Building boost for regional home owners and builders

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has visited the new housing estate of Spring Mountain in Springfield, where tradies are hard at work constructing new homes for Queenslanders.

The Premier said construction work on the new development had been maintained throughout COVID-19, ensuring tradies were kept in work and new owners could move into their homes sooner.

“Everything my Government does is to help Queenslanders unite and recover from this unprecedented global event COVID-19,” the Premier said.

“We are rolling out our $6 billion investment in industry, infrastructure, health and innovation to keep people in jobs and to ensure Queensland recovers as quickly as possible.

“As part of this investment, we have committed $267 million to the construction industry which will benefit tradies, homeowners, seniors and the broader community.

“We have reaffirmed our commitment to the $15 000 first home-owner grants program, giving first time home buyers that extra bit of help to get into the market.

“We are also rolling out a new $10 million Regional Home Building Boost package designed to improve housing affordability, promote investment and stimulate construction industry jobs in regional Queensland during the COVID-19 recovery.

“Eligible new home buyers in regional Queensland will receive $5000 to offset the cost of construction or purchase of a new house or apartment.

“First home-owners who are eligible for both the regional building boost and the $15,000 Queensland First Home Owners’ Grant will receive $20,000 towards their new home.

“A home, along with a secure job, is what Queenslanders want and deserve, and we will do whatever we can to help families achieve that.”

Treasurer and Minister for Infrastructure and Planning Cameron Dick said the Regional Home Building Boost and first homeowner grants were part of a suite of construction programs designed to help stimulate the Queensland economy as part of the Unite and Recover for Queensland Jobs plan.

“As part of this $267 million construction package, the $100 million Works for Tradies program will further stimulate housing construction, supporting up to 240 jobs and delivering much-needed social housing on the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, Rockhampton, Gladstone, Wide Bay, Moreton Bay, Toowoomba and Ipswich.

“We want to keep our tradies working and our construction industry kicking along, and these stimulus packages will go a long way towards doing that.”

Member for Jordan Charis Mullen said the construction package would also benefit seniors across Queensland, with a $10 million boost to the Home Assist program.

“The Seniors Accessibility and Renovation Assistance scheme will help seniors and people with a disability upgrade their homes or undertake essential repairs and maintenance to the value of up to $5000,” she said.

“This will not only provide work for local tradies and handymen, it will help to keep our seniors safe and secure in their own homes.”

More information on these concessions can be found here

https://www.qld.gov.au/housing/buying-owning-home

Media contact: Shane Doherty 0439 624 473