National Regional Housing summit to discuss housing solutions, Quilpie Shire Council used as example

An outback Queensland council’s audacious plan to attract investment is set to be an exemplar at an upcoming summit to discuss regional housing solutions.

Regional Australia’s housing will be front of mind in a national summit to help Australia adapt to increasing interest in regional relocations.

The National Regional Housing summit will have local, state and federal government leaders, representatives from peak bodies, the industry and not-for-profit sector come together in Canberra to discuss regional Australia’s changing housing needs.

An initiative of the Regional Australia Institute, the Real Estate Institute of Australia and Master Builders Australia, the summit will look to examples of innovative solutions to regional housing problems, like the initiative in the Quilpie shire in western Queensland.

Quilpie Shire Council has offered a $20,000 homeowner grant. Photo – Leon O'Neil

Regional Australia Institute chief executive Liz Ritchie said that systematic change is necessary to reflect changing sentiment among Australians about living in regional areas.

“Data shows us over the last decade the number of people choosing a life in regional Australia has been growing,” she said.

“The Covid pandemic supercharged this momentum, and more and more people are ‘voting with their feet’, choosing the regions as the place they want to live, work and play.

“Capital city to regional relocations remain almost 12 per cent above the pre-Covid average, and a further 3.5 million people have reported a desire to move regionally. This surge in people, combined with strong regional job growth … are putting pressure on regional housing like never seen before.

“At the same time, it must be recognised the challenges the regions face with housing are often different to metropolitan Australia. These challenges also vary region to region, so a bespoke approach is needed.”

Ms Ritchie used the Quilpie Shire Council in western Queensland as an example of an innovative approach to attracting private investment to the region, a model she suggests could be adapted by other regional communities, while also stressing the importance of implementing tailored solutions.

The outback town, about 1000km west of Brisbane, offered $20,000 to people as part of a homeowner grant scheme.

“Regional Australia is far from homogenous, … a one-size-fits-all approach does not work and in some instances can cause significant unintended consequences. Adaptable initiatives that allow for place-based input need to be at the heart of addressing this issue, which is putting a stall on the regions’ ability to thrive,” Ms Ritchie said.

“For example, in western Queensland the Quilpie Shire Council has devised a unique grant scheme to attract new private investment in the region, while in regional Victoria the Pyrenees Shire has successfully overseen the development of a new subdivision to revitalise one of its small communities.”

The Summit will focus on home ownership, social and affordable housing, and rental availability across regions, held at Old Parliament House in Canberra on February 9.

Originally published as National Regional Housing summit to discuss housing solutions, Quilpie Shire Council used as example