Palaszczuk Government takes rapid approach to Queensland-made homes

• Prefabricated house frames, bathroom modules and flat-packed kitchens are emerging from a new Brisbane housing factory.
• Many residences will become homes for government employees across regional Queensland, such as teachers, nurses, and police officers.
• Houses built using QBuild tradespersons across the five trade types, joined by 30 new apprentices across the state to assist in the effort.

The Palaszczuk Government is spearheading a Queensland-made approach to housing construction and workforce training to bring more housing supply into the market quicker.

The Premier today officially opened the QBuild Rapid Accommodation and Apprenticeship Centre - where prefabricated homes will be constructed at Eagle Farm in Brisbane.

The modular units and homes will then be transported to where they’re needed across the state.

Unhindered by bad weather, the production-line style factory can pre-prepare the frames, kitchens and bathrooms for transport while work on site is underway.

The components can even be stored away ready to be quickly shipped around the state to provide fully built homes, ready for a new family in a matter of weeks.

Quotes attributable to the Premier:

“I’m proud to officially open the QBuild facility today, and welcome our new apprentices who will play a part in delivering these homes.

“These state-of-the-art factory-built houses for our frontline workers are critical to delivering essential services to regional Queenslanders, while easing the pressure on rental markets.

“Our government is committed to pulling every lever, and looking at every option, to address the Queensland housing challenge.

“This facility will deliver new homes for our frontline nurses, teachers, and police in regional and remote Queensland, along with safe, affordable and appropriate social housing for the community’s most vulnerable.

“This is part of our $519.2 million Government Employee Housing construction package that will build 439 homes over the next five years to house 550 frontline workers.”

Quotes attributable to the Public Works Minister Mick de Brenni:

“This new housing construction factory will use modern prefabricated designs to speed up the delivery of supply in Queensland.

“By streamlining the supply chain and cutting waste, we can deliver homes quicker with better value for money, freeing up our tradies to build even more.

“To help handle the extra load, the QBuild ranks have been boosted by the appointment of 30 new apprentices, many of them to be trained at the QRAAC.

“By incorporating our apprentices, it means we will have a future workforce trained in modern building techniques, to ensure we continue to deliver housing supply that meets our future needs.”

QRAAC & Industry Explainer:

• The standardised designs respond to Queensland’s four key climate zones and meet the standards laid out in the National Construction Code.
• Already work is under way on two prototype houses which are expected to be complete by 30 June 2023.
• Standardised housing designs were developed in close consultation with industry and government agencies.
• Homes can be built in QBuild’s factory regardless of weather, to new 7-star energy efficiency and accessibility standards in the new National Construction Code.
• Buy Queensland procurement approach applied to supply of materials and prefabricated components.
• Further local opportunities include transport, landscaping, fencing, water and electrical services.

Further information:

• 30 new apprentices begin with QBuild today:
  • 15 apprentices in South East Queensland.
  • 15 apprentices in Regional Queensland.
• The Palaszczuk Government will commence 189 homes this year for government workers across the state. This opens up occupied properties to the rental market.
• By the end of the year, we expect to complete 93 builds, including 14 on Palm Island, two on Warraber Island, three on Thursday Island and three on Mer Island.
• This year’s program also includes 12 homes each for Winton and Texas, eight for Blackhall, six for Wondai, three each for Inglewood, Tambo and Mornington Island, two each in St George and Surat and one each in Alpha, Augathella, Bedourie, Birdsville, Bloomfield, Capella, Charleville, Coen, Croydon, Gayndah, Injune, Julia Creek, Kilcummin, Lochington, Marlborough, Mitchell, Mount Morgan, , Taroom, Thargomindah and Westmar.

ENDS

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