The housing crisis is having a critical impact on businesses, especially SMEs, and workforces.
Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland (CCIQ) CEO Heidi Cooper will join other industry and community leaders at the Housing Summit on Thursday, designed to address the urgent housing crisis in Queensland and influence National Cabinet decision making.
Ms Cooper said housing and accommodation unaffordability and inaccessibility was impacting businesses and workforces right across the state and in multiple industries.
“It’s difficult to attract and retain a workforce if there is nowhere for those workers, or their families, to live,” Ms Cooper said.
“Inability to access affordable housing is compounding pressure on the state’s skilled labour market.
“Business told us both housing accommodation and affordability in their local area were impacting their ability to recruit and retain staff.
“It means businesses have another hurdle in the ongoing skilled labour market, with little incentive for workforces to re-locate, especially in regional Queensland, if they don’t have a home to relocate to.”
Ms Cooper said CCIQ had heard from stakeholders in regional Queensland there was a need to free up more land to build sustainable housing while in other areas CCIQ understood there were challenges in existing home affordability.
“The Housing Summit this week is critical to ensure Queensland communities, businesses, workforces and economies are able thrive,” Ms Cooper said.
“It’s essential government and industry work together now to solve the housing crisis and associated impacts.
