Victorian premier defends housing plan to rezone affluent areas
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, has been speaking with ABC News Breakfast about a plan to create 50 new “activity zones” to help deliver more than 30,000 additional homes across Melbourne by 2051.
Defending the plan, she said that more homes need to be built in the state, particularly for younger Victorians under 40:
Anyone under the age of 40 knows just how tough it is to find a home, particularly to find a home close to where they grew up, close to families. We need to get on and build more homes, particularly in and around the suburbs of Melbourne.
Allan was asked about pushback from locals, including those in Brighton, and whether she should have spoken with residents. She said 25 zoning locations had been announced, with another 25 to come, and “we’re going to get on and talk to people in those local communities.”
I know from my conversations with many Victorians that putting homes next to a train station just makes sense for so many people … The status quo is just not an option any more.
It’s tougher and tougher for younger people to get into a home, to start a family, to build their long-term wealth that previous generations have had that opportunity to. We’ve got to get on and find new ways to push on and build more homes, because the status quo is locking out too many people.
Key events
Peter Hannam
Bowen underscores gas won’t be included in any capacity scheme
The energy minister, Chris Bowen, has been taking questions after his speech, confirming he wouldn’t include gas into the capacity investment scheme (that was set up speed up the renewables’ rollout).
Bowen noted NSW had included gas in its long-term auction system, and noted that no gas operator had bothered to bid “because it is so expensive”. Hence, putting gas into the federal scheme “achieves nothing” because such project would never get support. “It’s just a distraction,” he said.
(His federal counterpart, Ted O’Brien, had argued last week: “The inclusion of gas in the CIS is crucial to addressing the immediate challenges in Australia’s gas market, ensuring reliable electricity supply, and stabilising energy prices.”)
Bowen, meanwhile, downplayed reports in the past week or so in the Murdoch tabloids and the AFR about Norway’s Equinor pulling out of running for a proposed offshore windfarm zone near Illawarra.
He noted that Equinor had announced its exit from the race back in June (and hence, wondered why it was being repeated). The company was still in the running for a zone planned for offshore Hunter River, up the NSW coast, and the much larger zone off the Gippsland coast was going “gangbusters”.
As we anticipated, that second round of the CIS, that has been increased about 2/3 in size, is only an acceleration (albeit a significant one). The overall size of the scheme will not be expanded, Bowen’s office has confirmed.
Meanwhile, Bowen hinted the government won’t be releasing its 2035 emissions targets this side of the election. He would be taking advice from the Climate Change Authority (now chaired by Matt Kean, the former NSW treasurer and energy minister in a Liberal-led coalition).
No nation had yet lodged 2035 carbon cuts to the UN body (the UNFCCC), Bowen noted. Perhaps Australia won’t be in a hurry to sign up.
Andrew Barr speaks following election win in ACT
The ACT chief minister, Andrew Barr, spoke with ABC News Breakfast earlier after his election win over the weekend.
Barr, already the longest-serving political leader in the country, fended off a negative swing and an independent surge to win his third election as chief minister.
He noted swings against some incumbent parties, including Labor, and said “there are always lessons to learn from each election campaign”:
It is looking increasingly certain of 10 Labor and three Green [seats], with a possibility of an additional seat either going to Labor or Green in the southern electorate of Brindabella. But there’s postal votes and interstate votes that will need to be added to that count. We would hope this would be resolved by the end of the week.
Responding to accusations that Labor is dominating the jurisdiction, Barr argued that “power is always shared in the ACT” with crossbenchers:
In this instance, we will expect a crossbench of at least five and possibly six members out of our 25-member assembly. But they have generally represented progressive views.
The Canberra Liberals are the most right-wing branch of the Liberal party in this country, and that’s been ably demonstrated election after election … We don’t make any apologies for running successful campaigns.
Barr argued that “votes were quite sharply weaker for the Liberal party” after its leader, Elizabeth Lee, was caught giving the middle finger to a journalist.
