Mackay-Whitsunday Housing Crisis
As a new member, with my six-month anniversary of coming to the House this month, I thought I would familiarise myself with the Housing Act and in particular the state's provision of and responsibility for housing services. Perhaps the minister needs to familiarise herself with that, as does the cabinet. It is to provide leadership and promote best practice housing provision and residential development. One thing that my community, as well as all of us in the opposition, would say is that the government is not living up to what the legislation outlines.
I draw the attention of the House—I thank the minister—to the letter that I received some two months after writing about the housing crisis in my electorate, across Mackay and the Whitsundays. We see vacancy rates across Central Queensland and North Queensland of 0.2 per cent in Rockhampton, the home of Beef Week; 0.7 per cent in Mackay; 0.4 per cent in Bundaberg; and 0.7 per cent in Townsville. As at today, there are 26 properties to rent in the Airlie Beach-Cannonvale-Bowen area. Rental costs range from $385 per week through to $750 per week across the electorate.
When we consider the crisis at hand, it was not reassuring to hear from the minister that there will be 60 new social homes built in Central Queensland, of which 20 will be in Mackay and the Whitsundays, but I will take the minister's advice and ‘in the spirit of bipartisanship’ direct support of my constituents and advocate. The minister proposed that I advocate to the federal government. Well, I will take this time to advocate to the state government and advocate to the minister to reach out to the community housing sector in Mackay and the Whitsundays. The community housing company in Mackay has been waiting over 10 years for a transfer of housing stock—10 years for someone to sign on the dotted line. This is not an asset sale. If those opposite believe that transferring social housing stock for renewal, for redevelopment or for infill development to grassroots community housing organisations that understand our local communities and want to see co-investment by the private sector to deliver efficient solutions is appropriate, then I advocate to the Minister for Housing to go and speak to the department and make that transfer happen.
The member for Mackay has been absent on this. The member for Mackay would rather stand in this parliament and criticise the member for Dawson, who has done nothing but fight for the people of the Whitsundays, of the Mackay electorate, of people in North Queensland, and deliver infrastructure where the member for Mackay has consistently failed.
I draw the attention of the House to a great budget announcement by Scott Morrison's government in relation to women escaping domestic and family violence. Almost $165 million will be delivered to women in cash payments for rental bonds so that they can flee domestic violence situations. When there are no houses for those women to rent, where will they go?
I reflect on the time that our great local member, George Christensen, the member for Whitsunday, was able to secure funding for a women's shelter.
What is his margin? It is nearly 14 per cent—all those safe Labor booths that we took at the last election! When we had an opportunity for safe places emergency accommodation, we called an emergency meeting and we found local community providers willing to take that up, the member for Mackay was absent. The member for Mackay did not turn up and did not advocate for another women's shelter in the community of Mackay, but George Christensen sure did. I certainly hope that the Minister for Housing takes swift action across Mackay and the Whitsundays and engages the community housing sector, which can do it better.