THE NUMBER of building approvals for new homes jumped by 15.4 percent in seasonally-adjusted terms thanks to the continued success of the Federal Government’s HomeBuilder scheme, according to Master Builders Australia CEO Denita Wawn.
“During September, there was a 9.7 percent increase in private sector detached house approvals while approvals for apartments and units did even better, jumping by 23.4 percent up from August,” she said.
“These positive figures are mirrored by lending data showing a 25.3 percent surge in the number of loans to owner occupiers for new home construction. Even prior to the start of the Covid-19 crisis, new home building activity in Australia had been in the advanced stages of downturn.
"The introduction of HomeBuilder has turned things around. Approvals for new detached houses are now 20.7 percent up on this time last year,” Ms Wawn said.
“The recovery in residential building will benefit the whole economy. Every $1 million in residential building activity supports nine jobs right around our economy. The upturn generated by HomeBuilder is helping claw back some of the jobs lost as a result of the pandemic.
“Extending HomeBuilder until the end of 2021 will maximise the benefits of the scheme will be fully maximized. It will mean the renewed momentum in the housing market to reach its full potential over the course of next year and provide even more benefits to our whole economy in terms of restoring employment,” Ms Wawn said.
THE Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO) Kate Carnell is encouraging growers and traders in disputes that fall under the Horticulture Code of Conduct to contact her office.
“The Horticulture Code is a mandatory code that aims to improve the clarity and transparency of trading arrangements between growers and traders,” Ms Carnell said.
“My office can provide growers and traders with information and assistance with dispute resolution, including access to mediation services and produce assessors. Mediation is a far more cost-effective and timely way to resolve disputes than taking legal action.
“Our website also features a list of horticulture produce assessors who can help resolve a disagreement by investigating and reporting on matters linked to a horticulture produce agreement.
“Assessors can address issues such as whether a trader was entitled to reject produce or whether a grower has received the correct payment from the trader," Ms Carnell said.
“Once an assessor is involved, all parties have to comply with the assessor’s reasonable requests and failure to do so can attract a penalty. At the end of the day we want to keep small businesses out of the courts, where let’s face it, the only winners are lawyers.
“The good news is that the majority of small business disputes my office assists with are resolved at mediation or before," she said.
“Since my office opened four years ago, we have provided free assistance to over 20,000 small businesses nation-wide. Two-out-of-three of those disputes were successfully resolved at mediation or prior to that through contact with our assistance team.
“We want to help small businesses resolve their disputes as quickly as possible so they can get on with what they do best – running their business.”
Small businesses that need information about the Horticulture Code or help with resolving a dispute that falls under the Code can visit www.asbfeo.gov.au or call the hotline 1300 650 460.
(For more information on alternate dispute resolution, check out this video.)
VICTORIA is on track to have Australia’s best 10c refund scheme for drink containers, with the Victorian Government announcing its proposal for a ‘split governance’ approach to maximise recycling, accountability and community benefits, the Boomerang Alliance of 52 environment groups said today.
The announcement is good news for Victoria’s community groups, charities, schools and sports organisations, as well as almost 45,000 Victorians who have signed the change.org petition to stop the state’s container deposit scheme (CDS) being controlled by the makers of Coke, XXXX Gold and Powerade.
Commenting on the announcement, Jeff Angel, director of the Bomerang Alliance, said the government had clearly done a significant amount of research before putting forward the split model as the best version for Victorians.
“The government’s preferred approach encourages the beverage companies to be accountable for the pollution they produce, and also creates an independent operator whose focus is on maximising refund points so we can get the best of both worlds, with good engagement of drink companies and a clear focus on collecting as many used bottles and cans as possible,’’ Mr Angel said.
“I’ve no doubt that many hundreds of community groups and charities will enthusiastically participate, as well as millions of Victorian households. It will be important to have a high level of convenience for people and groups to get their refunds – after all, it’s their money.
"There will be multiple benefits to the community and businesses including millions of dollars to charities from donated refunds and running collection points, many small business opportunities, and reduced waste management costs for pubs, clubs and restaurants.
“While the Victorian Government has recommended the best scheme for the community, there is no doubt the beverage giants will fight for their own, inferior version. In states where the beverage giants have run the CDS we have seen lower container returns, and it’s essential that the beverage industry’s focus on retaining profits does not contaminate the scheme’s capacity to offer the best level of refund service.’
“Victoria needs community support now, more than ever before, to keep the CDS clean. We are preparing an information campaign - Recycle right Victoria: say yes to a clean CDS - to ensure everyone knows the facts and can participate in the consultation process over coming weeks.
“As in all other jurisdictions with a CDS – the drinks industry will be required to follow the law and participate regardless of their particular policy position,’’ Mr Angel said.
