Media Release: Townsville Snubbed in DHA’s Long List of Building Projects

27 February 2024

Townsville Snubbed in DHA’s Long List of Building Projects

Defence Housing Australia (DHA) has revealed it has no current building projects in Townsville ahead of 500-plus troops and their families moving to the city in the new year, while nine separate projects are underway in other areas across the country.

The revelation has come to light in new answers to questions to the authority put to it by Shadow Assistant Minister for Defence and Federal Member for Herbert Phillip Thompson in October 2023’s senate estimates.

DHA was asked to provide a detailed list of the housing projects currently underway and their locations and Townsville was not one of them, despite hundreds of extra personnel expected to move to the city following the Albanese Labor Government’s Defence restructure announcement.

Mr Thompson called the lack of forward planning by the Albanese Labor Government a failure.

“There are nine other housing projects DHA is building around the country at the moment, and none of them are in Townsville,” he said.

“We have had several meetings with the Assistant Minister for Defence who has recognised that Townsville needs new houses built, but for some reason this isn’t translating into building projects.

“This restructure will make Townsville the capital of the Australian Army – it’s a complete failure of the Minister to not recognise it as a priority.”

Mr Thompson said he had conveyed his concern regarding the current housing market to the Minister, along with several possible solutions.

“DHA knows we have an incredibly tight housing market and have known that since before their September 2023 restructure announcement, yet they still are not investing where they should be,” he said.

“We have put forward several solutions, including available land with development approvals (DAs) in place, or returning to a former strategy that includes buying land parcels and developing themselves.”

Mr Thompson said he was concerned that given how ill-prepared the Government was, sufficient housing would not be ready in time.  

“It’s going to be extremely hard to ramp up the builds of these new homes if the Minister does not direct DHA to come to the party now,” he said.

“The Minister needs to get a plan and direct DHA to follow it, now.”

Table 1: Written Question on Notice 47 – Defence Housing Australia current projects –Answer

ENDS