The Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) has stated that “rushed rule changes” will not help solve the current housing crisis, and that instead consultation and proper consideration with the community is the solution.
LGAQ Chief Executive Officer, Alison Smith, said that with proper council consultations, the State Government’s rush to change granny flats and rooming accommodation rules could have been avoided.
“Poorly considered tinkering with rules around what is often someone’s biggest investment will not solve the housing crisis,” Ms Smith said.
“Properly consulting with councils before making major changes ensures impacts on local communities are known and accounted for and would have avoided the unintended consequences of the rushed changes to secondary dwellings and rooming accommodation rules.
“Queenslanders are simultaneously grappling with a cost of living crisis as well as a housing crisis so councils will need to carefully consider any request by the State to reduce the fees developers pay to ensure it will indeed help improve things for those seeking to buy a home and not simply shift those costs on to mum and dad ratepayers.
“Removing the need for planning approvals and failing to consult on reforms before they are implemented will not solve the housing crisis.”
Ms Smith noted that Queensland councils flagged the housing crisis in October 2021 and since the flagging, have created a six-point action plan as well as a collection of almost 40 proposals designed to help address housing issues.
“As councils cannot create or amend legislation, many of the proposals require State and Federal government action through Parliament,” Ms Smith said.
“With so many stakeholders involved in housing, Queensland councils are continuing to call for a national summit to bring all parties together to see what further levers can be pulled to enable more opportunities to address the critical shortage in accommodation.”
