Rent stabilisation to give Queenslanders who rent a fair go

• Government will limit rent increases to once a year
• $28 million boost for emergency housing relief
• $3.9 million for food and emergency relief

The Palaszczuk Government will limit rent increases to once a year to give a fairer go to Queenslander renters.

The move is designed to balance the rights and interests of Queenslanders who rent, and property owners, to sustain healthy rental supply.

Reducing the frequency of increases from six months to 12 months is also consistent with most other jurisdictions throughout the country.

It was one of several options for housing policy reform discussed at a Housing Roundtable in Brisbane today.

The Palaszczuk Government has today also announced an additional $28 million to continue the Immediate Housing Response Package for another year.

The extra funds will provide:

• More than 600 emergency hotel accommodation places across Queensland
• Rental and bond support payments to help tenants keep a roof over their head and food relief services help renters put food on the table

The government today also announced a further $3.9 million to extend and expand food and emergency relief throughout Queensland in 2023-24.

That includes $3.3 million to continue the provision of emergency relief supports, including vouchers, food parcels and contributions to payments such as electricity bills and $630,000 for SecondBite and OzHarvest to increase the food relief service they provide across the State.

Quotes Attributable to Premier and Minister for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Annastacia Palaszczuk:

“There are more than a million Queenslanders who rent their homes and every single one of them must be given a fair go.

“A fair go to pay rent they can afford and not be penalised for the cost of living situation all Australians find themselves in today.

“Our government will act immediately to place a limit on the number of rent increases that can be imposed on tenants each year.

“We will limit annual rent increases to just one.

“The great majority of landlords do the right thing and look after their tenants – but for those who do not, this is a wake up call.

“We must act and will act to deliver reforms that balance the rights and interests of Queenslanders who rent and property owners to sustain healthy rental supply.”

Quotes attributable to Minister for Communities and Housing Leeanne Enoch:

“The housing pressures we’re seeing aren’t unique to Queensland and are being experienced by all the States and Territories.

“As a growth state with a growing population, Queensland has a huge need for mousing – particularly more housing.

“We’re getting on with the job of building more social housing through a record $3.9 billion housing budget and our $2 billion Housing Infrastructure Fund.

“Since July 2021, when we announced our second Housing Action Plan, we have completed 816 new social housing builds under our QuickStarts program – with a further 588 currently under construction and more in the pipeline.

“That means that we have completed more than one new social housing home every day since July 2021.

“We’re on track to deliver 13,000 new social housing commencements by 2027 and we are also investing $166.3 million in specialist homelessness services in 2022-23.

“As a government, we will work with stakeholders to deliver more social and affordable housing, support tenants and tackle homelessness.”

Additional housing announcements made today, includes:

• $5.91 million to help unlock 5600 lots in Ripley Valley by delivering road infrastructure for the Ripley Valley Priority development area
• $600,000 to work with the Local Government Association of Queensland to develop 38 Local Housing Action Plans with Queensland local governments, on top of the 22 plans being developed with the Western Queensland Alliance of Councils.
• Land tax concessions for Build to Rent developments that provide a minimum affordable housing component
• Deliver a second QBuild Rapid Accommodation and Apprenticeship Centre in Far-North Queensland to further support delivery of state-of-the-art factory built homes for use as social and government-employee housing
• Launch an Opportunities Portal for proposals that have the potential to deliver new housing stock.

Media contact: Martin Philip 0407 675 008