BRISBANE, Queensland, Aug. 31 -- The Queensland Department of the Premier and Cabinet issued text of the following statement:

Deputy Premier, Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning and Minister for Industrial Relations

The Honourable Jarrod Bleijie

* Nearly$28millionin funding announced as part of Round 2to fast trackanadditional2,150newhomesacrossSouth WestQueensland. * Residential Activation Fund has unlocked more than 161,000 places to call home for Queenslanders. * TheCrisafulli Government isdelivering 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 isdelivering a place to call home for more Queenslanders andcontinuing to unlockhousing supplyquicklyacrossthe State, withthenext round of theResidential Activation Fund (RAF)further fast tracking2,150new homesacrossSouth WestQueensland.

TheCrisafulli Governmenthas announced it will invest$27.75millioninfourprojects thatwilldeliver the critical trunk infrastructure needed to unlockland for residential development.

The investments include:

* $17 millionfor Southern Downs Regional Councilto deliver upgrades to inlet screening infrastructure at the Warwick Wastewater Treatment Plant and to the Cleary Street sewer pump station and rising main. It will also deliver three kilometres of sewer mains and a new nine-megalitre clear-water storage reservoir.The project willunlock 2,000homes. * $6 million for Quilpie Shire Council todeliver essential infrastructure to support Stage 2 of the Powerhouse Residential Estate, unlocking 25 homes. * $2.9 million inGoondiwindi to deliver road and intersection upgrades, stormwater drainage, water and sewer mains, and electrical and telecommunications infrastructure to unlock more than 100 new homes. * $1.85 million in funding for Balonne Shire Councilto upgrade theDirranbandi'sstormwater pumping station, deliver new and upgraded water mains, extend the sewer main and provide new footpaths, which will unlock 25 homes.

The Crisafulli Government made the announcement while holding Community Cabinet inGoondiwindi andbrings thetotalResidential Activation Fundinvestmentacrossthe four Councilsto$33.61million.

The Crisafulli Government is building Queensland's future and delivering better services through a stronger economy, with the ResidentialActiviationFunda key pillar ofourplan to unlock housing supply by investing in enabling infrastructure that brings forward new residential development across Queensland.

The award-winningRAFprogram has now unlocked capacity for more than161,000homes 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.  * Releasingunderutilised 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 regionalQueenslanders.  * 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 theinvestment was a clear demonstration oftheCrisafulli 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 ofdecline under Labor, we're getting on with the job of delivering the infrastructure needed to unlock new housing opportunities across the State.

"Thesefourprojects willunlock 2,150placesto callhome for Queenslanders while supporting growing communitiesacrossSouth WestQueensland, anddemonstratewhat's possible when government partners with councils, landownersand developers to remove barriers to housing.

"TheCrisafulli Government hasalreadyunlocked more than161,000 new places to call homethrough the Residential Activation Fundafter 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 thefresh start we promised them."

MemberforSouthernDownsJames Lister saidthe investment would help unlock thousands of new homes while ensuring theinfrastructureneeded to support new communitiesweredelivered alongside housing.

"The Crisafulli Government is getting on with the job of building the infrastructurethe Southern Downsneeds to grow, after a decade of Labor failing to keep up with demand," MrListersaid.

"This is about making sure more Queenslanders can find aplace to callhomeinthe Southern Downsand that our city has the infrastructure needed to support the next generation of growth."

Member forWarrego Ann Leahysaid this wasanother example of theCrisafulliGovernment working with local communities to unlock housing supply and build a stronger future forSouth WestQueensland.

"For regional Queensland, unlocking new housing is critical to attracting workers, supporting local businesses and giving families the opportunity to put down roots in our communities," Ms Leahysaid.

"This investment will help remove one of the biggest barriers to new housing-the delivery of essential infrastructure.

"The Crisafulli Government understands that regional communities need more than housing targets; they need the roads, water, sewerage and other infrastructure that makes new housing possible."

Goondiwindi Regional Council Mayor Lawrence Springborg saidthe Residential Activation Fund had been a fantastic program and thanked theCrisafulliGovernment for its investment in helping regional communities respond to housing pressures.

"TheGoondiwindiregion has repeatedly been identified as one of the tightest rental markets in Queensland, with the latest REIQ data for June 2026 recording a vacancy rate of 0.0 per cent for the quarter. Thatdemonstratesthe very real pressure our community is experiencing," Mayor Springborg said.

"Council played its part in getting this project moving, kick-starting the process with a 50 per cent reduction in Council development application costs to encourage development across the region.

"This is a great outcome for theGoondiwindicommunity as it continues to grow. We look forward to seeing the infrastructure get underway and, importantly, seeing new housing delivered for local families and workers."

Quilpie Shire Council MayorBen Hall saidthe RAF wasagreat exampleof the Crisafulli Government working in partnership with local councils to deliver the infrastructure that regional Queensland communities needed.

"For a regional community like Quilpie, unlocking new housing is critical to our future and having more homes available means we can better support local families, attract new residents and workers, and give our community the confidence to keep growing," Mayor Hall said.

"We thank the Crisafulli Government for recognising the importance of investing in housing-enabling infrastructure and for helping Quilpie get more homes off the ground."

Balonne Shire Council Mayor Samantha O'Toole said the fundingdemonstratedthe value of the state and councils working together to address the infrastructure barriers that held up housing in regional communities.

"Upgrading the stormwater pumping station, extending sewer and water infrastructure and delivering new footpaths might not always be the most visible part of building a new home, but it is absolutely critical to getting new housing off the ground," Mayor O'Toole said.

"This funding ensures Dirranbandi is well placed to grow into the future, while also better protecting the community during periods of high rainfall with stormwater pump station upgrades."

Southern Downs Regional Council Mayor Melissa Hamilton said the $17 million investment was a significant boost for Southern Downs and would help unlock more than 2,000 homes in Warwick.

"Delivering the water and sewer infrastructure needed to support this level of growth is a major undertaking, and this funding will help us address critical infrastructure constraints and get more land ready for housing," Mayor Hamilton said.

"More homes mean more opportunities for families, workers and businesses, and this investment will help ensure Warwick is prepared to accommodate the growth our region is experiencing."

ENDS

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