Steven Miles sets eyes to audit Bundaberg for government housing scheme

Bundaberg has so far been the only location outside of Brisbane and the Gold Coast identified that could benefit from government property becoming new housing.

Amid a dire housing situation Bundaberg has been named as the first regional Queensland location to be considered in a new housing strategy.

From women, children and pensioners forced to sleep rough, to long-term tenants who have found themselves caught in the crosshairs of a painful 0.4 per cent rental vacancy rate, the region is in need of more housing.

On Thursday the state government included Bundaberg in a shortlist of locations for the potential take-back of government land to become housing.

The state government has shortlisted sites that could be used for housing, with Bundaberg the only one outside of major cities Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development Steven Miles said work was underway on an audit of state land and buildings to identify housing opportunities.

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

“Hundreds of potential sites have been reviewed, of which seven have been shortlisted for further investigations in Southport, Varsity Lakes, Fortitude Valley, Wynnum, Bundaberg, Mango Hill and Albion. And the audit is continuing.”

Everyday people in Bundaberg are facing homelessness at an increasing rate, with no immediate solutions in sight.

Mr Miles said it was just one of the key outcomes from the state’s historic Housing Summit on housing supply, affordability and choice, announced by Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Thursday.

“Thanks to this collaborative approach of the Queensland Housing Summit, we are now able to take decisive actions to improve housing supply, security, affordability and diversity,” Mr Miles said.

Other outcomes of the summit include the creation of a specialist cross-government Housing Delivery Board responsible for setting targets and bringing them to fruition, an expansion of the role of the government’s land use planning and property development agency Economic Development Queensland and planning for a post-Olympic housing stock boost achieved through the use of Olympic village infrastructure.

The South East Queensland Regional Plan ShapingSEQ, will also be reviewed to ensure responsiveness and enhance the framework for engaging with councils to accelerate the delivery of more housing.

The Queensland Government’s Priority Growth Areas, being identified by a Growth Areas Team formed last year, could also be introduced to the state’s Planning framework to increase opportunities for unlocking land in greenfield and infill areas.

“These initiatives will complement those already underway including the $200 million infrastructure investment for growth areas and Priority Development Areas, the reduction in rental restrictions on granny flats and faster approvals for emergency housing in disaster-affected communities,” Mr Miles said.