UDIA In Action
It has been another very busy week in the UDIA WA office. On Tuesday our CEO Tanya Steinbeck met with the Office of State Revenue ahead of the decision to extend the HomeBuilder construction timeframes, we participated in the Waterwise Perth Action Plan showcase and the launch of the Reimagining Home Project at Parliament House.
UDIA WA representatives met with DWER to discuss Strategic Drainage Issues and we commenced the next round of UDIA WA committee meetings with the Environment, Infrastructure, Outlook and the Urban Water committees all meeting this week. We were also pleased to host the first meeting of our newly established Built Form Advisory Group to resolve some of the challenges facing that sector of the market.
As we head into the final stages of planning for our Industry Luncheon with the Premier next Friday we look forward to welcoming over 500 guests! We will launch our comprehensive State Election Campaign at this event so don’t forget to register before it is too late, here.
HomeBuilder construction timeframes extended
Following a meeting with the Office of State Revenue on Tuesday UDIA WA welcomed the announcement that the timeframe to commence house construction under the Federal Government’s HomeBuilder scheme in Western Australia has been doubled to six months.
The significant increase in building activity made it difficult for people to meet the Commonwealth’s restrictive three-month commencement period for the $25,000 HomeBuilder grant.
As a result, we welcomed the decision by the Commissioner of State Revenue to use her discretionary power to extend the commencement period to six months from date of contract for all HomeBuilder applicants.
While falling short of extending the timeframe to the end of 2021 to align with the state government’s own Building Bonus scheme, this extension will continue to relieve pressure on industry as homebuyers continue to take advantage of the incentives on offer.
For more information about the extension to the construction timeframes for HomeBuilder click here.
UDIA National are also continuing to advocate for an extension and re-design of HomeBuilder to allow our industry to continue to support the economy throughout the extended economic downturn.
As part of this, they recently unveiled a new industry survey entitled HomeBuilder Mark 2, which makes the case for an extension to HomeBuilder to tap the capacity for residual domestic demand to support economic recovery until net overseas migration and population growth return.
For more information, about HomeBuilder Mark 2, click here.
UDIA Member Briefing: Kangaroo Management hosted by Strategen JBS&G
Strategen JBS&G, in partnership with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions hosted a Member Briefing on site at UDIA WA to discuss best practice methods of Kangaroo Management in the urban development industry.
Strategen JBS&G WA State Manager Tim Bowra together with Fran Stanley, Executive Director Conservation and Ecosystem Management gave a presentation discussing the management of kangaroos as part of the development process.
The presentation looked at the various options for managing kangaroos and the benefits and costs associated with the various options available.
The policy framework regarding kangaroo management in development areas is complex and split between local government and State Government agencies resulting in a lack of clarity and certainty for stakeholders. Strategen JBS&G and DBCA discussed the importance of timing in addressing existing populations of kangaroos in proposed development sites, noting site specific early intervention and active management will provide the best results.
While there is no established clear-cut best practice approach to kangaroo management early intervention, community outreach, and industry education assist in the delivery of better outcomes.
The discussions following the presentation highlighted the need for greater collaboration between all stakeholders and UDIA will seek further engagement with DBCA, DPLH and local governments on this issue to ensure more effective outcomes.
Meeting DWER to discuss Strategic Water Issues
UDIA WA President Col Dutton and State Councillors met with Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) Director General Mike Rowe and other senior representatives to discuss strategic water issues.
Within the meeting UDIA reiterated the need for a whole of government approach to water management and effective collaboration and integration between different government agencies and we are pleased DWER recognised the importance of ensuring strategic water allocation and drainage management issues are dealt with up front at the outset of the land use planning process.
Following the meeting both UDIA and DWER agreed to further collaboration and engagement in order to deliver improve environmental and community outcomes.
Lead architect and lead design engineers for ECU City Campus sought
On Monday, Edith Cowan University (ECU) released two Expression of Interest invitations to the market, seeking a Lead Architect and Lead Design Engineers for its new $695 million ECU City Campus.
