New affordable rental homes for Townsville

Tanya Plibersek and Senator for North Queensland Jan McLucas today announced that the National Rental Affordability Scheme would deliver 15 new affordable rental homes at Kelso in south-west Townsville.

Ms Plibersek and Senator McLucas made the announcement while visiting one of the new homes being constructed by Devine Homes in Derwent Circuit, Kelso.

The new homes are scheduled to be completed in 2010, and will be rented out at 25 per cent below market rate – a significant saving for target key workers, seniors and families.

Ms Plibersek said that the development at Kelso shows that great results can be achieved when different levels of government work together with local industry to provide affordable housing.

“Around Australia, incentives have been awarded to deliver more than 10,500 new homes under the first two rounds of the National Rental Affordability Scheme.

“Each of these homes has to be newly constructed, which means that the Scheme is also supporting jobs for builders, tradespeople and their suppliers.

“In October I launched the third round of the National Rental Affordability Scheme, which will deliver more affordable rental homes in the future.”

Senator McLucas said that she was delighted that the National Rental Affordability Scheme was delivering 15 affordable rental homes in Kelso.

“The shortage of affordable rental homes is a major concern in Townsville and I am pleased that the Rudd Government is taking action to address the problem,” Senator McLucas said.

“These projects are also providing jobs for local tradespeople and their suppliers.”

The Australian Government is investing more than $1 billion in the National Rental Affordability Scheme over the next four years.

The Scheme will deliver 50,000 new homes across Australia by 2012, which will be rented out at a minimum 20 per cent below market rate.