Podcasts about greater sydney

The Great Australian Dream still exists, it's just that - for many - it now means owning an apartment, not a house with a white picket fence. As property prices continue to grow, the dream of owning a freestanding house has morphed into the dream of owning an apartment - for more and more Australians. Apartment living is no longer just a financial choice, but a conscious decision to seek out a different way of living - a more affordable and low-maintenance lifestyle. The percentage of Australians who live in a freestanding house has been declining since the beginning of the new millennium.  About a third of properties in Australia are now attached properties including apartments. As our population continues to grow and household sizes shrink, apartment living has become more attractive.  As a result, it has also become a more appealing option for investors as well. The once dominant paradigm of real estate that houses on land showed superior capital growth to apartments is no longer the case.  As the new edition of the “Rise and Rise of Apartments” report shows, apartment values are now rising faster than house values in most suburbs throughout Australia including regional locations.  In 2023 apartment price growth was stronger than house price growth in 46% of suburbs nationally; by the end of 2024 that was the case in over 60% of suburbs. The report, published by Hotspotting in association with national marketing company Nuestar, shows a growing number of important cohorts are pushing demand for apartments higher - including those looking for affordability, downsizing, location, safety & security and a first step onto the property ladder.  The price differential is a big factor. Even in the most affordable markets, the price difference between a house and an apartment is substantial. PropTrack data as of February 2025, shows Sydney has the biggest gap of 55%; followed by the ACT, 45%; Darwin and Melbourne, 42%; and Perth, 39%. Growing demand means apartment price growth is tipped to outpace house price growth in a variety of locations in 2025, as it did in many places last year. Suburbs in which apartments dominate the dwelling mix are now among the most powerful markets in Australia.  The market share of apartments is now consistently well above 50% of Greater Sydney sales. In Brisbane, apartments account for 37% of property sales, compared with 32% a year ago. But, the most notable growth pattern is in Canberra, with apartments accounting for 47% of sales compared to 32% at the same time last year. It's not just owner-occupiers who are emerging as a growing buyer force in apartment markets - investors are also strong. Apartments offer investors more affordable options and better rental yields in desirable locations. In many of the inner-city precincts in our biggest cities, houses can typically cost more than $2 million, but apartments can be bought for less than half of that price level in the same suburbs, in many cases. The more affordable entry point generally means that rental yields are significantly higher for apartments, a key consideration in times of still-high interest rates.  That's why apartments will be an important consideration for investors seeking opportunities in 2025.  

One of the most significant housing stories in the past year has slipped under the radar of news media, with very little commentary.   The latest official data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that it now costs over $500,000 to build the average house in this country. That's the cost of construction of the dwelling and doesn't include the land price.   Given that the price of residential land is also escalating to record price levels, the reality is that the typical house and land package in a capital city is beyond the reach of most young buyers.   This, in simple terms, is the essence of the housing affordability problem that has created a national crisis.   Australia needs to build more homes – a lot more than the industry is currently able to build – but the obscenely high cost of building both houses and apartments is the largest single barrier to achieving it. The latest ABS figures tell a very sad story. They show that the nation, in 2024, fell 70,000 home approvals short of the target set to fix the housing crisis – AND that home building costs have hit a grim new record high. Latest Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show there were 170,719 homes approved in 2024, the second worst annual figure since 2012, with experts warning government efforts to address the housing crisis so far have failed to make a difference. And affordability is getting worse, with the average cost of building a new house in Australia surpassing $500,000 for the first time in December, according to the ABS data, made worse by new requirements for sustainable builds. Making a bad situation considerably worse is the soaring cost of home sites. The Housing Industry Association says that surging land values are problematic for the struggling development sector, which is already battling soaring labour and materials costs.   Extreme housing block costs have also coincided with falling prices for established houses – making the significant premium on brand new homes a hard sell for builders.   Housing Industry Association figures showed the median price of land across Greater Sydney now stands at $2,000 per square metre. That means that even a tiny 300 square metre block of land costs $600,000.    Land prices are less – but still very expensive – in Melbourne, where that small block costs $320,000, and it's similar in both Perth and Brisbane.   But that 300 square metre block is below the normal block size. In Sydney the median lot price is $710,000 compared to around $400,000 in both Melbourne and Brisbane.   Add on that typical cost for building a home – and it makes a new house on land over $900,000 in Brisbane and Melbourne – and around $1.2 million in Sydney. Housing Industry Association economist Maurice Tapang said the dramatic extra costs of buying land and building, versus buying established homes, could squash demand for new homes. Tapang said the price of land was now the biggest constraint on new housing construction in Australia's capital cities. PropTrack economist Paul Ryan said: “It's becoming increasingly hard to make new housing equations stack up. There's lots of choice for established homes and the prices have gotten relatively more attractive compared to new homes, and that's something we've heard a lot of from developers”. The HIA-CoreLogic Residential Land Report showed that the median price of a capital city lot increased by 9.2% in the September quarter to $408,160 compared to a year earlier. Tapang said: “Land prices have risen three times faster than the rate of growth in the ABS Consumer Price Index (CPI) and five times faster than growth in the cost of home building materials as measured by the Producer Price Index for the September quarter 2024.”   At the same time, the cost of building a house now averages $537,000 nationally, according to the ABS, following the hyperinflation of construction costs since the pandemic. Add those two figures together – the median lot price and the average cost of building a house – and you have $945,160. And that, in one sentence, is the affordability issue. But I haven't heard a single politician in Australia, at any level, suggest a policy to deal with this ridiculously high cost for new homes. And it begs the question: are politicians in government around Australia even aware that the cost of a new house on land is getting scarily close to $1 million?  

