Opinion: These desperate Queenslanders need action now

The Premier’s promise to ease the housing crisis must be measured after 100 days, one year and every year for the next decade, writes David Crisafulli.

JUST last month, I met Mac and Nive.

These Queenslanders are the parents of three young children under 4. Mac works full-time and Nive cares for the kids.

When I met them, they were living in a tent. Working Queenslanders unable to afford a roof over their heads.

They told me that despite a great rental history and landlords who supported them, they found themselves in a position no Queenslander ever should – homeless.

Nive explained the perils of trying to put three toddlers to sleep, often in the back seat of their small hatchback. Their heartbreaking plight is replicated by thousands of Queenslanders and must be fixed.

Many worthy solutions must be worked through, but some proven ideas my team and I have put forward include infrastructure to open up new housing supply, accountable delivery of social housing and unleashing the under-utilised community housing sector.

The facts are troubling. Queensland’s residential lot approvals have fallen 27 per cent since the Palaszczuk government came to power seven years ago.

In social housing between 2017 and 2021, the number of available bedrooms increased by less than 1 per cent. At the same time, the waiting list ballooned by 70 per cent. In the past 12 months alone, an additional 10,500 people have been added to the waiting list.

No government is capable of fixing this problem alone. The LNP believes government must partner with, and unlock, the community housing sector.

These organisations are ready-made to help house the vulnerable. If we empower them, and allow them to leverage housing stock, they can help house vulnerable Queenslanders.

It’s Queenslanders such as Mac and Nive who work hard to provide for their family who are the victims of this failure to plan.

For years, we’ve been calling on the state government to act on the housing crisis. Following pressure from The Courier-Mail, a summit was held where the Premier said she was interested in hearing the ideas from all of those in the room. I warmly welcome this.

Positive ideas were put forward and now Queenslanders want action. It’s action that must be measured after 100 days, one year and every year for the next decade.

Queenslanders deserve a government that can plan, lead and deliver.

Only then will families such as Mac and Nive’s live in a state where they can safely and happily raise their family in their own home, not in a tent.

David Crisafulli is the leader of the LNP in Queensland