Homes for Queenslanders plan to address regional housing supply

Housing is a major issue across all three levels of government, and while there are plans, there is still uncertainty in Townsville.

Premier Steven Miles and Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon announce another stage of the Homes for Queenslanders housing plan. Picture: David Clark

Housing and Local Government Minister Meaghan Scanlon said she will use her newly combined role to collaborate with councils such as Townsville City Council, which is crying out for more available houses.

The Queensland Government announced updates to the Homes for Queenslanders plan during the weekend, but it remains to be seen precisely how this would alleviate tight vacancy rates for the North Queensland city until the plan is released early this week.

Premier Steven Miles and Ms Scanlon said the plan intends on increasing access to more land for housing with a $350m statewide infrastructure fund.

A pilot planning model would also be used to create more housing on surplus government land, and to help councils and developers in their planning.

Townsville is also expecting an additional 500 Australian Defence Force personnel in a major reshuffle starting from next year, and a jobs boom from the development of hydrogen projects.

An image from Townsville Enterprise's Unlock the North submission on a 1000-unit Build-to-Rent project.

Mayor Jenny Hill and deputy Mark Molachino said development of the North Rail Yards project will be needed to provide more high density housing, especially as the council aims to push for greater industrial and economic growth for the city.

While touring a Townsville construction site for a youth foyer, which will provide 40 units for vulnerable youth transitioning into adulthood, Ms Scanlon said she was prepared to “look at any project” when asked about the feasibility of the North Rail Yards.

“We’ve brought in some pretty significant reforms already, we have the largest concentrated investment in social housing in Queensland’s history,” she said.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese with Mayor Jenny Hill at the Townsville Quayside Terminal for the announcement of a Hydrogen Hub. During this press conference Cr Hill acknowledged that housing was needed for the jobs boom she expected for North Queensland. Picture: Evan Morgan

“You could expect that to be bigger, we’re doing everything we can but we of course need all levels of government to play their part.

“One of the things I’ll be doing is making sure I’ll be working with local governments that they obviously have some powers to unlock supply, and we want to make sure we are giving the tools to be able to do that.

“We also will do our part in making sure we speed up any processes on our end.”

Townsville Deputy Mayor Mark Molachino and John Rosel, a board member of the company to oversee the North Rail Yards Project.

Cr Hill urged Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to provide the support needed to increase co-ordination between the council and Defence Housing when he visited Townsville last Tuesday to announce the Federal Government would fund $70m into Edify’s $137m Green Hydrogen project, which is expected to create 500 jobs including the construction.

“We want Defence here, we just need Defence Housing to get the skates on and make decisions,” Cr Hill said.

“And Prime Minister, that’s one of our biggest bugbears at the moment.”

She then urged Melbourne city-slickers “to get the friggin hell off your arses” and to take advantage of the high paying jobs growth in North Queensland.

Cr Molachino was concerned Defence Housing would need to rely on the private housing market to accommodate their personnel if it did not have a plan, which was problematic with a vacancy rate of under one per cent.

“DHA and Defence, what’s your plan for the city?” Cr Molachino said.

“We’re trying to grow the city with industrial stuff, but they’re then going to compete with these defence people coming in and there won’t be any stock, and people won’t be able to grow their businesses.”

A Defence spokesman said the personnel movements would take place over several years, from 2025 to 2028.

Last year Defence Minister Richard Marles said “we’re doing this over a period of time.

“So, we’ve got the time to get this right.”

Originally published as Homes for Queenslanders plan to address regional housing supply