2026 Census to reveal true scale of Queensland’s housing crisis – and an urgent call to action

The upcoming 2026 Census will lay bare the full extent of Queensland’s homelessness crisis, with St Vincent de Paul Queensland expecting unprecedented growth in the number of rough sleepers across the state. 

All Australians, including those sleeping rough, are expected to take part in the Census on 11 August – held just a few days after National Homelessness Week (3 to 9 August). 

Chief Executive Officer Joe Duskovic said St Vincent de Paul Queensland had seen an unprecedented demand for housing support since the 2021 Census. 

'In 2021, more than 23,000 Queenslanders were counted as experiencing ‘homelessness,’ he said. 

‘We expect the number to have grown significantly since then. While we might be in for some alarming news once the results are released, we should use this opportunity to reinforce the urgency of taking action to help more Queenslanders find a safe place to call home.' 

While the Society continues to support Queenslanders struggling to afford housing in the current market, Mr Duskovic said there were reasons to be optimistic. 

‘Homelessness is not this unsolvable issue that we are helpless to respond to – we can and should be taking action,” he said, 

‘Already we’ve seen the State Government announce record investments into social housing, with 53,500 social homes to be built by 2044 – enough for a home for every 31,000+ households currently on the social housing register. 

‘But building homes is just one step – better access to support services is also a vital part of the process. 

‘In our experience, a house can help someone stay out of homelessness for a while, but access to support for issues like employment and education, mental health, addiction, family resilience and budgeting can help someone stay out of homelessness for a lifetime.’ 

Each year, St Vincent de Paul supports more than 1,200 Queenslanders experiencing homelessness to secure sustainable housing. 

‘It takes a lot of work, time and patience to help someone break the cycle of homelessness – but it is possible,’ Mr Duskovic said. 

‘Anything we invest now will create a stronger and fairer Queensland for our next generations.’ 

St Vincent de Paul Queensland is currently working towards building more than 500 community housing units across the state, with residents having full access to wrap-around support services. 

More than 140 of these units will be open in the next 12 months across various regions including the Gold Coast, Bundaberg, Toowoomba and Mackay. 

St Vincent de Paul Queensland also held a record Vinnies CEO Sleepout in June, with Queensland leaders spending a night on cardboard and raising nearly $3m for homelessness support and accommodation.  

The 2026 Census results will be released to the public in stages in 2027 and 2028.