From the CEO
I have just returned from our Kaya Cape Experience as part of our 50th Anniversary Conference in Bunker Bay.
The cultural journey through the heart of Wadandi country, led by Josh from Koomal Dreaming, took members on a journey highlighting the resourcefulness, connection and creativity of the Wadandi Noongar people. The powerful, spiritual and respectful connection to the land is inspiring and good for the soul. What a privilege to share that experience with our members as we reflect on our relationship with traditional owners as an industry.
Reconciliation Week this week is centred around the theme “Be a voice for generations”. I see thematic similarities with advocating and bringing a collective voice to facilitating the creation of great places for generations to come. The depth of knowledge that our nation’s first people have of our land, environment, seasons and the bounty that our country’s land produces is beyond measure.
How we work with traditional owners of the land on which we create homes for our community has endless potential. Thousands of years of wisdom passed down through generations is there to guide an authentic approach to creating great places that are reflective of our roots. Now that will be good for the soul.
State conference in Bunker Bay
This week UDIA WA were delighted to welcome attendees and guests to Bunker Bay for our 50th Anniversary State Conference.
The event kicked off last night with our official welcome function that included a 70’s themed dress code with many of our members keeping up UDIA’s excellent tradition of dressing to impress with a range of colours, patterns and funky hairstyles on show.
Congratulations to the team from JDSi Consulting Engineers Steven Foley, David Hellmuth and Richard Martin for taking out the best dressed award.
The official Conference sessions started this morning with an enlightening presentation from Michael Pascoe, one of Australia’s most experienced and thoughtful finance and economics commentators.
Mr Pascoe’s presentation looked at the impact of the monetary policy decisions made by the RBA and Governments around the world during the COVID period and how that is changing Australian’s spending habits into the future.
Following his presentation Amanda Shipton lead a session entitled Sharing the Vision, looking at how industry and government can work together to communicate a clear vision for Perth’s urban growth & consolidation in the local community and how we then foster a greater understanding in the community of the development industry’s role as community creators.
A lively panel session with former Presidents Warwick Hemsley AO and Alex Gregg along with Outlook Committee members Renee Gumina and Fenualla O’Brien followed Amanda’s presentation.
The panel discussed where the industry has come from and where we are heading and included an open discussion about the future of our industry, learning from the past and understanding current and future challenges and opportunities.
UDIA Executive Manager – Research (WA and National) Toby Adams rounded out the formal panel sessions for today with a look back at the history of UDIA WA’s quarterly Urban Development Index which started in 1989.
Since its launch the UDI has run consistently ever since and has been a cornerstone for UDIA WA’s evidenced based policy and advocacy work. Toby’s enlightening presentation brought some light to the last 34 years’ worth of data and how this has helped to shape Perth’s urban growth and development.
Following the lunch break attendees took part in an On Country experience with Wadandi Cultural Custodian Josh ‘Koomal’ Whiteland that provided an opportunity for guests to learn about the deep connection the Wadandi people have to the Cape to Cape region. This event forms part of UDIA WA’s recognition and acknowledgement of National Reconciliation Week 2023.
This evening guests will enjoy our Anniversary Cocktail Dinner before tomorrow morning’s keynote address with Urban Futurist Stephen Yarwood looking at the future of the urban development industry. Following his presentation delegates will participate in an interactive open forum session to identify what industry’s expectations are for the next 50 years, what challenges industry will face, what needs to change, what do we need to be prepared for, and what government policy is needed.
We extend our thanks to all attendees, speakers and to our 50th Anniversary State Conference sponsors DevelopmentWA, Western Power, Taylor Burrell Barnett and JDSi Consulting Engineers.
UDIA WA acknowledges National Reconciliation Week
UDIA WA helped to acknowledge National Reconciliation Week today with an On Country experience led by Josh ‘Koomal’ Whiteland from Koomal Dreaming. Josh led our State Conference delegates on a tour around the Cape Naturaliste lighthouse area and discussed the history and connection of the local Wadandi people who have called the Cape to Cape region home for over 50,000 years.
Delegates learned the traditional names for many local areas, flora and fauna as well as learning more about the Noongar six seasons. There was also a practical demonstration on how to start a fire using the grass tree spear. Josh finished up the experience with a moving didgeridoo and drumming performance.
The theme for National Reconciliation Week 2023 is Be a Voice for Generations. The theme encourages all Australians to be a voice for reconciliation in tangible ways in our everyday lives – where we live, work and socialise.
National Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.
