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Broadmeadow plan reveals land set aside for new entertainment centre

Broadmeadow plan reveals land set aside for new entertainment centre

The Advertiser6 days ago
The rezoning of Broadmeadow will unlock 3.5 hectares for a new indoor arena and four hectares of land at Newcastle Showground for public recreation and community events.
The details have been revealed in a finalisation report for the Broadmeadow precinct rezoning proposal.
The Newcastle Herald reported on August 8 that the NSW government had completed rezoning of the first four government-owned sites: Go Karts and stadium forecourt, Newcastle Showground, Basketball Stadium and PCYC and the Locomitive Heritage Park.
New planning controls will enable up to 3200 homes to be built on government-owned land, while a newly released artist's impression shows an entertainment centre located adjacent to McDonald Jones Stadium.
Almost 80 submissions were made regarding the rezoning proposal. Sport and open space were the most heavily featured themes followed by density and height, and traffic, transport and parking.
Concerns were raised in submissions about a perceived loss of green space and recreation areas.
The report said public access to open space would increase under the rezoning proposal, including four hectares of zoned open space at Newcastle Showground available for public recreation and community events and about 3.5 hectares of land zoned for a multipurpose indoor arena that would replace the entertainment centre.
Those new spaces are expected to be delivered in the first five years.
There was general support for an indoor arena in the proposed location near the stadium.
Some submissions also called for a basketball stadium to be accommodated within the precinct.
Plans have been lodged to build a new basketball stadium at New Lambton due to the government's plans to rezone the existing basketball stadium site. However, the proposed new location has attracted fierce opposition from residents and sporting clubs.
The report said the relocation of the basketball stadium to New Lambton was a "separate" process.
The completion of the rezoning has been welcomed by industry groups and stakeholders.
Housing Industry Association Hunter executive director Craig Jennion said new planning controls to enable up to 3200 homes were "the starting gun the residential construction sector has been eagerly awaiting".
"Yesterday's release of the HIA-Cotality Residential Land Report ranked Newcastle and Lake Macquarie as the seventh most expensive regional market in Australia and the sixth highest regional land price per square metre over the March quarter 2025," he said.
"With the high level of demand for residential building in the lower Hunter, the stage 1 rezonings will in time be a catalyst in alleviating pressures on the housing sector, delivering much-needed housing stock."
Business Hunter acting CEO Amy De Lore said Broadmeadow's transformation was a 30-year vision, but it was "vitally important that we start to create momentum now to attract private-sector interest".
"Today's announcements will help to generate that momentum," she said. "The state-led rezonings bring those four areas a step closer to being development-ready.
"This is an area three times the size of Sydney's new Bradfield city centre and sits three kilometres from the centre of NSW's major regional city, so it is a significant precinct development for our region and the state."
Property Council Hunter and Central Coast regional director Nuatali Nelmes said the rezoning was a major move to help unlock one of regional NSW's most significant renewal opportunities.
"Broadmeadow has all the ingredients to become a nationally significant mixed-use precinct - and with the Hunter and Central Coast Development Corporation (HCCDC) confirmed as the delivery lead, we now have the right structures in place to make it happen," Ms Nelmes said.
"This is a place where homes, jobs and high-speed rail will intersect - a genuine gateway to the Hunter. It will take dedicated coordination and early funding for enabling works to bring that vision to life and create a vibrant, connected community at the heart of the Hunter."
HCCDC will prepare an infrastructure delivery plan to investigate the requirements for delivering the state or regional infrastructure to support the Broadmeadow precinct.
The rezoning of Broadmeadow will unlock 3.5 hectares for a new indoor arena and four hectares of land at Newcastle Showground for public recreation and community events.
The details have been revealed in a finalisation report for the Broadmeadow precinct rezoning proposal.
The Newcastle Herald reported on August 8 that the NSW government had completed rezoning of the first four government-owned sites: Go Karts and stadium forecourt, Newcastle Showground, Basketball Stadium and PCYC and the Locomitive Heritage Park.
New planning controls will enable up to 3200 homes to be built on government-owned land, while a newly released artist's impression shows an entertainment centre located adjacent to McDonald Jones Stadium.
Almost 80 submissions were made regarding the rezoning proposal. Sport and open space were the most heavily featured themes followed by density and height, and traffic, transport and parking.
Concerns were raised in submissions about a perceived loss of green space and recreation areas.
The report said public access to open space would increase under the rezoning proposal, including four hectares of zoned open space at Newcastle Showground available for public recreation and community events and about 3.5 hectares of land zoned for a multipurpose indoor arena that would replace the entertainment centre.
