BULLWINKEL residents on income support are among victims of high rental costs as charity organisation Anglicare Australia reveals the affordability of listings throughout the nation has crashed to record lows.

Anglicare surveyed more than 50,000 rental listings and found a full-time minimum wage earner could afford 0.7 per cent of the listings surveyed.

The report found despite there being more available rentals in WA this year compared to last year, the properties were out of reach for those on income support or the minimum wage.

REIWA president Suzanne Brown said the significant increase in rental prices was fuelled by strong population growth and a decline in rental supply.

“This has impacted rental affordability, particularly for the more vulnerable in our society,” Ms Brown said.

According to REIWA, the median weekly rent in Kalamunda, Mundaring and Swan followed a parabolic trend between 2013 and 2025.

REIWA’s data suggested Kalamunda’s average rental in 2013 was $448 per week, in 2019 it decreased to $348 and this year it increased to $590.

Mundaring’s median weekly rent in 2013 was $475, in 2018 it was $400 and this year it’s at $700.

In Swan, the average weekly rent was $410 in 2013, $310 in 2018 and $640 in 2025.

According to Anglicare single people on the age pension could afford 0.3 per cent of rental listings.

In Bullwinkel which includes parts of Kalamunda, Mundaring and Swan, there are 19,325 recipients on the age pension.

This electorate had 3445 recipients on disability support pension who could afford 0.1 per cent of rentals, and 925 youth allowance recipients who wouldn’t be able to afford any of the listings surveyed by Anglicare.

“The private rental market is simply impossible for Australians on low incomes,” according to the rental report.

“This is not by accident.

“Generous tax handouts for investors have incentivised the buying and selling of homes like stocks, turning a fundamental human right into a speculative commodity trade.”

Ms Brown said a multi-focused approach is needed to address rental affordability.

“Building more homes in general will give some tenants the option to buy a home and exit the rental market, and provide more homes for investors to purchase, but it is not the only solution,” she said.

“It is particularly important to ensure we have a legislative environment that encourages and supports investment.”

Ms Brown said supply is impacted when investors leave the market which resulted in an increase of rent prices and added pressure to social housing.

She said increasing investment in social and affordable housing is one step to resolving the problem.

“Along with building more social housing or repurposing existing buildings, this can include support for initiatives like build-to-rent, which will provide more dwellings to be used as long-term rentals, and ensure a portion of homes in these developments are set aside for affordable rentals.”

She said it would take time to see the impact of the state government’s actions to address the issue of rental affordability.

Anglicare called on the government to directly fund and provide housing, instead of leaving it to the private sector.

It has also called on the government to wind back landlord tax concessions.