Qld housing crisis: Govt pulls pin on urgent homeless housing plan after $2m already spent

The state government has abandoned one of its urgent homeless solutions, scrapping the plan to transform accommodation at a Brisbane university into emergency housing for up to 200 people. Here’s why.

• Editor’s view: Knee-jerk responses not the way

The Palaszczuk government has been forced to abandon one of its urgent homeless solutions, pulling the pin on transforming student accommodation at Griffith University into emergency housing.

But Deputy Premier and Planning Minister Steven Miles said an alternative social housing deal had already been struck to replace the failed initiative, with the purchase of 64 properties across the state.

The government initially spruiked the student accommodation as an immediate fix to provide support during the crisis. But more than six months later and after more than $2m was spent on preparatory works, it abandoned the project blaming costs and time associated with appeasing building laws and codes.

The Griffith University initiative was intended to include 100 twin rooms with the potential to house up to 200 people, yet this was dependent on the suitability of rooms being shared and did not include housing for children.

Instead, $25m will be diverted to the new approach, announced by Mr Miles on Wednesday, which includes 64 houses and apartments to be added to the social housing stock with 165 rooms and includes accommodation for families and children.

Bundara at Griffith University Mount Gravatt.

He said the plan would house vulnerable Queenslanders sooner, be better value for money and be more suitable for a broad range of household types, from Atherton in the state’s Far North to suburbs in South East Queensland.

“Detailed cost estimates found substantial works would be required to bring the Griffith Mount Gravatt campus student accommodation up to current fire safety standards,” he told parliament.

“After consulting with Queensland’s leading housing advocacy group, Q Shelter, we have made the decision to purchase homes directly on the private market to get more people into accommodation quicker – accommodation that will remain in the state’s social housing stock permanently.”

Later on Wednesday, Greens MP Amy MacMahon introduced a planning amendment Bill to force a quarter of new towers and housing estate developments to be reserved for public housing.

“By requiring property developers to set aside one in four new apartments as public housing, we can provide good quality homes for thousands of Queenslanders,” the Member for South Brisbane said.

“Building more luxury, unaffordable apartments in the inner-city doesn’t fix the housing crisis, it worsens the crisis, drives up rents and kicks working people out of their neighbourhoods.

“But by requiring these wealthy developers to set aside a portion of their stock as public housing, the state government can help ensure those families living in tents in a park or that child growing up in a car can have a safe, secure roof over their head.”