Government to accelerate clean energy auction scheme, Bowen says
Peter Hannam
The federal energy minister, Chris Bowen, says the government will accelerate the pace of its capacity investment scheme, an auction system that helps underwrite the rollout of renewables.
Bowen has told an AFR energy conference in Sydney that its second round of investments has been lifted to 6GW of new renewable generation from 4GW. Storage (mostly big batteries) will be lifted to 4GW from an original 2GW. He said:
I expected it to work well, and it’s working better than I thought.
The scheme guarantees a minimum payment for the power supply – but if wholesale prices are higher than a certain level, the government would take a share of the cut.
It’s not clear if the acceleration of the plans means the overall scheme will be larger than anticipated. Perhaps there’s also an insurance element. Auction results can’t be overturned if the government were to change at the next election.
The Coalition has said it wants to introduce gas in the scheme (something that states such as Victoria had opposed in the past). Plans for seven nuclear power plants are unlikely to gain market interest to include them in any action, given most reports estimate such generation to be far more expensive than wind or solar (even with storage added).
Bowen said uncertainty in the industry was something the Coalition was “deliberately” creating by introducing nuclear proposals to Australia’s mix. Bowen said he remains confident that the government can meet its 2030 goal of supplying 82% of electricity from clean energy sources.
Bowen noted too that some parts of the grid had record minimum demand on the grid over the weekend, something we touched a week or so ago here:
Byelection results reflect shift away from major parties: Ryan
Monique Ryan was also asked about Jacqui Scruby’s election results in Pittwater at the weekend, and if they makes her feel more comfortable ahead of the next federal election regarding retaining her own seat. She said:
[Almost] a third of Australians did not vote for the major parties [in 2022], I don’t think we have seen anything since that time that’s changed their minds.
I think people are seeing that independents can hold the governments to account at all levels of government. We play an important role, we’re pragmatic and centrist and we contribute. The results from the elections over the weekend reflected that.
Ryan says Allan ‘playing politics’ with Nimby-ism suggestion
Monique Ryan was also asked about suggestions from the Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, that part of the opposition to the rezoning plan is “Nimby-ism”.
Ryan accused the premier of “playing politics with this” and said she is “trying to create a point of difference:”
I’m not interested in that. I’m interested in ensuring … these developments will be [designed] in a way that’s sensible and sustainable, they’ll be delivered on time … and we’ll retain the character of the suburbs in which we’ve chosen to live, while welcoming hopefully hundreds of thousands of new people into the area.
Independent Kooyong MP responds to Victorian government rezoning plan
Monique Ryan, the federal member for Kooyong, was up on ABC News Breakfast earlier to discuss the Victorian government’s rezoning plan:
Ryan has been quoted in the Financial Review as saying new developments proposed by the Allan government could result in buildings that were too tall, ugly, and slow to be delivered. She responded to this, and said:
The announcement this weekend from the premier was for nine massive new developments just in the electorate of Kooyong. That’s huge. These could be up to 20 storeys high. Of course that will cause some concern from people who live in the area, who have chosen to live there, because it’s a beautiful part of the world.
Ryan said that people need “certainty” their kids will still get into local schools and that they won’t lose green spaces and amenities, and that more detail is needed on the plan.
We’re not saying we don’t want it, I think people in my part of the world are welcoming it. We’d also like some assurances from the government they will include social and affordable housing in these developments. We really don’t have any detail as of yet and that’s the stuff that’s missing at this point.
Teal independent speaks following byelection results at the weekend
The independent Jacqui Scruby, a Climate 200-backed former adviser to federal MPs Zali Steggall and Sophie Scamps, is set to win the Pittwater byelection in NSW.
She spoke with ABC RN this morning and said “of course” her results are “part of a broader trend” towards independents, and “people wanting a different type of politics”:
So this representation that is community representation, rather than party representation, and also the ability for independence, I think, to work across party lines, hold governments’ to account, but also work collaboratively with governments in order to deliver …
I’ve earned the trust of traditional Liberal voters, and I will seek to maintain that trust and gain the trust of others.
