Young gun member for Gaven, Meghan Scanlon will take the reins of the beleaguered housing industry portfolio after a cabinet reshuffle.
At just 30 years old, Ms Scanlon is Queensland’s youngest member of parliament.
The new minister for housing has been labelled a rising star in state politics.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said Ms Scanlon’s new position was “what the government needed”.
“We want to do more [for Queensland], and I believe that there’s no better person to understand young people than Meaghan Scanlon, and young people are being affected, especially with increasing rents and housing pressures,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
Ms Scanlon said it wasn’t just her youth that would make her effective, but the fact she was a renter.
“I will always stand up for young people,” Ms Scanlon said.
“I just turned 30, and like many young people, I’m a renter.”
She said building more housing would be one of her top priorities.
“[I will] make sure that we roll out a record investment in social and affordable housing,” she said.
“Our government is a government focused on making sure Queenslanders can get a roof over their head.”
Ms Scanlon acknowledged the “pressured housing market” communities were facing, which she blamed on massive interstate migration, floods, the pandemic and supply shortages.
To help her solve the issue, she urged Queensland residents to have their say on the stage two rent reform.
“My door is open; I’m really keen to get to work,” she said.
“Anyone who has any ideas can put them forward.
“We need to look at this as a system-wide approach and try and find solutions.”
Ms Scanlon said she wanted to hear from all sides of the industry, including housing providers, renters, and developers.
