National MP Tells Twitter Porky amid Rental Policy Debate

Words by Ethan Manera (he/him) and Elliot Davis (he/him)

National Party housing spokesperson Chris Bishop has been pointing to his status as a renter to defend the party’s recently announced housing policy, but his claims don’t seem to paint the full picture. 

When asked if he was renting off a family member on Twitter, Bishop claimed he was not. 

“Are you renting off yourself, a family member or a trust or company you have an interest in?” a Twitter user asked. Bishop responded “no on all counts”.

Despite this, after checking publicly available property records, Salient can confirm that the property is owned by his in-laws.

Green MP Julie Anne Genter was seemingly aware of the circumstances, attempting to call Bishop out by asking “is the house that you are renting owned by your inlaws?” on the same Twitter thread, but Bishop did not respond.

When questioned by Salient, Bishop confirmed his in-laws do, in fact, own the home. “My wife’s parents own the rental property that we have been renting,” he said.

Despite this, Bishop maintains he wasn't fibbing by denying the in-laws are his family members. “That's not my family, [...] I'm not related to them, only by marriage,” Bishop said.

He confirmed that he is paying rent on the Miramar property. “Of course we’re paying rent, that’s why I said I’m a renter,” he said.

The confusion around Bishop's claims has some accusing the MP of being “misleading”. Eimhín O'Shea from Renters United told Salient, “Yes, Chris Bishop is a renter [...] but equally, that form of relationship [where you have familial relationship with your landlord] is very different to the one experienced by most renters, especially when we talk about the power dynamics that exist between most renters and the landlords.”

“It's a bit cynical to use a renting situation of that [kind] to justify your own policies which are harmful for renters,” O’Shea continued. 

“Just because you are a renter doesn't mean you necessarily know what's best for renters,” he said.

Bishop and his family are currently building a family home in Days Bay, and have been renting while they wait for it to be completed. “We're gonna move into the house in two and a half [to] three weeks,” he said, signalling the end of his renting era.