$1m pledge to finally get desperate homeless into Pinkenba

Brisbane’s Lord Mayor has offered another $1 million to turn the former Pinkenba Covid quarantine into emergency housing – but state and federal governments remain paralysed over the proposal.

• Analysis: Labor’s self-inflicted wound

Another $1m will be ­offered to turn a 500-bed facility at Pinkenba into an emergency shelter for Brisbane’s homeless – but state and federal governments remain paralysed over the proposal.

Pressure is mounting on all levels of government to open the gates to the now dormant facility, initially built for Covid quarantine. It can be revealed Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner will today promise to put $1m towards delivering amenities at Pinkenba in his bid to get emergency accommodation up and running at the facility.

Brisbane’s housing crisis has exploded in the past 12 months leaving service providers at full capacity and more people sleeping in cars and on streets.

Brisbane’s Lord Mayor wants the Pinkenba quarantine facility used for emergency housing. Source: Brisbane City Council.

Yesterday, the commonwealth claimed the Queensland government had not directly made an approach on the matter, but the state government insists it is in talks on the proposal.

Young Brisbane mum, ­Kristen, who has been homeless for the past year, says ­staying at the site would be better than living in a park or in a car.

Mr Schrinner has made the $1m ­Pinkenba promise ahead of his upcoming budget – declaring he is “sick and tired” of hearing excuses about why the site can’t be used for emergency housing.

“Today I’m committing $1m towards upgrading the Pinkenba quarantine facility so it can be used as emergency accommodation,” the Lord Mayor said. “That’s a million more reasons for the state government to finally get behind this proposal. I know this facility wasn’t purpose-built for crisis housing. But it’s a whole lot better than living in a car or a tent. And that’s occurring right across Brisbane right now while this 500-bed facility sits idle.”

Mr Schrinner said he wanted the $1m to go towards laundry facilities at Pinkenba, as well as Brisbane City Council transport and library services.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner. Picture: David Clark

The site is owned by the commonwealth government, which has previously indicated it would be used by the defence force and be reserved for “resilience uses” – such as during natural disasters.

As he was quizzed about Pinkenba on Friday, federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers said there had not been an approach from the state government about the Pinkenba site.

He said the federal government was “always prepared to work” with jurisdictions to “find common ground and to work together to achieve our objectives”.

“I’m not aware yet of an approach from the state government but if and when that comes, obviously we will do what we can to work together,” Mr Chalmers said.

A Queensland government spokeswoman said it would support the use of the site for a “specific cohort of people” if there was a practical, cost-effective way to do so with the support of non-government service providers. The state government previously confirmed it had been in talks since March with community and housing groups, the commonwealth and Brisbane City Council about the possible use of Pinkenba.

“We’re facilitating conversations between community and housing groups, governments, and Brisbane City Council,” the spokeswoman said on Friday.

“Community service providers who have toured the ­facility have continually expressed concerns that it is not suitable for people requiring intensive support or with complex needs and is not suitable for families.”

Brisbane mother Kristen has been couch surfing for the past year with her three young children aged between one and nine years old.

She said she had been looking for rentals but had been struggling. She has gone from sleeping in one bed with three children, different people’s couches and sleeping in her car with all the kids.

Young mum Kristen, who is in desperate need of housing, looks through the barbed wire fence into the Pinkenba facility. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

“There’s so many people that are homeless, with children and no children, that need stable accommodation. It’s better than living in a park under stairs or living in your car,” she said of Pinkenba. “It would be very comforting to have a secure roof over your head and I guess the safety of the gates that are there too.”

Kristen said the potential Pinkenba option could be better than when she slept in the car with her kids, as her young daughter was traumatised from the experience.

“She was scared because we were in a car and that’s not really safe because one break to the window and we are compromised,” she said.

Kristen said while she was no longer in the car, it was difficult not having a stable roof over the family’s head.

Salvation Army public relations secretary Simon Gregory said any property that was sitting vacant during a housing crisis should be explored.

“Any initiative that is going to increase immediate access to housing should be welcomed and implemented as soon as possible,” Mr Gregory said. “If a solution is possible, we’d want it to happen as quickly as possible, while ensuring that people are safe and services are provided.”

Mr Gregory said further considerations to the site would need to be looked at.

“There would be concerns on isolation, ability to cook and prepare own meals, public transport to the site and laundry services to mention a few,” he said.

The Pinkenba facility. Source: Brisbane City Council.

Vinnies Queensland chief executive Kevin Mercer said considering the urgent need for social housing, Pinkenba was a real opportunity to consider. “We need immediate short-term solutions while we wait for more social housing to be built, so Pinkenba would be a welcome option for many,” Mr Mercer said.

Throughout the whole process, Mr Mercer said it was important for community and housing groups to be involved.

“While the need is urgent, any conversation about housing needs to be done with foresight and care,” he said.

Micah Projects chief executive Karyn Walsh said quite a lot of work would need to go into Pinkenba to make it suitable for people to use.

“There needs to be some sort of a cost analysis,” she said. “I don’t know in its current state that it can suddenly be seen as the answer to the homelessness crisis.

“It could be used to reduce housing stress for some populations that don’t need to be there for very long.”

Orange Sky Co-Founder Nic Marchesi said since 2021 Orange Sky had seen a 22 per cent increase in their services and the Pinkenba facility looked a “wonderful opportunity”.

“It could offer a lot of people safety and a way for them to get back on their feet, with ­further help provided by other support organisations,” Mr Marchesi said.