Her deputy,Steven Miles,elaborated the next morning,as copies ofThe Courier-Mailfront page screamed “DUNCE’S CAP”,pointing to the ACT’s cap of 10 per cent above inflation as an example.
A joint press conference called by LNP shadow treasurer David Janetzki and Real Estate Institute of Queensland chief executive Antonia Mercorella hours later pushed the outcry further.
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Janetzki made a point of the deja vu – six months earlier the pair stood together making similar ominous (though disputed) warnings about investors selling up their properties before Palaszczukpulled the plug on proposed land tax changes.
By Wednesday,the government’s tone had shifted. As of Monday,Palaszczuk was claiming she had “very clearly” been talking about capping rent increases to once a year instead of twice as now allowed.
During the Housing Summit hype last year,the premier described the state as having been hit by “housing’s perfect storm” with everything on the table to weather it.
One expert I spoke to at the time was quick to note the usual reluctance to step too heavily on the toes of property owners who “get people elected”.
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Last week’s QCOSS report described a decade defined by growth in private rentals and a declining focus by the federaland state government on social and affordable housing.
It noted that even to keep the current social housing backlog where it was,Queensland would need about 2700 new homes a year – more than double what is planned by the state.
Solutions are complex. Many will take time and involvement from councils,state and federal governments,the private and community sectors.
One that has been taken off the table by Dick,away on a trade mission to India last week when Palaszczuk palmed the question off to him,is a further land tax changebeing called for.
“The results of the NSW election show there is no prospect of replacing transfer[stamp] duty with annual land tax on the family home,” a spokesman toldBrisbane Times.
The housing issue is similar to storms bearing down in other areas,like crime and climate,where the government has also been facing heat from some community members it appears to be hearing clearerthan others.
Back in that bar,many are warning the government it should rethink this.
ICYMI
While we’re talking clear communication,Palaszczuk has avoided referral to the ethics committee for allegedly misleading parliament in December with an attempt at a “pithy” response to a jab from LNP health spokeswoman Ros Bates.
Speaker Curtis Pitt ultimately foundin a ruling last week that Palaszczuk had given a good-enough explanation for the “off the cuff” question time comments.
Palasczuk isn’t the only leader to cop a recent Pitt ruling. LNP leader David Crisafulli’ssince-debunked descriptions of a “raid” of the Integrity Commissioner’s office sparked a strongwarning to all MPs earlier this month about not “making commentary about committee proceedings that is unsupported by the Hansard record”.
Elsewhere,we saw thefirst LNP candidate announcements some 580 days out from the next state election to fulfil a promise to members and the public about getting faces into the field early – a criticism that did the rounds among NSW Coalition counterpartsthe day after their election loss.
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The ousting of the conservative NSW government means Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner is now the LNP or Liberal leader with the highest office in mainland Australia,a situation not seen since Campbell Newman’s time leading City Hall. (Though Tasmanian Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockliff’s Apple Isle constituency is about half the size of Schrinner’s Brisbanites.)
Heads up
Parliament will return for its second sitting week of the year on Tuesday,with debate to focus on lawsextending a trial of police powers to use metal detection wands in nightlife areas and on public transport.
A delayed Queensland Law Reform Commission looking into the overhaul of sex work laws is also due Friday.
And while Tuesday’s Housing Roundtable Redux is set aside for just an hour (during the parliamentary sitting day),public consultation on thesecond stage of rental reforms is set to open “within months”.