Queensland budget 2023/24: health, crime and housing to be prioritised by state government

A long list of Far North advocacy priorities are on the table for the 2023 state budget but preceding government announcements are not indicating major needs will be addressed.

A huge list of Far North advocacy priorities is awaiting some love from the state government as it is due to hand down Queensland’s 2023/24 budget on Tuesday, but certain social needs could remain insufficiently addressed.

The budget will include a $322m investment set to produce 500 new social and affordable homes, a plan that housing minister Meaghan Scanlon said could include both construction and acquisition initiatives.

But Cairns Regional Council’s new Affordable Housing and Homelessness Action Plan, endorsed in January, states the region needs 11,500 new dwellings by 2035, or about 950 per year, to adequately address social needs.

Cairns could get a slice of the government’s plan for 500 new social houses but the allocation would come nowhere near the region’s annual requirement. Picture: Brendan Radke

There is no indication Cairns would be a priority area for the government’s $322m initiative.

But in the extremely unlikely event the region was allocated all 500 planned homes, it would be little more than half the annual requirement.

Advance Cairns chairman Nick Trompf said it was clear housing demand was outstripping supply in Cairns but said the government’s housing fix powers were limited.

“Housing is extremely difficult for governments to fix. It’s got to be driven by the private market … and is largely a supply and demand issue,” Mr Trompf said.

Advance Cairns chairman Nick Trompf said the government alone would have a difficult time fixing the region’s housing needs. Picture: Brendan Radke

“Their main levers are policy related – they could free up some land for development, subsidise housing built for rentals and throw in some money for social housing.

“Often when governments get involved in housing there’s inadvertent consequences. When they announced the first homebuyers scheme, cost of housing went up, for example.”

Mr Trompf said Advance Cairns’ priorities orbited around the central issue of government sticking to its promises.

The region bathed in funding announcements during May’s regional sitting of parliament, including an additional $30m for Cairns Marine Precinct infrastructure and $16m to expand the city’s international marine college.

“We expect to see all those regional parliament announcements delivered in this budget, not put out to forward estimates,” Mr Trompf said.

Queensland Minister for Housing Meaghan Scanlon also announced an additional $15m to help seniors with home security costs. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

“I assume law and order will be a big part of the budget, too.”

The budget will include $15m to help seniors with costs of home security improvements – such as strong window locks and shutters, CCTV and enhanced design features to prevent unauthorised access – expanding a trial already underway in Cairns to Mareeba and Atherton.

Cook MP Cynthia Lui said the budget would help more people feel safe in their own homes.

“We’re throwing everything we can at addressing youth crime and its causes,” Ms Lui said.

Cairns MP Michael Healy said cost of living would be a budget priority.

“There’ll be a reduction in payroll tax which will lead to more apprentices being hired and a reduction in land tax which will lead to more homes being built. So there’s a lot of policy levers the state will be pulling,” Mr Healy said.

“We will be getting a budget surplus.”

Originally published as Queensland budget 2023/24: health, crime and housing to be prioritised by state government