The vagaries of the mining industry have left rows of empty homes in the Queensland town of Wandoan and Leon Savage has a solution: fill them with Syrian refugees.
As state and federal governments grapple with how to accommodate the 12,000-strong influx expected to start arriving by Christmas, scores of Australians like Mr Savage are keen to share their homes with those who need it.
Mr Savage, of Lidcombe, says the six-bedroom house he owns in the rural town could host two refugee families, adding "I have a lot more than I need. So why not share?".
On Thursday Treasurer Joe Hockey said it might take more than two years to resettle all 12,000 Syrian refugees in Australia, and Prime Minister Tony Abbott refused to include refugees languishing in offshore detention in the emergency intake.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said the government was working with the states and territories, as well as churches and community groups, on the best way to house the humanitarian entrants - the largest intake in a single year since World War II.
Federal MPs have received calls from constituents wanting to host refugees in their homes.
Mr Savage, a civil engineer, said his Christian faith dictated that "we should always be considering others".
"The house has been empty for a year-and-a-half and it's fully furnished, six bedrooms, four bathrooms," he said.
"All the linen is in the cupboards. It's the sort of place where people could just move in and start living."
Social Services Minister Scott Morrison said he was heartened by the support being offered to Syrian refugees.
"[The] government will be working closely with our settlement service providers, Syrian and Iraqi community groups, to determine how best to accommodate the generous contributions and support Australians are seeking to give," he said.
In May 2012 under Labor, families were eligible for a small stipend to provide short-term homestay accommodation to asylum seekers moving out of detention on bridging visas.
Mr Morrison, then Opposition immigration spokesman, expressed concern over the plan, saying it was reckless to "place asylum seekers in suburban homes and communities, where there is no consultation with neighbours or the police".
AMES Australia chief executive Cath Scarth, whose organisation helps resettle refugees, said homestays were "a fantastic idea" but must be well executed.
"Any program to have people host refugees would have to be properly supported with appropriate cultural information and counselling," she said, adding police checks should be run on hosts and refugees should be comfortable with the arrangement.
AMES is in talks with the Victorian and federal government about the concept, which would also involve councils, Ms Scarth said.
Melbourne Greens MP Adam Bandt has launched a project connecting people who want to help refugees with resettlement organisations.
The Australian Homestay Network is also compiling a register of those interested in hosting refugees, and the website enoughRoom.org has been set up to match hosts with refugees.
On Thursday Mr Hockey said the resettlement costs would depend on how quickly applications were processed.
"There are some estimates that we could do it in a two-year period. There are some estimates that it may take a little bit longer," he said.
In Papua New Guinea, Mr Abbott insisted Syrian and Iraqi asylum seekers at Nauru and Manus Island detention centres would not be resettled as part of the intake because that would encourage "the evil trade of people smuggling".
He declared there is a "world of difference" between the refugees to be accepted and those from the same countries who have spent more than two years in offshore detention.
With Michael Gordon
