Published Tuesday, 05 June, 2007 at 02:09 PM
Minister for Public Works, Housing and Information and Communication Technology
The Honourable Robert Schwarten
STRICTLY EMBARGOED UNTIL 2.30PM, JUNE 5, 2007 - $719 MILLION BOOST FOR HOUSING
Minister for Public Works, Housing and Information and Communication Technology Robert Schwarten has announced a record Queensland Housing assistance package of $719 million in 2007-08, including a massive $479 million capital program.
Mr Schwarten said the Budget benefits from a $500 million, five-year funding injection from the Queensland Future Growth Fund for social housing that supports a total State funding commitment of $1.1 billion over four years.
“With the wider housing market experiencing increasing costs and decreasing affordability, the Department of Housing is boosting the supply of social housing and ensuring the long-term viability of social housing assets.”
Mr Schwarten said the Budget would assist more than 250,000 Queenslanders with a
housing solution that best meets their needs, for the duration of that need, and the changes to the way social housing is delivered in Queensland would ensure assistance is provided to Queenslanders with the greatest need.
“The Department of Housing continues to deliver housing solutions to low-income Queenslanders who struggle to find affordable housing in the private market,” he said.
“This at a time when the Howard Government continues to ignore a national housing affordability crisis in the private market which is forcing more and more people to apply for public housing.
“This Budget builds on the State Government’s commitment to support the continued implementation of its one social housing system, giving clients improved access to the full range of available social housing options.
“This Budget is a significant investment and will help more low-income families and individuals to access affordable housing.
“Indigenous Queenslanders will benefit from an extra $60 million to improve housing in remote communities.
“The department is delivering fresh responses to declining affordability in the private housing market through partnerships with other agencies and the private sector, including major initiatives such as the Brisbane Housing Company, Kelvin Grove Urban Village, and the Gold Coast Housing Company which will increase the supply of affordable housing.”
Mr Schwarten said the Department of Housing is providing $27.9 million to deliver a range of accommodation solutions to people at risk of homelessness and those experiencing homelessness, as the department enters the third year of the Queensland Government’s four-year Responding to Homelessness program.
“The continued redevelopment of the Lady Bowen Complex is at the forefront of this initiative and will further expand the housing options available for people at risk of homelessness in inner-Brisbane, together with further allocations to Crisis Accommodation and Community-managed Housing – Studio Units.”
Mr Schwarten said the Department of Housing is also providing specific assistance to help clients with a mental illness sustain a housing solution and help people with a spinal cord injury as part of the whole-of-Government Spinal Cord Injuries initiative.
“Under the Council of Australian Governments’ National Mental Health Plan, the Government has allocated an additional $40 million over four years to purchase or construct housing with support for clients with a mental illness.
“The department has allocated $42.5 million over four years to acquire and modify dwellings across Queensland to assist patients with spinal injuries to leave hospital when they no longer require hospital care and will assist more than 35 people in the coming year.”
Mr Schwarten said this year’s Budget also included:
• $328 million for public housing which includes:
o $138 million to commence the construction or purchase 414 new dwellings and to complete 336 dwellings;
o acquiring and improving land to facilitate the future construction of approximately 180 units of accommodation;
o continuing Urban Renewal in Inala, Woodridge, Deception Bay, Loganlea and Carole Park and completing projects in Vincent and Mooroobool; and
o $98.4 million for the public housing maintenance program;
• $7.9 million to install water saving devices in approximately 14,300 departmentally-managed dwellings under the Home Water Saving Scheme;
• $40.4 million for Community-managed Housing to commence construction or purchase 164 units of accommodation, and complete 126 units of accommodation and $2.6 million in grant funding to complete construction of up to 38 units of accommodation;
• $16 million in capital grant funds to complete construction of 99 dwellings of affordable housing on the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast;
• $5 million in capital grants funds to complete construction of 300 dwellings for the Brisbane Housing Company;
• $15.5 million to construct or purchase dwellings, shelters and hostels under the Crisis Accommodation Program, and $9.3 million in grant funding to complete or upgrade buildings, respond to boarding house closures and enable community organisations to lease 156 residential properties from the private rental market;
• $6.8 million in funding to purchase 12 dwellings and complete construction of seven dwellings under the Long Term Community Housing Program, along with $7.5 million in grant funding to complete construction of 40 dwellings and $1.5 million in grant funding to purchase properties to progress consolidation activities of providers;
• $12.9 million to assist more than 3,100 households with transitional social housing by providing grant funding and headleases for 1,896 properties;
• $31.4 million for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing Rental Program capital works, upgrades, maintenance and acquisitions;
• $14.1 million to assist 60,000 households through Home Assist Secure services to stay in their own homes longer.
