$1.5 BILLION HOUSING PUSH FOR REGIONAL AUSTRALIA

MP Andrew Willcox has said a recent Coalition housing plan could help regional communities like Mackay unlock more homes. Photo supplied

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Willcox Supports Coalition Plan To Unlock New Homes And Infrastructure

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Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox says a new Coalition housing plan could help regional communities such as Mackay unlock more homes by funding the infrastructure needed to support new development.

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The Coalition has committed to guaranteeing $1.5 billion of its proposed $5 billion Housing Infrastructure Fund for regional, rural and remote Australia.

The broader fund is intended to provide infrastructure such as roads, water, sewerage and power, with the Coalition saying it could help unlock up to 400,000 new homes nationally. The Coalition has previously estimated its regional allocation could help unlock up to 120,000 homes across regional Australia.

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Mr Willcox said the commitment was particularly relevant to Mackay and other regional communities where housing supply and affordability remained under pressure.

“Mackay is a growing regional city, but growth means nothing if workers cannot find a home and families cannot afford to live here,” Mr Willcox said.

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“We need houses, but we also need the roads, water, sewerage and other infrastructure that make those houses possible.”

“That is where the Federal Government needs to step up. You cannot ask regional councils to carry the cost of growth while taking away funding they rely on to deliver the infrastructure our communities need.

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“Mackay and the regions are doing the heavy lifting for the Australian economy. We should not be told to grow, and then left to work out how to pay for that growth ourselves.”

Mr Willcox said the housing shortage was not simply a problem for people looking for somewhere to rent, it was increasingly a barrier to attracting workers and growing the regional economy.

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“If a nurse, teacher, tradesperson or young family cannot find an affordable place to live in Dawson, eventually they will look somewhere else.

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“That means housing is not just a social issue, it is an economic issue.

“Businesses cannot expand if they cannot attract workers. Industries cannot grow if workers have nowhere to live.

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“We need to stop thinking about housing as simply putting roofs over people's heads. Housing is the infrastructure of economic growth.”

Mr Willcox said the Coalition would continue pushing for investment that allowed regional communities to grow without placing an unfair burden on local ratepayers.

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“People in Dawson should not have to choose between paying more rent and leaving the community they call home,” he said.

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“We need more homes, more infrastructure and more certainty for the councils responsible for delivering it.”

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