Latest news with #Queenslanders
Courier-Mail
11 hours ago
- Business
- Courier-Mail
Buying a home 5 times harder now than in 1980
It is now five times harder for young Queenslanders to buy their first home than it was for their Boomer and Gen-X parents, according to shock new analysis exposing the enduring impact of the nation's longest property boom. Extensive PropTrack analysis over 45 years shows a typical house in Brisbane, which cost just $32,750 in 1980, is now valued at an astounding 420 per cent more in 2025 when adjusted for inflation. That's because the $32,750 spent on a home in 1980 equates to about $174,600 today, but the current median house price has skyrocketed to $910,000. The analysis reveals how much harder it is for the current generation to buy property compared to their parents' era, and has prompted experts to sound the alarm for first home buyers as saving for a deposit becomes more out of reach than ever before. SEE WHAT HOMES REALLY USED TO COST IN YOUR SUBURB PropTrack economist Angust Moore said young people were taking longer to enter the market, relying more on family support, or accessing government incentives to buy with a smaller deposit. 'The deposit hurdle is just unequivocally harder than it was four or five decades ago, and that has manifested in home ownership rates which have fallen over those years,' Mr Moore said. He said lower interest rates now than the 1980s and early 1990s, when they surged to a high of 17 per cent, had helped drive up property prices in that time due to greater competition and demand. Brisbane's median value surged from $32,750 in December 1980 to $95,000 in December 1990, $152,000 in 2000, $465,000 in 2010, and $910,000 by March 2025. Brisbane units show a slightly less dramatic trend, rising from $38,750 in 1980 to $636,000 today. The trend played out differently across suburbs, with blue-chip as well as entry-level areas included among the most striking examples of real price growth. A typical home in inner-city Hawthorne, priced at $2.125m in 2025, is worth more than ten times its inflation-adjusted 1980 value of $164,500. In Woodridge, homes cost $24,950 45 years ago – equal to about $133,000 today. But the Logan suburb's current median house price is $650,000. The long boom on the back of the Covid-19 pandemic has seen prices rise even more sharply than in the 1990s, when rates plummeted and the real estate market flourished. Newstead locals and engineers Toby Tremain and Georgia Stel, both 25, said they were being pushed out of their preferred suburb by astronomical house prices and currently preferred to rent and live in the city. 'We are both open to owning an apartment, we're not like we must have a house and live in the city,' Mr Tremain said. 'I understand that's not feasible. 'But I think the trade-off is, like living in this area right now for us is really enjoyable.' Rising prices aren't exclusive to the capital, with regional and coastal centres also recording huge real growth. On the Gold Coast, houses in Surfers Paradise were already more expensive than Brisbane in 1980 at $74,500. That figure would be equivalent to $397,200 considering rising living costs, yet a typical home in the Glitter Strip now costs $1.35m. Another Gold Coast example, Ashmore, was closer to Brisbane's median in 1980 at $43,950 — $234,300 in today's dollars. Its current house price is $1.138m. Further north, a house in Aitkenvale, Townsville had a median of $29,625 in December 1980, or $158,000 adjusted. It's now worth more than three times that amount at $514,000. Real Estate Institue of Queensland (REIQ) CEO Antonia Mercorella said price growth was driven by a chronic undersupply of housing. 'Scarcity continues to put upward pressure on prices, particularly impacting first-home buyers who now face a vastly different affordability landscape than previous generations,' Ms Mercorella said. 'If we want to enable sustainable price growth and ensure future generations the same opportunity to own a home, housing policy must be squarely focused on supply. 'Any attempt to improve affordability without significantly increasing housing stock is doomed to fall short.' MORE NEWS Secret tactics of dodgy agents exposed Real estate playboy spills on Aussie market Byron Bay's Beach Hotel sold for $140m Buyers agent Alex Pope said Baby Boomer and Gen X homeowners were unlocking equity in their properties to help younger family members buy through a guarantor loan. 'First-home buyers are often getting support from mum and dad, and in some ways it's very easy for the older generation who have fared really well from the market to do this,' Mr Pope said. 