Urban Affairs is a twice-weekly email bulletin service focused on urban planning and development. Each news item links to a primary document from politicians, government agencies, peak bodies and research organisations. The great majority of our content is not reported by the general media, and is tailored to inform individuals, business, government, and other organisations involved in urban planning and development, and the many industries that surround it.
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Bulletins
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Commsec issued its State of the States economic report. [Full Text]
Deloitte issued 'Business Outlook: Australia still in cost cutting mode'. [Full Text]
Outstanding mortgage debt is at historically low levels, according to RP Data. [Full Text]
Household savings have tripled in two years, according to the ING Direct Financial Wellbeing Index. [Full Text]
An RBA executive discussed 'Housing and Mortgage Markets: The Long Run, the Short Run and the Uncertainty in Between', in a speech. [Full Text]
'Benefits of Building Regulatory Reform' was published by the Australian Building Codes Board. [Full Text]
Master Builders called for a Regulation Impact Statement on proposed changes aimed at addressing workplace bullying. [Full Text]
The Australian Automobile Association issued a list of priority road and transport infrastructure projects totalling $100 billion, ahead of the federal election. [Full Text]
The UDIA said the Coalition's recently announced NBN plan has clear benefits to the development industry. [Full Text]
Hawker Britton issued a summary of outcomes from last week's COAG meeting. [Full Text]
NEW SOUTH WALES / LOCAL GOVERNMENT
The Independent Local Government Review Panel's third report 'Future Directions for NSW Local Government' was released by Minister Don Page. [Full Text]
The report is online. [Full Text]
A media release from the Independent Local Government Review Panel is online. [Full Text]
The report would force councils to amalgamate to preserve their financial viability, according to the NSW Opposition. [Full Text]
The Greens welcomed the report's recommendation to boost the financial autonomy of councils but said the focus on creating metropolitan super councils is misguided. [Full Text]
Local Government NSW urged councils to voice their opinion on the report. [Full Text]
The Committee for Sydney welcomed the report as an important contribution to an essential debate. [Full Text]
The Urban Taskforce advocated for a regional grouping of councils with shared service centres, if no forced amalgamations occur. [Full Text]
The Property Council said it is time to seize the day on local government amalgamations. [Full Text]
The Sydney Business Chamber described the report as a blueprint for modernising Sydney's antiquated local government structure by creating mature and stronger local councils. [Full Text]
Randwick Mayor Tony Bowen said we do not need a mega Sydney council model to generate economic efficiencies. [Full Text]
Leichhardt Mayor Darcy Byrne announced a forum for Mayors of all councils proposed for the Inner West and Sydney 'mega councils'. [Full Text]
NEW SOUTH WALES / AGRICULTURE / MINING / REGULATION
The NSW Opposition criticised the Government's policy on coal seam gas development on agricultural land. [Full Text]
IPART issued a series of reports and documents as part of its review of regulated electricity prices in NSW. [Full Text]
NORTHERN TERRITORY / ECONOMICS
The Commsec State of the States Report shows that there is great optimism in the NT economy, according to Treasurer David Tollner. [Full Text]
NORTHERN TERRITORY / HOUSING AND PROPERTY
Land release in the NT has ground to a halt, according to the NT Opposition. [Full Text]
VICTORIA / PLANNING / AGRICULTURE
The Victorian Farmers Federation called for Melbourne's urban growth boundary to be locked into legislation. [Full Text]
VICTORIA / HERITAGE / SUSTAINABILITY
Guidance sheets on improving the efficiency of heritage houses were released by the Victorian Government. [Full Text]
Treasurer Tim Nicholls said the Commsec report confirms that Queensland's economic performance remains solid. [Full Text]
QUEENSLAND / TRANSPORT / INFRASTRUCTURE
Minister Anthony Albanese released a ten-year, $4.1 billion capital works program for Queensland's Bruce Highway. [Full Text]
Minister Jeff Seeney said there was no additional funding over and above the Federal Government's normal expected spending on the Bruce Highway. [Full Text]
SOUTH AUSTRALIA / INDUSTRY / INSURANCE
The SA Government announced that it will provide building indemnity insurance cover, following the withdrawal of private insurers. [Full Text]
