From the CEO
Celebrations were in full swing on Saturday night with our annual Awards for Excellence Gala Dinner. We toasted the best in the west once again and I pass my congratulations on to all of the winners and finalists announced on the night.
I am also pleased to welcome the Planning Minister’s announcement this morning that a new suite of planning reforms will be introduced, focused on changes to the management of Development Contributions along with a centralised process for the management of development assessment referrals.
The announcement of improved coordination, consistency, and transparency of Developer Contributions, in addition to several other reform initiatives are a direct result of UDIA WA advocacy on behalf of our members over many years. Check out our Member Alert here for more information.
We also welcomed the additional announcement from Minister Saffioti around the resolution of 13 of 15 Planning Investigation Areas (PIAs) identified as part of Perth and Peel @ 3.5 million. This progress is another step toward addressing uncertainty in the land supply pipeline.
I would also like to take this opportunity to inform members that Chris Green, who has been with UDIA WA for the last five years in the role of Director Policy & Research will be leaving the organisation this week. Chris has made an excellent contribution to UDIA WA throughout his time in the role and we wish him all the very best in the future. An announcement on the outcome of the recruitment process will be made next week. In the meantime, please feel welcome to reach out to myself or any of our team.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Awards celebrate best in the west
On Saturday night, UDIA WA were delighted to celebrate the incredible people and projects entered into the 2022 Awards for Excellence at our annual Gala Dinner.
The night was a big success with Golden Bay by Peet Ltd and DevelopmentWA taking home the highly coveted Russel Perry Award for Urban Development Excellence in addition to winning in the Excellence in Social & Community Infrastructure category.
Equally sought-after are the two Judges Awards which this year were handed to The Rivergums by Cedar Woods Properties and Subi East Aboriginal Manager Development Program by DevelopmentWA & Karrda. Two extremely different but both highly deserving of the Judges Discretionary awards that recognise outstanding achievement or innovation in a particular aspect of a development project.
Throughout the night we celebrated the incredible diversity of development that is happening, particularly in Perth, with projects from larger, masterplanned estates through to smaller lot and town house developments recognised for quality, innovation and sustainability.
To read more about all of the winners, click here or read the UDIA WA 2022 Awards for Excellence Winners Showcase magazine, here.
UDIA WA welcomes new planning reforms
Following extensive advocacy by UDIA WA on behalf of our members, we are pleased to welcome the Minister for Planning the Hon. Rita Saffioti’s announcement today on new reforms to complement the ongoing State Government Planning Reform agenda.
The new reforms are focused on changes to the management of Development Contributions along with a centralised process for the management of development assessment referrals. The Minister has stated these changes are off the back of industry consultation.
The new reforms include:
- Improved coordination, consistency, and transparency of Developer Contributions, including creation of a dedicated unit in Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage.
- Centralised Developer Contribution policy to improve consistency and coordination of infrastructure delivery.
- A centralised process for the management of development assessment referrals to State Government agencies and departments through a State Referral Coordination Unit
- Centralised preparation and administration of structure plans at the district or regional level where areas are of key strategic importance and/or have fragmented land ownership.
These initiatives are a direct result of UDIA WA advocacy in relation to the dire need to address affordable housing supply across the continuum in Western Australia, including our most recent Housing Ready report and the previous Housing our Community Report (both reports can be found here).
Our consistent messaging in relation to the reform agenda has also been relayed to the government in multiple State Budget submissions and planning reform submissions.
UDIA WA also commissioned independent research into the management of Development Contribution Plans in 2020 that informed a raft of recommendations in relation to the need for increased transparency and consistency in the management of DCPs particularly by Local Government.
UDIA WA congratulates the Minister on the latest round of reforms and we look forward to continuing to work closely with the Department of Planning; Lands and Heritage on behalf of our members to continue to progress the reform agenda.
YDP Award winner
UDIA WA would like to give special acknowledgment to Rachel Ezzard from Stockland for winning the highly coveted 2022 UDIA WA Stockland Young Development Professional Award on Saturday night.
