Crisafulli government announces massive $500m home building fund

The state government’s new $500m housing fund has got councils across the southeast lining up for a slice, with a mayor telling the Premier he could spend the whole fund himself.

Logan Mayor Jon Raven talking at a press conference at The Grove estate at Logan on Sunday. Picture Lachie Millard

A fast-tracked fix to the state’s housing crisis has been announced for Queensland councils, with the state government to splash $500m on housing infrastructure projects.

The cash pot marks the state government’s first wave of infrastructure funding — pledged at the state election — with councils now competing for their share.

The funding, half of which would go to South East Queensland, was targeted at projects that had the ability to unlock housing blocks, such as roads and water treatment plants.

Logan Mayor Jon Raven said his rapidly growing area could easily burn through $500m in housing infrastructure funding, and urged the state government to prioritise councils proactively confronting the crisis on their own.

“We are doing all the heavy lifting when it comes to addressing the housing crisis, and the only risk to that is not having enough money to build the critical infrastructure to unlock more housing,” he said.

At a Logan housing development, Premier David Crisafulli and Infrastructure and Planning Minister Jarrod Bleijie announced the application process had started for the first round of the Residential Activation Fund.

Half the funding pool of $250m would be dedicated to South East Queensland, leaving councils scrambling to compete among each other for their favoured project approvals.

Logan Mayor John Raven talking at a press conference at The Grove estate at Logan on Sunday. Picture Lachie Millard

In earshot of the Premier, Mr Raven said his council’s biggest obstruction to building more homes was water treatment, and he said $100m for a plant would be “a good start” to tackling a housing shortage to cater to population growth.

“I could spent the whole half a billion in about two years for him, if he wants me to, because we’re growing that quickly,” he said.

“And that’s not just something Logan’s experiencing, that’s cities like Moreton Bay and Ipswich, we’re all in the same boat.

“I’d love to see this fund being focused on the cities that are meeting their targets, that are doing the work and don’t need to be forced to do it, because if we’re rewarding good behaviour then you’ll get more of it.”

Mr Bleijie said there was no set target of housing blocks to be unlocked within the funding pool, promising as many as possible.

“It’s going to depend on what applications are put in, and they’re going to be assessed and prioritised,” he said.

There was no shortage of land but it depended heavily on infrastructure such as major roads.

“I’m not making any assumptions on who’s getting what, the guidelines will take care of that, the department will take care of that,” Mr Bleijie said.

Mr Crisafulli said the funding was open to councils, landowners, developers and community housing providers.

“At the moment, Queensland’s home ownership is last on the nation’s list, last on the percentage of people who own their own home.

“Our vision within 10 years is to go from last to first.”

Originally published as Crisafulli government announces massive $500m home building fund