VINNIES QUEENSLAND WELCOMES BUDGET RELIEF BUT RECOGNISES LONG ROAD AHEAD

Yesterday’s State Budget was a step in the right direction on a long road ahead to resolve Queensland’s housing and cost of living crises, according to state charity Vinnies Queensland.

CEO Kevin Mercer said the Budget included some welcome relief for Queenslanders struggling with the rising cost of living and shrinking number of affordable housing options, in the form of a $1.1b housing funding increase and further electricity bill rebates.

Mr Mercer said funding for 500 new social and affordable homes will make a real difference for hundreds of Queensland families, however with 50,000 people on the state housing waiting list, the response needs to continue to escalate.

“Any funding for housing and cost of living is very welcome right now, and this Budget shows the State Government knows the issues facing Queenslanders today,” he said.

“But we also recognise that our housing crisis remains an overwhelming concern for vulnerable Queenslanders, as our Members across the state continue to hear from people struggling to secure an affordable place to live.

“The State Government has introduced some welcome funding boosts for housing over the last few years, but a crisis of this size will take all levels of Government working together.

“What we want to see is a united approach towards homelessness – with State and Local Governments receiving additional support from our Federal Government to scale up our response.”

Mr Mercer understood that there were many complicated factors impacting construction, but remained hopeful that more solutions were around the corner.

“With the recent appointment of a new Housing Minister, the groundwork is there for the State Government to develop a long-term vision that considers current and future social and affordable housing shortages,” he said.

“I welcome further support from the State Government in the coming years in response to this ongoing crisis working towards their original vision in its Queensland Housing Strategy 2017-2027 to make sure all Queenslanders have a pathway to safe, secure and affordable housing.”

For more information on the State Budget’s inclusions, visit https://budget.qld.gov.au/

In the 2021-2022 financial year, Vinnies Queensland provided more than 103,000 nights of accommodation for people in need.