The week in review
The RBA’s decision to keep rates on hold on Tuesday may not have been quite the Christmas present that many homeowners were hoping for, but it was not unexpected. Many experts are now predicting we will need to wait until May 2025 for any relief, as the RBA continues to monitor inflation.
While the RBA might be holding off on too much Christmas cheer, both sides of Parliament are ramping up their pre-Christmas announcements as the State and Federal elections loom early in the new year.
The State Government were ready to party on Sunday with the highly anticipated opening of the Ellenbrook rail line. The Prime Minister joined Premier Roger Cook, Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti and a host of stakeholders to welcome the first train to the Ellenbrook community, who have been patiently waiting for better connectivity over many years.
From a Liberal perspective, an incentive for downsizers was announced as the latest election commitment to address the current housing crisis, with a $20,000 rebate on stamp duty offered to those over 60 seeking to downsize. The policy is aimed at encouraging older people to move into a home that better suits their needs, and potentially freeing up larger homes for families and larger households that need them.
To top off a big week of announcements, we were pleased to welcome the appointment of new WAPC Chairperson Emma Cole. UDIA WA looks forward to working with Ms Cole in her new role moving forward and there is more detail provided in the story below.
First female chair of WAPC appointed:
UDIA WA welcomed the appointment of Emma Cole as the first female chairperson of the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) this week.
Emma has served for more than four years with the WAPC, including her current role as Deputy Chairperson. A former local government mayor, a Keystart board member, and a former Development Assessment Panel member, she has a strong background in decision making, governance, planning and development.
“Ms Cole has extensive planning and leadership credentials and experience, including most recently serving as Deputy Chair of the WAPC,” said Planning Minster John Carey on her appointment. “She brings a significant wealth of planning experience and pragmatic governance and decision making to this crucial role as Chair of the WAPC.”
We’d also like to extend our congratulations to Ray Haeren on his appointment as Deputy Chairperson. Ray will bring a wealth of experience from his work as an urban planner and planning consultant with Urbis.
Also joining the WAPC board, Amanada Sheers is a highly respected planning professional who brings strategic and technical knowledge to the WAPC. With Ms Sheers appointment, six WAPC board positions are held by women marking the highest female representation on the board in the WAPC’s history.
We’d like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank David Caddy for his years of service and dedication to the development industry, wishing him all the best for the future. We look forward to our continued work with the WAPC, Emma, Ray, and Amanda moving forward.
EPA Stakeholder Engagement Plan Released
The EPA has released its Stakeholder Engagement Plan which sets out the EPA’s commitments to stakeholder engagement and the roles and responsibilities of proponents during environmental impact assessments. As a member of the EPA’s Stakeholder Reference Group (SRG), UDIA WA is pleased to see the SRG’s reaffirmed commitment to receiving high-level strategic advice on the EPA’s ongoing work from an industry perspective.
The EPA has adopted the following principles for engaging with stakeholders:
- keep stakeholders informed about and promote the role of the EPA and its functions
- communicate our policies, guidance material and strategic advice and engage to seek views and feedback on substantial matters
- obtain expert insight and input to inform EPA advice and decision-making where appropriate
- provide elementary and accessible information on environmental impact assessments to relevant proponents and stakeholders
- build productive relationships with the community, industry and government to achieve better environmental outcomes
- meet regularly with decision-making authorities and research institutions
- implement creative and impactful modes of communication to engage and educate on environmental protection
- establish targeted subject matter expert panels to provide contemporary scientific and other advice to support our decision-making processes
- promote the understanding and use of Indigenous values and traditional knowledge in our environmental practices and policies
- be transparent and publish reasons for our EIA decisions and our strategic advice to government.
The EPA’s Stakeholder Engagement Plan can be viewed on the EPA’s website.
Liberals promise stamp duty rebate for downsizers
The Liberal Party have announced that, if elected in 2025, a Liberal Government would introduce a $20,000 transfer duty rebate for older West Australians wanting to downsize.
Libby Mettam, WA Liberal Leader, said the scheme is part of the WA Liberal’s commitment to help families get into homes, helping end WA Labor’s housing crisis.
“The Downsizing Incentive Rebate will encourage a more efficient use of the homes we already have – it will help older couples move out of large homes, while helping the next generation of families with kids get into right-sized homes,” Ms Mettam said.
