Aussie slams Anthony Albanese's tax changes after her rent soars by $100 a week to $800 - and the apartment is full of mould

By SARAH BROOKES - SENIOR REPORTER, AUSTRALIA Published: 07:18, 3 August 2026 | Updated: 07:18, 3 August 2026 A Sydney woman says she's been forced to fork out a staggering $800 a week for a mould-riddled one-bedroom apartment after her landlord hiked the rent by $100. Finance commentator Jessica Amir shared footage showing fungus spreading through her wardrobe, claiming she is forced to empty it every fortnight and replace moisture absorbers to stop her clothes from being ruined. 'This is a wardrobe of an $800-per-week apartment in Sydney,' she said in a video. 'We have a mould infestation problem. 'I have to empty my wardrobe every two weeks, clean my clothes and put new moisture absorbers in.' Ms Amir then showed multiple moisture-elimination containers overflowing with water collected from the air. 'I'm going to throw these in the trash,' she said. 'Look at this mould. These moisture elimination boxes are completely full. 'Whether you're renting by choice, for lifestyle reasons or out of necessity, nobody should be paying $800 a week to live with a mould problem. Finance commentator Jessica Amir (pictured) shared shocking footage showing fungus spreading through her wardrobe, claiming she is forced to empty it every fortnight  Ms Amir said the real estate agent had told her she needed to be 'vigilant' with her cleaning and get a dehumidifier and a fan.  'So I did. I have to clean my mould-infested apartment’s walls once a week. I have to do the same with the bathroom too,' she said. 'I think a lot of people are going to start questioning why they should stay in Sydney, or even Australia for that matter.     'So happy to be moving out of this apartment.'     While frustrated by the condition of her apartment, Ms Amir believes Australia's housing crisis is being made worse by policies she says are discouraging property investment and driving rents even higher. She pointed to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's capital gains tax and negative gearing reforms, arguing renters are being asked to pay premium prices while housing quality and affordability continue to deteriorate. 'It’s going to get a lot worse after the capital gains tax changes because there are going to be fewer investment properties, meaning fewer rental properties available to rent,' she said. Under Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's (pictured) changes the 50 per cent capital gains tax discount will be replaced from July 1, 2027, while negative gearing will be limited to new builds Under legislation passed after the May 2026 Federal Budget, the 50 per cent capital gains tax discount will be replaced from July 1, 2027, while negative gearing for residential property investments will be limited to new builds.  Existing investments are largely grandfathered. Ms Amir argued the reforms risk making an already painful rental crisis even worse, with some investors claiming the market is already reacting. Property investor Arjun Paliwal, who owns 18 investment properties worth about $20million, said rents were already rising sharply following the Federal Budget's housing policy announcements. He said his latest purchase, a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home in Perth's Morley, was expected to rent for between $750 and $800 a week after he bought it for $1.1million in May. Instead, the property was leased almost immediately for $900 a week amid intense competition for rental homes. 'The Budget was meant to make housing more affordable, but we're already seeing the opposite in the rental market,' he said. 'The people who rent these homes generally can't afford to buy a $1.1million house. If investors sell, renters don't suddenly become homeowners, they're forced to compete for fewer rental properties.'  Jessica Amir (pictured) believes Australia's housing crisis is being made worse by policies she says are discouraging property investment and driving rents even higher Arjun Paliwal's latest purchase, a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home (pictured) in Perth was expected to rent for between $750 and $800 a week after he bought it for $1.1million in May The government argues the reforms are designed to improve housing affordability by encouraging investment in new housing supply and helping more Australians enter the property market. According to the latest Westpac Home Ownership Report more than half of Australians (55 per cent) agree the recent changes to negative gearing and CGT will have a positive impact for aspiring homebuyers. And it is Gen Z (70 per cent) feeling the most optimistic about the policy changes.