Hope for regional businesses amid housing crisis
Thirteen homes will be built across the state under the Regional Key Worker Housing scheme this year, as businesses struggle to find staff amid an ongoing housing crisis.
The homes will be built across Renmark, Mount Gambier, and Port Augusta with the aim of closing the gap between employment and housing vacancies.
Regional housing has been so lacking that some businesses have had to take drastic steps to secure housing, with one even buying a motel to convert to staff accommodation.
“There was really nowhere suitable to accommodate the group of people…we looked everywhere around the district,” said JBS Bordertown plant manager Trevor Schiller.
“We had targeted backpackers initially but they are obviously only here for a short period of time. Attracting more permanent employment to the district was a challenge.
“People that were willing to move to the district, a big stopper was the fact that there was no suitable housing. It did definitely restrict us.”
While JBS can now house up to 70 employees in the building, Schiller sees other local businesses face the same difficulties.
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“I know some other local businesses have been in similar situations and have gone out of their way to buy and build housing themselves.”
“A house that becomes available could have 20-25 people lined up to view it.”
Port Augusta Mayor Linley Shine said the housing scheme was welcome but there was a long way to go, with four houses set to be delivered to the regional city by 2025.
“There is still a huge shortage which has an impact on the workforce,” Shine said.
“The city council will be working with whoever we need to to ensure we can attract more housing and to actually alleviate these workforce challenges as well.
“We do have a big road ahead of us and the key to that is obviously everybody working together around understanding these impacts and looking at innovative ways to do fast tracking, which is very difficult when it comes to infrastructure.”
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Stuart MP Geoff Brock acknowledged the growing need for housing in the area.
“My community is growing with expanding industries and jobs, so any housing supply boost to ease pressure on a tight market is warmly welcomed,” he said.
Four homes will be built in Mount Gambier, and are expected to house police, healthcare workers and teachers.
Tatiara Council CEO Anne Champness said the scheme, combined with the state government’s recent $2.7 million investment in Bordertown Housing will free up private rentals.
“We have a reasonably large number of government employees that are in private rentals,” she said.
“By putting them into government rentals we will free up those properties.”
The $2.7 million investment by Renewal SA’s Office for Regional Housing was announced in October 2023 and will deliver approximately 15 new houses in the project’s first stage.
Renmark is set to receive five homes under the scheme, with Mayor Peter Hunter saying it is a start to addressing the “drastic shortage” of housing.
“It’s vital we have housing particularly for government workers, to be able to get them to come here, learn how magnificent our country is, and then stay,” he said.
Local builders have been engaged under the scheme, with Rockford Homes, Empak Homes and Constructwell set to build in Renmark, Mount Gambier and Port Augusta respectively.
