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Queensland spends $50 million to ease housing crisis

Millions of dollars will be spent to help keep Queenslanders in their rental properties after a summit to address severe housing pressure in the state.

Dec 01, 2022, updated Dec 01, 2022
Almost $12 million will be spent to help 2500 people stay in their leases and avoid homelessness, Palaszczuk told parliament on Thursday. (Image: Unsplash)

Almost $12 million will be spent to help 2500 people stay in their leases and avoid homelessness, Palaszczuk told parliament on Thursday. (Image: Unsplash)

As well as a sustained increase in interstate migration, the state’s housing market is being tested by materials and skills shortages in the construction industry, a report following the summit says.

Pandemic-era economic policies, demographic trends including a move toward smaller household sizes, and the impact of weather events including the 2022 Queensland floods are also having an impact.

“These pressures have been felt across the board, most acutely by Queenslanders renting or aspiring to rent at the lower-priced end of the private market,” the report says.

It notes a reduction in private rentals with 55,000 fewer homes available than would have been expected based on pre-Covid-19 trends.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced more than $50 million worth of housing programs as a result of the October meeting of advocacy groups, support services, developers and government.

Almost $12 million will be spent to help 2500 people stay in their leases and avoid homelessness, Palaszczuk told parliament on Thursday.

There is an additional $10 million in loans and grants for people experiencing severe rental stress and funding for emergency accommodation and after-hours homelessness services.

Some $3.3 million will go towards cost-of-living relief, including “emergency food relief, which will be particularly important over the Christmas period”, Palaszczuk said.

“I stand by our government’s commitment to do what is needed to ensure that every Queenslander can have access to a safe, secure and affordable home,” she said.

“I want to be clear that there’s more work to be done to achieve this but we are taking this important step forward.”

The measures supported those struggling in the middle of a “shocking housing crisis” but were not a long-term plan for the 45,958 Queenslanders on the social housing register, QCOSS CEO Aimee McVeigh said.

“Last month’s Housing Summit saw some welcome announcements, including an extra $1 billion for the Housing Investment Fund but this will only build 2800 houses in the next five years,” McVeigh said.

“We need to see 5000 social and affordable homes built across Queensland each year for the next decade.”

An audit of state-owned land and buildings to identify options for repurposed social housing is also under way.

Hundreds of potential sites have already been reviewed, with seven shortlisted for further investigation, Deputy Premier Steven Miles said.

“Included are sites leased to local councils that could potentially be used for accommodation,” Miles said.

Work is also under way with community and religious organisations to identify suitable properties.

Longer-term measures include streamlined planning approvals for social and affordable housing projects to improve supply and affordability.

A housing delivery board will also be established to advise cabinet on the health of Queensland’s sector.

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