The campus is the centrepiece of the recently announced Perth City Deal, which is designed to help Perth recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and position the city for the future.
The project will deliver Western Australia’s first vibrant and engaging CBD university campus and represent one of the State’s largest and most exciting building projects.
The new campus will sit over the Perth Busport and will be located just minutes from the central railway.
For more information about the project, click here and the Expression of Interests can be accessed through TendersWA, here.
Sundowner rounds 2020 off in style
Last Thursday our young professionals celebrated the end of 2020 in fine fashion when they turned out for the UDIA Outlook End of Year Sundowner at the Lucky Shag.
More than 120 attendees enjoyed the chance to network, relax and say goodbye to what has been an extremely challenging year.
Check out some of the images from the night here and don’t forget to register for the WA Development Industry’s End of Year Sundowner on the banks of the Swan River as we celebrate the end of an unprecedented year! Register to attend here.
State Treasurer to stand down…again
This week, WA State Treasurer Ben Wyatt reaffirmed his decision to stand down from politics at the next election.
Mr Wyatt originally made the decision to stand down at the start of the year before reversing that decision when the pandemic first took hold in Western Australia.
Following the successful delivery of the State Budget last month and the strengthening recovery of the State’s economy, the Treasurer has decided to once again step down from the political world.
UDIA WA would like to thank the Treasurer for his time in office and we look forward to working with his replacement following the next election.
Allowing more Western Australians to age in place
Like in many places around the world – Western Australia’s population is ageing, which means ensuring we are providing appropriate housing for senior Australians is an important issue.
In fact, according to the State Government’s WA Tomorrow report, by 2031 it is expected that one in six people will be aged over 65 in WA, and we will have twice the number of people aged over 85 years old.
To read the story in full, click here.
Waterwise Perth Action Plan Showcase
Last Friday UDIA WA Director Policy and Research Chris Green attended the Waterwise Action Plan Showcase, which celebrated 1 year since the official launch of the action plan.
During the event Minister for Water Dave Kelly detailed that under the Action Plan, the ambition is for Perth to be cool, liveable, green and sustainable – transitioning to a waterwise city that is responsive to the impacts of climate change and one where people want to live, work and spend their time.
In celebrating the first 12 months of the plan the event included a showcase of displays from partners here that really shows the volume of work and effort that is going into bringing the Waterwise Perth Action Plan to life.
UDIA is proud to have been involved with the inception and creation of the Action Plan and are keen advocates of its aims to transition Perth into a waterwise city.
Reimagining Home Project
Earlier this week UDIA WA CEO Tanya Steinbeck was delighted to attend the launch of the Reimagining Home – A Framework for Creating Home with Older Single Women on Low Incomes research project.
The project was launched by ShelterWA in partnership with Connect Victoria Park and Lisa Baker MLA for Maylands and was put together by Liz Lennon, from Focused Solutions, a single older woman with experience of poverty, housing stress and homelessness, brings to life a new future of housing options.
The Reimagining Home Innovation Framework is centred on five critical elements of Beautiful, Affordable, Sustainable, Connected and Powerful housing options that have been co-created by single older women, a group of people on our community who are usually unseen or disregarded.
Four building blocks of research, engagement, design and building, provide the essential elements needed to collaboratively create homes so single older women can age well.
A copy of the Reimagining Home Framework, Summary Document and Look Book which has examples of social and affordable homes developed with and for older women on low incomes and a range of community identities can be found here.
Site Security Update
Crime reports have increased significantly in the first half of November with 24 reports, totalling over $18,000 in stolen and damaged goods.
Burglaries have been committed in Golden Bay, Armadale and Dayton where offenders targeted whitegoods and bathroom furniture. Installed hot water units have been stolen in Warwick and Golden Bay, whilst in the Whiteman Edge Estate, Brabham, offenders removed 160 metres of recently laid power cables from the ground and stole several copper fittings.
Ensure you report all incidents of theft and damage to assist the industry in reducing crime, more information here.