OPINION: Gunnedah Councillors debated last month on options regarding the rate rise. They were torn between an option where the rise was split over three years to lessen the burden on the community (but the council would be left with almost $1 million less than what the staff believed it would need), or two years which would sufficiently fund what was needed.

Cr Cameron Moore argued for those three years, wanting to help the community with a gradual rise that would be easier to absorb.

“By doing it over two years, I feel like we are doing the exact same thing to the community (the low end) that government is doing to us,” he said.

“It is cost shifting, which will lead to more cost shifting at a level of rentals, and the percentage of community that is in a rental, is still affected by rates because it gets passed on by the people that owned the houses.”

His concern was for those who could not afford their rent to rise.

I agree that Cr Moore is undoubtedly correct about that cost shifting, however, what happens next will be the responsibility of landlords.

Those with a moral conscience will remember we are in a cost of living crisis.

The landlords in the community who are feeling the struggle alongside their tenants will hopefully price match the rate rise … but what about those who aren’t?

The ultra-wealthy did not reach that status by feeling empathetic for what is servicing their cash flow.

I have no doubt that some landlords will use this opportunity to increase the rent by $30 a week, regardless of whether this rate rise costs them an extra $30 or $3.

Housing is not just a human right, but also a need, and to a further extent a form of dignity. Surely landlords have some responsibility to look after their tenants.

Commodifying a necessity will inevitably result in those who are already winning the Monopoly game still upping prices – do we need to be reminded once again about the inquiry into the actions of Coles and Woolworths?

Yet, every time I open TikTok, I am met with the mustached 20-something-year-old from Skippy’s Fresh Froots shop in Queensland (a fruit and vegetable small business) – announcing seedless watermelons are going for $0.09 a kilo.

I don’t trust the wealthy to look after the financially vulnerable.

My point is not that landlords are evil, money hungry people or that profiting from housing is bad … but there is a line in the sand between returning on investment and disadvantaging those who are already struggling to beef up your pockets.

Hopefully, all landlords remember that and show their tenants they are shouldering the burden alongside them.

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