UDIA WA are on our own Reconciliation journey currently drafting our first REFLECT RAP with the help of our RAP Working Group and ongoing engagement activities.
If you are interested in participating in UDIA WA’s RAP Working Group, please contact Gemma: gosiejak@udiawa.com.au
For more information about National Reconciliation Week, click here.
Premier Mark McGowan resigns
On Monday Premier Mark McGowan announced he would be making the decision to resign from his role as WA’s 30th Premier and the Member for Rockingham at the end of this week.
The Premier’s announcement brings to a close 6 years of his premiership with his Deputy the Hon. Roger Cook MLA set to take over as WA’s 31st Premier and the Hon. Rita Saffioti set to be named as the Deputy Premier and Treasurer.
The rest of the cabinet positions will be announced by the new Premier early next week and UDIA WA will provide the details of these changes when we have the information.
UDIA congratulates the Premier on a successful period leading our great state through a fairly tumultuous few years and look forward to working with the new Premier and his team into the future.
Help break the cycle of homelessness with UDIA WA
Members are encouraged to join the UDIA WA Vinnies CEO Sleepout team this year! UDIA WA CEO Tanya Steinbeck will once again be heading up team UDIA WA at the Sleepout on 22 June to raise much needed funds to help break the cycle of homelessness.
Last year the UDIA WA team raised in excess of $90,000 to support extremely worthy homelessness causes and the aim is to beat this target with an even bigger team this year.
This year, we are opening up our team to all members who want to join us and hopefully smash our 2022 total raised.
If you would like to join UDIA WA’s team this year, register here and join the UDIA WA team here.
Urban Intelligence
On Monday UDIA WA were pleased to release the latest edition of our monthly Urban Intelligence report which details the latest stats and facts impacting the development industry.
This month’s report including the latest Land Snapshot data, house and land settlement data, economic trends including building approvals and lending indicators and much more.
The report also includes a feature article exploring the rate of Perth’s residential price growth and how it compares to the rest of the country by Executive Manager Research Toby Adams.
To view the latest report, click here.
We extend our thanks to our Principal Research Partners Urbis, Landgate and CoreLogic for their support in compiling our research publications.
Property Undergraduate Degree Survey
Curtin University’s School of Accounting, Economics and Finance (SAEF) Property Advisory Panel, is undertaking a Property Undergraduate Degree Industry Survey, as such you are invited to participate in the Property Undergraduate Degree Industry Survey.
Conducted as a partnership between the Australian Property Institute, Urban Development Institute of Australia WA, the Property Council of Australia WA and Curtin University, the survey is designed to capture the views of property professionals who are working with recent university graduates (up to 5 years in industry). It focuses on graduates’ readiness for work and their understanding of the knowledge fields required for accreditation by relevant industry bodies. Findings from this survey will inform improvements to relevant Property courses in the tertiary sector.
The online survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete. Curtin University Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) has approved this study (HRE2023-0027).
To participate, please click on the link here.
The survey is set to remain open until the 17 June 2023.
Just 1 month left to enter 2023 Awards for Excellence
Time is fast running out for those companies looking to enter the UDIA WA 2023 Awards for Excellence with nominations set to close at the end of this month.
This prestigious awards program is widely regarded as the pinnacle for the urban development industry in terms of achievement in community creation, innovation and sustainability.
The award winners and finalists represent the very best urban development projects delivered within Western Australia, and are reflective of the growth of best practices and industry as a whole.
Start your entry here. For more information on criteria, guidelines, glossary, tips & how to’s download the nominations kit here.
Up to 50,000 homes to benefit from underground power
Eight Western Australian local governments have committed to Western Power’s Targeted Underground Power Program, which will provide up to 50,000 WA properties with a future-focused, safer, and more reliable power supply solution.
Residents and businesses in the cities of Bayswater, Canning, Melville, Stirling, Swan, and Vincent and towns of Bassendean and Victoria Park will be part of the 50,000 following the signing of memorandums of understanding (MOU) with Western Power to support undergrounding within their local government areas (LGA).
The areas identified in these LGAs are based on Western Power’s network driven approach, which prioritises parts of suburbs with large clusters of aging overhead infrastructure requiring renewal.
The MOUs formalise the intent of Western Power and the LGAs regarding collaboration and development of the co-funded projects.
Scoping and planning works for some projects have begun with construction of the first two projects in Bassendean north and Willagee set to begin in April 2024.
More than 100,000 properties in the South West Interconnected System have been converted from overhead distribution power lines to underground power since 1996.
For more information about underground power projects, visit here.