'As a young person who may have just started in a career, recently moved out of home and paying rent, you're in a really expensive time of life while your income is probably still quite low, so getting the deposit is the hardest part.' Mr Pope advised young buyers to treat their first home as a stepping stone – 'your first home isn't your last, but it does catapult you to the next'. By starting in a duplex, unit, or renovator, young buyers could build equity and eventually move into a more ideal property as their careers and incomes grew, he said. Only a tiny number of suburbs across Greater Brisbane remained at 2000 or even 1990 prices. Russell Island was most frequently highlighted in the data as having current prices comparable to historical values of various other suburbs. Prices in a handful of other outer suburbs including North Booval, Logan Central, Goodna and South Brisbane units were now on par with some values from 20-plus years ago. But the overwhelming majority of homes had now well-surpassed those old benchmarks, cementing a major decline in affordability.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Sad detail about Slater and Smith as Melbourne Storm severe Queensland ties
Some of the Melbourne Storm's most iconic players have come through their historic Queensland Cup pathway, including champions like Cameron Smith, Billy Slater and Cooper Cronk. But the NRL club is severing it's traditional ties to Queensland in favour of a more stream-lined 'reserve grade' team in the NSW Cup. The Sunshine Coast Falcons and Brisbane Tigers (formerly known as Easts) have been feeder teams for the Storm for the past 27 years. But in a bombshell decision, the revealed this week that the long and successful partnership will be ended after this year. Starting next season, the club will have a Melbourne Storm team playing in the NSW Cup - the tier below the NRL in NSW. Unlike in the Queensland Cup, teams that play in the NSW Cup predominantly have the same name as their NRL equivalents. The current North Sydney Bears team that plays in the NSW Cup is also a feeder club for the Storm. But that will have to change when the Perth Bears enter the NRL competition in 2027. According to the Courier Mail report, the move is designed around stream-lining the Storm's reserve grade squad and keeping their fringe first-graders in the Melbourne colours. This "builds the continuity that many of their Sydney-based rivals enjoy with their NSW Cup teams," the report states. The Storm released a statement on Friday confirming the move, while promising to maintain their affiliation with Queensland through other means. 'There is no doubt our partnership with the Falcons and East has helped us find some of the best talent to have ever pulled on a Storm jersey,' said the Storm's director of football Frank Ponissi. 'However, like all clubs, we are always looking at ways to improve our pathways, particularly with the expansion of the NRL and NRLW in the coming years. While we might be exploring new opportunities to develop and expand our male and female programs, our commitment to south-east Queensland will be maintained whether through our existing recruitment programs or new partnership opportunities with the Falcons or Easts.' The move is an extraordinary one considering the rich history of Queenslanders making their mark with the Melbourne Storm. Smith, Slater, Cronk and Greg Inglis all played for Norths Devils in the Queensland Cup, which is actually in Brisbane Broncos territory. But they signed with the Storm when the club started moving into Queensland territory in the early 2000s. Former Storm coach Mark Murray said in 2017: 'The Broncos had Queensland to themselves for so long, so our focus was pretty narrow up there, and our strike rate ended up being pretty good as a result.' Current players Harry Grant, Trent Loiero and Tino Fa'asuamaleaui all came through the Sunshine Coast Falcons, as did the NSW-born Ryan Papenhuyzen. And Cameron Munster played for the Brisbane Tigers before making his NRL debut. RELATED: Blow for Billy Slater with Queensland player banned from Origin Trainer at centre of Origin incident unmasked as NRL great's brother The historic ties to the Queensland Cup is the main reason the majority of Melbourne Storm players represent the Maroons at Origin level. Whether or not that trend continues remains to be seen. The move away from Queensland will seemingly open the door for the Dolphins to recruit more talent through the Sunshine Coast pathway, while the Tigers will likely become a feeder for the Broncos. Make sense when you think about it. Falcons would be a logical feeder club to the Dolphins, and the Tigers as a feeder to Broncos. — behind_th_8ball (@behind_th_8ball) May 29, 2025 Wow. Big change — clayton johns (@5Nouseforaname) May 29, 2025 Terrible — nolesfan2011 (@nolesfan2011) May 30, 2025
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- Health
- Sydney Morning Herald
New COVID variant emerges as vaccinations hit five-year low
