Emerging Local Housing Crisis

The Queensland Government must step up and provide immediate investment in social and community housing to provide options for people living across our region.

I have called on the Queensland Government to do more to address the emerging local housing crisis in the Mackay-Whitsunday region.

Local support services such as the Whitsunday Housing Company have seen increased demand for affordable housing since the start of the year. Other community services including local neighbourhood centres and domestic violence shelters are contacting me regarding the housing shortage.

With increasing rents and the rental vacancy rate currently sitting below 1%, there have already been extensive waiting lists to access long-term affordable housing for residents. The demographic shifts from COVID-19 have further inflated the problem.

The Queensland Government’s Work for Tradies initiative will only see 20 houses built across the Mackay-Whitsunday region, with work not commencing until the end of the year.

“I will be writing to the Queensland Minister for Communities and Housing, to outline the issues facing the community and calling on the Government to urgently implement a plan.