Douglas Shire misses out on fair share of $89m housing fund
FNQ development
Millions of dollars worth of State Government announcements were made last week about new housing in North Queensland - including a visit to Cairns by Premier David Crisafulli and Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie - but Douglas Shire will not be getting a cent of the money.
Funding has been announced for new housing in Tablelands Regional Council, Cassowary Coast Regional Council, Cairns Regional Council, Northern Peninsula Area Regional Council, Aurukun Shire Council, Cook Shire Council, Mareeba Shire Council, Pormpuraaw Aboriginal Shire Council, the Wide Bay Burnett region and Torres Shire Council.
The Government’s $2bn Residential Activation Fund last Thursday allocated $89m across many northern councils for 16 projects to deliver about 3000 homes.
Cairns council was also not included in that announcement, but Development Minister Bleijie said there would be another major announcement in about a fortnight covering that region.
And on Friday another $350,000 was announced for the Cairns region as part of the separate $12.5m Scheme Supply Fund.
“This funding will see faster approvals for housing developments and a clearer path for builders and developers, ensuring more homes are delivered where they’re needed most,” Minister Bleijie said.
“It’s all part of the LNP Government’s plan to deliver a place to call home for more Queenslanders.”
That funding stream helps councils build up services at infill and greenfield sites, with the grant designed to help “remove regulatory barriers, streamline development applications, and address critical natural hazard risks”.
“We are focused on cutting red tape and partnering with local governments,” Deputy Premier Bleijie said.
The money will pay for a council review of its Planning Scheme with a view to streamlining housing approvals.
Tablelands Regional Council has also been given close to $130,000 under the same scheme.
As part of the $89m Residential Activation Fund, the Government received 178 submissions, including 114 from regional, rural and remote areas.
Deputy Premier Bleijie said his government was delivering funding for shovel-ready housing projects in the Far North.
“This partnership with local councils will transform the housing landscape in regional Queensland and give more Queenslanders a place to call home,” he said.
Cook MP David Kempton welcomed the money.
“I’m really pleased to have received funding for 10 critical projects within my electorate, with the projects set to unlock more than 2200 homes,” he said.
Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie also said on Friday the electorates of Cairns, Barron River and Mulgrave were going to be “well looked after” through another announcement in about a fortnight, but again there was no mention of Douglas Shire in that announcement.
The Government also announced last week it was delivering more homes in the Wide Bay Burnett region, with construction to start this year on new temporary supported accommodation and hundreds more social homes already under construction.
Across that region, more than 290 social and community homes are in construction, including about 160 in the Bundaberg region, close to 100 in the Fraser Coast region and about 40 in the South Burnett region.
Housing Minister Sam O’Connor said social and community housing developments were critical to create stable and sustainable communities that support economic and social inclusion.
“The Crisafulli Government’s first budget delivers $5.6 billion for social and community housing,” Minister O’Connor said.
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