Greens slammed for ‘confusing’ stance on housing amid crisis

Greens politicians have been slammed for a “confusing” stance amid the housing crisis, opposing thousands of new homes across Queensland electorates despite campaigning for more development.

• Editor’s view: Hypocrisy must be called out

Greens politicians are opposing thousands of new homes across Queensland electorates – and encouraging their constituents to do the same – despite campaigning for more development to ease the state’s housing crisis.

The federal Greens’ opposition to the housing projects sparked accusations from Labor that the party is confusing its electorate by saying one thing and doing another.

But Greens Housing spokesman Max Chandler-Mather accused Labor of becoming “a lobby group for property developers” who did not want to provide affordable homes.

It is part of the ongoing impasse over the Albanese government’s Housing Australia Future Fund, which Labor says will create 30,000 new homes a year but the Greens say does not do enough and it will not support without rental caps.

Max Chandler-Mather, Elizabeth Watson-Brown and Stephen Bates have opposed multiple housing developments.

Greens Griffith MP Mr Chandler-Mather has petitions on his website opposing a 220 unit retirement village at Birdwood Rd, Holland Park, two 24-level high-rises at 297 and 281 Montague Rd, West End, which would create 470 apartments, and the Bulimba barracks redevelopment which would create 855 new homes.

Artist impression of the proposed development at 281-297 Montague Rd, West End.

Ryan MP Elizabeth Watson-Brown is opposing a development at Kooya Rd, Mitchelton, which would turn a chicken farm into 91 housing lots. Brisbane MP Stephen Bates has raised issue with a 24-level building in McDougall St, Milton, intended to create 50 apartments, and two towers of 16 and 19 storeys at 310 Macarthur Ave, Hamilton Reach, which would create a 217 apartments and 11 townhouses.

It adds up to a potential of about 1900 homes.

Artist impression of a proposed development at 28 McDougall Street, Milton.

Labor Queensland Senator Murray Watt said in the middle of the housing crisis the Greens were calling for more housing but also campaigning against just that.

“Communities must feel confused that the Greens political party are knocking on their door calling for more housing investment at the same time as they are actively campaigning against new housing developments,” he said.

Queensland Labor Senator Murray Watt. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

Mr Chandler-Mather said he had written to the state Planning Minister Steven Miles suggesting 15 locations in Griffith which could be suitable for public housing but had not heard back.

“Every piece of land lost to luxury apartment towers no one can afford is another piece of land we can’t build good medium-density public and affordable housing for teachers, nurses and other workers who otherwise couldn’t afford to live in the inner city,” he said.

“Labor are resorting to these pathetic attacks because they know that their plan to spend just $500m on social housing while they’re spending over $30bn a year on the Stage 3 tax cuts is indefensible.

“The Greens have secured a one-off $2bn for public housing going out the door right now, and now we are trying to negotiate with Labor to lock in $2.5bn every year for public and affordable housing and a cap and freeze on rents.”

The Hamilton Reach proposal was for 217 apartments.

State Greens housing spokeswoman Amy McMahon said the Greens wanted high-quality, centrally located public housing builds.

“Labor’s just trying to let developers build high-end towers in flood plains. Queensland, just like the rest of Australia, desperately needs a mass build of public and genuinely affordable housing, and that’s exactly what we’re fighting for,” she said.

Artist impression of the Bulimba Barracks development.

Meanwhile, Greens councillor Trina Massey emailed residents urging opposition to the Kurilpa temporary local planning instrument proposed by the LNP council. The council has said the TLPI will increase housing in the Kurilpa region with a two-year suspension of usual regulations to allow residential buildings in some parts of that area to reach the 274m aviation height limit.

Ms Massey said in the newsletter it would add to the housing crisis as 90-storey towers would take three times as long to build as the 30-storey current limit, while inflating rent due to property speculators.

She said she supported medium and high-density development that would create “liveable and healthy habitats with sufficient green space and public infrastructure”.

“The TLPI isn’t a development, it’s an undemocratic tool that throws out current development plans and will deliver no affordable or public housing,” she said.

Federal Housing Minister Julie Collins has urged Greens MPs and senators to “get out of the way” of the Housing Australia Future Fund so more affordable and social housing can be built.

“We want to be seeing a lot more of these. If our Housing Australia Future Fund gets through the Senate, we’ll be able to invest half a billion dollars each and every year in perpetuity in more of these projects right around the country,” she said.