Published Thursday, 14 August, 2008 at 05:45 PM
Minister for Public Works, Housing and Information and Communication Technology
The Honourable Robert Schwarten
QUEENSLAND BUCKS NATIONAL PUBLIC HOUSING TREND
The number of social housing dwellings provided by the Queensland Government has increased by more than 12,000 units of accommodation in the past ten years, Housing Minister Robert Schwarten said today.
Mr Schwarten was responding to an Australian Institute of Health and Welfare housing snapshot released this week which showed public housing stocks nationally had fallen by 25,000 since the mid-1990s.
Mr Schwarten said that as at June 30, 2008, the Queensland Department of Housing funded and owned 65,456 social housing dwellings across the state. This compared to 52,995 at the same time in 1998.
“Obviously Queensland is not contributing to the overall reduction in public housing dwellings in Australia,” Mr Schwarten said.
“In fact, if it wasn’t for the Queensland Government’s strong commitment to providing social housing then the national drop in public housing would have been much larger.”
Mr Schwarten said the Bligh Government will spend $4 million a day this financial year to continue increasing it’s stock of social housing.
“This year’s budget included more than $1 billion for housing, with $759 million of that being spent to build and buy more social housing dwellings across the state,” he said.
“The previous Coalition Government spent only $330 million on housing in its last year in office and over this year the Labor Government will more than triple the spend on social housing.”
Mr Schwarten said there were currently 30,000 on the waitlist for social housing in Queensland.
“There is unprecedented demand for social housing because of record low housing affordability in the private rental market,” he said.
“Across Queensland, the median weekly rent for a two-bedroom unit has leapt 66% in the past five years - $175pw to $290 while the cost of a three-bedroom unit has jumped 58% ($300-$315pw).
“This has forced more and more people to abandon the private rental market and apply for social housing.
“In recognition of this demand, the Department of Housing has moved to ensure its stock of housing is being used to house those in greatest need while developing new initiatives like RentConnect to help those who can access the private market.
“It is also looking at new and innovative ways to boost the supply of housing such as purchasing and renovating former motels which have the potential to add to the stock faster and for less capital outlay.”
Media contact: (07) 3237 1832
Mr Schwarten was responding to an Australian Institute of Health and Welfare housing snapshot released this week which showed public housing stocks nationally had fallen by 25,000 since the mid-1990s.
Mr Schwarten said that as at June 30, 2008, the Queensland Department of Housing funded and owned 65,456 social housing dwellings across the state. This compared to 52,995 at the same time in 1998.
“Obviously Queensland is not contributing to the overall reduction in public housing dwellings in Australia,” Mr Schwarten said.
“In fact, if it wasn’t for the Queensland Government’s strong commitment to providing social housing then the national drop in public housing would have been much larger.”
Mr Schwarten said the Bligh Government will spend $4 million a day this financial year to continue increasing it’s stock of social housing.
“This year’s budget included more than $1 billion for housing, with $759 million of that being spent to build and buy more social housing dwellings across the state,” he said.
“The previous Coalition Government spent only $330 million on housing in its last year in office and over this year the Labor Government will more than triple the spend on social housing.”
Mr Schwarten said there were currently 30,000 on the waitlist for social housing in Queensland.
“There is unprecedented demand for social housing because of record low housing affordability in the private rental market,” he said.
“Across Queensland, the median weekly rent for a two-bedroom unit has leapt 66% in the past five years - $175pw to $290 while the cost of a three-bedroom unit has jumped 58% ($300-$315pw).
“This has forced more and more people to abandon the private rental market and apply for social housing.
“In recognition of this demand, the Department of Housing has moved to ensure its stock of housing is being used to house those in greatest need while developing new initiatives like RentConnect to help those who can access the private market.
“It is also looking at new and innovative ways to boost the supply of housing such as purchasing and renovating former motels which have the potential to add to the stock faster and for less capital outlay.”
Media contact: (07) 3237 1832