industry news

National 

Property Council of Australia Relaunches yourbuilding.org Portal

The Property Council of Australia has relaunched yourbuilding.org, a portal to the best advice on greening the performance of commercial property.

Originally launched in September 2007, Your Building was developed by the CRC for Construction Innovation for the Federal Government.

The Property Council purchased the Your Building IP in February 2009 and took responsibility for the site in August 2009. With a network of 55,000 property industry professionals, the Property Council is ideally placed to enhance and propagate the Your Building site.

Read more
National 

Property Council of Australia Releases New Guide to Corporate Responsibility

The Property Council and its members have developed a new guide to corporate responsibility reporting that will transform the way the property sector records its performance.

Launched on June 17 by Assistant Treasurer Senator Nick Sherry, A Guide to Corporate Responsibility Reporting in the Property Sector is the only property-specific template available anywhere in the world.

This Guide will revolutionise corporate responsibility (CR) reporting in the property industry and ensure non-financial performance is transparent, meaningful and comparable.

Read more
National 

Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Calls For Retention of Current ABCC Powers, in the Building and Construction Industry

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), Australia’s largest and most representative business organisation, has used its appearance this morning before a Senate Committee inquiry into proposed Australian Government changes to industrial relations arrangements in the building and construction industry, to call for the retention of current Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) powers.

Whilst the current workplace relations environment is not perfect, the work of the ABCC over the past 5 years has had a dramatic effect on the industry.

The genie is, in large part, “back in the bottle” and business is greatly concerned about legislative changes that may put that situation at risk and create the potential for a return to the bad old days.

Read more
Victoria 

RACV Calls For New Thoroughfare to Connect Melbourne’s East and West

, , , , , , , , , , ,

AS PLANNERS continue to approve major new housing estates in Melbourne’s (until-recently-forgotten) western suburbs, a powerful state motoring body has called on the new state government to build a new major road thoroughfare, for what will be an imminent surge in car traffic.

The RACV forecasts 20,000 extra car trips will be travelled based on residential development at one new western suburb proposal alone, recently announced by Lend Lease (refer link below).

Read more
Victoria 

Victorian Female Contestants Make Their Mark in Australasian Auctioneering Competition

A HEALTHY number of female real estate agents are competing to represent Victoria in an Australasian competition seeking the region’s best auctioneer.

For the first time, this year, ladies have chosen to compete in the Real Estate Institute award, where auctioneers must sell themselves, to a panel of judges.

Contestants will field questions from the audience, and must run an entertaining auction, while also being fully conversant about the laws.

Read more
Victoria 

Australian Renters Not Protected if Landlord Defaults

AUSTRALIAN renters risk being kicked out of their homes, if their landlord owners default on home loans.

Tenants Union of Victoria spokesman Toby Archer described renters as “the forgotten victims” of rising incidences  of mortgage stress, and rising interest rates.

Mr Archer is appealing for the ALP State government to extend its notice time for tenants to vacate from 28 days, to 90.

Read more
Victoria 

Chain Reaction Bike Ride 2010 Pedals Off From Port Macquarie

THE biggest charity event in Melbourne’s commercial property calendar pedals off on Sunday March 7.

The Chain Reaction bike ride, which unites traditionally-competing developers, consultants, and real estate agents through a scenic but gruelling week-long route, will take off from Port Macquarie.

This year, participants will ride what could be a very wet 1000 kilometres to Noosa, in an attempt to raise money to set up and maintain the Starlight Room at the Monash Medical Centre, and support the Better Buddies program run by the Alannah & Madeline Foundation.

Read more
Victoria 

Dry Zones Facing Extinction in Melbourne’s East

, , , , , , , , ,

RESIDENTS in Melbourne’s ritzy east are increasingly voting to remove the “dry zone” restrictions around their streets, in what could result in the government and council putting forward a ballot, to remove these zones altogether.

The Director of Liquor Licensing, via the Victorian Electoral Commission, this week distributed ballot papers asking residents to vote for, or against, a liquor licence application at 732 Burke Road – or on the “dry side” of the popular retail strip.

