The state government has announced $160 million to provide assistance for people to find, get and keep a rental home. (ABC News: Liz Pickering)
Queensland is in the midst of a housing crisis.
Tenants and home owners alike say they are scrambling to afford skyrocketing rents and ever-increasing mortgage repayments.
In recent days, the Queensland government has made a number of announcements in a bid to address growing concerns around affordability and supply.
Here's a breakdown of some of the key changes that are in the works.
A new rental sector code of conduct will be explored to crack down on unprofessional practices.(ABC News: Chris Gillette)
Portable bond schemes
A $160 million Renters Relief Package will include changes to the way tenants and real estate companies negotiate rental prices.
A portable bond scheme will be set up, meaning tenants can transfer their bond from one property to another.
That means not having to wait for a bond to be released or paying another bond, Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon said.
While the scheme is being set up, a "Bridging Bond Loan" will help households pay the up-front cost of a new bond while they wait for their old bond to be released.
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"The social housing target in 'Homes for Queenslanders' was informed by modelling done by the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute.
"The modelling incorporates historical and predictive analysis, including population growth and social and economic factors, to inform social housing need, and is the first of its kind in Australia.
"The homes build on the more than 5,000 already delivered by the government since 2015 – with more than 75,000 social homes currently in Queensland.
"The government has delivered more social homes despite economic and construction challenges, deploying innovative solutions like modular homes, acquisitions and greater density on sites that previously had one or two social homes.
"The build will significantly ramp up over coming years, with delivery to vary year on year in line with market conditions, with a focus on innovative processes like modular homes. The overarching social housing target will continue to be reviewed over time in line with changes in population and housing need."
That's where we'll leave our live coverage of this press conference — thanks for joining us.
Aimee McVeigh, the Chief Executive Officer of the Queensland Council of Social Services, is also at this press conference.
She says the government's "level of ambition is needed".
"Today, QCOSS is calling on the LNP to match these targets to give some security to Queenslanders — to know that the response to Queensland's housing crisis will be in safe hands regardless of the outcome of the election this year," she says.
Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon is here too. She says Queensland is the first state in Australia to "dare to make sure that we pick a target that is aligned with modelling and evidence."
"This is a really ambitious goal, but we have got the money on the table to make sure that we significantly increase the amount of social housing we have in this state," she says.
Ms Scanlon says there are about 1,000 homes under construction at the moment, but the government wants to increase that. She says the government is also looking at purchasing more existing developments to be used as accommodation for those in need.
Wondering what this is? Join us next time we're live and be part of the discussion.
Banning rent bidding
The reforms will also see rent bidding banned, and penalties enforced against agents who engage in or encourage it.
Rent bidding is where hopeful tenants offer more than the advertised rental prices.
With limited rental properties available, tenants engage in the practice to get a leg up in the competitive market.
Caroline Fletcher is among the one in three Queenslanders who rent.(ABC News: Arianna Levy)
Caroline Fletcher is among the one in three Queenslanders who rent, and says the practice has become too common.
"I actually had to drop out of a renting bid when they [the real estate agents] were asking for $200 more than the original starting price" she said.
"I was getting phone calls daily from the agent saying 'this other prospective tenant has bid this much, can you bid more?'
"I'm 24 years old and on a sole income looking after two teenagers as part of a kinship carer arrangement, so this just adds so much pressure on me."
Premier Steven Miles said penalties would be enforced against real estate agents who engaged in rent bidding.
"These new laws will stamp out that practice and provide transparency for renters," he said.
Renter rights strengthened
A rental sector code of conduct will be set up to establish the obligations of rental accommodation participants.
Queensland was the only state without a code after the measure was repealed in 2014.
Renter's rights will be strengthened further by:
Protecting privacy by requiring a 48-hour entry notice for a property and using a standardised form for rental applications
Creating frameworks to allow both parties (tenant and landlord) to agree on modification installations on properties
Implementing a fee-free option to pay rent and ensuring utility charges are received promptly
Changes to the annual rental increase legislation were also amended to limit the increase to a property address.
The changes prevent real estate agents from ending leases to further increase rental prices if they have already exceeded their one increase for the year.
How does the scheme help victims of domestic violence?
The amendments to Queensland's rental laws will also help victims of domestic and family violence.
"We will provide support for victims of domestic violence can get help, they can purchase white goods and pay for a removalist truck so they can get a safe home," Ms Scanlon said.
Current legislation in Queensland allows tenants experiencing domestic and family violence to change locks to a property without the owner's consent.
The Housing Minister's office said the legislation should be in a bigger package of rental reforms to be introduced in the first half of the year.
What about social housing?
More than 53,000 homes could be added to Queensland's social housing stock over the next two decades under a new "ambitious" target set by the state government.
However, the peak industry body for builders has cast doubt over the plan given labour shortages and red tape in the construction industry.
Master Builders Association chief executive Paul Bidwell said with the current settings in place and a shortage of skilled workers, he could not see how the government would deliver the target.
But he said it was possible if changes were made in the industry and labour shortages were addressed.
"That's social housing, as well as the bigger target of 48,000 new homes each over the next five years, plus delivering the enormous pipeline of infrastructure, hospitals, renewable energy projects, plus the Olympics," he said.
How much will all this cost?
The Miles government today announced $1.25 billion in funding towards the social housing plan, which would mean about six new dwellings would need to be built or acquired for social housing every day for the next 22 years.
"Our plan sets the target of 53,500 social homes by 2046, backed by over $1.2 billion of additional funding, which takes the investment to over $7 billion since 2015," Mr Miles said.
Where will all the houses come from?
The Queensland government says the social housing plan was informed by modelling completed by the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute, but also said the overall target would be reviewed over time in line with changes in population and demand.
"We know to reach this scale of housing, we need to be innovative, and so we'll be looking at things like modular homes to try and speed up the delivery of those houses more quickly," Ms Scanlon said.
She said they would consider opportunities to acquire hotels and motels that could be added to the housing stock, but were "focused on adding supply".
Queensland Council of Social Service chief executive Aimee McVeigh applauded the "significant and ambitious" target given the demand for housing.
"We're in the grip of a housing crisis, we have families living in cars, tents and motel rooms," she said.
"Until now, we haven't had any type of commitment that bears any relationship to the need."
What will it mean for builders?
Mr Bidwell said modelling by Construction Skills Queensland suggested an extra 18,000 tradespeople were needed each year to meet long-term housing and infrastructure targets.
"We just don't have those numbers at the moment. The government is loading up the industry to deliver more, which is something we relish, but we are concerned about where we're going to get the people to do the work," he said.
Modelling by Construction Skills Queensland suggested an extra 18,000 tradespeople were needed each year to meet long-term housing and infrastructure targets.(ABC News: John Gunn)
"It is fair to say that [in] the residential sector, there is some capacity … but whether it's enough to deliver the very ambitious target the government has set, which needed to be set given the crisis we're in, remains to be seen."
Mr Bidwell said cutting red tape in the industry and amending planning schemes to streamline processes for builders and developers, as well as reducing unnecessary costs, was needed in order to deliver the additional social housing stock,