I speak in support of the Residential Tenancies Amendment (Protection of Personal Information) Bill 2025. The bill delivers on the Minns Labor Government's commitment to protect renters' privacy and bring fairness and transparency to the rental market. The legislation recognises that renting a home should not come at the cost of handing over your private information to whoever asks for it. For too long, renters across New South Wales—certainly in communities like mine in Liverpool—have been required to share extraordinary amounts of personal information just to be considered for a place to live, including bank statements, driver licences, employment records and even photos of family members or pets. The level of personal detail demanded has gone well beyond what is reasonable or necessary.
A 2023 CHOICE survey found that 60 per cent of renters were uncomfortable with the amount and type of information they had to provide. In a city where more people are renting than ever before, that is not a minor issue; it is a major breach of trust. It has real consequences in communities like Liverpool, which is one of the fastest growing areas in Greater Sydney. Our community is young, diverse and vibrant, but we also have some of the highest proportions of renters in the State. Nearly one in three households in Liverpool rents their home, and that number is rising as housing prices continue to climb.
Many families, single parents, new migrants and students in our area face intense competition for every available property. Renters often tell me about applying for dozens of homes, uploading sensitive personal data to multiple real estate platforms and never really knowing where that data ends up or who has access to it. In a time when data breaches are becoming more frequent, people in my community want reassurance that the personal information they are required to hand over to secure something as basic as a place to live is being properly protected. The bill provides that reassurance.
The Residential Tenancies Amendment (Protection of Personal Information) Bill 2025 introduces a clear, consistent framework that protects renters' data, while ensuring that landlords and agents still have the information they need to make fair decisions. It applies the Australian Privacy Principles—which already cover large real estate agencies and technology companies—to all landlords and agents, closing the gaps that have left many renters unprotected. It also extends those protections to anyone engaged to handle rental information, such as third‑party technology providers, recognising that much of the rental process now happens online. Under the bill, renters' personal information can only be collected for legitimate purposes, must be handled securely and cannot be kept indefinitely. There are penalties for misuse, and clear pathways for renters to access, amend or delete their personal data if needed.
The bill includes practical protections for renters. Three key measures will make a tangible difference. First is direct collection. Renters will have the option to provide their information directly to the agent or landlord rather than through third-party apps. That means greater choice and control over where their data goes. Second, a standard rental application form will limit the amount and type of information that can be collected and ensure no-one has to fill out forms before they have even had a chance to inspect the property. Third, identity verification for only the preferred applicant will eliminate the unnecessary collection of millions of identity documents from people who never end up securing a tenancy. These simple changes will not only protect renters but also help landlords and agents by reducing the amount of sensitive information they must store and therefore reducing their exposure in the event of a data breach. Fair Trading will enforce compliance, with penalties of up to $11,000 for individuals and $49,500 for corporations.
The bill also strengthens transparency and consumer protection in other important areas. It tightens the rules around tenancy databases, ensuring that listings are accurate, up to date and easily corrected if wrong. An unfair or mistaken listing can make it nearly impossible for someone to find another home, and this reform will help renters get a fair go. It also introduces new disclosure requirements. Landlords and agents will now need to disclose if a property is supplied through an embedded network—those private utility systems that can lock tenants into higher electricity prices. They will also have to declare if photos in property ads have been digitally altered to hide defects or misrepresent the true condition of a home. In an age where artificial intelligence used to alter the content that we are exposed to, particularly in online settings, is more advanced and sophisticated than ever before, this is incredibly important. For renters in Liverpool who are already spending weekends traipsing from inspection to inspection, these measures will save time, money and frustration.
Another practical reform—and one that I know many will welcome—is the introduction of a grace period for renters with pets. This means that renters can move into a new property and then apply to keep their pet, without automatically breaching their lease. It is a compassionate and realistic reform that recognises that pets are part of the family and that renters should not be forced to choose between their home and their companion animal. The bill increases penalties for certain offences under the Residential Tenancies Act 2010 to ensure that they are proportionate and meaningful, and that larger corporations face higher penalties when they fail to meet their obligations. That sends a clear message that protecting renters' rights is not optional; it is a legal and moral responsibility.
At the heart of the bill is fairness, transparency and respect—values that matter deeply to the people of Liverpool. The bill is about modernising our rental system for the realities of today's world, where data is powerful, valuable and vulnerable. It strikes the right balance between the needs of renters, landlords, agents and the growing property technology sector. It protects the rights of renters without imposing unnecessary red tape, and it supports good operators by creating clear, consistent standards for everyone. It is about making sure that when people apply for a home—whether it is a young couple saving for their first house, a new arrival building a life in our community, or an older resident downsizing—they can do so with confidence that their private information will be handled safely and responsibly. In Liverpool, where the vast majority of renters are young families and where becoming a university city means embracing growth in the student population, that is incredibly significant.
The Minns Labor Government promised to protect renter data, and the bill delivers on that promise. It is part of a broader reform agenda that is making renting in New South Wales fairer, more secure and more dignified for everyone. In Liverpool and across the State, renters deserve a system that works for them—one that respects their privacy, values their contribution and keeps their information safe. The bill achieves that balance. I thank the Minister and his hardworking staff, as well as the department, for their work in bringing the bill to the House and in delivering reforms for renters across our State more broadly. I commend the bill to the House.
