That was one clever panellist’s wise quote to the boisterous 500 in the audience for our QLD outlook lunch last week.
She captured the positive drivers for Queensland and suggested no state could afford to rest on their laurels even while Victoria is in strife.
That wisdom applies more broadly. Australia screens well for population, good governance, social cohesion and, ultimately, growth.
Near-term threats to that? A tariff-riddled world. A Federal parliament where a minority government of either colour would have to turn inwards. Precious Canberra time spent consulting with industry would yield increasingly to lower and upper house cross-bench negotiations.
Against this backdrop we must stretch every sinew to welcome other people to build our great Australian cities with their money and as efficiently and sustainably as possible. Which brings us to…
Our Federal election platform
On Monday we launched our election platform which was front page and editorial in The Australian and led news around the country.
It is the reform agenda we have championed at the highest levels of the Parliament, including the cross benches, this past year.
The four key themes are:
Housing for all – ensuring every Australian has the opportunity to own or rent a home and better planning for city assets
Competing hard for global investment – welcoming other peoples’ money to build the future of our great Australian cities
A productivity nation – attracting and growing a productive workforce to meet the surging demands of housing and other construction
Decarbonising cities cleverly – ensuring that Every Building Counts as we decarbonise our built environment.
On the former, and using our smart housing hierarchy – from five glowing stars to one undesirable little sparkler – our platform includes policies which address the top 3: supply, finance and demand (in targeted circumstances the velocity of credit matters, think Victoria’s market at the moment). As ever, we are against categories 4 and 5.
Supply – affordability, choice, sustainability
Finance
Demand stimulus
Supply reducing tax changes
Statist price controls & nationalising housing development.
Our other major focus is getting investment settings right in a world now more vigorously competing on talent, tax and red tape.
So. Whatever the election timing, we will keep you up to date with the policies and the politics that impacts you and your organisation.
This will include a weekly election connection wrap. In the meantime, we will champion your interests strongly as ever.
Join the Technology and AI Roundtable Working Groups
We are looking for industry leaders to join one of our four working groups to help position Australian real estate as a global leader in technology adoption, tackle challenges and drive solutions.
Applications close tomorrow, so don’t miss out!
Next week: Can a python swallow a wombat?