This story was off the charts in terms of hits. Queensland Premier David Crisafulli, who won the election at the end of 2024 said he wanted the industry to keep burning coal. The story broke in May this year, when the government downgraded the sustainability of its 2032 Olympic Games, and announced it was rejecting a $1 billion wind farm that was already previously approved. This set of bad news also included the government’s productivity commission revamp that hinted at more net zero cuts. Read it here.
Leading up to the Economic Reform Roundtable this year, many (including us) were calling out the federal government for considering a freeze the NCC. This included Emma Riley, president of the Planning Institute of Australia, David Chandler, former NSW Building Commissioner and Bronwyn Weir. The Master Builders also get a mention – for the wrong reasons. While that didn’t exactly stop the freeze, the government did come out with a more watered-down version, which was a 12-month delay and provisional freeze to certain aspects. Read the full story here.
This article by Tim Forcey on how to manage moisture in your house to prevent mould might be two years old, but it is still the “how to” guide many readers are turning to for tips on how to keep your house dry and mould free. A must-read for those at their wits’ end. It’s even got tips on draught-proofing your house, suffer from asthma, dust mites and mould, or have excessive moisture in their house. If you need some extra materials, you can also read this article, which breaks down what mould is and how to prevent it.
On the topic of the Queensland government’s cutting sustainability to the 2032 Games, this impressive report by Queensland University of Technology professor, Marcus Foth, reveals the sleight of hand the government used in its rendering of the stadium. Crisafulli initially promised to not go through with the development but then back peddled, releasing “utopian images” of sustainability, when reality was likely to be far from it. Read the full report here.
The event page for The Fifth Estate’s Circular Disruption forum was really popular – and for a good reason, too. The event shone a light on a cross-section of this industry at a particular and deeply important point in history, and it revealed how far it’s come since our last deep dive into the sector with Building Circularity in 2020. And we had rave reviews across the board. You can read our first report here, or if you are a member of TFE, you can even access the recording here for free.
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- Local Government, Net Zero and Resilient Communities Summit
Another event with ravereviews this year was our Local Government, Net Zero and Resilient Communities Summit. In many ways, councils are our first responders to climate catastrophe, sustainability challenges, and housing, amid myriad other issues. The agenda for this event was bursting at the seams with good content, and even after we wrapped up, there was more that could and needed to be said. You can read the first report here or catch up on the detailed reports here.
- Nature credits, fast fashion tax, Janine Benyus and biomimicry
This was another popular bit of news, and we are wondering if it’s the picture of the stripe-faced Dunnart (marsupial) that drew our readers in such big numbers. In this set, carbon offset accreditors have developed a new nature credit scheme to help protect 1054 hectares of natural bushlands in the Perenjori Hills Sanctuary project in Western Australia. There are also suggestions for an “ultra fast” fashion tax, and a must-watch “TED Talk” from Janine Benyus, “the godmother of biomimicry”.
Planning expert Michael Buxton of RMIT was pretty frustrated with the Victorian government in May when 50,000 heritage buildings and houses were placed on the chopping block to make way for a “city rebuilding project”. It was decided, he said, “in secret” by government consultations with property industry groups and consultants, with no citizen participation. Updates on this welcome. Read his arguments.
While this article was written back in 2022, it went straight back to the top when the federal election was called this year, revealing deep interest in deep teals who continue to challenge conservative seats. As for the outcomes of the elections, while the Greens had many disappointments, Nicolette Boele’s fight for the seat of Bradfield had us on the edge of our seats. Read about her win and her policies here.
News from Queensland seems to dominate the charts, but it’s never good news. At the beginning of the year, Queensland hinted at following South Australia’s dramatic 10 year ban on upgrading the National Construction Code, announcing a review of its Building Commission. During that time, the New South Wales Productivity Commission report was released shortly after the ban, about how apartments could do without sunlight and amenities. And most recently, the Australian Institute of Building Surveyors is now protesting Tasmania’s new bill that allows the NCC 2025 to be scrapped or deferred.