Department of Housing figures revealed recently the waiting list blow out along with the amount of money that has been invested in Bunbury public housing.

In 2004-05 the average number of people on the waiting list was 396.

In the last financial year the average had increased to 600.

In a visit to Bunbury last month housing minister Troy Buswell said 700 people were now on the waiting list - including 180 seniors.

According to the department there are 960 Homeswest properties in the City of Bunbury.

In comparison the State Government has sold off more than 2500 blocks of land across the region.

The land was originally set aside for social housing.

In Dalyellup 2393 blocks of land have been developed since 1999.

Of those 82 lots were developed for social housing, or 3.4 per cent.

The overall percentage across the City of Bunbury was 6.88 per cent.

In Forrest Estate - the site of the former Bunbury Hospital - the department developed 78 single lots. Of those, three were retained for its social housing program.

In Glen Iris 134 lots have been developed with 11 single lots and one group dwelling added to social housing.

The Bunbury Mail tried to obtain a figure for the amount of money the State Government has made through the sale of former Housing Department land in Bunbury.

Department of Housing South West regional manager Kath Roberts could not give a figure.

"The specific details on the returns from land sales are commercial in confidence as they are generally joint ventures with private partners," she said.

Mayor David Smith said considering the amount of money raised for the government through developments more should have been reinvested into public housing.

"They should really be using that money to focus on housing in Greater Bunbury," he said.

"Homeswest have taken more out of Bunbury than they have put in."

Mayor Smith said he wanted to see more social housing construction going on in Bunbury and the waiting lists going down.

However the Mayor said the problem was created from a long period of neglect and did not attribute sole blame with the State Government.