Etheridge Shire Council responds with reason for aged care investment

While the decision to fund aged care housing sits outside the realm of local government, Etheridge Shire Mayor Barry Hughes said it was a case of having to fill the void for the shire's aged population.

"We have a housing crisis like every other small regional community in Australia," Cr Hughes said.

"It's a sore point with councils all over the place and an example of cost shifting where we have a community organisation looking after and managing health care needs of our elderly residents.

"Councils like ours take the initiative and build these developments to enable our older residents to move out of their big rambling Queenslanders into far more manageable situations for themselves."

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Construction of the Georgetown Independent Living Facility for the Aged will begin within six weeks on a Forsayth Road block of land, with the six two-bedroom units hoped to be ready for new tenants at the end of the year.

Council will also invest in the Green Street Staff Housing project, another six two-bedroom units, with both projects estimated to cost $6 million.

Cr Hughes said the process had been guided by a steering committee.

He said aged care housing was lacking in the shire, and impacted not only communities but also the grazing community.

"The trigger point was if we don't do it no-one else will," Cr Hughes said.

While ratifying the investment, Council resolved to investigate and pursue funding sources to minimise the cost to ratepayers.