A new report has said lower-cost housing is more at risk of feeling the impacts of gas price hikes.
“The gas crisis will have uneven consequences on the health and wellbeing of Australians,” the RMIT university report says.
“Low-income households and renters are likely to be hit hardest. Low-income households may already feel the impact of increased housing and living costs and may need to choose between meat and heat.
“Renters will be particularly disadvantaged: they tend to live in less energy efficient homes than owner occupiers, are often on a low income, have little choice in suitable properties and lack the agency to retrofit their homes.”
Researcher Nicola Willand said fear of rising gas prices is also likely to lead to reduced heating in many households.
“Cold homes can lead to mould, respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses,an increase in infectious diseases and avoidable winter deaths,” she said.
“Bill anxiety can also cause mental health problems, and people may stop inviting friends over to their house, which can lead to social isolation.
“One of the underlying problems for the crisis is the poor quality of our housing stock. Well-designed, energy efficient homes are resilient to energy price fluctuations. Instead, Australian homes are notoriously leaky, uninsulated and have been likened to “glorified tents”.
“While there are some energy efficiency requirements for new housing, there are no standards for the quality of existing homes.”
