Queensland councils have welcomed a new $2 billion Federal funding package for housing-enabling infrastructure, while calling for further investment to support growing communities.
Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) said the funding commitment reflected sustained advocacy from councils seeking greater support for infrastructure needed to unlock housing supply.
LGAQ President, Matt Burnett, said the announcement was an important step forward.
“This is a positive step forward for Queensland councils and their campaign to secure more housing infrastructure investment,” Burnett said.
“We specifically advocated for more housing infrastructure investment in our Federal Budget submission and it’s encouraging to see the Federal Government heeding our call.”
Burnett said councils would continue advocating for additional investment to support long-term housing growth.
“And while this is a good starting point, more investment is needed to unlock the housing our growing communities need and we will continue to advocate for this,” he said.
The funding announcement follows a resolution passed at the LGAQ 2025 Annual Conference calling for a permanent Federal funding program to support councils delivering trunk infrastructure needed for housing growth.
It also follows LGAQ research released in 2024, which identified a significant infrastructure funding gap facing councils and local communities.
LGAQ Chief Executive Officer, Alison Smith, said councils played a major role in delivering housing-enabling infrastructure.
“With more housing development comes the need for more drainage, water connections, sewerage and other community infrastructure,” Smith said.
“Councils do a lot of the heavy-lifting when it comes to delivering this housing enabling infrastructure and obviously we’re encouraged by this new investment.”
Smith said the Federal funding would complement the Queensland Government’s Residential Activation Fund.
“This Federal funding will further support the investment being made by the State Government through its $2 billion Residential Activation Fund, which has been a gamechanger in supporting councils and industry to unlock land for new homes,” she said.
“Our member councils want to see even more of this investment to deliver the infrastructure they need into the future.”
The LGAQ’s Federal Budget submission also called for increased untied funding to councils, a replacement for the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program, and additional housing investment to address overcrowding in First Nations communities.
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