Latest news with #SouthBank
ABC News
3 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
Workers get a pay rise from July
Samantha Donovan: Back to Australia now and from July 1st, millions of workers will be entitled to a pay increase. The Fair Work Commission announced today it's decided to boost the minimum wage by 3.5 per cent. That's higher than the rate of inflation. The Commission says workers need the cost of living relief and businesses can, on the whole, afford it. Here's our business correspondent, David Taylor. David Taylor: Australia's lowest paid workers will soon be getting a bit of a pay bump, roughly $32 extra a week, taking their salary up to $948 a week. Despite the increase, these people on their lunch break in Brisbane's South Bank think the minimum wage is still too low. Opinion: Phone bills, internet, you can't survive without internet. But with a wage like that, you have to decide what's most important. I don't think so. Opinion: I don't think I could afford my rent off that. Yeah, cost of living is obviously affecting us all and it's quite a low weekly take-home wage. Opinion: I think it should be above $1,000. Opinion: Being a second year apprentice, I only earn around $17.50 an hour and I don't think that's going to change with the award, so it doesn't really affect me. David Taylor: It's one of the largest above-inflation increases ever awarded and will lift the national minimum wage from $24.10 an hour to $24.95 an hour. Today's decision also results in an increase for many workers not on the minimum wage. It'll affect pay rates for workers on 120 wards, or about 21% of the workforce. Unions had asked for a 4.5% pay bump. While they didn't get anything near that, ACTU National Secretary, Sally McManus welcomed the outcome. Sally McManus: The Fair Work Commission accepted the arguments made by unions that it was time for low-wage workers, award workers to start catching up for what was lost during the inflation spike. David Taylor: But that extra money has to come from somewhere. The CEO of the Australian Restaurant and Cafe Association, Wes Lambert, says businesses will cop the financial hit at an already vulnerable time. Wes Lambert: On top of insurance, on top of rents, on top of utilities, on top of all of the other costs that hospitality businesses have to face, while they also have price ceilings, consumers don't want to pay more than $5 for a cup of coffee. We don't have any room to move. If we can't raise our prices and we're stuck with no profit or a loss, that just leads to business closures. David Taylor: While CEO of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, or ACCI, Andrew McKellar, agrees businesses will find it tough to accommodate the increase. Andrew McKellar: It has to be remembered that this decision is being delivered against a backdrop of declining productivity. We've seen profitability for many businesses going backwards over the past 18 months or so. David Taylor: So where does all this leave Australia's struggle to boost productivity? The Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Amanda Rishworth, says the government's working on it. Amanda Rishworth: The productivity challenge is something that our government is absolutely committed to and something that, as you may know, the Treasurer has commissioned the Productivity Commission to look into this. David Taylor: While that's all going on in the background, AMP's chief economist, Shane Oliver, says despite weak levels of productivity, wages growth above 3% does not appear to be inflationary. Shane Oliver: I think 3.5% is a reasonably good outcome. It does give workers a real wage rise of just over 1%. David Taylor: Just on that though, the Reserve Bank has consistently said what it's concerned about with a tight labour market is that it will push wages growth up and without the associated productivity gains, that could be inflationary. Now we know that productivity is still lagging. It's negative based on the latest national accounts. So are you concerned that an above inflation wage rise like this, without the productivity gains, could lead to inflation? Shane Oliver: Look, it's certainly a risk. There's no doubt about that. But I guess the Reserve Bank and many economists have to concede that despite poor productivity growth in recent years, and a tight labour market, we have seen wages growth slow down. David Taylor: Official figures on the overall health of Australia's economy, including an update on productivity growth, will be released tomorrow. Samantha Donovan: David Taylor reporting.
BBC News
29-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Dangerous South Bank train station footbridge to be demolished
A railway bridge closed off to the public because of serious safety defects is to be dismantled using a footbridge at South Bank railway station, which is the responsibility of Redcar and Cleveland Council, was closed in October, meaning trains have been unable to call at platform documents show a decision is being sought as to whether the demolition works require "prior approval".Network Rail said design work was also under way on a new temporary footbridge, which station visitors would be able to use. The 138ft-long (42m) structure had provided access to the platform serving eastbound train services between the town and months, trains running to Redcar and Saltburn have not called at South Bank, with a shuttle bus replacing structure was found to have significant defects and be unsafe for continued use, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said."The footbridge needs to be demolished to remove the remaining risk to the railway," the application by the council works would be carried out by Network Rail and its contractors at the start of July using a crane, the application added.A spokesman for Network Rail said: "Work to dismantle the current bridge is set to begin in the coming weeks, after which the new structure will be installed, with the project set to be completed by the end of August." Follow BBC Tees on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
News.com.au
27-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Receiver sale of inner-city development leaves apartment buyer fates unknown
The purchases of more than 150 inner-city apartment buyers are up in the air after receivers put their unfinished building up for sale. The site known as '35 Merivale' – a 1821 sqm block of land part-way through construction – has development approval for a 30-storey apartment tower, able to contain 184 owner-occupier apartments at two to four bedrooms. Designed by DBI Design, the project was previously a $180 million luxury tower development named 'Akin' by Tallis Property Group. The contract for the project was cancelled with builders Descon Group Australia shortly after building began, placing the companies in court and leaving buyers wondering about the status of their homes. Progress was made on the site's podium car park and four-level basement by the time the project went into limbo, going into receivership with FTI Consulting on December 7 2023. The site is now being sold by real estate firm Colliers. It is understood the property is being sold with no obligations regarding previous contracts, though the status of Akin's previous buyers remains unclear. Colliers Queensland residential director Troy Linnane said the site's existing development approval could give buyers a headstart on completing a new project right by the city before the 2032 Olympic Games, near popular hotspots such as the South Bank. 'It puts you a lot further ahead of the curve than, say, another site in South Brisbane that doesn't have any approval,' he said. 'South Brisbane is one of the most desirable, if not the most desirable, inner-city locations … it's virtually an extension of the CBD, given all the connectivity that location has now.' Colliers said it anticipated significant interest from developers in and out of Queensland, with several inquiries having been made to the receiver about the project. Tallis Property Group managing director Feng 'Angus' Gao said the company cancelled Akin's contract 'when it became apparent that the delivery issues of the appointed builder, Descon, posed an unacceptable risk'. Developers have tried to get a residential project constructed on 35-39 Merivale St for nearly a decade, with the Backshall Group and Ellivo Architects having submitted a proposal in 2016 for a 28-storey building with more than 200 units at the address. Now, the current site is being offered for sale via Expressions of Interest, in a campaign closing on July 9.
