With the Liberal-National Coalition (LNP) going into next year’s federal elections with a series of planned cost-cutting measures amounting to $100 billion in budget savings, Queensland Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon has red-flagged the proposed cuts, saying that they would threaten thousands of homes in the state.

The Coalition announced the budget cuts to curb the spiralling inflation and ease the cost-of-living crisis. However, in a scathing response, Scanlon said that the $100 billion budget cuts, which would also include the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund and $5.5 billion Help to Buy scheme, would lead to thousands of Queensland homes going on the chopping block under the LNP.

Federal funding is critical for the Miles Labor Government’s Homes for Queenslanders plan, which will deliver one million more homes, including 53,500 social homes, Scanlon explained.

The threat to cut the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund means 30,000 social and affordable homes are at risk of never being built, including thousands slated for Queensland. Additionally, flagged cuts to the $5.5 billion Help to Buy scheme means more than 8,000 Queenslanders are set to lose out on the opportunity for home ownership.

“The LNP have sharpened their knives, ready to cut thousands of homes for Queenslanders,” the Minister said in a media statement.

“News that the LNP will cut $100 billion in critical projects should leave every Queenslander worried about housing in this state.

“The LNP voted against 30,000 social and affordable homes, and have spent months railing against home ownership for thousands of Queenslanders – now it’s clear why, because the first thing they want to do is take an axe to them.

“There are thousands of homes right now being considered for Queensland through the Housing Australia Future Fund, and they’re all at risk if the LNP get their way.

“These revelations confirm, Queensland just cannot risk the LNP at any level of government,” Scanlon concluded.

Image: The need for more housing grows in Queensland / Plus Architecture