Palaszczuk Government looking to build on social housing success in Ipswich

Published Thursday, 25 October, 2018 at 10:17 AM

Minister for Housing and Public Works, Minister for Digital Technology and Minister for Sport
The Honourable Mick de Brenni

The Palaszczuk Government is looking for partners to build new social housing in Ipswich – with Expressions of Interest (EOI) to be launched tomorrow (Friday).

Member for Ipswich Jennifer Howard said the EOIs were part of the Palaszczuk Government’s $1.6 billion Housing Construction Jobs Program to build almost 3000 new social homes across the state by 2022.

“The government is looking for residential land and development-ready sites in the Ipswich region to ensure we can provide a better choice of innovatively designed housing, with access to transport, education and everything people need to live a full-life,” Ms Howard said.

Member for Ipswich West Jim Madden said the government’s plans for the next five years included 383 new social homes in the Ipswich region, with an investment of $103 million.

“This will provide people in need with safe, secure and sustainable housing while supporting local jobs and growing the economy,” he said.

Member for Bundamba Jo-Ann Miller said the government was seeking interest from the market “to accelerate the process of delivering social housing”.

“The government is looking for proposals for small, medium or large scale residential construction projects including land that can be developed and will also consider proposals that provide opportunities for multi-year development,” she said.

Housing and Public Works Minister Mick de Brenni said Ipswich was forecast to be one of Queensland’s highest growth areas over the next decade.

“The government held a state-wide call for EOIs in 2017, and 13 of the 224 submissions were in the Ipswich region,” Mr de Brenni said.

“From these submissions alone, we have 22 new homes under construction locally, and we are building another 36 homes in the area on government-owned land.

“This is a great start and we are keen to build on the success with more proposals from local builders, land owners and community housing organisations.

“While the LNP had a miserable record when it came to delivering social housing when they were in office, the Palaszczuk Government is busy making up for lost time.

“We have a simple and effective approach in this state and that’s to treat people with dignity and respect,” he said.

EOIs will close on Friday December 14, 2018.

To download the EOI materials, please visit www.hpw.qld.gov.au/housingstrategy/construction.

ENDS

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