Conclusion
This submission sets out a range of initiatives that build upon current progress emerging from the Queensland Housing Summit.
We propose next steps for improved prevention, homelessness responses, increased housing supply and strengthening the support for people with lived experience to shape the future of the housing and homelessness system.
While the Queensland State Government has made important progress on housing supply measures, the scale of unmet need is such that additional measures are warranted. Even in the context of increasing Federal Government investment, we propose an increase to capital funding and the Housing Investment Fund because of increasing interest from a range of stakeholders in partnerships to achieve increased housing supply, which is much needed.
Q Shelter emphasises the need to design a system with a dominant focus on prevention. While prevention is strengthened in every aspect of delivery, the current demands on Specialist Homelessness Services must be met with a funding uplift of 25%.
We further propose recurrent funding for a tenancy sustainment program to be delivered around the State. This is a key plank in any program of prevention to ensure that tenancies are sustained and that housing transitions are successful and sustainable.
Finally, we reiterate our concern that the Queensland Housing Plan is focused on the health of the whole housing system. This will be an optimal context in which to ensure enough housing supply to meet demand inclusive of specialised products such as social and affordable housing. We recognise the critical role that an effective planning system can play in facilitating more successful housing systems. The role of local government is also recognised with proposals related to increasing capacity to deliver housing action plans as soon as possible.
The Queensland Housing Round Table remains an important mechanism for engagement with key sector stakeholders. As some implementation challenges persist, we propose a continuation of the Housing Round Table with a dominant focus on specialist teams working on specific implementation challenges such as construction industry needs, scaling up modern methods of construction and preventing any exits to homelessness from institutions.
Q Shelter also supports the continuation of the Housing Delivery Board and Monitoring Program to ensure plan implementation is strengthened. We remain available to assist at any time in our role as a peak organisation with the vision that every Queenslander has a home.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment. We look forward to ongoing opportunities to help shape the future of Queensland’s response to unmet housing need and homelessness.
Fiona Caniglia
Executive Director
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