A Queensland MP has questioned why government-owned rental properties have been left vacant during a housing and cost of living crisis.
LNP member for Nanango Deb Frecklington said it was unacceptable that a property at Nanango in the South Burnett region has stayed empty while residents in the region faced homelessness.
She said the house has remained vacant since June 2020, after the former occupant, a doctor, left.
"This is a beautiful, four-bedroom home sitting in the middle of Nanango. [It's] well maintained, sitting empty," she said.
"Not only through a cost of living crisis but a housing crisis."
Ms Frecklington said if a government employee was not available to tenant the home, it would make "an enormous difference" to put the property on the public rental market.
"We've got people who are living on the streets and living in their cars, and yet we've got a home in town sitting vacant," she said.
"This is where we need to find different solutions, when you've got one of many homes across Queensland which are sitting vacant."
Ms Frecklington believes the home is not the only government-owned house in Queensland that is unoccupied.
Public Works Minister Mick De Brenni said his department would explore whether the Nanango property was required for use as social housing or would be sold on the private market.
Rental demand high
Nanango Real Estate Agent Jane Erkens said rental homes in the area were often snapped up before they hit the market.
"It's more a matter of when something comes up, and we know it's going to be vacant, we have it filled well before … people can apply," she said.
She said the pressure on housing was pushing people into temporary and "non-ideal" situations.
"There are people with caravans in their parents' home. I know that young people rather than getting to move out on their own are having to stay home," she said.
"The whole lifestyle of our community is being changed due to lack of accommodation."
Ms Erkens said that in Nanango there were no rental properties available.
Urgent situation
Queensland Council of Social Services chief executive Aimee McVeigh said it was alarming that publicly owned homes in the state were vacant.
"It's obviously really difficult for the community to stomach seeing public housing empty, and not understanding what the reason might be," she said.
"On average, people are waiting over two years for social housing so we do need to make sure we are making use of all assets we have to put roofs over the heads of everyone possible."
Ms McVeigh said the housing shortage needed to be addressed urgently.
"We have mums with children living in cars, tents and hotel rooms across the state."
Audit of state-owned assets underway
A spokesperson for the Department of Energy and Public Works said last year's Housing Summit identified the need to increase housing supply for communities and to relieve pressure on the rental market as a key priority.
"These actions include a comprehensive audit of government-owned land and buildings to identify opportunities for residential use, as well as partnering with local councils and community organisations to identify similar opportunities," the spokesperson said.
"This audit is expected to be completed shortly."
A statement by the department said almost $4 billion would be spent on social and affordable housing in the next few years, including construction of about 5,600 government-owned and managed social homes, as well as emergency accommodation.
