their homes.
https://www.syc.net.au/home/housing-support/tias/
or call 1800 060 462

SACAT 
South Australian Civil and Administrative Appeals Tribunal is where civil law disputes or applications, such as those that relate to landlord/tenant relationships are resolved. 
http://www.sacat.sa.gov.au/ 
or call 1800 723 767

CBS
Consumer and Business Services is where all rental bonds are held in South Australia. 
https://www.cbs.sa.gov.au/rental-advice-due-covid-19 
or call 131 882

Sign the petition to protect renters and homeowners who are facing financial uncertainty during this time of crisis.
https://greens.org.au/campaigns/protect-homes

Please note that the information above is specific to residents in South Australia only. 

Not in SA? There are services across the country who can help:

• Australian Capital Territory
• Northern Territory
• Queensland
• New South Wales
• Tasmania
• Victoria
• Western Australia

In these unprecedented times when we are staying home to save lives - One thing we can do is call for better Australian content on our streaming services. 

Last week, I asked people on my Facebook Page - 'What their favourite Australian film and show was? The response was amazing - way too many to list. So instead we have collated the responses through this word cloud.

Can you spot your favourite Aussie film?

'A riveting insider's view of bullying and sexism in federal parliament.' GILLIAN TRIGGS

Watch Sarah Hanson-Young, author of En Garde, in conversation with Louise Adler.

Order your copy of En Garde: https://bit.ly/EnGarde_Dymocks

*Update* As of March 23, the government has ordered Australia’s restaurants and cafes to halt dine-in trade and move to takeways or pickups only. We'll endevour to keep this list as relevent as possible in the coming weeks.

Local Businesses are adjusting their businesses in light of social distancing and self-isolating is becoming common practice. 

It is important that we support our local businesses, particularly our favourite restaurants and cafes during COVID-19. 

If you know of any local South Australian restaurant or cafe who are implementing a pick up/drop off service, send my office the details and we will share!

Email - [email protected] 

These are extraordinary times. COVID-19 is not just a health crisis, but also an economic and social and community crisis. This is like nothing else we have experienced before.  

Schools are being closed. Pubs, restaurants and cafes are closing their doors for the foreseeable future. This week alone thousands of people will lose their jobs and thousands, likely millions, more will lose theirs in the coming weeks and months. We have seen the lines at Centrelink already and they will no doubt continue to grow.

We are all in this together, but many will feel the brunt of the impact of COVID-19 harder than others. For these people we must all do our part to ensure no one is left behind.

Make no mistake, the fires we've experienced this summer are climate fires. Politicians must start listening to what mother nature is telling us, what the community is pleading for. We must stop the expansion of fossil fuels, restore our environment and protect our animals or this environmental and climate crisis will only get worse.

Today I have announced that as Chair of the Senate's Environment Committee I will move for the Faunal Extinction Inquiry to examine the impact of the catastrophic fires across the country on endangered wildlife and flora.

The already-established Inquiry gives the Parliament an opportunity to immediately get on with what needs to be done to protect our native fauna and flora in the wake of the fires.

Before the fires started, Australia already had one of the worst extinction rates in the world. Now more than a billion animals have been killed by fires across the country and thousands of hectares of habitat destroyed and we are only half way through summer - we don’t have time to waste.

Last week I was on Kangaroo Island. The fire-ravaged landscape looks like a warzone. Homes destroyed, lives torn apart, forest decimated and dead animals everywhere. Climate fires have been burning across the country since September, and the new year has only brought more horror, and there's still two months of summer to go. 

The time for debate is over – we need a climate and environment policy that is fit for the crisis we’re in.