Queensland Housing approach leads the way in national services report

Queensland’s public housing services have been rated by clients as the best in Australia in the Productivity Commission’s annual national Report on Government Services released today.

The annual report, based on people and families living in public housing, rated Queensland public housing as having the highest level of client satisfaction in Australia, at 85.8 per cent – well above the national average of 73.1 per cent.

Minister for Housing and Public Works Mick de Brenni said new state government policies designed to put people first had helped to deliver the result.

“We have a simple and effective approach to delivering housing services in this state and that’s to treat people dignity and respect,” Mr de Brenni said.

“We have introduced policies based around fairness and we have set clear expectations about what it means to be a good neighbour.

“Our new Fair Expectations of Behaviour policy is empowering our housing staff to work with people living in our homes to change behaviours before they become a problem.

“We have restored fairness to rent policies which has been warmly welcomed by pensioners and people with disabilities who were struggling under the previous government’s cruel approach.

“And to back all of this in we are rolling out a $209 million capital program that’s building new homes, refurbishing existing homes and making sure our homes are well maintained.

“Last year we built 395 new social and affordable homes, purchased 93 homes and completed over 11,800 upgrades to our existing houses.

“This report is more evidence that the Palaszczuk Government is firmly on the right track when it comes to our hands-on approach to delivering housing services."  

Mr de Brenni said that it was pleasing to see Queensland reporting the highest level of client satisfaction by public housing households that have a member with a disability, at 81.1 percent, well above the national average of 66.6 per cent.

“We have put a lot of effort into making sure that our homes are liveable and adaptable so that our seniors and people with disability have a secure and accessible place to live.

“As we continue to expand our capital works program and build more homes, after three years of Newman-Nicholls neglect, we will see a further increase in the number of accessible homes available.”

Mr de Brenni said the report also revealed that Queenslanders living in state-owned and managed Indigenous housing rated Queensland’s housing services as the best in Australia.

“It showed that 79.4 per cent of clients were satisfied or very satisfied compared with 67.6 per cent nationally,” he said.

“That the most decentralised state in the country, servicing some of the nation’s most remote areas, can achieve ratings this high is testament to the hard work of everyone involved.

Mr de Brenni said that while he was pleased with Queensland’s nation leading performance, the government was determined to continue to provide better housing outcomes for all Queenslanders.

“All Queenslanders have a right to a safe, affordable and secure place to call home and that’s why the Palaszczuk Government is developing a comprehensive ten year housing strategy for all of Queensland,” Mr de Brenni said.

“Our new housing strategy will be focussed on providing clear pathways to secure and affordable housing, no matter where you live or what your circumstances are.

“The LNP have a simply miserable record when it comes to housing in Queensland. We are busy making up for lost time.”

Mr de Brenni said that key reforms for the forthcoming housing strategy will be announced when Brisbane hosts the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute Conference in March this year.

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Media Contact: Tristan Douglas 0447 164 197