October 2008

The North Moreton Regional Housing Network has made considerable progress over the past quarter identifying gaps in housing supply; opportunities to partner for development; changes in Federal, State, and Local Governments policies; while moving towards autonomy in lieu of Community Development ( which is undergoing a review) resourcing.

The NMHN met with the newly amalgamated North Moreton Council (NMC) to discuss it plans for affordable development in the area.   The NMC stated that the council is currently divided into seven directorates post-amalgamation and referred to the challenges inherent in 13 new politicians working together.  Despite the amalgamation there is no one place in council to address affordable housing.

 Pending LGAQ planning reforms there is uncertainty regarding ways in which Housing Affordability Fund infrastructure concessions would be allocated with planners anticipating that these would be passed on directly to developers without significantly reducing house prices. The NMHN suggested that HAF concessions could be passed on to GST exempt non-profit housing developers under the National Rental Affordability Scheme to maximise the HAF’s impact.

Nineties initiatives alerted developers to available land which they since pushed to build on. These greenfield development sites generally produce higher cost homogenous products.

 Council stated that there is a misconception that they can release land as most of it is earmarked for future development. Recent state government land releases are removed from infrastructure giving rise to further affordability and lifestyle issues. 

As most of the easily developed land has been used a new breed of boutique developers able to cost effectively build on infill sites is required. 

NIMBY opposition is directed at social housing developments with residential high density complexes bound for the open market attracting little, if any, comment.  

While housing needs analyses have been conducted in the past a greater understanding of data and heightened need for understanding are required.  In this respect, the NMHN can play an important role in advocacy and interpretation with council. 

The NMHN Housing Horizons Forum connected policy threads across four levels of government and the community Housing Sector with speakers including:

·         Jon Sullivan- Federal Member for Longman

·         Julian Disney- Chair of the National Summit on Housing Affordability

·         Mark Wall – Director of Private Housing Support (Department of Housing)

·         Gavin McCullagh- Local Government Association of Qld

·         Lee Burton – CEO BRIC Housing.

The forum highlighted the need for additional investment in public and non-profit housing, a Federal inclination to move beyond its private rental and home buyer initiatives, the State Government’s intention to ensure that those in greatest need are housed; an overview of planning reform; and existing opportunities to work with non-profit housing companies to deliver housing in the North Moreton region.       

Subsequently, a NMHN delegation met with Jon Sullivan to lobby for an increase in public and non-profit housing in advance of the National Day of Action.

 A Housing Stress forum focussing on financial literacy and counselling- sponsored by Jon Sullivan and the North Moreton Council-    is planned for 30 Oct.