Boomerang Alliance was founded by a group of passionate individuals wanting to implement a container deposit system across Australia. From surfers, recyclers to clean up groups, they banded together to form a movement of thousands of people to give communities power over their waste solutions. Today, the Boomerang Alliance is comprised of 52 environment and charity organisations that are committed to zero waste in Australia.
THE Queensland Resources Council (QRC) is ready to get to work with the re-elected Labor Government and its new Mines Minister to deliver on a Resources Industry Development Plan to help Queensland recover from COVID.
QRC chief executive Ian Macfarlane said today the Plan, which Treasurer Cameron Dick endorsed prior to the election campaign, was a blueprint for the growth of the coal, metals and gas sectors to supercharge Queensland’s economic recovery from COVID-19.
He said Labor’s re-election as a majority government was great news for the resources sector and negated the impact of the Greens, whose anti-mining policies would have shut down the industry and put thousands of Queenslanders out of work.
Prior to the election the QRC had secured bipartisan support for the Resources Industry Development Plan on behalf of the state’s explorers, producers and suppliers.
Mr Macfarlane said the Plan and other commitments from the Government included agreement to:
implement an industry development plan to support the sector’s future growth
encourage exploration to uncover new discoveries for coal, metals and gas
commit to a 12-week consultation period on regulatory changes that may impact on the sector
streamline assessment and approval processes for new and expansion projects
promote the development of the North West Minerals Province, particularly for the critical minerals to support the growth of advanced manufacturing, battery storage and renewable energy
progress the CopperString project in the State’s North West.
Mr Macfarlane said the latest economic contribution data showed the mining, gas and energy sector was supporting 420,000 jobs – one in six jobs – across Queensland and has been a bedrock of financial support and stability for the state economy during COVID-19.
“In the lead-up to the election, the QRC received the most comprehensive set of election commitments from major parties the resources industry has seen in more than two decades,” Mr Macfarlane said.
“The resources industry – which contributed $82.6 billion in the past financial year to the state economy plus $4.5 billion in royalties – looks forward to working closely with the next government to secure our state’s long-term economic and environmental wellbeing by producing, working and earning our way out of COVID.”
Mr Macfarlane said receiving a commitment from the new government that it will not increase royalty rates during its four-year term remained a priority for the resources sector.
“The Labor Government has previously committed to a three-year freeze on royalties for coal and metals and five-year freeze on gas, and costings for its new four-year term do not include any changes to royalties, but the QRC is looking forward to the government’s confirmation of its plans,” he said.
“Stability on royalties is critical for our sector because it gives companies the confidence to invest more, employ more and export more.
“All Queenslanders benefit from a strong state economy and the jobs that flow from that, and as the resources sector has already demonstrated since the outset of the pandemic, our industry is crucial to helping Queensland recover from COVID.”
Mr Macfarlane said the QRC will also ask the new Palaszczuk Government to act against the use of continuous court appeals, which prevent mines that have received all relevant State and Federal Government approvals from proceeding.
“First cab off the rank must be to give the green light to New Hope’s New Acland Stage 3 mine project and to secure the 600 jobs that come with that,” he said.
THE Accommodation Association today stated it is vital that whichever party wins tomorrow’s election open the Queensland borders as quickly as possible.
according to The Accommodation Association, Tourism Research Australia reported that travel from New South Wales (NSW) to Queensland is worth $4.4 billion each year and from Queensland to NSW $3.3 billion.
The Accommodation Association represents close to 3,500 hotels, with more than 150,000 rooms, and prior to COVID nearly 100,000 employees across Australia -- but this has fallen to about 58,000 at present.
Prior to the closure of the international and state borders, the accommodation industry contributed $17 billion to the Australian economy each year.
Accommodation Association CEO Dean Long isaid, “The decision to close Queensland’s border to the whole of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory was disappointing given the limited number of cases.
"Tomorrow’s election provides an opportunity to set things right for QLD’s accommodation businesses. Both the Queensland and wider accommodation sector understand some of the health considerations that have governed political decision making to date, however, continued border restrictions will continue to lead to even more devastating job losses in the state’s tourism sector.
“It is absolutely critical that the new Premier of Queensland begins the process of opening the state’s borders. The Queensland Premier’s decisions also impact businesses in NSW and the ACT, therefore moving forward we ask to work closer together on a more collaborative and constructive approach," Mr Long said.
“Keeping Queensland’s borders closed is devastating hotels, motels and serviced apartment providers, and the symbiotic relationship they have with many tourism reliant communities and local economies.
“We urge the new Queensland Government to work closely with our member businesses so we can walk the line between protecting our people and protecting their jobs. We need to start making more democratic decisions to begin rebuilding consumer confidence in Queensland’s accommodation sector.”
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