A surge of COVID cases and the emergence of a new variant ahead have raised concerns from health authorities, with doctors warning vaccination rates in Queensland have fallen to a five-year low. Figures show more than 15,000 COVID cases have been reported in Queensland since January, with nearly 3000 people hospitalised with the virus. At the same time, fewer than 250,000 Queenslanders have received their free booster jab this year, which Mater hospital's director of infectious diseases Professor Paul Griffin said was the lowest since COVID vaccines were introduced five years ago. 'We have dropped the ball with COVID-19 vaccinations, but this disease is still very prevalent in the community and poses a serious threat to high-risk patients,' Griffin said. The figures arrived as NB.1.8.1 – a sublineage of the Omicron variant – emerged, which Griffin said was driving up infections and hospitalisations, particularly in Asia and Western Australia. Loading 'The best way to protect yourself and your family, is to get the newest booster which provides very good coverage, is safe, and will reduce the severity of your symptoms if you contract COVID-19.' Griffith University virology and infectious diseases expert Associate Professor Lara Herrero said preliminary data regarding NB.1.8.1 – designated a 'variant under monitoring' by the World Health Organisation last week – suggests the virus can attach to host cells and evade antibodies slightly 'stronger' and 'better' than other variants. 'From other places that have sequenced this variant, we can see that there are mutations that are accumulating in the virus's spike protein – that's the outer shell protein that the virus uses to attach to our cells,' Herrero said.
The Age
2 days ago
- Health
- The Age
New COVID variant emerges as vaccinations hit five-year low
A surge of COVID cases and the emergence of a new variant ahead have raised concerns from health authorities, with doctors warning vaccination rates in Queensland have fallen to a five-year low. Figures show more than 15,000 COVID cases have been reported in Queensland since January, with nearly 3000 people hospitalised with the virus. At the same time, fewer than 250,000 Queenslanders have received their free booster jab this year, which Mater hospital's director of infectious diseases Professor Paul Griffin said was the lowest since COVID vaccines were introduced five years ago. 'We have dropped the ball with COVID-19 vaccinations, but this disease is still very prevalent in the community and poses a serious threat to high-risk patients,' Griffin said. The figures arrived as NB.1.8.1 – a sublineage of the Omicron variant – emerged, which Griffin said was driving up infections and hospitalisations, particularly in Asia and Western Australia. Loading 'The best way to protect yourself and your family, is to get the newest booster which provides very good coverage, is safe, and will reduce the severity of your symptoms if you contract COVID-19.' Griffith University virology and infectious diseases expert Associate Professor Lara Herrero said preliminary data regarding NB.1.8.1 – designated a 'variant under monitoring' by the World Health Organisation last week – suggests the virus can attach to host cells and evade antibodies slightly 'stronger' and 'better' than other variants. 'From other places that have sequenced this variant, we can see that there are mutations that are accumulating in the virus's spike protein – that's the outer shell protein that the virus uses to attach to our cells,' Herrero said.
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
‘Better start writing': Premiers' juicy Origin bet
The Queensland Premier could soon be filmed in budgie smugglers on Bondi Beach after NSW dominated game one of State of Origin. The Queensland and NSW Premiers have drawn up a wager on the annual men's best-of-three rugby league showdown. 'The losing premier will have to record a new tourism ad for the winning state,' NSW Premier Chris Minns said on social media on Friday morning. Queenslanders are nervous about the next State of Origin match after Wednesday's result. Dan Peled / NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia 'I'm already one up – but the stakes are certainly high. 'Better start writing,' Mr Minns' said, tagging the Queensland Premier's account. Despite missing four conversion kicks and taking their foot off the gas, NSW comfortably handled the Maroons in Brisbane on Wednesday night. The Blues are relatively short odds to claim the series in Perth on June 18. NSW's win in Brisbane marks the first time the Blues have won consecutive games at Suncorp Stadium. Blues fans are hoping the momentum will roll into a series victory. With his thick Queensland accent, the sight and sound of David Crisafulli in a NSW tourism ad would tickle pink many onlookers. A campaign featuring the photogenic Mr Minns would surely attract some tourism dollars to the Sunshine State. Mr Minns would have been able to embarrass his colleague had he placed a bet on the women's State of Origin. The NSW women took their series 2-1 despite Queensland fighting back hard for a consolation win on Thursday night.