Those new spaces are expected to be delivered in the first five years.
There was general support for an indoor arena in the proposed location near the stadium.
Some submissions also called for a basketball stadium to be accommodated within the precinct.
Plans have been lodged to build a new basketball stadium at New Lambton due to the government's plans to rezone the existing basketball stadium site. However, the proposed new location has attracted fierce opposition from residents and sporting clubs.
The report said the relocation of the basketball stadium to New Lambton was a "separate" process.
The completion of the rezoning has been welcomed by industry groups and stakeholders.
Housing Industry Association Hunter executive director Craig Jennion said new planning controls to enable up to 3200 homes were "the starting gun the residential construction sector has been eagerly awaiting".
"Yesterday's release of the HIA-Cotality Residential Land Report ranked Newcastle and Lake Macquarie as the seventh most expensive regional market in Australia and the sixth highest regional land price per square metre over the March quarter 2025," he said.
"With the high level of demand for residential building in the lower Hunter, the stage 1 rezonings will in time be a catalyst in alleviating pressures on the housing sector, delivering much-needed housing stock."
Business Hunter acting CEO Amy De Lore said Broadmeadow's transformation was a 30-year vision, but it was "vitally important that we start to create momentum now to attract private-sector interest".
"Today's announcements will help to generate that momentum," she said. "The state-led rezonings bring those four areas a step closer to being development-ready.
"This is an area three times the size of Sydney's new Bradfield city centre and sits three kilometres from the centre of NSW's major regional city, so it is a significant precinct development for our region and the state."
Property Council Hunter and Central Coast regional director Nuatali Nelmes said the rezoning was a major move to help unlock one of regional NSW's most significant renewal opportunities.
"Broadmeadow has all the ingredients to become a nationally significant mixed-use precinct - and with the Hunter and Central Coast Development Corporation (HCCDC) confirmed as the delivery lead, we now have the right structures in place to make it happen," Ms Nelmes said.
"This is a place where homes, jobs and high-speed rail will intersect - a genuine gateway to the Hunter. It will take dedicated coordination and early funding for enabling works to bring that vision to life and create a vibrant, connected community at the heart of the Hunter."
HCCDC will prepare an infrastructure delivery plan to investigate the requirements for delivering the state or regional infrastructure to support the Broadmeadow precinct.
The rezoning of Broadmeadow will unlock 3.5 hectares for a new indoor arena and four hectares of land at Newcastle Showground for public recreation and community events.
The details have been revealed in a finalisation report for the Broadmeadow precinct rezoning proposal.
The Newcastle Herald reported on August 8 that the NSW government had completed rezoning of the first four government-owned sites: Go Karts and stadium forecourt, Newcastle Showground, Basketball Stadium and PCYC and the Locomitive Heritage Park.
New planning controls will enable up to 3200 homes to be built on government-owned land, while a newly released artist's impression shows an entertainment centre located adjacent to McDonald Jones Stadium.
Almost 80 submissions were made regarding the rezoning proposal. Sport and open space were the most heavily featured themes followed by density and height, and traffic, transport and parking.
Concerns were raised in submissions about a perceived loss of green space and recreation areas.
The report said public access to open space would increase under the rezoning proposal, including four hectares of zoned open space at Newcastle Showground available for public recreation and community events and about 3.5 hectares of land zoned for a multipurpose indoor arena that would replace the entertainment centre.
Those new spaces are expected to be delivered in the first five years.
There was general support for an indoor arena in the proposed location near the stadium.
Some submissions also called for a basketball stadium to be accommodated within the precinct.
Plans have been lodged to build a new basketball stadium at New Lambton due to the government's plans to rezone the existing basketball stadium site. However, the proposed new location has attracted fierce opposition from residents and sporting clubs.
The report said the relocation of the basketball stadium to New Lambton was a "separate" process.
The completion of the rezoning has been welcomed by industry groups and stakeholders.
Housing Industry Association Hunter executive director Craig Jennion said new planning controls to enable up to 3200 homes were "the starting gun the residential construction sector has been eagerly awaiting".
"Yesterday's release of the HIA-Cotality Residential Land Report ranked Newcastle and Lake Macquarie as the seventh most expensive regional market in Australia and the sixth highest regional land price per square metre over the March quarter 2025," he said.
"With the high level of demand for residential building in the lower Hunter, the stage 1 rezonings will in time be a catalyst in alleviating pressures on the housing sector, delivering much-needed housing stock."
Business Hunter acting CEO Amy De Lore said Broadmeadow's transformation was a 30-year vision, but it was "vitally important that we start to create momentum now to attract private-sector interest".
