Media Release by The Hon Tanya Pibersek MP

More than 1,500 affordable rental homes in Queensland

Joint Media Release with:

  • Karen Struthers MP, Minister for Community Services and Housing and Minister for Women

Minister for Housing Tanya Plibersek and Queensland Minister for Housing Karen Struthers have announced that 1,532 new affordable rental homes will be built as part of the first large scale successful bid in Queensland under the National Rental Affordability Scheme.

Queensland Affordable Housing Consortium has been awarded incentives to build these new homes across Queensland in areas including Brisbane, the Fraser Coast, Gladstone, Ipswich, Logan, Mackay, Moreton Bay, Rockhampton, South Burnett and Townsville.

The homes include one to four bedroom houses, as well as apartments, townhouses, duplexes and house and land packages.  

The homes will be rented to low and moderate income earners, including key workers, seniors and families, for at least 20 per cent below market rents.

“Today’s announcement of more than 1,500 new affordable rental properties across the state is great news for Queenslanders battling in a tough private rental market,” Ms Plibersek said.

“New construction means the Government is supporting jobs for local builders, tradies and their suppliers.”

Ms Struthers said the announcement highlights the need for Federal and State Governments to work together to deliver affordable housing in high growth areas.

“This announcement shows that we are working hard to deliver more homes that people can afford, in areas that they want to live in,” Ms Struthers said.

Chair of the Queensland Affordable Housing Consortium Tom Barton said the National Rental Affordability Scheme was good for investors and people needing affordable housing.

“The Consortium provides a range of houses and apartments that blend in to each chosen neighbourhood across Queensland,” Mr Barton said.

“Our private investors and hard working tenants demand quality homes that are integrated into the community.”

The Federal Government is investing more than $1 billion in the National Rental Affordability Scheme over the next four years – a program that will deliver up to 50,000 affordable rental homes across Australia.

Successful applicants currently receive an annual incentive of $9,140 for each approved dwelling, indexed annually to the rental component of the CPI for ten years.

Round Three of the Scheme was targeted at bids of more than 1,000 incentives to encourage investment in large-scale affordable rental properties. The Department has so far received 18 applications for nearly 28,000 dwellings.