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Councillor slams Government on housing

By Belinda Warren

As the caravan parks, hostels and motels disappear to make way for development, Caloundra Council has accused the State Government of allowing affordable housing to "slip into the shadows."

Councillor Anna Grosskreutz said while it would be very easy to issue a discussion paper on housing needs with just a few words-"It's the Government's responsibility"-the community had to help plug the gap.

"At the moment Queensland is not the smart state," Ms Grosskreutz said at yesterday's general meeting.

"It appears the State Government is focusing on crisis accommodation and we are moving away from affordable housing.

"Caloundra City has been identified as the highest growing local Government area in Queensland with a 5.1% growth rate and is ranked 11th across local Government areas nationally. Our challenge in the years ahead is to ensure the Sunshine Coast remains a good place to live and not just a playground for the wealthy."

Caloundra Council will prepare a discussion paper to identify the factors affecting the availability of affordable housing including the loss of old housing stock, the increase in housing and rental costs and the city's rapid population growth.

Ms Grosskreutz said outcomes would allow decisions to be made to keep the city vibrant and socially economically balanced and healthy.