VOODOO pins were stuck into an effigy of Kevin Rudd yesterday to express the depth of community anger at proposed public housing at Trinity Park.

State Opposition Leader John-Paul Langbroek offered his support to those passionately protesting against a 19-unit block planned for Bluewater Harbour estate, which protesters say is set to offer tenants "little more than sweaty cages" in a building that does not fit into the neighbourhood or meet town planning guidelines.

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Mr Langbroek touched down in Cairns, where he is meeting LNP members today, and headed straight to the rally to blast both levels of government for poor public housing planning.

"My real concern is about the lack of consultation and the secrecy," Mr Langbroek told the crowd of about 150.

Pictures: Cairns public housing protests

"Obviously there’s poor planning, no consultation and, once again, government driving things through from a long way away and it’s inappropriate.

"I promise you, we will pursue this in the parliament."

Former Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch and Trinity Park area councillor Sno Bonneau also criticised the proposal at the rally, staged by the Concerned Citizens for Bluewater committee. Cr Julia Leu also attended.

Speakers from the committee said funds donated by those in the neighbourhood had allowed them to hire top lawyers who were looking at a future legal case.

They had also offered to buy the site back from the State Government, who purchased it with federal funds as part of the national stimulus package’s public housing component.

The committee argues the site is far from services and public transport needed to support public housing, and the building plans show it would be detrimental to the neighbourhood and future tenants.

Committee president Carl Williams said contradictory explanations from politicians and bureaucrats were also fuelling suspicions.

Department of Communities Director-General Linda Apelt has said the development, and a similar one at Palm Cove, would be likely to house "low-income key workers" in tourism-dependent jobs and with sporadic incomes.

Housing Minister Karen Struthers last week told State Parliament the site at Palm Cove would allow tenants who had grown up on the northern beaches to "live in their own community".

"We do not want signs up in communities saying ‘public housing free zone’," Ms Struthers said.

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