"Today's announcements will help to generate that momentum," she said. "The state-led rezonings bring those four areas a step closer to being development-ready.
"This is an area three times the size of Sydney's new Bradfield city centre and sits three kilometres from the centre of NSW's major regional city, so it is a significant precinct development for our region and the state."
Property Council Hunter and Central Coast regional director Nuatali Nelmes said the rezoning was a major move to help unlock one of regional NSW's most significant renewal opportunities.
"Broadmeadow has all the ingredients to become a nationally significant mixed-use precinct - and with the Hunter and Central Coast Development Corporation (HCCDC) confirmed as the delivery lead, we now have the right structures in place to make it happen," Ms Nelmes said.
"This is a place where homes, jobs and high-speed rail will intersect - a genuine gateway to the Hunter. It will take dedicated coordination and early funding for enabling works to bring that vision to life and create a vibrant, connected community at the heart of the Hunter."
HCCDC will prepare an infrastructure delivery plan to investigate the requirements for delivering the state or regional infrastructure to support the Broadmeadow precinct.
The rezoning of Broadmeadow will unlock 3.5 hectares for a new indoor arena and four hectares of land at Newcastle Showground for public recreation and community events.
The details have been revealed in a finalisation report for the Broadmeadow precinct rezoning proposal.
The Newcastle Herald reported on August 8 that the NSW government had completed rezoning of the first four government-owned sites: Go Karts and stadium forecourt, Newcastle Showground, Basketball Stadium and PCYC and the Locomitive Heritage Park.
New planning controls will enable up to 3200 homes to be built on government-owned land, while a newly released artist's impression shows an entertainment centre located adjacent to McDonald Jones Stadium.
Almost 80 submissions were made regarding the rezoning proposal. Sport and open space were the most heavily featured themes followed by density and height, and traffic, transport and parking.
Concerns were raised in submissions about a perceived loss of green space and recreation areas.
The report said public access to open space would increase under the rezoning proposal, including four hectares of zoned open space at Newcastle Showground available for public recreation and community events and about 3.5 hectares of land zoned for a multipurpose indoor arena that would replace the entertainment centre.
Those new spaces are expected to be delivered in the first five years.
There was general support for an indoor arena in the proposed location near the stadium.
Some submissions also called for a basketball stadium to be accommodated within the precinct.
Plans have been lodged to build a new basketball stadium at New Lambton due to the government's plans to rezone the existing basketball stadium site. However, the proposed new location has attracted fierce opposition from residents and sporting clubs.
The report said the relocation of the basketball stadium to New Lambton was a "separate" process.
The completion of the rezoning has been welcomed by industry groups and stakeholders.
Housing Industry Association Hunter executive director Craig Jennion said new planning controls to enable up to 3200 homes were "the starting gun the residential construction sector has been eagerly awaiting".
"Yesterday's release of the HIA-Cotality Residential Land Report ranked Newcastle and Lake Macquarie as the seventh most expensive regional market in Australia and the sixth highest regional land price per square metre over the March quarter 2025," he said.
"With the high level of demand for residential building in the lower Hunter, the stage 1 rezonings will in time be a catalyst in alleviating pressures on the housing sector, delivering much-needed housing stock."
Business Hunter acting CEO Amy De Lore said Broadmeadow's transformation was a 30-year vision, but it was "vitally important that we start to create momentum now to attract private-sector interest".
"Today's announcements will help to generate that momentum," she said. "The state-led rezonings bring those four areas a step closer to being development-ready.
"This is an area three times the size of Sydney's new Bradfield city centre and sits three kilometres from the centre of NSW's major regional city, so it is a significant precinct development for our region and the state."
Property Council Hunter and Central Coast regional director Nuatali Nelmes said the rezoning was a major move to help unlock one of regional NSW's most significant renewal opportunities.
"Broadmeadow has all the ingredients to become a nationally significant mixed-use precinct - and with the Hunter and Central Coast Development Corporation (HCCDC) confirmed as the delivery lead, we now have the right structures in place to make it happen," Ms Nelmes said.
"This is a place where homes, jobs and high-speed rail will intersect - a genuine gateway to the Hunter. It will take dedicated coordination and early funding for enabling works to bring that vision to life and create a vibrant, connected community at the heart of the Hunter."
HCCDC will prepare an infrastructure delivery plan to investigate the requirements for delivering the state or regional infrastructure to support the Broadmeadow precinct.
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Sydney to Newcastle in one hour: is the High Speed Rail on track?
Sydney to Newcastle in one hour: is the High Speed Rail on track?

