Homeless accommodation turned into AFP training facility

500 beds unslept in as desperate Queenslanders turn to tents we have a housing crisis that everybody is working hard to try and resolve but that takes time and here is a facility with 500 beds. The federal government’s $400 million pink and bar facility, built for COVID Quarantine in 2022 has sat vacant, but a proposal for it to be used to house our most vulnerable sparked hope. There is a a roof over their heads that could be provided here. Brisbane City Council offering up $1 million, the state government pitching in 10 million. We did support using it for crisis accommodation. That hope has now been ripped away. The federal government announcing that last Friday it agreed to hand the centre over to the Australian Federal Police for use as a training facility alongside additional funding. It just rips the rug out from people who just need a bit of hope at the moment, and I just think that’s cruel. It’s been at least 18 months that we’ve been calling for a resolution of this particular opportunity. And for us all of those nights, it might have helped somebody. 9 News can reveal the state government commissioned an independent assessment of the facility earlier this year. Preliminary findings indicated it would be suitable for short term and emergency accommodation. Our Housing Minister did everything humanly possible to deliver that outcome, including contributing funds, including working with community organizations, including providing A detailed plan to the Australian government regardless. A new solution is now needed to address the housing crisis. And bars. We can’t afford to lose time like we have over the Pink and bar. Example Meg Sides 9 News.