Any venue in a dry zone that wishes to obtain a liquor licence needs to win approval of local residents on a case-by-case basis.

Read more
Victoria 

Google to Re-Drive Australia’s Capital City Streets This Summer

, ,

MOW your lawns, prune your gardens – and don’t park your car where it shouldn’t be seen – for the summer of 2010 anyway.
 
Google, the online resource which through its Google Maps and Street View functions has attracted a swarm of real estate voyeurs globally – will re-drive the streets of metropolitan capital cities this summer including Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and parts of Tasmania.

Read more
Victoria 

Australian Businessmen Working on Dubai’s Waterfront Development Released

,

MELBOURNE businessmen Matt Joyce and colleague Marcus Lee have been granted bail after serving nine months in a Dubai prison, on suspicion of fraud.

The businessmen worked for the Nakheel company’s multi-billion Dubai Waterfront development, and were arrested in January and jailed for six months before charges of misappropiation were laid. An application to hear their case was granted last month.

The pair will be forced to hand in their passports. The first witness will appear on November 17.

Read more
Victoria 

Apartment Owners and Developer Win Bid to Shift East Melbourne Border

, ,

RESIDENTS in Becton’s posh One East Melbourne glass tower have won a battle to have their suburb name changed.
 
At a meeting last week, the Melbourne City Council approved a recommendation to shift the East Melbourne suburb boundary west, to include apartments and an office between 227 – 293 Wellington Parade South, which would have previously been considered Melbourne, 3000, and arguably be worth a lot less.

Read more
Victoria 

REIV Senior Auctioneers Competition Winner Announced

FOR the second year running, a Jellis Craig employee picked up the Senior Auctioneers Competition Award, at a Real Estate Institute of Victoria hosted event last Wednesday.
 
Steven Abbott, a business development manager for Jellis Craig which operates mostly in Melbourne’s leafy eastern suburbs, pipped other finalists including Michael Choi of McDonald Real Estate in Keysborough, Sam Gamon of Chisholm & Gamon Elwood and John Matthews of Barry Plant in Essendon (winner of the award in 2007). Last year the award was won by Jellis Craig agent Scott Patterson.

Read more
Victoria 

Lend Lease Appointed to Develop Melbourne’s $870 Million Fruit, Vegetable and Flower Market, Epping

, , ,

LEND Lease has been named as preferred builder, to develop Melbourne’s wholesale fruit, vegetable and flower market in Epping.

Victorian Major Project Minister Tim Pallas made the announcement today, saying the $870 million project will create about 600 jobs.

The move will also give the government a swag of inner-city land parcels to consider selling, or developing. Much of the land is located in Melbourne’s inner-west, between the Docklands precinct and Footscray.

Read more
Victoria 

DFO South Wharf, Melbourne, to Open October 15

, ,

MELBOURNE’s $750 million South Wharf project, at the point where Southbank meets Docklands, will become the city’s next DFO (Discount Factory Outlet).

The owners of the South Wharf and Spencer Street DFO outlet, Austexx, have confirmed a two year rumour that the 60,000 square metres of retail space within the South Wharf complex, will accommodate existing Spencer Street DFO tenants, and then some.

The Spencer Street DFO shopping centre will be refitted and rebranded simply as “Spencer Street”, once DFO tenants start relocating from October 15.

Read more
Under the Moonlight
Victoria 

Four Victorian Winners at National HIA Industry Association Award Night

,

Under the MoonlightA luxury chalet in the Alpine village of Dinner Plain, was one of four Victorian entrants to win awards at a national Housing Industry Association award ceremony, held last month.
 
The R&R Van Heek Builders designed home, Under the Moonlight, won the Colorbond Most Innovative Use of Steel Project of the Year. HIA judges said the home “commands attention and yet does not over-impose on the area’s natural landscape.”
 
R & R Van Heek Builders recently relocated its business from Dinner Plain to Darwin.

Read more