Home starts crash under nation’s ‘worst Treasurer’

HOUSING starts in Queensland crashed 16.3 per cent in the last quarter compared with the average fall of 4.7 per cent nationally – capping the state’s dismal housing performance for more than a year, the LNP said today.

LNP Shadow Treasurer Tim Nicholls said the number of housing starts fell 1169 from 7174 in the March Quarter to 6005 in the June Quarter – seasonally adjusted.

“It’s a disaster – there’s no other word for it,” Mr Nicholls said.

“Mark my words, under Australia’s worst Treasurer Andrew Fraser, it’s not going to get better any time soon.

“This bloke is the Captain Whacky of Queensland economic management.

“He’s sent Queensland broke in a boom, racked-up state debt that’s running out to $85 billion, ramped up every tax and levy imaginable, and taken a blunt axe to our cornerstone housing and construction industry.

“He’s taxed and wrapped the industry in red tape by the truckload – and that’s before Labor’s carbon tax hits.”

Mr Nicholls said keen housing industry watchers knew only too well how bad things were under Labor and Fraser.

“The all-important trend estimate of the total number of dwelling unit commencements in Queensland has now fallen for five quarters.

“Under Andrew Fraser, housing has been running backwards for five consecutive quarters.

“A real worry for battling Queensland families on the waiting list for public housing is that public sector dwelling commencements are down near 60 per cent, March to June, from 284 to just 166.

“What’s that say about Bligh Labor’s commitment to genuine support for struggling Queensland families?

“The CanDo LNP team will govern for all Queenslanders, not simply ourselves.”