Qld State Budget building boom: $320m to be unveiled for 500 new homes in 18 months

The State Government’s pledge of more than $320m to build 500 more social homes by 2025 is “woefully inadequate” considering the breadth of the current housing crisis a major community peak body has warned.

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Hundreds of new social and affordable homes promised as part of the state budget is “woefully inadequate” considering the breadth of the current housing crisis a major community peak body has warned

The state budget, to be handed down on Tuesday, will include a $322m investment to acquire 500 more social and affordable homes.

Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon confirmed “generally” the homes would be constructed as part of the program but could include buying up homes from the private market.

And the state government has set a target of “commencing” the 500 new social and affordable homes by 2025, meaning signed contracts with providers rather than construction completed.

Ms Scanlon said all Queensland families deserved a roof over their heads.

“It’s why we’ve built on average more than 10 homes per week since 2015, and we’re investing even more to get more homes built sooner,” Ms Scanlon said.

“Whether it’s social and affordable homes, more immediate support like emergency accommodation or looking at new ways to get more homes online sooner.”

It comes amid warnings from service providers that the housing crisis could intensify with about 300,000 Queenslanders currently under housing insecurity.

Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon and Treasurer Cameron Dick are set to announce a $322m boost to social housing. Picture: Liam Kidston

According to data released by the Productivity Commission earlier this year, Queensland was spending the least per capita on social housing in the country and the Palaszczuk Government had built less than 1400 new dwellings since coming into power in 2015 – a growth of less than 3 per cent.

Opposition housing spokesman Tim Mander criticised the government for being unable to provide detail on when people would be able to move into the new homes.

Queensland Council of Social Services chief executive Aimee McVeigh said the investment was welcome but ultimately “woefully inadequate” given the state’s current housing crisis.

She said the housing announcements out of the state budget so far “called into question the government’s commitment to putting a roof over the head of every Queenslander”.

“We need at least 2,700 extra social homes annually, and more than 6,000 social and affordable new homes each year across Queensland, on top of what has already been promised, not an extra 500,” Ms McVeigh said.

“On top of that, we need an extra 5,000 social and affordable homes committed to by the federal government if we are to keep pace with need and demand.”

It comes as new population projections by the Queensland Statistician’s office revealed the state’s population could jump to 5.66 million by 2026, concentrated in the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Moreton Bay, Ipswich, Sunshine Coast, and Logan council areas.

Salvation Army state homelessness manager Aaron Pimlott last week told The Courier-Mail “more and more Queenslanders plunging into extreme poverty or forced to sleep in cars or in tents”.

Treasurer Cameron Dick said Queensland had not been immune to the “critical” housing pressures that were been seen across the country.

“This Budget is investing in a range of housing initiatives to address housing supply shortages across the state,” Mr Dick said.

“We are working with the private sector, community housing, companies and financial institutions like superannuation funds to build, buy or lease more homes.”

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk vowed the state government would continue to “pull out every leaver possible” to ensure Queenslanders have a home.

“But we won’t stop there,” the Premier said

“We will work hand-in-hand with Queensland’s wonderful community housing organisations and the private sector to build, buy and lease more social housing stock for the people who need it.”

The investment comes after $10m was committed to convert Brisbane’s Pinkenba quarantine facility into emergency accommodation for 500 beds plus $64m to purchase accommodation facilities in inner Brisbane.