The Reserve Bank has signalled it may have to cut interest rates to historic lows next month to prevent unemployment rising. A reduction in the cash rate, now 1.5 per cent, has been widely expected as the economy slowed and inflation has remained at negligible levels. In a speech to the Queensland branch of the Economic Society…
Safe, adequate, affordable and appropriate housing is critical to health, wellbeing and social and economic security. However, many Australians cannot find housing in the private market and the social housing system is under-resourced and manifestly unable to meet demand.” – Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI), A conceptual analysis of social housing as infrastructure It’s…
Norwegian architecture firm Snøhetta and local partner Blight Rayner have been chosen to design the new $150 million theatre in South Bank. The team will deliver the design for the new 1500-seat theatre after being chosen from a shortlist that included Kerry Hill Architects, M3 and the London-based AL_A. The Queensland cultural precinct, designed by celebrated Brisbane…
Initial site investigations for Melbourne’s $50 billion Suburban Rail Loop will start in the second half of 2019 with specific station locations for the underground network yet to be finalised. The Andrews’ government announced the transport project on Facebook last August, laying out plans to connect with every major rail line from the Frankston line to…
QBCC had changed its tune in earlier this year and had now began flexing its muscles to the companies who had not responded to urgent show-cause notices issued by the QBCC in April. British construction giant Laing O’Rourke had its licence suspended by the QBCC in March. The regulator reinstalled its licence after the builder was…
WeWork launches $2.9billion platform After confidentially filing for an initial public offering in April, WeWork’s parent company has launched a US$2.9 billion platform to buy the buildings it rents in. WeWork, which rebranded as The We Company in early 2019, has launched “Ark” to manage and expand its real estate holdings. Raising an initial US$2.9…
How to navigate development opportunities in a testing market Brisbane’s property developers are strategically adapting to the current residential climate, controlling entire projects from end-to-end, retaining management rights and pushing for boutique projects they would be “proud to walk their families past in 20 years time”. While retreating foreign buyers, credit curbs, increased supply and…
First Home Buyers $500mil scheme The $500 million scheme, unveiled by the Coalition prior to their re-election, will underwrite 15 per cent of the home’s value — allowing first home buyers to more quickly, and easily, meet the 20 per cent deposit requirement. Modelled on a New Zealand policy, the scheme will be available next…
Choose Your Discomfort “It’s better to feel uncomfortable pushing for ‘better’ than to feel uncomfortable settling for less. I’ve learned that there’s going to be discomfort either way, but we can choose to be better now or settle later. “Avoid conflict and start a war within yourself” Discomfort is something we can seldom avoid however…
Highest Suicide Statistics out of any other Industry … But why? Did you know that the construction sector has one of the highest suicide rates compared to all other sectors? What a powerful image today of a man in London ready to take his own life, when people passing by encouraged him not to and…