Coast must address its shortage of housing

THE education sector is a key plank of the Gold Coast’s economy, right behind health and tourism. Tertiary institutions were among the worst-hit during the Covid-19 pandemic, with closed borders and then-prime minister Scott Morrison’s blunt message in early 2020 for foreign nationals to leave Australia.

Now, nearly three years after the borders closed, the Gold Coast’s university sectors have seen a dramatic resurgence in incoming international students.

This is fantastic news for the economy overall, with tertiary education worth more than $3.5bn annually, but much has changed since early 2020.

Most significantly, the city’s property industry went through one of its hottest periods in more than 30 years, with 15,000 people annually relocating from southern states, snapping up all available accommodation, including those for sale and for rent.

Now facing a significant shortage in available rooms, the city’s peak education body has been forced to take action – asking hotels to provide empty rooms and writing to more than 55,000 people pleading with them to consider acting as homestay families.

With the number of international students expected to return to pre-Covid levels by Christmas, this is now a pressing issue which must be dealt with.

It’s clear more student accommodation is needed, alongside the significant shortfall the city is already experiencing in low-cost public housing.

With the number of people coming to the Coast not slowing, it is clear action must be taken soon to ensure that our growing population, international students among them, have somewhere to live.