Regional workers, communities to benefit from housing fund

THE Victorian government is taking steps to help house regional Victoria’s workforce and assist regional businesses to attract workers, with a funding boost aimed at delivering much-needed accommodation across the state.

Minister for Regional Development Gayle earlier this month announced the opening of the second round of the Regional Worker Accommodation Fund, while attending the annual Victorian Country Press Association (VCPA) conference in Torquay.

The fund – supported by co-investment from private businesses, regional councils or local community groups – strives to deliver housing, accommodation and related infrastructure in regional communities where workers are struggling to find affordable places to live, and businesses are struggling to attract and retain workers.

Projects eligible for funding will be purpose-built to meet the skill needs of key sectors, such as health, agriculture, education, manufacturing and tourism, as well as the needs of the local community.

These projects may include self-contained units, worker villages, studios, family dwellings and shared accommodation.

Speaking at the VCPA conference, Ms Tierney noted Lorne was among the townships that had long struggled to house and attract the workforce it needs.

“Not only do we have a skills shortage, but you couple that with the fact that people who work in Lorne in our tourism industry, in our hospitality industry, can’t afford the rents, certainly can’t afford to buy houses.

“That’s been the case for a long, long time.”

In May 2021, the Surf Coast Shire council declared a key worker accommodation crisis, with a lack of affordable housing and worker accommodation reaching a crisis point in several towns, including Lorne, Apollo Bay, Anglesea, Torquay and Winchelsea.

A lack of affordable accommodation for local workers remains an issue, not just along the coastline, but in other tourism destinations across the state, Ms Tierney said.

“[The fund is] about trying to create that critical number of people that we need in a workforce up in those isolated areas so that we can attract investment in businesses that can operate around the year, and to drive economic development through having that piece of the jigsaw placed in the most appropriate way.”

Regional towns that have robust, shovel-ready ideas in partnership with local business and industry are strongly encouraged to apply for funding.

“We want to work hand-in-glove with proponents to get projects that are shovel-ready up and ticked off and built as soon as possible so that we can have that connection between what is needed with workers living close by and what is needed in our local towns and our regional economies,” Ms Tierney said.

Applications will close on January 31.

For more information, head to rdv.vic.gov.au/rwaf