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Laine Clark

Funding for more Queensland social housing amid crisis

Federal funding will help support the construction of another 600 homes across Queensland. (Darren England/AAP PHOTOS)

Another 600 homes will be built across Queensland with a federal funding injection after a surging demand for social housing in the state.

However, state Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon says it must be the beginning - not the end - of the Commonwealth's engagement in solving the housing "puzzle".

Almost $400 million from the Albanese government's Social Housing Accelerator will deliver the extra homes, with 80 per cent to be built outside Brisbane.

It adds to the Queensland government's $5 billion social and affordable housing investment that will help commence 13,500 homes by 2027.

"This will build hundreds of homes across Queensland, while we will continue to work with the Palaszczuk government to deliver even more homes," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.

The Queensland government has been under pressure over accommodation shortages, with social housing demand rising amid a cost of living crisis.

Ms Scanlon welcomed the federal injection after facing intense questioning at a parliamentary budget hearing in August, with more than 41,400 people from 25,364 households and 7050 families on a waiting list for social housing.

"It shows what can happen when different levels of government work together," the housing minister told state parliament on Wednesday.

Ms Scanlon described the Commonwealth investment as a welcome step forward after a decade of under investment.

"But this can't be it. The Albanese government's commitment must be the beginning not the end of the Commonwealth's engagement in fixing the housing puzzle," she said.

Ms Scanlon said the state government would soon start negotiations in the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement.

"We will be advocating that Queensland gets its fair share because to house Queensland for the future, we need all levels of government to play their part," she said.

Many of the 600 homes funded by the Commonwealth injection of more than $398 million will be built in regional, rural and remote parts of Queensland.

"From Cape York to the Gold Coast and everywhere in between, we've made sure these additional homes are going where they're needed most alongside the thousands of homes we've already got in the pipeline," Ms Scanlon said.

"Shovels are in the ground right now on hundreds of sites across Queensland to build more public homes.

"These homes will be rolled out through traditional means, pre-fabricated factories, house and land packages, in partnership with community housing providers and First Nations councils, and the redevelopment of accommodation like hotels and motels into housing."

Ms Scanlon said with the additional federal cash they could now deliver "at a minimum" 216 homes for Cape York, 308 for far north Queensland, 279 for north Queensland, 218 for Wide Bay, 174 for Sunshine Coast, 220 for Moreton Bay and 189 for Ipswich.

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