New data reveals Gold Coast apartment rents climbing 8-9% annually as Australia's housing emergency deepens
As the National Homelessness Conference kicks off in the Gold Coast, new rental market data underscores why urgent action is needed to address Australia's housing and homelessness crisis.
Gold Coast apartment rents have surged by an extraordinary 8-9% per annum over the past three years, with all units now averaging $831.91 per week and 2-bedroom units reaching $835.35 weekly. The figures, from SQM Research, show rental increases far outpacing wage growth and general inflation.
"The choice of the Gold Coast to host this year's conference couldn't be more timely," said Kate Colvin, CEO of Homelessness Australia. "When we see apartment rents climbing at nearly 9% annually in a region already under housing stress, we're witnessing exactly the kind of rental market pressure that's driving Australia's homelessness emergency."
The rental crisis on the Gold Coast mirrors national trends, with CoreLogic data showing the region experienced a 10.9% rent increase in a recent 12-month period, significantly outpacing many other Australian regions. Vacancy rates remain critically low at just 1.1-1.3%, well below the 3% threshold considered healthy for rental markets.
Australia is confronting an unprecedented homelessness crisis, with more than 10,000 people being added to the homeless population each month according to the latest Australian Homelessness Monitor.
"What's particularly alarming about the Gold Coast data is that it shows how quickly rental markets can shift beyond the reach of ordinary working people," Colvin said. "When 2-bedroom apartments are costing over $835 per week, that's more than many full-time workers can afford, let alone those on income support or in casual employment."
The Australian Homelessness Monitor also shows specialist homelessness services are finding it "much harder" to secure housing for clients, with 77% of services reporting increased difficulty in 2024 compared to the previous year.
The two-day National Homelessness Conference brings together over 400 delegates including frontline workers, policy makers, researchers and people with lived experience of homelessness. The programme features international expertise from Anke Jansen of Housing First Nederland, alongside Australian innovations in preventing and ending homelessness.
"This conference is about solutions," Colvin said. "We're showcasing evidence-based approaches like Housing First that have successfully ended homelessness in other countries, and we're examining how Australia can adapt these models to our context."
The conference will be opened on Tuesday by the Queensland Housing Minister, Sam O'Connor, while Wednesday's opening will feature a keynote address from Federal Housing and Homelessness Minister the Hon. Clare O'Neil MP.
Significant sessions include "At the Intersection of Homelessness and Domestic and Family Violence," examining age-appropriate responses for young people fleeing violence - a demographic especially vulnerable in tight rental markets like the Gold Coast's. The session will showcase innovative programmes like Melbourne City Mission's Amplify service for unaccompanied children and young people.
Wednesday will highlight "New Directions for Community Controlled Homelessness Responses," featuring Aboriginal leaders discussing place-based, self-determined solutions to end First Nations homelessness. This includes presentations from Aboriginal Housing Victoria and Noongar Mia Mia.
A key focus will be the panel "Supportive Housing: Joining up Policy to Address Persistent Homelessness," exploring how the sector can leverage major reforms in aged care and disability to deliver lasting housing and support solutions.
And a panel discussion titled "You Can't Ask That" will tackle the sector's most complex questions, while sessions on older people's homelessness and youth homelessness as a national priority will address Australia's fastest-growing homeless demographics.
The conference will conclude with concrete recommendations for policy reform and service innovation to address Australia's housing and homelessness emergency.
