The comment was made by Australian Council of Social Services (ACOSS) CEO Dr Cassandra Goldie in response to findings presented in the recently released Anglicare Australia Rental Affordability Snapshot.

The Anglicare Australia Rental Affordability Snapshot revealed that of the 10,200 properties for private rent in Sydney and the Illawarra between Friday 8 and Sunday 10 April 2011, only 123 were affordable for households who rely solely on Government benefits.

“We have known for a long time that there is a shortage of affordable rental housing across all major cities and even most regional areas. This latest snapshot illustrates just how critical that shortage is,” said Australian Council of Social Services (ACOSS) CEO Dr Cassandra Goldie.

Dr Goldie said that ACOSS will continue pursuing improvements in housing affordability in its role as a member of the National Affordable Housing Summit Group.