The Advertiser

time8 hours ago

  • The Advertiser

Sydney to Newcastle in one hour: is the High Speed Rail on track?

With a motorway and railway line nearing capacity, High Speed Rail Authority CEO Tim Parker believes there is only one clear solution. Speaking to a Newcastle crowd on August 13, Mr Parker said the proposed East Coast high-speed rail would help alleviate travel woes between NSW's two largest cities. "Everyone in this corridor has an M1 story, none of them a very good one," Mr Parker said. The federal government is reviewing the High Speed Rail Authority's business case for a Sydney to Newcastle route, the first stage of a network that would span from Melbourne to Brisbane. Mr Parker said they were refining the business case and hoping for a decision from the government by the end of the year. Once the business case was reviewed, Mr Parker said the next stage was to get tenders from builders and rail supply, likely in about two years or so. The CEO estimated the build period to take between 10 to 12 years. Modelling shows travel time between Sydney and Newcastle would be one hour, with Newcastle to Brisbane at three hours, and Newcastle to Melbourne at five hours. In March, the Newcastle Herald reported that the authority estimated the Newcastle to Sydney link could be built by 2037 if the government provided sufficient backing. There has been no formal costing, although similar projects overseas have cost between $16 million and $110 a kilometre. The Sydney Morning Herald reported in January that modelling for the previous state Coalition government's fast rail proposal estimated it would be between $27 billion and $32 billion from Sydney Olympic Park to Tuggerah. On Thursday evening, Mr Parker said as well as delivering the business case to the government in December 2024, they had delivered a product definition report about the types of trains needed. He said the for-purpose high-speed trains would travel 320 kmh on a dedicated line, meaning fewer delays. He said the new service would have 98 per cent reliability. "It is not a metro or suburban line, it is a competitor to the airlines," he said. The CEO said the fares would be "competitive" with the unsubsidised Sydney train fares and the Newcastle to Sydney Greyhound buses. He said initially they were hoping they would run four trains every hour, but ultimately run 12 trains an hour between Sydney and Melbourne and eight trains an hour between Sydney and Brisbane. They were thinking of building eight-car trains with a capacity of 500 seats, he said. Mr Parker said they planned to build an advanced manufacturing facility to develop components for the rail line off-site. The project would hopefully incorporate a local manufacturing focus alongside international expertise, he said. One of the biggest challenges of the long-term project was topographical and building around national parks, he said. "We will have to develop this environmentally sensitively," he said. He said while they did not have a definitive list of stations yet, they had looked very closely at Broadmeadow. "This should be a long-term commitment with bipartisan support," Mr Parker said. "Hopefully, both sides of politics would understand that it is good for the country and get behind it." With a motorway and railway line nearing capacity, High Speed Rail Authority CEO Tim Parker believes there is only one clear solution. Speaking to a Newcastle crowd on August 13, Mr Parker said the proposed East Coast high-speed rail would help alleviate travel woes between NSW's two largest cities. "Everyone in this corridor has an M1 story, none of them a very good one," Mr Parker said. The federal government is reviewing the High Speed Rail Authority's business case for a Sydney to Newcastle route, the first stage of a network that would span from Melbourne to Brisbane. Mr Parker said they were refining the business case and hoping for a decision from the government by the end of the year. Once the business case was reviewed, Mr Parker said the next stage was to get tenders from builders and rail supply, likely in about two years or so. The CEO estimated the build period to take between 10 to 12 years. Modelling shows travel time between Sydney and Newcastle would be one hour, with Newcastle to Brisbane at three hours, and Newcastle to Melbourne at five hours. In March, the Newcastle Herald reported that the authority estimated the Newcastle to Sydney link could be built by 2037 if the government provided sufficient backing. There has been no formal costing, although similar projects overseas have cost between $16 million and $110 a kilometre. The Sydney Morning Herald reported in January that modelling for the previous state Coalition government's fast rail proposal estimated it would be between $27 billion and $32 billion from Sydney Olympic Park to Tuggerah. On Thursday evening, Mr Parker said as well as delivering the business case to the government in December 2024, they had delivered a product definition report about the types of trains needed. He said the for-purpose high-speed trains would travel 320 kmh on a dedicated line, meaning fewer delays. He said the new service would have 98 per cent reliability. "It is not a metro or suburban line, it is a competitor to the airlines," he said. The CEO said the fares would be "competitive" with the unsubsidised Sydney train fares and the Newcastle to Sydney Greyhound buses. He said initially they were hoping they would run four trains every hour, but ultimately run 12 trains an hour between Sydney and Melbourne and eight trains an hour between Sydney and Brisbane. They were thinking of building eight-car trains with a capacity of 500 seats, he said. Mr Parker said they planned to build an advanced manufacturing facility to develop components for the rail line off-site. The project would hopefully incorporate a local manufacturing focus alongside international expertise, he said. One of the biggest challenges of the long-term project was topographical and building around national parks, he said. "We will have to develop this environmentally sensitively," he said. He said while they did not have a definitive list of stations yet, they had looked very closely at Broadmeadow. "This should be a long-term commitment with bipartisan support," Mr Parker said. "Hopefully, both sides of politics would