This award celebrates and encourages the future leaders of our industry. For over a decade the annual Young Development Professional Award has recognised excellence in the next generation of development industry professionals, and promoted dedicated young professionals with the drive to succeed.
Rachel is a highly dedicated and passionate Development Manager with almost 10 years of experience delivering master planned residential communities for Stockland.
From humble beginnings starting out as an Undergraduate Scholar in 2013, Rachel’s desire to gain exposure to all facets of project delivery and commitment to pushing the boundaries to deliver considered communities has seen her career accelerate to the role of Development Manager, where she works across some of Perth’s major land developments.
Rachel is particularly proud of her contribution to creating iconic parks, which set a new benchmark for playspaces in Perth including the well-known 2.5 million Robot Park in Newhaven, Piara Waters. She also played an important role in the delivery of Whiteman Edge Town Centre.
Rachel thrives on collaborating with her peers and the wider community to develop successful developments with lasting community spirit. She is also a strong advocate for mentorship, taking an active role in supporting the growth of young professionals and the promotion of the development industry.
As a former committee member for the Property Council of Australia and Urban Development Institute of Australia, Rachel has demonstrated strong contributions to the industry to date and is a deserving winner of the UDIA WA Young Development Professional Award for 2022.
Two finalists were also named from a strong field of entries with Harry Seward from Hesperia and Simone Kenyon from Acumen Development Solutions also recognised at the Gala Dinner.
Women in Leadership awarded
Well respected property leader Tanya Trevisan from Frasers Property Australia was named as the 2022 UDIA WA Women in Leadership Award winner at our gala dinner.
With extensive experience internationally and nationally in the delivery of high quality, sustainable built environments – Tanya impressed the judges with her authentic leadership approach both in the industry and in her vast range of volunteer roles over 25 years.
From the regeneration of the Berlin CBD, to Green Square in Sydney and the delivery of the first Green Start multi-unit building in Australia, Tanya challenges the expectations of women having to be a superhero at home and at work and encourages other women to step up, be brave and take opportunities when presented.
Currently Development Director at Frasers Property Australia, Tanya is also an advocate for the role of the volunteer to promote thought leadership and broad community benefit and values the opportunity to be able to contribute.
She has held volunteer roles for over 25-years, including (but not limited to) as a member of the Editorial, and Housing & Urban Design Committees at the NSW Royal Australian Institute of Architects (‘RAIA’), an invited speaker on ‘sustainable housing diversity’ at three universities; UNSW, UTS and UWA, a member of the West Australian Planning Commission (‘WAPC’) SPP7.2 Design WA – Apartments Advisory Group, and WA president of Property Council of Australia.
As the first female president of Property Council in Western Australia, Tanya became a role model to women and indeed all members of the in the property industry in 2017.
Tanya believes in the importance of engaging with industry and community through seeking diverse views and is passionate about challenging current thinking and promoting best practice to improve outcomes.
Kate Freeman from Stockland was also recognised on Saturday night as a deserving Finalist in the 2022 Women in Leadership Award.
The Urbanist
On Monday, UDIA WA were delighted to exclusively release the latest edition of our thought-leadership publication The Urbanist to members.
This latest edition of The Urbanist focuses on Future Proofing, exploring the development and creation of resilient communities.
Throughout this edition we feature a variety of influential voices and respected experts as we delve into what the future holds for the urban development industry.
Key contributors to this edition include:
- Professor Richard Florida
- Maria-Francesca Spatolisano from the United Nations
- Jane Bennett
- Sara Stace
- Anthony Rowbottam
- Lauren Sorkin
- Niels Holm-Nielsen from the World Bank
- Jeremy Cordina
- And Many more
UDIA WA members are able to log in and access the latest edition here and to read all previous editions of the magazine, click here.
Awards for Excellence Winners Showcase
Following the conclusion of the UDIA WA 2022 Awards for Excellence, UDIA WA are delighted to present this year’s Winners Showcase magazine which highlights all the incredible winners and finalists.
Released digitally on Monday, the Winners Showcase can be read here.
