What you said about Qld housing crisis and tent city

Fix our housing crisis, whatever it takes. That’s the simple, blunt message from Queenslanders. JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Fix our housing crisis, whatever it takes.

That’s the simple, blunt message from many Queenslanders as the state’s housing crisis has been laid bare again and again in recent months.

In May in new mapping showed the rise of tent cities.

This came just a month after it was revealed a tent city sprung up in the Premier’s own electorate, the issue was highlighted by clusters of flimsy tents in parks across southeast Queensland.

In June it was revealed children were being raised in crisis hotel rooms and affordable rental properties were non-existent.

The bleak picture of the housing challenges was laid out in Queensland Council of Social Service’s annual crisis report.

It revealed homelessness services experienced a 34 per cent uplift in caseloads in the past 12 months, compared to the national increase of just 9 per cent.

QCOSS chief executive Aimee McVeigh said the state’s housing challenge showed “no signs of easing” and warned the one-third of Queenslanders who rent could be out on the street at any moment.

This came after residents in the makeshift tent communities – which had grown at a fastening pace in the past 12 – said not enough was being done.

The tent city represents the quick spread of homelessness across Brisbane during the cost of living crisis, expanding the problem beyond the inner-city parks where the population has traditionally found solace.

Homeless tent and rough living is occurring along the Bicentennial Bikeway from Victoria Bridge though to William Jolly Bridge. Picture: David Clark

News of the tent cities and ongoing housing issues come amid Queensland’s ongoing cost-of-living crunch, with many readers pleading for change.

Some blamed the government for a lack of solutions; others said it’s time to move forward and find a fix.

Others took aim at wider issues that led to this problem.

Either way, passions were stirred on one of the state’s biggest talking points.

Join the conversation below and see what you had to say >>>

WHAT YOU SAID

It’s just terrible

Naveen Kumar

Fixing the homeless problem should be the number one priority.

John

The lucky country? I think not.

The Fred

The biggest problem we face is the failure of the advantaged to comprehend the ultimate affect of the problem

Jeff

As much as I despise this Government, it’s not all their fault. Local government has to shoulder responsibility as well.

Ed

I was surprised how many tents there were in South Brisbane in Musgrave Park. It is not hard to find rough sleepers too.

Jade

PLENTY of housing in the west..... You might not like it but at least it's a roof over your families head.

Pervis

This should be the number one priority for all levels of government, anything else is a distant second. The fact that politicians care so little for these tent cities going up not through poverty, but an inability to secure housing is an ultimate failure of all government.

Stopping migration?

Hamish

Stopping the flow of Australians to wherever they want to live is a crazy idea stopping the flow of migrants into Australia until the housing issues are resolved or the federal government has a better plan for that is an easy thing to do and should be done quickly.

Max

We are still a free country to move around where ever we like last time I checked.

Phil

could we start by shutting the door to new zealanders

Denis

You can’t stop interstate migration without seceding from the federation, full stop: everyone is free to move within their own country.

Mervyn

Constitutionally you can’t stop interstate movement, Section 92.

Homeless tent and rough living is occurring across SEQ.

I blame our pollies

RogerJ

Governments don’t work to the future they only work to the knee jerk. Whatever the topic, housing, utilities, youth crime, health. It’s all the same. That is where things have to change.

paul

All homeless starts and ends with CFMEU And their Labor puppet govt. I have been speaking to builders and many have stopped developing and building large developments solely due to the ridiculous union fees of up to 33% extra for unions on all builds.

Maria

I can still hear good old Anna Bligh saying, come to Queensland, we have housing we have jobs we have good healthcare and most of all we have sunshine and since then they’ve dropped the ball and done nothing to keep up with the influx of people

Patricia

Olympic stadiums for athletes. Tent cities for working families. Skewed priorities.

Brian

It is obvious the lunatic immigration policy of the Labor Federal Government is driving this crises housing shortage. Our Australian citizens should be prioritised before opening the floodgates. How about stopping the immigration flood until our own citizens are housed properly?

Sandi

Anyone that has invested in the risky business of building or renovating a home over the past 10 years would acknowledge the radical price increases in building certification and council infrastructure fees, on top of the more recent construction price rises. Hardly surprising that no one would be interested in a tenant moving into their property with multiple dogs or cats, particularly with no rights to evict them if they trash the place. Labor out the door in 24.

just do it soon

the cfmeu & other unions who control the alp, don’t want cheap housing. Period. It would cut their $200-$300k members incomes.

Integrity Inferno

Steven Miles has investment properties. He doesn’t care about these people.

Brian

It doesn’t matter what the Government does to try and fix the homeless problem, whether is Labor or Liberal, the problem will continue to exist while ever the Federal Government allows half a million immigrants in to Australia each year.

Desmond

More Labor joy for the masses. Poor buggers need homes not empty promises. Expand negative gearing, it’s the only system that currently works.

I have an idea!

larissa

Stop interstate migration until we’re back on our feet

Mel

foreign ownership shood be stopped. good place to start. Have to live in our country to be part of the demographic. financial applies in my opinion.

J & J

Fixing the homeless problem should be the government’s number one priority.

Cut immigration numbers immediately.

just do it soon

it’s a supply issue. We don’t have enough builders or tradies or supplies. Import fold out homes. Very cheap (aud$15k + shipping) & put them on govt land.

Kim

Given the profile of most of these poor people the real underlying problem is the complete lack of social housing for people who struggle to compete in our government imposed incredibly high cost of living.

John

The government needs to build some caravan parks as a matter of urgency. A least then the homeless will have a safe place to camp with shower and toilet facilities.

M

This is what happens when landlord are treated with contempt by government, they sell up and there are no rentals.

Geoff

Why can’t either government just up the allowance paid to low income renters so they can afford a place to stay? problem solved

Originally published as What you said about Qld housing crisis and tent city