understand that it is good for the country and get behind it." With a motorway and railway line nearing capacity, High Speed Rail Authority CEO Tim Parker believes there is only one clear solution. Speaking to a Newcastle crowd on August 13, Mr Parker said the proposed East Coast high-speed rail would help alleviate travel woes between NSW's two largest cities. "Everyone in this corridor has an M1 story, none of them a very good one," Mr Parker said. The federal government is reviewing the High Speed Rail Authority's business case for a Sydney to Newcastle route, the first stage of a network that would span from Melbourne to Brisbane. Mr Parker said they were refining the business case and hoping for a decision from the government by the end of the year. Once the business case was reviewed, Mr Parker said the next stage was to get tenders from builders and rail supply, likely in about two years or so. The CEO estimated the build period to take between 10 to 12 years. Modelling shows travel time between Sydney and Newcastle would be one hour, with Newcastle to Brisbane at three hours, and Newcastle to Melbourne at five hours. In March, the Newcastle Herald reported that the authority estimated the Newcastle to Sydney link could be built by 2037 if the government provided sufficient backing. There has been no formal costing, although similar projects overseas have cost between $16 million and $110 a kilometre. The Sydney Morning Herald reported in January that modelling for the previous state Coalition government's fast rail proposal estimated it would be between $27 billion and $32 billion from Sydney Olympic Park to Tuggerah. On Thursday evening, Mr Parker said as well as delivering the business case to the government in December 2024, they had delivered a product definition report about the types of trains needed. He said the for-purpose high-speed trains would travel 320 kmh on a dedicated line, meaning fewer delays. He said the new service would have 98 per cent reliability. "It is not a metro or suburban line, it is a competitor to the airlines," he said. The CEO said the fares would be "competitive" with the unsubsidised Sydney train fares and the Newcastle to Sydney Greyhound buses. He said initially they were hoping they would run four trains every hour, but ultimately run 12 trains an hour between Sydney and Melbourne and eight trains an hour between Sydney and Brisbane. They were thinking of building eight-car trains with a capacity of 500 seats, he said. Mr Parker said they planned to build an advanced manufacturing facility to develop components for the rail line off-site. The project would hopefully incorporate a local manufacturing focus alongside international expertise, he said. One of the biggest challenges of the long-term project was topographical and building around national parks, he said. "We will have to develop this environmentally sensitively," he said. He said while they did not have a definitive list of stations yet, they had looked very closely at Broadmeadow. "This should be a long-term commitment with bipartisan support," Mr Parker said. "Hopefully, both sides of politics would understand that it is good for the country and get behind it." With a motorway and railway line nearing capacity, High Speed Rail Authority CEO Tim Parker believes there is only one clear solution. Speaking to a Newcastle crowd on August 13, Mr Parker said the proposed East Coast high-speed rail would help alleviate travel woes between NSW's two largest cities. "Everyone in this corridor has an M1 story, none of them a very good one," Mr Parker said. The federal government is reviewing the High Speed Rail Authority's business case for a Sydney to Newcastle route, the first stage of a network that would span from Melbourne to Brisbane. Mr Parker said they were refining the business case and hoping for a decision from the government by the end of the year. Once the business case was reviewed, Mr Parker said the next stage was to get tenders from builders and rail supply, likely in about two years or so. The CEO estimated the build period to take between 10 to 12 years. Modelling shows travel time between Sydney and Newcastle would be one hour, with Newcastle to Brisbane at three hours, and Newcastle to Melbourne at five hours. In March, the Newcastle Herald reported that the authority estimated the Newcastle to Sydney link could be built by 2037 if the government provided sufficient backing. There has been no formal costing, although similar projects overseas have cost between $16 million and $110 a kilometre. The Sydney Morning Herald reported in January that modelling for the previous state Coalition government's fast rail proposal estimated it would be between $27 billion and $32 billion from Sydney Olympic Park to Tuggerah. On Thursday evening, Mr Parker said as well as delivering the business case to the government in December 2024, they had delivered a product definition report about the types of trains needed. He said the for-purpose high-speed trains would travel 320 kmh on a dedicated line, meaning fewer delays. He said the new service would have 98 per cent reliability. "It is not a metro or suburban line, it is a competitor to the airlines," he said. The CEO said the fares would be "competitive" with the unsubsidised Sydney train fares and the Newcastle to Sydney Greyhound buses. He said initially they were hoping they would run four trains every hour, but ultimately run 12 trains an hour between Sydney and Melbourne and eight trains an hour between Sydney and Brisbane. They were thinking of building eight-car trains with a capacity of 500 seats, he said. Mr Parker said they planned to build an advanced manufacturing facility to develop components for the rail line off-site. The project would hopefully incorporate a local manufacturing focus alongside international expertise, he said. One of the biggest challenges of the long-term project was topographical and building around national parks, he said. "We will have to develop this environmentally sensitively," he said. He said while they did not have a definitive list of stations yet, they had looked very closely at Broadmeadow. "This should be a long-term commitment with bipartisan support," Mr Parker said. "Hopefully, both sides of politics would understand that it is good for the country and get behind it."

