Boost provides more housing access for Isaac's essential service workers

Isaac region’s essential service workers are set to benefit from having access to 16 new affordable housing units thanks to a $8 million funding boost.

The Isaac Affordable Housing Trust (IAHT) board has welcomed the injection from round one of Resources Community Infrastructure Fund last week.

Isaac Regional Council Mayor Anne Baker, who chairs IAHT, said housing is a fundamental social need in the region.

“This funding will provide generational housing security for critical non-mine workers in our region,” Mayor Baker said.

 “Housing supply in resource communities is challenging, especially those who are essential service workers, such as nurses, hairdressers or check out operators.

“The new units will include five units designed to Liveable Housing Australia's gold standard for tenants supported by the National Disability Insurance Scheme.”

Deputy Premier and Minister for Infrastructure Steven Miles said resources communities in the Mackay-Isaac-Whitsunday region would share in Round 1 of the Queensland Government’s $100 million Resources Community Infrastructure Fund.

“The resource sector is vital to our economy and employs around 84,000 workers, directly supporting more than 15,000 Queensland businesses,” Mr Miles said.

“Despite the challenges COVID-19 has brought, our resources sector has been able to continue operating throughout the pandemic, helping support our economy.”

Minister for Resources Scott Stewart said the Fund is a voluntary partnership between the Queensland Government, resource companies, and the Queensland Resources Council (QRC).

“The government has partnered with resource companies to see investments in the communities that support them,” Mr Stewart said.

“These communities are critical to rebuilding Queensland’s economy. And these new community infrastructure projects will create more jobs and more opportunities for regional Queenslanders.

“Not only will the 20 projects support even better facilities for their regions, they will also create more employment, creating an estimated 186 jobs for Queenslanders during construction.”

Mayor Baker said the IAHT project was a great social justice initiative that would support housing needs in the Isaac for decades to come.

 “When government and industry come together like this and invest in grass roots projects it makes a real difference to the communities that support the resource sector,” Mayor Baker said.

The Isaac Affordable Housing Trust acknowledge and thank Isaac Regional Council, BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) and Rio Tinto as a major funding partner in the delivery of affordable accommodation to residents in Isaac.