Tasmania’s housing crisis is ‘little wonder’ amid strong population growth, says property developer Quinten Villanueva

“With this record level of population growth, it’s little wonder that parts of Tasmania — particularly Hobart and southern Tasmania — is experiencing a housing crisis,” says a local property developer.

The population boom in Tasmania highlights the dire need for new homes to be built, according to a local property developer.

Australian Bureau of Statistics figures released last week showed Tasmania’s population grew by 6500 people, or 1.24 per cent, over the year to December 2018 — about the same population size of George Town in the state’s north.

There are more than 3000 Tasmanians on the public housing wait list and about 1600 people who identify as homeless in the state.

The ABS figures showed Tasmania’s population — now at 513,529 — had stronger growth than Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory.

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Qapital Investments director Quinten Villanueva said Tasmanian housing and infrastructure development wasn’t keeping up with the state’s increasing population.

“With this record level of population growth, it’s little wonder that parts of Tasmania — particularly Hobart and southern Tasmania — is experiencing a housing crisis,” he said.

“The only way to deal with this surge in population is by building more residential accommodation, both houses and apartments.”

The Hobart City Council in January voted down a proposal for a 55m-high hotel development in Hobart’s CBD over concerns it would be too high for the residential area.

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“While everyone needs to pull together to address the urgent short-term housing needs in Hobart, given the record population increase we are going to have a permanent housing crisis without the approval and building of new residential accommodation,” Mr Villanueva said.

Qapital Investments director Quinten Villanueva says we are going to have a permanent housing crisis without the approval and building of new residential accommodation.

State Opposition housing spokeswoman Alison Standen said Labor had been putting forward policy solutions for years to address the deepening housing and homelessness crisis.

She said the State Government’s delivery of 316 new homes in the past five years was a failure on the its five-year, 900-new-home promise.

“(Opposition Leader) Rebecca White proposed consultation on inclusionary zoning in her 2018 budget reply, and called on the Government to require a percentage of new subdivisions to have an allocation for social and affordable housing,” Ms Standen said today.

“Labor also encourages the Government to act swiftly on Labor’s policy to rezone the northern suburbs rail corridor to open up new affordable housing; and to undertake an audit with a view to repurposing vacant government owned buildings.”

Housing Minister Roger Jaensch has also been contacted for comment.

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