Queensland’s deputy premier says he’s “pulling every lever possible” to relieve the housing crisis after confirming a 13-tower development on the “last vacant lot” northside of the Brisbane river won’t have affordable homes.
Today, Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie announced the Northshore Hamilton former industrial site would be parcelled off to five developers, who between them would build almost 2,200 homes.
Mr Bleijie, who is also minister for state development, infrastructure and planning, dumped the former Labor government’s affordable housing mandate from the state facilitated development program last year.
He said mandates “stopped development”, suggesting homeowners in the outer suburbs would downsize to riverfront units, freeing up more houses.
“You need all forms of housing, that’s why we are not discriminating on the types of housing we build across the state,” he said.
“We are in a housing crisis still, we inherited a housing crisis from the Labor government, and we are doing everything we can — we are pulling every lever possible.”
Nearly 2,200 homes as well as a 50-bed hotel, shops and a supermarket are tipped for the precinct. (Supplied)
Mr Bleijie was unable to say what the land had sold for, only that it had gone for “market value”.
Under Labor, the long-vacant 6.1 hectare site was tipped to become the athletes village for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The first residents are expected to move in in 2031.
Mr Bleijie said the towers weren’t “required” to be built ahead of 2032, “but having them done before 2032 would be great”.
Jarrod Bleijie axed the former government’s affordable housing mandate from the state facilitated development program. (ABC News: Lucas Hill)
Member for Clayfield Tim Nicholls said it was “the last major development site available” near the CBD, “close to all the things people need and want”.
The development will include a 50-bed hotel as well as a supermarket and shops.
“[It’s] on the last outstanding northside of the river property location,” Mr Nicholls said.
“It is the last vacant space and it’s the great opportunity Brisbane has been crying out for.”
Data released from realestate.com.au on Saturday revealed that nationally housing affordability had fallen to its lowest rate on record, with a household earning a median income of about $125,000 a year could afford just 12 per cent of all homes.
In Queensland, only 9 per cent of homes were affordable for median income households.
Queensland Labor leader Steven Miles said the government was “out of touch”.
“Queensland is officially the most unaffordable it’s ever been and Jarrod Bleijie’s response is to build luxury homes for the wealthy,” he said.