Scruby argued that people are “sick of divisive politics” and are “looking for representation that is not divisive, that’s really practical”:
And it’s a bit more nuanced as well, because part of community representation is bringing people into their democracy and helping them understand the nuance of policies, rather than … opposition for the sake of opposition.
Scruby said that in the three NSW byelections, the Liberal candidates that were chosen didn’t live in their electorate – and “how that played … maybe is a lesson to the Liberal party”.
Shadow housing minister responds to business call for $10bn housing reform
While on ABC RN, the shadow housing minister, Michael Sukkar, was also asked about calls from the Business Council for a $10bn federal plan to cut the cost of construction. You can read all the details on this below:
The business council is calling an increase in foreign workers with construction skills. Sukkar was asked: how can the Coalition back this if it wants to cut the number of permanent visas?
Sukkar argued that “you’ve got to reorientate the composition of who you bring in”:
In recent times, we’ve had the Labor party bringing in more yoga instructors than bricklayers … We’ve made clear we’re going to reduce migration to free up 100,000 homes for Australians. Now you can simultaneously ensure that of the generous migration program that Australia does have in place, that you reorientate it to the sorts of skills we need.
The government and the opposition have both promised cuts to migration in response, at least partially, to Australia’s housing crisis. But how much does immigration actually contribute to the cost of housing and rent? You can read more on this below:
Shadow housing minister critical of rollout of Victorian rezoning announcement
The shadow minister for housing, Michael Sukkar, was up on ABC RN this morning to speak on the Victorian government’s rezoning plan, as we flagged earlier:
Sukkar criticised the state government for a lack of consultation with the community and said:
If you’re going to make any of these sorts of investments or changes, you’ve got to consult with the people who are affected now … For people to wake up one morning and read that there’s going to be a 20 story tower next door to them, I don’t think it’s unreasonable that they’re a bit crazy … That’s the first I’ve heard [and] that’s the problem with this announcement, there’s been no discussion with the community.
Classroom mobile ban hailed success by NSW government
The NSW government’s decision to ban mobile phones in thousands of public school classrooms has been hailed a success, AAP reports.
An education department survey of almost 1,000 public school principals found huge support for the ban, with 95% reporting positive results. The premier, Chris Minns, said in a statement today that one year in “it’s clear, this was the right decision”:
Without the distraction of a mobile phone in their pockets, students have been able to focus on their learning, while building stronger relationships with their classmates.
The survey also found 81% of principals agreed students’ learning had improved, 87% said students were less distracted in the classroom and 86% said socialising had improved.
The ban was introduced at the beginning of term four in 2023.
Allan calls out opposition to housing plan
Jacinta Allan said that “Nimby-ism” – aka a “Not In My Back Yard” approach to new housing – was “one way to describe” how opponents to her plan are feeling.
She told ABC News Breakfast that for too long, “too many politicians have not addressed this key fundamental issue which is why we’ve got to this point.”
We’ve got to this point because the loudest voices, who don’t necessarily represent all of the community, have particularly got in the way of building new homes. They’ve been the blockers. They’re particularly Liberal members of parliament, like we saw yesterday in Brighton, and we’ve got Monique Ryan, who is not Liberal. We have residents who are not necessarily Liberal members either.
Yesterday, angry Brighton residents surrounded the pub where Allan announced the housing plan to media, chanting: “Shame, premier, shame.”
Allan said what she would talk to the community about is whether it “makes sense to have taller buildings hugging the train station itself, being close to the train station, and then having lower levels as you move away from the train stations”:
… we’re going to embark on a consultation, community by community, street by street, house by house.
Victorian premier defends housing plan to rezone affluent areas
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, has been speaking with ABC News Breakfast about a plan to create 50 new “activity zones” to help deliver more than 30,000 additional homes across Melbourne by 2051.
