MEDIA STATEMENT: Restoring fairness in Queensland’s social housing system 

Restoring fairness in Queensland’s social housing system 

• Under Labor, almost half of social housing tenants haven’t had a rent or eligibility review in five years.
• Households earning $200,000 found paying less than $200 per week for taxpayer-funded housing.
• Social housing reset to embed fairness and ensure housing help is better targeted to vulnerable Queenslanders. 

The Crisafulli Government is fixing Queensland’s broken social housing system to make sure homes go to those genuinely in need. 

Under Labor, 45 per cent of Queensland’s social housing tenants have not had their rent or eligibility assessed in more than five years.  

That means some tenants have been able to live in taxpayer-funded housing despite earning well above the income threshold — all while thousands of vulnerable Queenslanders remain stuck on Labor’s waitlist. 

New March 2025 data reveals Queensland’s social housing waitlist grew by an additional 4.1 per cent across the State to 52,031 people. 

The Crisafulli Government will reintroduce annual rent and eligibility checks for all social housing tenants from 1 July 2025, fixing a shocking failure of the former Labor Government. 

In Brisbane, a couple with a combined income of more than $200,000 a year are living in a taxpayer-subsidised unit and paying less than $200 in rent per week. The median rent for this property is $675 per week.  

In Townsville, a young family earning more than $160,000 annually is paying less than $190 a week in rent. The median rent for this property in Townsville is $500 per week. 

Another household in Moreton Bay earning nearly $3,500 a week occupies a large social housing property while paying around $270 a week. The median rent for this property is $650 per week. 

Under the Crisafulli Government's new framework: 

• Annual rent reviews will return for all public housing tenants, phased in from 1 July 2025
• Eligibility checks will confirm if tenants still meet income thresholds
• Market rent will be charged to tenants who do not provide information to verify their income or who are proven to be ineligible for social housing while they are supported to transition to other housing options
• Rent in social housing will continue to be calculated as being 25% of a household’s assessable income 

If any eligible tenant is found to have been paying less than 25% of their household’s assessable income, any increase in rent will be capped at a maximum of $15 per week 

These reforms will also encourage voluntary downsizing among households who no longer need large homes which may be better suited for the thousands of families waiting for social housing. 

Department records show more than 8,000 tenants are currently under-occupying public housing properties by two or more bedrooms. 

Incentives to downsize will be offered such as paying for removalist costs or rent-free periods for people who choose to relocate to smaller homes better suited to their needs.  

Under no circumstance will any tenant be forced to downsize. 

Minister for Housing and Public Works Sam O’Connor said Labor's lack of oversight had led to a breakdown in the system which meant it was no longer fair for the vast majority of tenants who do the right thing or the tens of thousands of Queenslanders eligible for social housing who are waiting for a place to call home. 

“At the heart of what the Crisafulli Government is doing, is making sure social housing is for vulnerable people and families, not those earning more than $200,000 a year like what was occurring under the chaos and crisis of the Labor party,” Mr O’Connor said. 

“Labor turned a blind eye for years. They stopped checking if people still qualified for social housing, and they let rent reviews fall by the wayside.

“It’s unbelievable they let people on six-figure incomes stay in social homes for years while others in urgent need were left on the social housing waitlist. 

“Labor also failed to invest in building new homes, delivering an average of just 509 per year over the last decade, which on top of this mismanagement of existing houses added fuel to the fire of their housing crisis. 

“We’re empowering our housing officers to do what they do best – support the Queenslanders who most need a roof over their heads. 

“These are long overdue changes to fix the system so it’s better targeted to help the people who need housing most.” 

ENDS 

MEDIA CONTACT: Caet Young 0427 939 326