A premiership marked by major infrastructure projects but an ongoing housing crisis has led to a mixed property-sector reaction to Annastacia Palaszczuk’s departure.
Australia’s longest-serving female premier, Palaszczuk announced at the weekend she would leave Queensland’s top political job after facing pandemics, bushfires and that housing crisis, as the state prepares for the 2032 Olympics Games.
A controversial Gabba stadium redevelopment, the Cross River Rail project, the Gold Coast light rail expansion and the new Logan Hospital are just part of the state’s “biggest decade of infrastructure investment”.
But this focus on infrastructure has put developers in a difficult position.
Discussing the progress of his La Pelago on the Gold Coast this year, Tim Gurner criticised the infrastructure pipeline as distracting.
“Labour in Queensland is still in short supply due to the unprecedented pipeline of government infrastructure projects either under way or planned to commence,” he told The Urban Developer.
“We are hopeful that the state government can work with the industry to address this critical labour supply issue and create a pathway for more private development projects to access the limited labour resources that are in play, so we can assist in delivering much-needed housing ahead of this looming housing shortage crisis.”
On the news of the premier’s departure other developers raised issues that had impacted their business during her tenure.
GV Property’s Antonio Mercuri said there were no incentives for buyers to purchase off-the-plan apartments.
“A stamp duty savings for off the plan, for instance, would have been great and hopefully that can be introduced,” Mercuri said.
“Added to this, developer contributions are also probably the most expensive of any state in Australia.”
Alexander Steffan of Steffan Planning looked past Palaszczuk to highlight fast-tracking changes being introduced by the NSW government.
“The new premier should focus on enforcing the South-East Queensland Regional Plan, in a similar way to how the NSW government is slowly starting to do that with their statewide policies,” he said.
“Otherwise, the SEQ regional plan will just be pushed aside by councils as it has in the past, which has led to Brisbane ignoring the ‘missing middle’ for the past 10 years.”
Australian Constructors Association chief executive Jon Davies said on LinkedIn that Palaszczuk “will leave a lasting infrastructure legacy from her time in office but any transition to a new premier provides an opportunity for fresh thinking on how this is delivered”.
“In particular, the incoming premier should reconsider the baffling decision not to set up an Olympic Delivery Authority and work with industry to improve the efficiency of infrastructure delivery in the state,” he said.
While the state government’s infrastructure plans may have distracted from housing delivery, the Palaszczuk government doubled its Housing Investment Fund to $2 billion, targeting the commencement of 5600 social and affordable homes by June 2027, and major changes to strata regulations.
But other areas of the industry have been worried by “constant legislative reform”, according to the Real Estate Institute of Queensland chief executive officer Antonia Mercorella.
“We are deeply concerned with the ongoing and emerging trend of one-sided tenancy law reform that is seemingly founded on an anti-investor approach,” she said.
“The REIQ has not always been pleased with the level of consultation from the state government and the avoidable outcomes of rushed and ill-considered policy.
“The crisis didn’t emerge overnight—our state’s housing issues have been years in the making and governments must accept responsibility for the position we find ourselves in here in Queensland. What we need is a genuine long-term plan for housing our population now and into the future.”
Housing not-for-profit QShelter cited the establishment of the Housing Delivery Board, the expansion of build-to-rent initiatives, and land audits identifying new opportunities for residential development as high points for the outgoing premier.
“The premier’s leadership to achieve the inaugural Queensland Housing Summit has established a new level of focus, co-ordination and partnership to improve the health of the whole housing system,” QShelter executive director Fiona Caniglia told The Urban Developer.
QShelter identified wishlist issues as a 25 per cent increase in funding for homelessness services, $30 million in funding a year for tenancy sustainment programs to prevent homelessness, expanding the Housing Investment Fund to $4 billion and a focus on scaleable modular home delivery.
Caniglia said that despite its challenges Palaszczuk’s legacy went beyond her government’s policies, whatever the area.
“There are many young girls living in Queensland who have only known a woman as premier,” Caniglia said.
“They will perhaps see themselves in this portrait as they imagine their own futures as leaders embedded in every part of society and making a real difference.”
