The government and opposition look set to reject a new bill on Wednesday aiming to give renters basic rights on getting doors sealed and homes more efficient. SA’s Better Renting CEO Bernie Barrett is backed by heavy hitters including SA Power Networks in calling for a rethink.

For many South Australians, 2025 has been another year of juggling bills, cutting back, and worrying about what comes next. The rising cost of rent, food, and energy is putting immense strain on households across the state — and renters are bearing the brunt of it.

This week, the government has the opportunity to address these cost-of-living pressures through reforms that improve the quality and efficiency of rental homes.

The Residential Tenancies (Minimum Standards) Amendment Bill 2024 is set to be debated in the South Australian Parliament on the 12th of November – legislation that would make rental homes more affordable, liveable, and sustainable.

Yet despite years of advocacy and clear evidence supporting reform, it’s looking like the government and opposition will reject the bill, leaving thousands of renters living in inefficient, costly, and unhealthy homes.

For renters, rising energy bills are not just a financial burden — they’re a daily reminder of how unfair the housing system can be. Many live in older homes that leak heat in winter, trap it in summer, and require more energy to stay comfortable. Yet renters have almost no control over fixing those problems.

Unlike homeowners, they can’t decide to insulate ceilings, they can’t make significant repairs that stop draughts, or replace inefficient appliances. They rely on landlords to make those improvements, but without minimum standards, there’s little incentive to do so.

That’s why the reforms proposed in this bill are so important. They offer a practical, evidence-based way to lift housing quality and reduce energy costs for renters, while improving the resilience of the entire housing system.

The South Australian Government has made real progress on renters’ rights, but the work is incomplete. Minimum energy efficiency standards are essential to ensuring that every home in the state —........

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