Finger pointing of no use to families in tents
THE election of federal Labor to power in Canberra brought with it an interesting question: With the Scott Morrison deposed, who would the Palaszczuk government now blame every time it was in a tight spot?
Last week, Deputy Premier Steven Miles provided the answer. Faced with tough questions about the state government’s paltry response to the housing crisis, Mr Miles blamed councils. Specifically, he managed to find two LNPcontrolled local authorities, to which he apportioned the blame.
“If the Brisbane City Council had delivered a housing strategy as they were directed to in 2019, we would not be in this situation,” Mr Miles said.
“If the Redland City Council, which has been directed to deliver a housing strategy, had not refused to do so, then we would have more land supply now.
“These two big southeast LNP-led councils just refuse to have a housing strategy.”
This column is unfamiliar with the machinations of these two councils. But if Mr Miles is correct that they lack a housing strategy, then they have much in common with authorities in Brisbane.
The Bulletin has been warning for more than a year that soaring rental costs caused by a lack of affordable housing were causing real hardship.
That low-income working families, women fleeing domestic violence and vulnerable retirees were finding themselves with nowhere to go. That they were sleeping in cars, motels and even tents.
But the response from Brisbane has been underwhelming.
There has been little sense of urgency in addressing the mounting crisis.
There are a number of state government departments performing well. Despite soaring social housing waiting lists, the Department of Communities, Housing and Digital Economy is not one of them. But as this column noted in March its minister, Leanne Enoch, must divide her time with the Arts portfolio, calling into question how seriously the government has been taking the challenge she faces.
Mr Miles, meanwhile, appears to have achieved little in his role as Minister for State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning.
In March last year Mr Miles did announce the formation of a Growth Areas Team to “unlock” land suitable for housing. Surprisingly, given its ineffectiveness, he chose to spruik its formation again last week.
The much-heralded team identified Caboolture West as its first “Priority Growth Area”. Eighteen months later, we are still waiting for it to identify its second.
Mr Miles also raised eyebrows with his suggestion that councils were primarily to blame for the housing supply crisis.
Local authorities must work closely with the state government and abide strictly by its rules.
After exhaustive consultation with residents Gold Coast council identified areas of potential growth in its revised City Plan. But nine months after submitting the document to the state government for approval, it’s still waiting for a green light from Mr Miles’s officials.
“It’s a bit like pregnancy, but longer,” Mayor Tom Tate told this column.
“Grab the plans, tick all the boxes, and give it to us and that will go a long way to resolving affordable housing.”
To be fair to the state government, the causes of the housing crisis are complex. Many are outside its control, and solutions will not be easily found or quickly implemented.
But a little leadership would go a long way.
It was heartening to yesterday learn that Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has finally agreed to convene a housing summit to address the crisis.
Whether you agreed with her decisions or not, there is no question that Ms Palaszcuk led from the front during the Covid crisis. Similar determination and urgency is needed now.
What we don’t need is more casting around for someone else to blame – a response which does nothing for families in tents and cars.