Housing Hon. MAJ SCANLON (Gaven—ALP) (Minister for Housing) (10.10 am): Last week, Australians saw the 13th RBA rate rise in 18 months. Combined with ongoing interstate migration and construction supply chain challenges, Queensland renters are not immune from the impacts of national housing pressures. That is why, while we build more social and affordable homes and unlock more supply, we are helping renters stay in their home. I can advise the House that in the last quarter, between July and September this year, $9.7 million was provided to 1,692 new households for things like rent, bond and the purchase of appliances for people who may have been fleeing violent households.

Whether you have fallen behind on your rent or an increase is more than you can handle, there is assistance available when Queenslanders need it. That includes for people like new mum Rachel O’Donnell, who I had the pleasure of meeting last week. Rachel never thought she would be a mum, let alone face homelessness. Then, not long after going to the emergency department seeking treatment for what she thought was stomach pain, it turned out that she was in early labour. Little Xavier was also born with Down syndrome and had complications from his premature birth. Less than a month later, still in shock at being a new mum, Rachel was facing the possibility of being homeless when her lease was not renewed. That is when she turned to the Chermside Housing Service Centre, where staff had previously helped her address rental arrears accumulated while she was in hospital and unable to work. Through the department, Ms O’Donnell, an early childcare educator for 30 years, secured a two-bedroom community housing unit in Windsor, close to health services for Xavier. Rachel said— (Staff member) Karen was amazing. I cannot speak highly enough of her. She bent over backwards for us. She was life-saving.

We have teams in our housing service centres all across the state who help people like Rachel every day. We are also helping Queenslanders with cost-of-living relief through our Home Assist Secure program. This program has helped hundreds of thousands of older Queenslanders and people with a disability pay for home maintenance and modifications. Last year alone, the program assisted almost 30,000 homes, whether it was for yard and outside maintenance, small repairs, smoke alarm related jobs through to jobs requiring a licensed tradesperson. There is financial support of up to $500 through the Home Assist Secure program. Whether it is rental support, home maintenance, free kindy, free TAFE, appliance rebates or energy bill relief, the Palaszczuk government is helping families with cost-of-living pressures.