Travel Daily News
22-05-2025
- Business
- Travel Daily News
15Hatfields celebrates record Q1 with most successful start to the year to date
15Hatfields reports best-ever Q1 in 2025, with a 66% revenue increase driven by strong demand for sustainable, carbon-neutral event solutions. One of London's leading sustainable events venues, 15Hatfields, has kicked off 2025 with exceptional momentum, announcing today that it has recorded its most successful first quarter since opening its doors back in 2008. With a rise in both enquiries and bookings, high client satisfaction and retention, Q1 of 2025 marks a promising milestone for the award-winning venue. Located in the heart of London's South Bank, 15Hatfields has seen a 66% increase in revenue generated from meeting and events bookings year-on-year within the first quarter, driven by strong demand from organisations seeking environmentally conscious event solutions. The venue successfully hosted over 81 events between January and March 2025, ranging from corporate conferences and workshops to product launches and meetings. A big reason as to why event planners are choosing to hold their events at 15Hatfields is down to the work that the venue has put in since its inception, to remain conscious of their environmental footprint. With businesses more aware and concerned than ever about the effect that their events are having on the planet, 15Hatfields are continuing to lead the change, with the venue becoming carbon neutral in December 2024. As part of their drive to provide event planners with as much information as possible about the environmental footprint of their meeting and events, 15Hatfields recently launched a new Carbon Calculator in partnership with Greengage Solutions and Smart Carbon to improve the data available for tracking carbon emissions at events. Joe Harris, 15Hatfields' Deputy General Manager, said: 'Our strong start to the year pays testament to the hard work from the team to deliver a first-class experience to our clients from the moment they contact us. For us it's all about making sure that we can supply a meeting and events venue which consciously doesn't cost the earth to run, this is down to our constant review of our supply chain as well as our sustainable practices. We're very proud that while we continue to welcome new clients and delegates to our venue, we have also nurtured fantastic relationships with existing clients who trust us to deliver on their event plans and allow them to create memorable experiences for delegates.'
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Why Maggie Smith and Joan Plowright weren't in Bafta TV Awards tribute as fans blast 'shameful' omission
Bafta viewers were left baffled after Dame Maggie Smith and Dame Joan Plowright were left out of the In Memoriam tribute. The star-studded Bafta TV Awards were held at the Royal Festival Hall in London's South Bank Centre on Sunday and an edited version was later shown on BBC One, hosted by actor Alan Cumming. Harry Potter and Downton Abbey actress Smith died aged 89 last September and Enchanted April star Plowright passed away aged 95 in January. The In Memorian section, which pays tribute to prominent actors, presenters and other esteemed figures who have died in the past year, failed to mention the two beloved stars in their list. Famous faces like TV doctor Michael Moseley, EastEnders star Roberta Taylor, Going for Gold host Henry Kelly, Drag Race UK winner The Vivienne, and Dr Kildare actor Richard Chamberlain were honoured in the emotional segment, set to a performance by French violinist Esther Abrami to the song Apple Tree. Coronation Street actor Timothy West and Man About the House star Brian Murphy were also commemorated in the section. The reason Smith and Plowright were excluded from the list was because they had received special tributes at the Bafta Film Awards' In Memorian segment in February. Actors who are best known for television are usually honoured at the TV Awards, while stars who are more aligned with film are celebrated at the Film Awards. Viewers at home were confused by the omission nonetheless, with one raging on X: 'No Maggie Smith?? Feels like quite an oversight.' Another added 'They left out Dame Maggie Smith from the list of those who died during the last year. DISGUSTING. SHAME on you.' 'Bafta TV Awards snubbed Maggie Smith and Joan Plowright, even if they are know mostly for film/theatre,' a third posted. Viewers also got to see their favourite shows pick up accolades during the awards ceremony. Jeff Goldblum performs a moving piano tribute during the In Memoriam portion of the #BAFTAs #BAFTA2025 #BAFTAFilmAwards — 𝙲𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚖𝚊 𝙱𝚞𝚛𝚜𝚝 (@CinemaBurst) February 16, 2025 Baby Reindeer snapped up a win, with Jessica Gunning earning the best supporting actress prize for playing a stalker in the hit Netflix series. The Bafta for limited drama was awarded to ITV's Mr Bates Vs The Post Office, which has renewed public attention on the subpostmasters who fought to clear their names in the wake of the Horizon scandal. The best supporting actor prize went to Ariyon Bakare for the BBC LGBT+ drama Mr Loverman, based on the Bernardine Evaristo novel of the same name. In the comedy performance categories former EastEnders star Danny Dyer won for Sky's Mr Bigstuff, with Welsh actress Ruth Jones winning for her role playing Vanessa Shanessa 'Nessa' Jenkins in the Gavin And Stacey finale.