The rebate comes as an addition to the stamp duty concession of up to $15,000 for first home buyers that has been promised by the Liberals, and a $500m Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund to unlock land and enable increased housing delivery, in line with UDIA WA’s State Election Campaign recommendations.
The ‘Downsizing Incentive Rebate’ would be available as a once-off for individuals or couples where at least one person is aged 60 or over.
Up to $20,000 in transfer duty paid would be able to be refunded via the Office of State Revenue on the purchase of a home that represents a choice to downsize.
According to the Liberal Party statement, to be eligible, the home purchase would need to take place within one year of the sale of the applicant’s previous Western Australian primary residence of two years or more and be intended to be lived in as the applicant’s new primary residence for a minimum of two years.
The dutiable value of the new home could not exceed $1.5 million, with no price limit on the original home sold.
Applicants would also be required to demonstrate the move represents a genuine act of downsizing, by choosing one of three pre-set methods for automatic approval, or by providing a statutory declaration explaining why the move represents a genuine act of downsizing to the Commissioner of State Revenue.
The Liberals have promised $100 million would be allocated to the program, if instated.
UDIA attends launch of NXT Tec’s first display home
This week UDIA WA were pleased to attend the launch of a brand new display home, built by NXT Tec. using their new patented NXT® Building System technology, alongside Hon Madeleine King MP, Minister for Resources, and City of Kwinana Mayor Peter Feasey.
The home, which was brought to lock up in four days, completed within 5 weeks and achieved a NatHERS 7.8-star energy rating, was assembled from pre-manufactured, precision-cut precast components.
The completed display home is the first delivery within NXT Tec.’s Anketell Project that they proposed to the City of Kwinana with the sole vision of boosting housing supply in the region. Aiming to deliver over 400 affordable homes, the project leverages the patented NXT® Building System, a suite of 11 globally patented technologies.
Each of the projected 400 homes will replicate the completed display home, featuring four bedrooms, a contemporary open-plan kitchen, dining and living area with stone benchtops, an alfresco dining space, and a two-car garage space. They will also be equipped with a NatHERS 7+ star energy-efficiency rating and high-quality finishes.
Speaking during the launch event, Mayor Peter Feasey said, “NXT TEC. have reached an incredible milestone, and we’re delighted to be able to join them on this journey as they deliver over 400 new homes in the City of Kwinana.”
To support this project, NXT TEC. has also built a large-scale, manufacturing facility near the Anketell project site. This facility integrates advanced processes and automated technologies to streamline the construction sector.
Commencement of the 400 homes will begin shortly after the completion of seven further display homes in early 2025.
New approach to accelerate land development project energisation
Over the past 12 months, Western Power has collaborated with UDIAWA and the development industry to reduce connection timeframes and ultimately bring new homes to the market faster.
As part of this collaboration, Western Power have implemented a new approach to working with developers and their contractors and consultants to bring forward the energisation of land development projects.
What’s new?
- Western Power is proactively engaging with land developers on practical completion dates, including scheduling resources earlier to align with these dates.
- Energisation will now occur from six weeks of the developer’s practical completion, down from the current timeframe of 16 weeks.
Western Power’s Head of Customer Connection Services, Anthony Whiteaker, said “we will continue to work proactively with the industry as this approach is adopted to ensure developers are seeing the benefits of these changes.”
This change is part of a suite of initiatives introduced by Western Power in the past year in collaboration with UDIA WA and industry to accelerate new power connections to support the land development industry.
The Ellenbrook line is officially open!
Sunday 8 December saw the official opening of the new Morley-Ellenbrook train line. Works for the line first began in late 2021, the three-year project included several infrastructure upgrades including the expansion and elevation of the iconic Bayswater bridge, several pedestrian underpasses, a new footbridge to access Ballajura station, and the installation of 20 public art pieces along the line.
Prime Minster Anthony Albanese said of the expansion, “a well-planned and accessible public transport system is a game-changer for local communities, and the Ellenbrook line will make it easier for thousands of residents to travel to and from the CBD.”
Jointly funded by the State and Federal Government, the Ellenbrook line will provide more options for residents to navigate Perth. In addition to the 21km rail network, 100 new buses will be brought into service to further connect the north-east of the city.