Mr Schwarten said the State Government would continue to deliver the $75 million five-year Community Renewal Program in 10 renewal zones across the state in Cairns, Townsville, Upper Ross, Palm Island, Caboolture, Logan, Brisbane South, Brisbane South West, Gold Coast North and Gold Coast South.
Media contact: (07) 3237 1832
Mr Schwarten said the Budget benefits from a $500 million, five-year funding injection from the Queensland Future Growth Fund for social housing that supports a total State funding commitment of $1.1 billion over four years.
“With the wider housing market experiencing increasing costs and decreasing affordability, the Department of Housing is boosting the supply of social housing and ensuring the long-term viability of social housing assets.”
Mr Schwarten said the Budget would assist more than 250,000 Queenslanders with a
housing solution that best meets their needs, for the duration of that need, and the changes to the way social housing is delivered in Queensland would ensure assistance is provided to Queenslanders with the greatest need.
“The Department of Housing continues to deliver housing solutions to low-income Queenslanders who struggle to find affordable housing in the private market,” he said.
“This at a time when the Howard Government continues to ignore a national housing affordability crisis in the private market which is forcing more and more people to apply for public housing.
“This Budget builds on the State Government’s commitment to support the continued implementation of its one social housing system, giving clients improved access to the full range of available social housing options.
“This Budget is a significant investment and will help more low-income families and individuals to access affordable housing.
“Indigenous Queenslanders will benefit from an extra $60 million to improve housing in remote communities.
“The department is delivering fresh responses to declining affordability in the private housing market through partnerships with other agencies and the private sector, including major initiatives such as the Brisbane Housing Company, Kelvin Grove Urban Village, and the Gold Coast Housing Company which will increase the supply of affordable housing.”
Mr Schwarten said the Department of Housing is providing $27.9 million to deliver a range of accommodation solutions to people at risk of homelessness and those experiencing homelessness, as the department enters the third year of the Queensland Government’s four-year Responding to Homelessness program.
“The continued redevelopment of the Lady Bowen Complex is at the forefront of this initiative and will further expand the housing options available for people at risk of homelessness in inner-Brisbane, together with further allocations to Crisis Accommodation and Community-managed Housing – Studio Units.”
Mr Schwarten said the Department of Housing is also providing specific assistance to help clients with a mental illness sustain a housing solution and help people with a spinal cord injury as part of the whole-of-Government Spinal Cord Injuries initiative.
“Under the Council of Australian Governments’ National Mental Health Plan, the Government has allocated an additional $40 million over four years to purchase or construct housing with support for clients with a mental illness.
“The department has allocated $42.5 million over four years to acquire and modify dwellings across Queensland to assist patients with spinal injuries to leave hospital when they no longer require hospital care and will assist more than 35 people in the coming year.”
Mr Schwarten said this year’s Budget also included:
• $328 million for public housing which includes:
o $138 million to commence the construction or purchase 414 new dwellings and to complete 336 dwellings;
o acquiring and improving land to facilitate the future construction of approximately 180 units of accommodation;
o continuing Urban Renewal in Inala, Woodridge, Deception Bay, Loganlea and Carole Park and completing projects in Vincent and Mooroobool; and
o $98.4 million for the public housing maintenance program;
• $7.9 million to install water saving devices in approximately 14,300 departmentally-managed dwellings under the Home Water Saving Scheme;
• $40.4 million for Community-managed Housing to commence construction or purchase 164 units of accommodation, and complete 126 units of accommodation and $2.6 million in grant funding to complete construction of up to 38 units of accommodation;
• $16 million in capital grant funds to complete construction of 99 dwellings of affordable housing on the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast;
• $5 million in capital grants funds to complete construction of 300 dwellings for the Brisbane Housing Company;
• $15.5 million to construct or purchase dwellings, shelters and hostels under the Crisis Accommodation Program, and $9.3 million in grant funding to complete or upgrade buildings, respond to boarding house closures and enable community organisations to lease 156 residential properties from the private rental market;
• $6.8 million in funding to purchase 12 dwellings and complete construction of seven dwellings under the Long Term Community Housing Program, along with $7.5 million in grant funding to complete construction of 40 dwellings and $1.5 million in grant funding to purchase properties to progress consolidation activities of providers;
• $12.9 million to assist more than 3,100 households with transitional social housing by providing grant funding and headleases for 1,896 properties;
• $31.4 million for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing Rental Program capital works, upgrades, maintenance and acquisitions;
• $14.1 million to assist 60,000 households through Home Assist Secure services to stay in their own homes longer.
Mr Schwarten said the State Government would continue to deliver the $75 million five-year Community Renewal Program in 10 renewal zones across the state in Cairns, Townsville, Upper Ross, Palm Island, Caboolture, Logan, Brisbane South, Brisbane South West, Gold Coast North and Gold Coast South.
Media contact: (07) 3237 1832