Politician Wilson Tucker earns $167,000 a year but after he was evicted from his rental he faces a ‘nomadic’ life living in hotels and his car

A politician earning a salary of $167,000 has become homeless, a sign that Australia’s housing and cost of living crisis has spiraled out of control.

Independent Western Australia MP Wilson Tucker is living in hotels and his car after being served with an unfounded deportation notice in late April.

Although he was not given a reason as to why his fixed-term lease was terminated, Mr Tucker suspects it was all about re-letting the property at a higher rate.

“In WA, the frequency with which a landlord can increase rents has changed from six months to 12 months, but this does not stop a landlord from terminating a contract through groundless evictions,” he told Daily Mail Australia .

He said this allows the property owner to “reissue it at a much higher rate because we don’t have rental caps.”

Mr Tucker said he sees himself as nomadic rather than homeless, and acknowledges that with his high salary he is much luckier than others in a similar situation.

But existing law around evictions in Western Australia makes it more difficult for tenants there than in other parts of the country.

“Unfounded eviction has been removed or will soon be banned and removed in every other state and jurisdiction in Australia except WA,” Mr Tucker said.

He said although the Labor government has recently introduced some tenancy reforms, “WA still has the weakest rent protection laws in the country”.

‘The balance of power lies with landlords and property managers, meaning many tenants do not feel they can express their views, exercise their rights or make simple repair requests.

“They feel like the ax could fall and they could face eviction and homelessness. And given how tight this market is, an eviction notice could mean moving out of your home and onto the street.”

Mr Tucker said he has looked at many places since receiving his eviction notice six weeks ago, but has not yet been able to find a place to rent.

‘There is certainly a lot of fear and desperation in the market. “We have literally hundreds of people showing up (to view rental properties), competing for a handful of properties… it’s been incredibly frustrating.”

Representing the Kununurra Mining and Pastoral Region in the WA House of Lords, Mr Tucker ‘I’ve decided to basically pack up and live out of my car up north during the weeks when Parliament isn’t in session.

He said he will stay in hotels when he has to be in Perth, and spend the rest of the time in his Prado and in a tent as he tours his electorate, which covers 2,205,281 square kilometers.

“There are days when it makes sense if you’re in a more remote location to pitch a tent.” If I’m staying in a regional town like Kununurra, I’ll probably get a motel.”

The WA government banned bidding rents in its recent reforms, with Trade Minister Sue Ellery saying this means “stronger rights for tenants”.

“Sending undercover agents to inspect rental properties is one way Consumer Protection can ensure compliance with changes to rental bids.”

Ms Ellery said the changes “will also enable tenants to challenge unfair treatment by landlords.

‘Tenants can now seek relief from the Magistrates Court if they believe their landlord has retaliated against them for exercising their rights, such as requesting repairs or making complaints.’

But Mr Tucker said the new laws do not go far enough and that “it is incredibly disappointing that the WA Government has sided with the property industry at the expense of its 700,000 tenants.”

He said he wants the state government to “reconsider its position on rent control.”

“The elephant in the room, the low-hanging fruit here, is reducing groundless evictions and bringing WA in line with the rest of the country.”

Daily Mail Australia has approached the WA government for comment.