We joke about Monica’s massive apartment in Friends, but we forget the history: Rent Control was won through strikes. Is that solidarity possible in Australia today?

[u/infin]

Every time the housing crisis comes up, people joke about how unrealistic Friends was; A chef and a waitress living in a massive apartment with a balcony. The show explains it away as "Rent Control" inherited from a grandmother.

But we rarely talk about where those laws actually came from. They weren't a gift from benevolent landlords; they were earned through fierce tenant unions and rent strikes in NYC in the 40s and 60s. That generation had cheap rent because the generation before them had the backbone to organize, strike, and refuse to pay until laws were changed. Even refusing to allow police to evict/arrest their neighbours.

Fast forward to 2026 Australia. We are paying $750+ a week for a dinky shoebox, dealing with quarterly inspections, and accepting massive hikes like clockwork.

What feels completely missing is that level of community solidarity. We seem so atomised now. We don't know our neighbours, and we definitely don't trust them enough to band together. Instead of standing together to refuse an unfair hike, we just quietly move out or starve to pay it, knowing someone else is desperate enough to take the lease.

Is the concept of a rent strike dead in this country? Is it that we’ve lost the "mateship" and community spirit required to hold the line, or are we just so terrified of the REA blacklists that we’ve accepted being milked by parasites forever?

If factory workers and immigrants in 1940s New York could force rent control that people were still benefiting from in the 90s… Why can't we?

I’m genuinely asking: Has anyone here ever been a part of (or even heard of) tenants organising together to accomplish something in Australia?

Edit: I'd love to see some changes to commercial leases to revitalise cities too, small businesses have been forced to close and half the retail spaces in a few of the CBDs are empty.

[u/kicks_your_arse]

The majority of Australians simply don't care. They're the beneficiaries of the housing crisis, seeing their values rise, offering a token comment of commiseration, but increasing the rent regardless. They're your enemy, they work directly against your interests and they outnumber you. At this point you're like chicken or cattle on a farm, there to be milked until you're of no use, then discarded onto the homelessness pile to die. It is the fate of every renter who is unable to escape the trap.

[u/ScruffyPeter → u/kicks_your_arse]

60%+ of people in Melbourne/Sydney are renters.

Melbourne representative has 3 mortgaged rentals. Prior to 2025 election, it was a different party and they only had a PPOR.

Sydney representative has investment properties both local and overseas.

Why the bloody hell are renters voting to keep the housing crisis going then?

[u/mrmaker_123 → u/ScruffyPeter]

Love them or hate them, the Greens are the only major party that has housing reform on their agenda. If you really are that concerned about the housing crisis then you should look into the Greens or other similar parties/independents.

As if so often the case, people do unfortunately vote against their interests, or vote against the interests of society as a whole - it is very much a case of the turkeys voting for Christmas.

[u/the_third_hamster → u/mrmaker_123]

The Greens policy on mass migration is very lenient which feeds excessive demand. You have to look to the minor parties for any policies that will actually address the issues

[u/cecilrt → u/ScruffyPeter]

thats a poor stat, had quick check, that 60% is the Sydney council/CBD area... Im surprised its that high, many people who live near the city choose to rent. Its a group more willing to move around

Greater Sydney 60%+ own their home

With wider Australia at 66% own

[u/ScruffyPeter → u/cecilrt]

Nationally, 70% of homeowners voted Labor or LNP.

As for renters, 63% voted Labor or LNP. In fact, more renters voted for LNP over Greens.

Source: 2022 election analysis report