South Burnett Regional Council Mayor Brett Otto talks rental crisis concerns with Housing Minister Leeanne Enoch

The crippling rental crisis continues to bear down on the South Burnett, as the council looks to release more land for both developments and public housing projects.

South Burnett Regional Council Mayor Brett Otto has taken to Brisbane to address the region’s crippling rental crisis, which has left between 130 and 150 people couch-surfing, living in cars or sleeping rough.

Mayor Otto said he had good conversations with Minister for Communities and Housing Leeanne Enoch and her colleagues, who has committed to paying the South Burnett region a visit.

“Minister Enoch is fully aware of our housing situation here in the South Burnett, as a result of high property demand and a lack of available affordable housing,” Mayor Otto said.

“It is absolutely vital we continue to work with the government of the day to achieve outcomes for our communities and I know Minister Enoch was grateful for the visit yesterday and she said she would visit our towns too.”

A strong market, rising rent prices, and people moving to regional areas from interstate have created a perfect storm for desperate tenants, leaving them weeks to find a new place in a hyper-competitive rental market and limited public housing to fall back on.

As of June, the demand for public housing surpassed the availability by nearly a third, with 72 approved applicants waiting for vacancies in the 233 public housing units in the South Burnett.

A review of council owned land is underway, which aims to free up space for the construction of private and public housing in the region.

Council owned land across the region - including, Proston, Nanango and Kingaroy - which is not currently being used for any other purpose has already been identified.

The State Government unveiled its Queensland Housing Strategy Action Plan 2021-2025 in June, which included a $1.9 billion investment over four years and a new $1 billion Housing Investment Fund to increase social housing stock and increase housing and homelessness support across Queensland.

Cr Otto said the council is doing the hard yards now so that when this money is released, which will be competitive, the South Burnett will be at the front of the queue.