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AAP
AAP
Politics
Fraser Barton

New housing minister promises swift action on shortage

Queensland Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon says she is up to the task of her new portfolio. (Darren England/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

Queensland's new housing minister has promised to work quickly to ease the state's accommodation crisis.

A day after taking on the troubled portfolio, Meaghan Scanlon said she was up to the task, which includes renewed calls to turn a Brisbane quarantine facility into emergency housing for the homeless.

"I'm ready for the challenge of taking on what I know is a complex problem," she said while touring the building site of an affordable housing precinct with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.

"We're having conversations around how we can unlock more supply and I also want to make sure we roll out the investments we currently have as quickly as possible."

Ms Scanlon said the precinct under construction in Brisbane's inner south was a small step in addressing the social housing required across the state.

The minister and the premier faced questions on using the Pinkenba quarantine centre as emergency accommodation, as the state grapples with increasing homelessness and a shortage of social housing.

Ms Palaszczuk said state and federal officials were meeting to discuss the future of the site, which was built by the former Morrison government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It is in an isolated area. It's not just an easy fix of transport. You'd have to have cooking facilities but you'd also have to look at what is the cohort of people that could go in there," she told reporters on Friday.

"All of those issues are being talked about and we are engaging actively with non-government organisations."

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said there was "no time to waste" in using Pinkenba for emergency accommodation, and welcomed talks with the new minister.

Ms Scanlon replaced Leeanne Enoch in a reshuffle by the premier, who conceded "we need to do better" on key voter concerns such as health, housing and youth crime.

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli said the government had not met one target on social housing during its eight years in power.

"There are 33 per cent less lots released today than they were eight years ago in Queensland, which means it's less chance for a young person to buy a house," he told reporters in Cairns.

Mr Crisafulli said the LNP's solutions included infrastructure partnerships with councils and the community housing sector and social housing targets, where the minister would be held accountable.

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