The printed edition will be delivered direct to members early next month with a couple of advertising opportunities to feature your business or project in this printed edition still available by contacting Chris Thurmott at cthurmott@udiawa.com.au.
Planning Investigation Areas
Earlier today Minister for Planning the Hon. Rita Saffioti also announced the resolution of 13 of 15 Planning Investigation Areas (PIAs) identified as part of Perth and Peel @ 3.5 million.
UDIA WA welcomes this progress as another step toward addressing uncertainty in the land supply pipeline.
For more information about the announced changes to the PIAs, click here.
Home in WA set to air this week
Following two postponements as a result of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, UDIA WA are pleased to announce our next Home in WA episode is set to broadcast this Sunday September 25 at 1.30pm on Channel 7 & 7HD
In this episode we visit Murdoch Square by Hesperia, which is a great example of a mixed use development set to provide a range of services and amenities to the local community.
The episode provides an insight into how the project is creating a transit-based destination hub that provides a range of complementary activities.
Part of the wider Murdoch Health and Knowledge Precinct (MHKP), Murdoch Square will bring together aged care, specialist medical suites, hotel and medi-hotel, commercial offices and a hospital. Murdoch Square will be embedded with retail, and a food and beverage precinct; tying together the buildings and showcasing a landscaped plaza at the heart.
UDIA WA is a proud partner of Home in WA. Tune into Channel 7 or 7HD this Saturday from 12pm to watch this episode and for more information about Home in WA or to feature your company in an episode, click here.
New legislation introduced to end WA’s State of Emergency
This week the State Government provided notice that it will introduce a Bill into State Parliament to amend the Emergency Management Act 2005 to allow for the ongoing management of COVID-19 beyond a State of Emergency.
The Bill will enable the State Emergency Coordinator to make a temporary ‘COVID-19 declaration’ to continue managing the pandemic with sensible measures such as mask wearing and isolation requirements.
The new framework is designed to be fit for purpose and allow for the COVID-19 measures that have kept Western Australia safe and strong during its world-leading response to the pandemic.
A ‘Temporary COVID-19 Declaration’ can only be made if the State Emergency Coordinator is satisfied that COVID-19 poses a risk to the safety of the community, such that it requires a co-ordinated response to prevent loss of life or harm to the health of the community.
Under the new legislation, which will automatically expire in two years’ time, a ‘Temporary COVID-19 Declaration’ can be made for three-month periods at a time. This framework will replace the current system where State of Emergency declarations must be renewed every two weeks to continue.
Unlike a State of Emergency declaration, a ‘Temporary COVID-19 Declaration’ will not allow for the closure of State borders or require an application to enter Western Australia from any other State or Territory.
Minutes of Monetary Policy Meeting of the Reserve Bank Board
This week saw the release of the Minutes from the September Monetary Policy Meeting from the Reserve Bank of Australia.
At the meeting a further 50 basis point rise in the cash rate target was agreed to, with the rate now sitting at 3.85% as part of the RBA’s continued efforts to reign in inflation.
The minutes note that while global and domestic inflation remains high, there are signs of potential tailing off, however it is too early to say if this is a trend or a short-term occurrence.
To read the minutes in full, click here.
Land Report opportunities open
October sees the return of the highly popular Land Report, published in partnership with The West Australian, which provides an up-to-date overview of UDIA WA’s latest land sales figures and market commentary.
Using UDIA WA lot sales data each edition includes insights from UDIA and our members on updates in the land sector as well as providing an opportunity for our members to deliver key messages to consumers.
For your chance to be involved with the October edition of the Land Report, see here or reach out to Maddisen Booth at The West Australian for more information.
UDIA Online Access Code
UDIA WA are pleased to share a new Corporate Accommodation Rate Code for our members to receive 15% off accommodation with Crown Perth.
To access the discounted rates simply book via the Crown Hotels website and quote our Corporate Access code urband3357 in the promotional code field to receive your negotiated corporate rate.
Full instructions can be found here and for more information and T&Cs, click here.