- More than $70 million will fast track 710 new homes across the South Burnett region.
- The Residential Activation Fund has unlocked more than 163,000 places to call home for Queenslanders.
- The Crisafulli Government is delivering a place to call home for more Queenslanders, after a decade of decline under Labor saw Queenslanders locked out of the housing market as vacancy rates plummeted to record-lows.
The Crisafulli Government is delivering a place to call home for more Queenslanders by continuing to unlock housing supply quickly across the State, with the next round of the Residential Activation Fund further fast tracking 710 new homes across the South Burnett and Somerset regions.
The Crisafulli Government has announced it will invest more than $70 million in four projects that will deliver the critical trunk infrastructure needed to unlock land for residential development, helping deliver a place to call home for more Queenslanders.
The projects will deliver major water, road and sewer infrastructure upgrades needed to support new residential development across the three communities – Kingaroy, Cherbourg and Kilcoy.
A more than $62 million investment in Kingaroy alone signals the largest Residential Activation Fund investment in the region to date.
The investments include:
- $51.3 million for the Kingaroy Trunk Water Upgrade, delivering 8.4 kilometres of water mains, pump station upgrades and construction of two new pump stations to support housing growth in Kingaroy.
- $11 million for the Kingaroy Trunk Sewer Upgrade, delivering 5.5 kilometres of sewer gravity mains connecting to the Kingaroy Wastewater Treatment Plant.
- Almost $4.1 million for the Fisher Street project in Cherbourg, delivering 2.3 kilometres of water main, a new sewer pump station and sewer rising main.
- $3.62 million for the Highwood Lane and D'Aguilar Highway Trunk Roadworks Project in Kilcoy, delivering two new intersections, realigning and upgrading part of Highwood Road to a dual carriageway, providing active transport facilities and installing drainage infrastructure.
The Crisafulli Government is building Queensland's future and delivering better services through a stronger economy, with the Residential Activation Fund a key pillar of our plan to unlock housing supply by investing in enabling infrastructure that brings forward new residential development across Queensland.
The award-winning Residential Activation Fund program has now unlocked capacity for more than 163,000 homes statewide, helping deliver a place to call home for more Queenslanders.
The Residential Activation Fund is just one of the Crisafulli Government's range of initiatives delivering a place to call home for more Queenslanders, including:
- More than $2 billion in joint Federal and State funding to unlock 51,000 homes, including 20,000 for first home buyers.
- Releasing underutilised State land for housing under the landmark Land Activation Program.
- Relief for first homeowners with $30,000 First Home Owner Grants continuing and locked into the Budget.
- Supporting first home buyers by removing stamp duty on new builds.
- Introducing a nation-leading Boost to Buy shared equity scheme to help reduce the deposit gap, with half of the up to 2,000 places reserved for regional Queenslanders.
- Increasing rental availability by lifting subletting restrictions for homebuyers receiving grants and concessions.
- Delivering 1 million homes, including a record pipeline of 53,500 social and community homes by 2044.
Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jarrod Bleijie said the investment was a clear demonstration of the Crisafulli Government's commitment to building Queensland's future with a place to call home for more Queenslanders.
"The Crisafulli Government's Residential Activation Fund is pulling every lever to increase housing supply, because you can't build homes without the roads, water and sewerage infrastructure to support them," Deputy Premier Bleijie said.
"After a decade of decline under Labor, we're getting on with the job of delivering the infrastructure needed to unlock new housing opportunities across the State.
"These four projects will unlock more than 710 places to call home for Queenslanders while supporting growing communities across the South Burnett, and demonstrate what's possible when government partners with councils, landowners and developers to remove barriers to housing.
"The Crisafulli Government has already unlocked more than 163,000 new places to call home through the Residential Activation Fund after Labor's decade of decline, which saw housing lot approvals slump by 29 per cent, leading to record-low rental vacancy rates, a skyrocketing social housing waitlist and the lowest home ownership rate in the country.
"Availability equals affordability and by ensuring supply is unlocked, while also delivering a record number of social and affordable homes and support for first homebuyers, we're delivering a place to call home for more Queenslanders, and the fresh start we promised them."
Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington said the investment would unlock hundreds of new homes while delivering the essential infrastructure needed to support the region's growing communities.
"The Crisafulli Government is getting on with the job of delivering the infrastructure the Nanango electorate needs after Labor spent a decade failing to keep up with growth," Ms Frecklington said.
"More Queenslanders deserve the chance to own or rent a home, and that starts with investing in the roads, water, sewerage and essential infrastructure that makes new housing possible.
"Regional Queensland has been overlooked for too long. We're backing our communities with the infrastructure they need today while planning for the next generation of growth."
South Burnett Regional Council Mayor Kathy Duff said the funding would be a game changer for the region.
"This is the biggest investment I have seen from a state government in my over 20 years' experience as a Councillor and now Mayor," Mayor Duff said.
"Housing is at crisis point so this $62.3 million investment for critical trunk infrastructure like water and sewerage will open up our region for housing development not only now but long into the future."
Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council Mayor Bruce Simpson said the Residential Activation Fund support would help unlock new housing opportunities and deliver much-needed homes for the community.
"Cherbourg has a real need for more housing, and this support from the Queensland Government will help us turn that need into new homes for local families," Mayor Simpson said.
"More homes mean more opportunity for Cherbourg. This investment will help us grow our community and ensure people who want to live here have somewhere they can call home."
QM Properties General Manager Kane Davis said the Highwood Lane and D'Aguilar Highway Trunk Roadworks Project in Kilcoy would deliver significant benefits to the Somerset region by unlocking substantial residential land supply that was constrained by existing road infrastructure.
"The project will immediately enable the delivery of 189 residential lots within QM Properties' Hedley Park masterplanned residential community, increasing housing supply in a high-demand growth corridor and supporting improved housing affordability," Mr Davis said.
