What is Queensland Shelter?

Queensland Shelter is a housing policy peak which advocates for the housing rights of low income and other vulnerable Queenslanders. Based in Brisbane with over 20 branches and networks throughout the state, we work at a systems level to influence Government about the design of homelessness and housing assistance programs.  

Our vision  

To ensure all Queenslanders have access to safe, secure, appropriate, well located and affordable housing.  

Our mission  

To identify housing needs through feedback from our branch delegates and personnel and to develop, promote and ensure the adoption of effective housing policy.  

We believe

• Social housing stock should be a minimum of 6% of all dwellings in Queensland.
• The Queensland Government should make a target of 45,000 new affordable housing dwellings by 2020. 
• Affordable housing should be considered as essential infrastructure when developing or redeveloping communities 
• Affordable housing should be well located, environmentally sustainable and incorporate universal design principles 

Our members

Our membership is made up of housing and homelessness service providers, tenants and tenant advocates and other interested people from across Queensland. Our network of geographical and special interest branches plays a particularly important role in informing our policy positions. The work of the organisation is facilitated by a 10 staff Secretariat based in Brisbane.   

We provide

• Fortnightly e-bulletins on current issues
• Links and branch information
• Quarterly journal addressing housing issues and policies
• Branches & networks give support for local housing initiatives
• Publications, seminars, community debates & forums develop and circulate policy around housing issues
• Funding and support for state wide branches’ projects to work on issues common across the state
• Submissions to State, Federal, local government and industry planning policymaking
• Working parties on specific housing issues. e.g., Rural and Remote Housing, Planning for Affordable Housing, Indigenous Housing, Women’s Housing, Homelessness. 

Our aims  

• To develop a broad membership base of housing workers, tenants and people interested in housing issues throughout Queensland;
• To act as a forum for association members and interested parties, assisting them to contribute to discussions on housing policy and housing needs;
• To obtain, research and disseminate information about housing policy and related matters to association members;
• To raise issues of housing policy with various levels of government as determined from time to time by the membership;
• To be involved in the development of training provision in relation to housing, by Government agencies, community groups, TAFE colleges and tertiary institutions
• To promote community awareness of, and involvement in, the formulation of state and national housing policy, particularly by low-income people and associated support services;
• To provide a link between the Government and the association membership, to ensure information flow between the two sectors. Association through its membership will be one point of contact for both Government and community;
• To represent the views of members on housing and related issues to –
  (a) Government,
  (b) The media,
  (c) The public;
• To work for the introduction of equitable tenancy legislation for the protection of public and private tenants;
• To encourage innovative housing programs;
• To critically and constructively comment on existing housing policy and the practice of decision makers both in government and the private sector;
• To work for a broad range of housing options that promotes affordability, appropriateness and security of tenure.