Throughout Queensland’s history, the State Government has, at times, over-reached and intervened excessively in the economy – with one memorable example being the 90 or so State-run butcher shops which operated between 1915 and 1929 (see this heritage register entry for the story).  Hence it’s important for the Queensland community to question and thoroughly assess new measures the Government takes to intervene in the economy.

In this regard, the Government’s Urban Land Development Authority (ULDA) would be a good candidate for review, particularly following this news article, which raises questions about the ULDA’s Northshore Hamilton development:

Northshore Hamilton affordable housing development to choke Kingsford Smith Drive

The merits and demerits of the Government effectively partnering with the private sector in property development should be investigated, particularly given the less stringent development assessment process for ULDA developments.  This less stringent process runs the risk that some adverse impacts on the community (e.g. choking Kingsford Smith Drive) aren’t fully considered in the decision-making process.

The ULDA’s objective of promoting affordable housing is a noble one, but it needs to be asked whether there are more cost-effective ways of promoting affordable housing.  How about cutting stamp duty, for example?