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Predicted rate cuts will ‘encourage' investment in housing

Predicted rate cuts will ‘encourage' investment in housing

News.com.au19-05-2025
REA Group Senior Economist Anne Flaherty discusses how the predicted rate cuts will 'encourage' more investment in housing.
'I think we are going to see things pick up, particularly if we do get a rate cut as expected on Tuesday,' Ms Flaherty told Sky News Business Editor Ross Greenwood.
'You've got lower interest rates coming in, which is going to encourage more investment.'
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Soluna apples, known as Bravo in WA, hit US shelves amid plans to export to China
Soluna apples, known as Bravo in WA, hit US shelves amid plans to export to China

ABC News

time40 minutes ago

  • ABC News

Soluna apples, known as Bravo in WA, hit US shelves amid plans to export to China

In an Australian first, the Bravo apple has been exported to the United States. After years of testing, the Soluna apple — as it is known internationally — is now grown by approximately 90 producers across WA, NSW, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria. Since Bravo hit the domestic market in 2016, Soluna apples have gone on to stock supermarket shelves across Asia and the Middle East. WA Farm Direct general manager Elliot Jones said the first shipment to the US was small. "This is a market test — two containers worth — to get an understanding of where we would sit in the segment," Mr Jones said. "It's a premium apple, so we wanted to test it to set the platform for next year." Mr Jones believed the uniqueness of the apple would make the fruit competitive in the US apple market. He said it was being stocked in supermarkets on the US east coast. "They're retailing roughly for $10 Australian a kilo, so that is a premium to the Australian market," he said. "We are positioning it at a price point which will deliver returns to growers that are superior to what they can achieve in the domestic market. "There is additional costs in supplying these markets, both with freight — and there is a tariff into the US, there is an increased cost therefore there is going to be a higher cost to consumers." Mr Jones said WA Farm Direct was also preparing to export Soluna apples to China next year after securing market access, but added it would need to encourage more investment to meet demand. "We will have to make a decision on how much fruit we will have available early next year. "We are in a situation right now where we need more fruit, so we are encouraging further investment in the program to meet future demand." However, not all growers are convinced the move into new markets is a good idea. Vic Grozotis grows Bravos at his commercial orchard in the south west town of Manjimup, 300 kilometres south of Perth. He said he was not convinced on the future of the recent export shipment to America. "We don't even know what returns we are going to get for it, it is small volumes — it's just another feel good story coming out from the promoters of Bravo," Mr Grozotis said. "Last year, Bravo was my lowest returning variety — they are asking us to grow more of this when realistically we don't have any baseline price and don't know what the return is going to be. "You must remember, there are so many varieties coming on to the global market. But there are other south west WA growers who are optimistic on the growth of these new markets. Ann Lyster is a Manjimup apple farmer and is also chair of West Australian apple cooperative, Fruit West. "There is a very good business case that can be made for being able to supply not only the domestic market, but the international market as well," Ms Lyster said. "The coordinated marketing of Bravo — Soluna — doesn't suit all growers, but I think there is a great percentage that are very happy with the marketing that is being worked on."

West Melbourne biscuit factory apartment for sale
West Melbourne biscuit factory apartment for sale

News.com.au

time2 hours ago

  • News.com.au

West Melbourne biscuit factory apartment for sale

A Melbourne warehouse where Teddy Bear and Butternut Snap biscuits once rolled off the production line has been reborn as a heritage apartment. The one-bedroom loft at 19/11 Anderson St, West Melbourne — the former T.B. Guest & Co. biscuit factory — is now one of the city's most stylish conversions, with a price guide of $875,000-$950,000. The red-brick landmark on Anderson St was once a bustling workplace employing hundreds of staff and delivering truckloads of biscuits across Victoria. More than a century later, its robust walls and Oregon beams now enclose loft-style homes that have become some of the most sought-after in the suburb. Apartment 19 is one of the building's rare one-bedroom offerings, though at 95sq m it dwarfs most modern equivalents. With soaring black-painted ceilings, exposed brickwork, polished hardwood floors and a separate study large enough to double as a guestroom, the scale is a point of difference. The apartment also comes with oversized secure parking, an uncommon inclusion in heritage conversions. Ray White CRE director Toby Campbell said the property's history was its greatest selling point. 'People chasing this style won't even consider a modern build, they want the authenticity, the charm, the narrative baked into the bricks,' Mr Campbell said. 'You're not just buying an apartment, you're becoming a custodian of a legacy. 'This is forever architecture.' Mr Campbell said buyers drawn to warehouse conversions were looking for more than just a home. 'This is a one-bedroom you can actually entertain in, not your standard shoebox,' he said. 'It'll attract style-conscious buyers who value space and atmosphere. Even two-bedroom buyers are showing interest.' The building's fading 'Biscuits & Cakes' signage still stands over Anderson St, a reminder of its industrial past, while the 2002 conversion that transformed the site into residences deliberately kept the raw materials and character intact. Inside, the combination of century-old craftsmanship and modern finishes delivers what agents often call Melbourne's answer to the New York loft. West Melbourne's transformation from working-class heartland to inner-city hotspot has fuelled demand for conversions like this, with the Ray White CRE director feeling confident the upcoming Arden Metro Tunnel station will to accelerate growth in the area. 'Collingwood and Fitzroy used to dominate, now West Melbourne is firmly on the radar,' Mr Campbell said. The apartment goes to auction on September 20.

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