Townsville projects on $2bn state housing fund shortlist

North Queensland is expected to get a slice of the state’s $2bn Housing Investment Fund, despite claims the region is being overlooked. Here’s the latest.

North Queensland is expected to get a slice of the state $2bn Housing Investment Fund, despite claims from the opposition that the region has missed out.

The Shadow Housing Minister Tim Mander claimed North Queensland, and regional Queensland in general, had been overlooked for funding from the state government.

However, sources have told the Bulletin that multiple projects in Townsville are in the running for funding from the Housing Investment Fund.

The government has short-listed 71 projects for funding, more than 60 per cent are outside of Brisbane and the 71 projects would mean about 3000 homes.

However, it remains unclear exactly how many will be built in the Townsville region.

“Since the Palaszczuk Government was first elected, the number of residents across Townsville on the social housing waiting list has grown from 1,682 people to 4,200 people,” Mr Mander said.

Shadow Housing Minister Tim Mander says not a single home has been planned, approved or built by the government’s $2bn housing investment fund anywhere in regional Queensland. Picture: Shae Beplate.

“Queenslanders have been waiting for two years and they’re still waiting for the Palaszczuk Labor Government to finally provide a roof over their head through the Housing Investment Fund,” Mr Mander said.

Construction has started on an 34-home affordable housing complex in Brisbane which has been financed through the Housing Investment Fund.

Townsville has had the third largest relative increase in people on the social housing waiting list since 2017.

Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon at a Housing Investment Fund building site in Brisbane. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

Numbers on the list have spiked 150 per cent, up to 4200. Only Rockhampton and Mackay had a larger relative increase.

Mr Mander said the state government needed to make announcements about the investment fund, and not deter investors in the private rental market.

The government expects to have preferred options for Housing Investment Fund money at the end of the year.

The Housing Investment Fund gives subsidies and one-off capital grants to encourage developers, builders, community housing providers, tenancy managers, investors and superannuation funds to develop, finance and operate social and affordable housing across the state.

Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon has said the investment fund meant Queenslanders would be able to continue to access “critical” funding for housing projects now and into the future.

Earlier this month it came to light that some landlords in the state were not renewing tenancies so as to increase rents more than once per year and this was enabled by exploiting a loophole in legislation the state government had fast-tracked.

“We’re rolling out more social and affordable housing while also providing immediate relief to those who need it, but some of the unscrupulous actions being taken by some are putting even more strain on a housing and rental market that’s feeling the impact of nationwide pressures,” Ms Scanlon said at the time.

Originally published as Townsville projects on $2bn state housing fund shortlist