NIMBY Bleijie says too many homes, cancels coast affordable housing
- Queensland Labor Opposition
- Mar 21
- 2 min read
LNP Deputy Leader Jarrod Bleijie pulls plug on approved affordable homes in own community
Stunning intervention is first time Minister cancels an approved Ministerial Infrastructure Designation for social and affordable housing
The 90 affordable homes had received greenlight under Labor
LNP Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie has sensationally torn up approvals for an affordable housing project in his own backyard, suggesting that despite mounting housing pressures under his watch, the plan had too many homes.
As David Crisafulli’s hand-picked planning minister, Bleijie yesterday took the extraordinary step of using his power as a Minister to repeal Brisbane Housing Company’s (BHC) already-approved 90-home project in Birtinya.
The project would have seen 90 affordable houses built for frontline workers and families on the Sunshine Coast, where the median house price has soared $1.1 million – just off Sydney’s median value of $1.2 million – putting housing affordability out of reach for many.
Labor originally gave the greenlight to the project last year through a Ministerial Infrastructure Designation (MID), a process established to streamline approvals while still conducting community consultation to ultimately build more homes, faster.
It’s the first time ever a planning minister in Queensland has used their power to cancel a housing project already approved through the MID process.
The move to cancel homes in his own community comes after Deputy Opposition Leader Cameron Dick yesterday pointed out Jarrod Bleijie was letting hundreds of affordable homes in Noosa gather dust on his desk.
Quotes attributable to Deputy Opposition Leader Cameron Dick:
“This week, Jarrod Bleijie was called out for letting housing approvals sit on his desk while Queenslanders were sleeping on the streets.
“Now, we can reveal that he’s gone one step further and pulled the rug from under dozens of affordable homes in his own community.
“Jarrod Bleijie said the LNP would give Queenslanders a fresh start, but this decision is just rotten.”
Quotes attributable to Shadow Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon:
“This move should send a shiver down the spine of anyone trying to build social and affordable homes.
“When builders and community housing providers are raring to build, Jarrod Bleijie has taken away the tools.
“It’s astonishing that as one of a number of ministers tasked with housing, the Deputy Premier has cancelled this project because it has too many homes.
“Jarrod Bleijie needs to face Queenslanders and tell them that in the middle of a housing crisis, he’s pulling the plug on affordable homes because he thinks there’s too many.”
ENDS