‘Not fast enough’: Housing experts frustrated by government summit progress

The state government is being urged to develop a clear and comprehensive plan to address Queensland’s housing crisis one year on from a landmark summit.

The state government is being urged to develop a clear and comprehensive plan to address Queensland’s housing crisis as stakeholders express frustration at the lack of direction nearly one year on from the landmark summit.

Ahead of a roundtable meeting on Wednesday with a range of industry leaders and advocates, Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon is facing pressure to deliver an overarching strategy to help find a home for tens of thousands of Queenslanders.

The state government has been applauded for enacting a range of initiatives and law reforms in the wake of October’s housing summit — convened in response to reporting from The Courier-Mail.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk committed an additional billion dollars to build social and affordable houses, increased funding for homeless services groups, and strengthened renters’ rights.

Housing Summit, featuring Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk pictured with attendees Jody Currie, Fiona Caniglia, Kevin Mercer, Jen Williams, Aimee McVeigh, Antonia Mercorella and Karyn Walsh. Picture: David Clark

But Queensland Council of Social Service chief executive Aimee McVeigh implored the government to ditch the scatter gun approach to housing policy and adopt a cohesive plan to ease the crisis.

“The time has ended for one-off announcements that cannot be connected back into an overarching goal or strategy,” she told The Courier-Mail.

“What we’re really looking forward to (at the roundtable) is a conversation about how we collectively reach that aspirational goal of putting a roof over their head of every Queenslander.”

Q Shelter executive director Fiona Caniglia said the roundtable would be effective if the wide array of attending experts focused on addressing implementation challenges to building new homes, such as construction workforce shortages and supply chain issues.

Minister for Housing Meaghan Scanlon. Picture: Tara Croser.

Property Council Queensland executive director Jen Williams called on the government to adopt incentives to encourage investors to develop more homes to increase stock in the market as Real Estate Institute Queensland chief executive said there was a “real sense of frustration” at the lack of action.

“For those suffering, it’s not happening fast enough to deliver benefits in the here and now, and we’re all feeling a little impatient,”

“There’s lots of talk of future intent but it’s falling short of the expectation of immediate action today.”

Ms Scanlon told The Courier-Mail in an exclusive interview in July she was preparing a long-term plan to respond to the crisis and again said on Monday her team was “working hard to develop a comprehensive housing plan”.

“The sector asked us to ensure that any plan is based on modelling, and that independent modelling continues to be developed,” she said.