The Queensland Government has given the green light for more social homes in Bundaberg, partnering with the charity sector to unlock land for housing.
Sixty social housing units and 21 social housing homes have been approved in Bundaberg through the Ministerial Infrastructure Designation pathway.
The social housing at Walkervale provides more housing to ease Labor’s Housing Crisis and halt Labor’s skyrocketing social housing waitlist of almost 50,000 Queenslanders. It will be operated by St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland Housing.
Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning, Jarrod Bleijie said the new housing was an important investment in Bundaberg, and demonstrated the Government’s commitment to deliver a place to call home for Queenslanders where they were needed.
“We are taking action to unlock more land for housing, cut red tape for builders and accelerate social homes for vulnerable Queenslanders, such as these new homes for Bundaberg,” Deputy Premier Bleijie said.
“Labor’s Housing Crisis and failure to plan led to a 77% jump in the social housing waitlist from 2017 to now. That’s thousands more people languishing without a secure roof over their head due to Labor’s crisis and chaos.”
“Our MID process with charities enables the delivery of community-supporting infrastructure projects, facilitating more essential services when and where Queenslanders need them.”
The approval follows the Government’s milestone of almost 5,000 social and affordable homes under construction or contracted around Queensland, including 181 in Bundaberg, 59 in Fraser Coast, 38 in South Burnett, 12 in Cherbourg and two in North Burnett.
Ministerial Infrastructure Designations can be used to facilitate the development of certain types of community-supporting infrastructure, including social housing.
In December 2024, the Government extended the pathway to churches and charities wanting to unlock their land holdings to deliver housing.
The Ministerial Infrastructure Designation decision for social housing includes a rigorous assessment process, including consultation processes as well as input from government agencies, technical experts and local councils around the location and scale, car parking, stormwater, design, and communal open space.
Minister for Housing, Sam O’Connor said the Government was delivering on its promise to kick-start more social and affordable housing after a decade of under-investment.
“We are partnering with community providers to deliver Queensland’s much-needed social and affordable housing so we can address Labor’s record 50,000-strong social housing waitlist,” Minister O’Connor said.
“We have almost 5,000 social and affordable homes under construction or under contract, supporting our goal of 53,500 social and community homes by 2044.”
