Gold Coast ECEC employees priced out of local housing market

The Gold Coast is now the most expensive region to rent in the country, with data from property analyst firm SQM Research showing rents on the Gold Coast have risen by more than 18 per cent over the past three years to an average of $820 a week.

As a result a number of essential workers in sectors such as early childhood education and care (ECEC) are now in a position where they cannot afford to live in the places they work. 

Speaking with the ABC, affordable housing advocate Maiy Azize from Everybody’s Home said the average ECEC employee or aged care worker would need to spend more than 100 per cent of their income to rent on the Gold Coast.

“It’s not viable for people, which is a huge problem for employers and a huge problem for people looking for affordable childcare (sic.) or looking for an aged care place for their parents because there are huge worker shortages in these areas.”

For those who choose to stay working on the Gold Coast, she continued, a ‘rethink’ of living arrangements – such as living in surrounding areas and commuting to the Gold Coast, or share housing into their 30s, 40s or 50s – is now essential. 

“When workers and average people are priced out of these communities, it really hollows out these areas,” Ms Azize said.

To read the original coverage of this story, please see here.