Defending the plan, she said that more homes need to be built in the state, particularly for younger Victorians under 40:
Anyone under the age of 40 knows just how tough it is to find a home, particularly to find a home close to where they grew up, close to families. We need to get on and build more homes, particularly in and around the suburbs of Melbourne.
Allan was asked about pushback from locals, including those in Brighton, and whether she should have spoken with residents. She said 25 zoning locations had been announced, with another 25 to come, and “we’re going to get on and talk to people in those local communities.”
I know from my conversations with many Victorians that putting homes next to a train station just makes sense for so many people … The status quo is just not an option any more.
It’s tougher and tougher for younger people to get into a home, to start a family, to build their long-term wealth that previous generations have had that opportunity to. We’ve got to get on and find new ways to push on and build more homes, because the status quo is locking out too many people.
Bid to avoid post-2032 homelessness in Queensland
There are fears Brisbane could be heading toward a post-2032 Olympic Games homelessness crisis if the next state government does not take action, AAP reports.
The warning comes after a Q Shelter-commissioned Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute report on the Olympics’ impact on homelessness and the local housing market.
Q Shelter’s CEO, Fiona Caniglia, said the “best-case scenario is people will be pushed out to the regions”.
But if you live here now and for reasons that are important to you, like work and family, then we need to create a framework so you can stay, and so you’re not forced to move because of the impact of the games.
Reports will be published annually leading up to the 2032 games to monitor housing market conditions and the responses to homelessness in Brisbane. The aim is to help calibrate policy responses to ensure Brisbane 2032 delivers its intended legacy of social inclusion.
However, Q Shelter said it was not out of the realm of possibility that Brisbane could be the first games host that doesn’t worsen homelessness. This could be done through legacy planning, including repurposing the athletes’ village into social housing.
Treasurer says ‘worst is behind us’ in fight against inflation
Overnight, the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, said “the worst is behind us” when it comes to inflation. Speaking to 7News’ Spotlight program, he said the peak in inflation was now “in the rear-view mirror, and we’re not complacent about that”.
But we are confident that, having been through a very difficult time together, better days are ahead.
Asked whether that meant interest rates would come down before a potential election next May, Chalmers said there was “really good reasons for treasurers of either political persuasion not to make predictions about interest rate movements”.
The market expects that there will be interest rate cuts in 2025 … as treasurer, I’ve been very careful not to make those kinds of predictions.
Chalmers said that Australia “came quite close” to recession in the first two quarters of this year, and that growth was “very, very flat” in March and June.
And if I’m honest with you … there were times where we feared that the economy would go backwards. But if you’re asking me, was I worried at the time? Too right I was …
There were some moments in the lead up to the release of [the national accounts] where there was a very substantial risk that the economy might have gone backwards. A lot of relief when we discovered that it hadn’t.
Welcome
Emily Wind
Good morning, and welcome back to a new week on the Australia news live blog. I’m Emily Wind, and I’ll be taking you through our rolling coverage this Monday.
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, has said that “the worst is behind us” when it comes to inflation. Speaking on 7News’ Spotlight program last night, he said:
When it comes to inflation specifically, the worst is behind us … The peak in inflation is now in the rear-view mirror and we’re not complacent about that, we’re cautious about that, but we are confident that having been through a very difficult time together, better days are ahead.
We’ll bring you more from his interview in a moment.
Meanwhile, King Charles and Queen Camilla are continuing their tour of Australia as part of their first visit to the country since Charles became its reigning monarch.
This morning, the couple will visit the Australian War Memorial in Canberra and the prime minister will host a reception at Parliament House. The king will meet firefighters and bushfire researchers at CSIRO, while Camilla will meet the founder of the charity donations platform GIVIT. There will also be a tour of the National Botanical Gardens.
As always, you can read out with any tips, questions or feedback via X, @emilywindwrites, or you can send me an email: emily.wind@theguardian.com. Let’s get started.