Staggering $54 billion spent on Aussie home renovations within the past year
Staggering $54 billion spent on Aussie home renovations within the past year

News.com.au

time4 days ago

  • News.com.au

Staggering $54 billion spent on Aussie home renovations within the past year

Aussie homeowners are spending $5 billion more on renovations than they were before the pandemic, with a jaw-dropping $54b splashed over the past year. Rising build costs and increasing home values have caused a spike in money spent across the state, with new research showing renovation loans have jumped by thousands since 2019. But the Housing Industry Association (HIA) reveals this spending surge might not see another spike until worker supply meets demand. HIA senior economist Thomas Devitt said 'massive increases in construction and finance costs' were playing out as the renovation market played catch-up with the changing economy after the pandemic. 'The resurgence in activity we've been seeing more recently will be much more reflective of increasing real activity,' he said. 'The cost of renovation projects seems to have stabilised around 40 per cent above pre-pandemic levels.' The HIA predicted rising demand nationwide would cause Aussies to spend an extra $2b annually by March of 2029. Mr Devitt said rising home prices meant renovations were seen as an affordable alternative to buying a new house, with the market was expected to continue growing. However the extent of renovation growth would depend on the supply of skilled labour to meet the demand – especially bricklaying and ceramic tiling. A separate HIA study that estimates potential demand for kitchen and bathroom renovations found homeowners were choosing to renovate their bathrooms first. Across 2024-2025, Australia was estimated to have a renovation demand for around 244,000 bathrooms and 163,000 kitchens. Mr Devitt said this demand was typically determined by the age of the residence. 'Actual demand for renovations may deviate from notional or potential demand, depending on short term variables beyond just the age of the dwelling stock, like housing market conditions, the economic outlook, or policy settings like interest rates and taxes,' Mr Devitt said. Kirkwood and Co. interior designer Georgia Wallace said she found kitchens could keep pace with modern renovation desires more than bathrooms. 'I think if you're going to update a property or your own home, starting with a bathroom renovation is something that definitely lifts a property,' she said. 'It definitely dates faster, so it's something I think more people will be doing.' But Ms Wallace said even a simple bathroom renovation could cost tens of thousands of dollars more than it used to, with more than double the pre-Covid wait times for builders. 'You could be waiting between six and 12 months to lock in builders,' she said. 'It's so hard to get a good tiler locked in.' All up, 40,274 renovation loans were placed by Australians in the past 12 months from March, up by more than 3,000 from the previous 12 months. Quarterly loan numbers in the 2019-2020 financial year were typically around 6-7,000, with 2025's numbers at an increase of about 2,000 per quarter. Mr Devitt said while spending reached a high in 2021, he expected the renovation market to continue at a healthy rise moving forward. 'It may have cooled from the highs of recent years, but it's still going strong,' he said. 'It sustained itself much better than the new home building sector, and is set to pick up again too – from historical elevated levels of real activity, not just value.'

