Annastacia Palaszczuk vows to act on housing crisis

Greater land supply, opening up vacant properties, prefab homes in back yards - Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says ‘everything is on the table’ as the state looks at ways to tackle a housing crisis.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has declared everything is on the table to solve Queensland’s housing crisis, as she vowed to take concrete actions in the wake of the upcoming summit.

Ms Palaszczuk issued a call on Tuesday for all levels of government to come to her October summit – but the federal Housing Minister has so far dodged questions over whether she will attend.

Boosting catalyst infrastructure and dropping prefabricated homes into neighbourhood back yards were among the ideas floated by the Premier as she called for innovative and bold approaches to take on the crisis.

Ms Palaszczuk indicated the government would look at the impacts of short-term letting – such as Airbnb – as well as vacant properties owned by people living interstate.

She also promised to work with councils to unlock land supply.

“I want Queenslanders to understand I recognise that this is an issue,” the Premier said.

“In a modern economy … it is a shock to see people living out of their cars or not being housed.”

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk in Brisbane on Tuesday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

Ms Palaszczuk said the summit – which will be held in October following an initial roundtable this Friday – would not be a talkfest, promising to take “key actions”.

She said the federal government’s move to increase the overseas migration intake would put even more pressure on what “already is a pressure cooker”.

“The pressures are magnified I think because we are seeing so many people move here from other parts of Australia as well,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

The Premier would not say if her government would increase its investment in social housing, beyond the $1.9bn they have set aside over four years and the returns from the $1bn housing investment fund.

Federal Housing and Homelessness Minister Julie Collins indicated she would not attend the summit hosted by Ms Palaszczuk.

In response to questions about her attendance, she simply said the Albanese government welcomed the announcement from the Premier and she “looks forward to the discussions that will emerge from it”.

Ms Collins said housing affordability issues plaguing a wide section of Australians was a key feature of the recent Jobs and Skills Summit held in Canberra, which included a $575 million commitment to invest in social and affordable housing.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner welcomed the summit, and said he would raise issues around supply chain problems impacting the construction sector.

“The Courier-Mail’s Hitting Home campaign has really shone a spotlight on the issue of housing affordability and availability which I’ve been concerned about for some time,” he said.

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli said he supported the Premier convening a summit but insisted it was critical it led to actions and real targets to alleviate the housing crisis.

“Queenslanders living in their cars and tents deserve for this to be more than a talkfest,” he said.

“There needs to be targets, there needs to be action, and it needs to happen ASAP.”