A state government minister has been left stunned after discovering extensive water damage at Queensland's largest social housing project, a development in Cairns plagued by delays and now significant building defects.
Major Defects Uncovered at Manoora Site
Queensland Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon was reportedly "gobsmacked" during a recent site visit to the troubled Manoora social housing development in Cairns. The project, which aims to deliver 78 new apartments, has been hit by severe water ingress that has damaged internal walls and flooring.
The damage is so extensive that entire sections of newly installed plasterboard and flooring will need to be ripped out and replaced. This discovery adds another layer of complexity and delay to a project that is already running significantly behind its original schedule.
A Project Plagued by Delays and Oversights
The $40 million development at the former Cairns Police Station site on McCormack Street was initially slated for completion in late 2023. That deadline was first pushed back to mid-2024, and now, with the recent water damage, a new finish date remains uncertain.
Local Member for Cairns, Michael Healy, who accompanied the minister on the inspection, expressed his profound disappointment. He confirmed that the water damage occurred due to "water getting in behind the external cladding" of the building. The exact cause is under investigation, but it points to potential failures in the building's waterproofing or external envelope.
"I was absolutely gobsmacked, as was the minister," Mr Healy stated, emphasising the severity of the issue uncovered during the walk-through.
Accountability and the Path Forward
Minister Scanlon has directed the department to undertake a full review of the project's management and oversight. The focus is on understanding how the water damage was allowed to happen and ensuring those responsible for the building defects are held accountable for the cost of repairs.
"The department is going back through the whole process of this build to make sure those who are responsible for this water ingress are held to account, and that it is fixed on their dime, not the taxpayers'," Mr Healy explained.
The builder, Vaughan Constructions, is now tasked with rectifying the significant defects. The company must remove the damaged internal materials, address the fundamental cause of the water ingress, and then reinstall new walls and floors. This process will inevitably lead to further delays in delivering these critically needed homes to the Cairns community.
This incident raises serious questions about quality control and supervision in major public housing projects, especially at a time when Queensland is grappling with a severe social housing shortage. The fiasco in Manoora underscores the challenges in rapidly scaling up housing construction while maintaining build quality and durability, particularly in tropical climates prone to heavy rainfall.