Nationals Senator Matt Canavan mocks green crusade of Australia's largest aluminium smelter which resulted in likely collapse of mammoth facility
Nationals Senator Matt Canavan mocks green crusade of Australia's largest aluminium smelter which resulted in likely collapse of mammoth facility

Sky News AU

time4 days ago

  • Sky News AU

Nationals Senator Matt Canavan mocks green crusade of Australia's largest aluminium smelter which resulted in likely collapse of mammoth facility

Nationals Senator Matt Canavan has mocked the green energy crusade of Rio Tinto-owned Tomago aluminium smelting facility, which has now forced it to its knees. In early June Rio Tinto-owned Tomago facility, Australia's biggest aluminium producer, was seeking billions of dollars in public funds to avert collapse as energy costs plagued local industry. The NSW government confirmed it was in discussions to stave off the potential collapse of the mammoth smelter as it struggled with crippling power bills and poor availability of renewable energy, with Mr Minns stressing the facility was a strategically important asset for both the state and the country. However, Tomago smelter workers were informed on Monday that the facility would be forced to close its doors in 2028 or sooner unless a new affordable energy contract was negotiated with the assistance of both the state and federal governments. Queensland Nationals Senator Matt Canavan posted a side-by-side panel to X of a 2021 report outlining Tomago's push to switch to a predominantly renewable based power supply by 2029, and the Newcastle Herald's article citing the facilities imminent failure with the caption, 'how it started … how it is going.' In a statement to Mr Canavan railed against the Albanese government's renewable energy agenda and said the policy was driving the nation's industrial and manufacturing base into the ground. 'Soaring power prices from Labor's failing net zero ideology is bringing Australian manufacturing to its knees,' Senator Canavan said. He said that unless energy prices eased, Tomago would join a long list of large-scale industrial facilities nationwide that would shut down for good. 'Tomago, our nation's largest aluminium smelter, joins manufacturers from right around the nation in shutting unless energy costs come down,' Senator Canavan said. 'Net zero is just not working." The producer is located north of Newcastle, uses about 10 per cent of NSW's power supply and makes about 37 per cent of Australia's primary aluminium. The collapse of the massive company could lead to more than 1,000 people losing their jobs, while 5,000 indirect workers could also suffer as a result. Smelter workers were told by management on Monday that the facilities closure was not a matter of 'if, but when' due to sharp power price rises, according to the Newcastle Herald. The owners of the facility - the smelter is also part owned by CSR and Hydro Aluminium - have been conducting direct negotiations with NSW Premier Chris Minns and federal authorities to secure a lifeline believed to be in the billions, with the bailout set to be more complex than simply a direct government subsidy. Rio Tinto's Chief Executive Jakob Stausholm earlier this year flagged concerns about the producer's electricity costs, as he warned power price contracts beyond 2028 would render Tomago unviable. Premier Minns said in early June that it was 'difficult to speculate about what next steps are' with the NSW government facing calls from unions and industry groups to safeguard the facility's future. However, the Albanese government has pushed ahead with its plan to move the country's $5.1 billion aluminium industry onto a renewable energy grid to meet its target of lowering emissions by 43 per cent by 2030. In January the Prime Minister pledged to provide $2 billion in production taxation credits for Australia's four largest aluminium smelters to aid in the renewable energy transition.

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