‘No where to be seen’: LNP Minister calls on Labor to fix housing crisis

In an exclusive interview with the Chronicle, Federal Member for Hinkler Keith Pitt called on Hervey Bay‘s MP Adrian Tantari to come out of “witness protection”.

In an exclusive interview with the Chronicle, Federal Member for Hinkler Keith Pitt has said Hervey Bay‘s MP Adrian Tantari needs to “stand up” and do something about the ongoing housing and rental shortages across Hervey Bay.

He’s been the target of ongoing anti-cashless card campaigns but Hinkler MP Keith Pitt says social disadvantage in the region is deepening on Labor’s watch.

Speaking to the Chronicle at a recent community centre expansion, where social challenges and support were in the spotlight, Mr Pitt called on Hervey Bay MP Adrian Tantari to come out of “witness protection” and do something to fix the housing crisis.

He said as Tantari was the city’s state representative, it was his duty to lobby for change.

“The Commonwealth is already providing hundreds of millions of dollars in terms of social housing support through the states and territories, ultimately, it is their responsibility under the Constitution,” Mr Pitt said.

“We do provide financial support, but that support is co-ordinated through the states and territories … it’s about ensuring that there’s more stock, I think the fact that construction is booming, will end up in more housing being available.”

Member for Hinkler Keith Pitt has said the housing crisis is an issue for the state. Picture: Isabella Magee

When asked whether more community housing would be a solution, Pitt said it’s “an issue for which the state has responsibility”.

“Where that money is spent is determined by the states and a question to put to them,” he said.

“We have a new Labor member (in Hervey Bay) and he has clearly been in witness protection, he’s nowhere to be seen at press calls, nowhere to be seen in terms of working in the local community, the Labor Party has put them in witness protection.

“It‘s time for Mr Tantari to stand up … he is the state representative in the sitting state government … the state needs to get out there and represent their people.”

Hervey Bay’s housing crisis became so bad, it formed a ‘tent city’ outside the local Community Centre earlier this year, as residents became desperate for a home.

The Chronicle reached out to Mr Tantari for response.

He claimed it was the Palaszczuk Government doing the “heavy lifting,” as the Morrison Government “continues to turn its back on vulnerable Queenslanders experiencing housing stress.”

“The Palaszczuk Government is doing the heavy lifting when it comes to housing Queensland, with our $1.6 billion Housing Construction Jobs Program seeing the construction of 5,500 social and affordable homes across the state,” Mr Tantari said.

Adrian Tantari said in the Morrison Government’s recent budget, there was “absolutely nothing” for social housing support.

Mr Tantari said 50 of those social homes were in the Wide Bay Burnett Region.

“In addition, under our $100 million Works for Tradies program, we are constructing more than 215 new social homes across Queensland, supporting approximately 240 jobs in the construction sector,” he said.

“(The Morrison Government) have walked away from the National Rental Affordability Scheme which will see 10,000 households have to find alternate accommodation and living arrangements, and in their recent budget there was absolutely nothing in terms of social housing support.

“If the Morrison Government forgave Queensland’s historic housing debt like they have for Tasmania, we could get started on building another 950 homes.”

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