Stories of few rental properties available and blown out waiting lists for social housing in the Burdekin have caused Member for Burdekin Dale Last to sound alarm bells, fearing consequences will be far reaching across the rural community.
While images of people sleeping in tents or lining up for rentals in larger city centres were being seen right across the state, Mr Last feared that smaller rural towns like the Burdekin had slipped through the cracks.
Mr Last said for regional areas like the Burdekin, the ability to attract people to live and work in the region was crucial when it came to securing the town’s economy.
“My office has been contacted by families who have been forced to consider moving away from the Burdekin or sleep in farm sheds simply because there isn’t the housing available here for them,” Mr Last said.
“The issue of housing is growing right across the state but in rural areas like the Burdekin where we rely on being able to attract and retain people here for employment opportunities, there needs to be accommodation for that employee, and potentially their family, to live in.”
Mr Last said the LNP had already called for more to be done to unlock more land for housing and encourage investment.
“Sadly, there are currently more than 3,500 people on social housing waiting lists in our region alone,” he said.
“Not only have we seen the state government fail to build social housing, they have also refused to work with private and community sector groups that want to build social housing and demonise owners of rental properties.
“We’ve seen plan after plan, roundtables and a summit when it comes to addressing housing by this government and little action, particularly when it comes to smaller townships like Ayr or Home Hill.”
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