Greens MP Amy MacMahon says the social housing register is usually released in September, but was not this year.

She says 39,000 people and 15,000 children were on the list in September 2019, which was a 20 per cent increase on the previous year.

Ms McMahon has submitted a right to information request to compel the government to release the full 2020 waiting list.

"It's pretty obvious the State Government is hiding the size of the social housing waitlist to avoid scrutiny of their completely failed social housing strategy," she said in a statement.

"I hope this media scrutiny forces the Government's hand because it was bad enough that the government failed to publish the waitlist prior to the election.

"At the very least Queenslanders should see the list prior to the budget."

Ms McMahon said that amid the pandemic and recession Queenslanders are struggling to afford the cost of living and the government should invest in affordable housing.

A government investment in housing would also provide work for the construction industry, she said, pointing to the Victorian government's multi-billion dollar commitment to build 10,000 homes over four years.

Ms McMahon said it may not be enough to cope with that state's housing crisis, but it is better than Queensland.

"It's certainly a lot better than the State Government's criminally inadequate 500 homes a year," she said.

"We announced a plan during the election to build 100,000 public homes over four years that's fully costed and ready to go so I hope the state government takes some inspiration from that."

Australian Associated Press