Here's how to build community resilience: Hello Smart Firefighting Community! Welcome to another episode of covering real world innovations via interviews with fire service and technology industry experts that empower YOU to develop your very own Smart Firefighting strategy! In this episode: Why resilience is a community effort How to shape decisions on land use and rebuilding after disasters How the role of governance can be a major obstacle, and what to do about it Hear from Beck Dawson - the Chief Resilience Officer for Greater Sydney.  Beck dives into the critical importance of resilience and risk management in urban environments. She describes resilience as a community effort, emphasizing that true resilience means working together and looking out for one another.  Beck highlights the need for collective collaboration and open dialogue among various stakeholders to make informed decisions on land use and rebuilding after disasters. She also discusses governance challenges as a significant barrier to achieving long-term resilience. Despite these obstacles, Beck is encouraged by the growing awareness and commitment to addressing resilience challenges across Sydney. So take a listen to hear what she has to share!  Episode Resources: AFAC25 Conference Head to⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.smartfirefighting.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to discover how SFF accelerates innovation for emergency responders, to find out when our next event is, or review our curated resources! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ |⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠

Price data for Sydney provides a striking example of why it's so important not to generalise about property markets.   According to the big-name research sources, Sydney prices grew only a few percent overall in the past 12 months, but individual precincts within Greater Sydney have recorded price growth at boom levels.   Unfortunately for people trying to make informed real estate decisions, economists and journalists like to speak about “the Australian property market” and forecast what will happen with “Australian house prices” in the year ahead.   This is not only worthless information for Australians consumers, but it shouts very loudly that the economists and journalists making those generalisations know very little about residential real estate.   Even data on “Sydney house prices” is misleading and next to useless, because it tells us nothing about what's happening in the Northern Beaches suburbs or in the many locations within the Canterbury-Bankstown LGA or out at Blacktown or further west at Penrith.   Because some of the individual precincts within the Greater Sydney metropolitan area have booming property markets.   According to PropTrack data, Sydney's median house price grew just 2.5% in the past 12 months, but Hotspotting analysis shows that most of the suburbs in the City of Canterbury-Bankstown rose by 12-15% and some suburbs increased more than 20%.    Several of the unit markets in this LGA have also recorded double-digit growth in their median prices.   It's because this precinct is an out-performer within the Greater Sydney area that we have been featuring it as one of our main recommendations for Sydney over the past 12 months or so.   In the Bayside LGA, another market we have recommended in our Top 5 Sydney Hotspots report recently, many suburbs have recorded median price growth well above 10% in the past year – and this includes both house and unit markets.   It's worth remembering that more than half of all sales across Greater Sydney now are attached dwellings – units, townhouses, apartments. The market share of houses on land has been falling steadily over the past 12-18 months and now attached dwellings dominate.   Several of the unit markets in the Bayside LGA, including some that have median prices in the $700,000s, have recorded double-digit annual price growth in defiance of the average results for Greater Sydney.   It's true also of the Inner West LGA, which is increasingly dominated by attached dwelling sales. The median house price in most suburbs is well above $2 million, but many suburbs have median unit prices in the $800,000s and $900,000s – and some of those have recorded median price growth in the 7% to 12% range in the past year.   Again, this is well above Sydney averages – and it highlights the key message, that real estate is local in nature and that buyers should be focusing on the areas that are likely to perform city norms.   And 2025 will be no different.  

The late Phillip Sutton (pictured) helped me understand how ending our addiction to fossil fuels would worsen global warming, at least momentarily, but then provide an avenue to the solution.Phillip co-authored the prescient 2008 book "Climate Code Red: The Case for Emergency Action" with David Spratt, the Research Director for "BreakThroughOnline", The National Centre for Climate Restoration is an independent think tank that develops critical thought leadership to influence the climate debate and policy-making."Trading Hope for Reality Helps Me Parent Through the Climate Crisis";"Fact check: Have emissions risen under the Albanese government?";"Mayors Across US Urge Congress Not to Repeal Clean Energy Tax Credits";"One hundred ‘carbon-neutral' corporates quit government scheme over integrity concerns";"Paris Agreement 1.5°C threshold reached in 2024";"Climate change target of 2C is ‘dead', says renowned climate scientist";"James Hansen says we're underestimating global warming acceleration — is anyone listening?";"How to defeat populism";"‘Ridiculous blunder': Trump wades into California's water wars – and strikes some of his strongest supporters";"Amusing Ourselves to Death";"22 Republican AGs Sue to Stop New York's Attempt to Make Fossil Fuel Polluters Pay for Climate Damages";"Clean Energy Costs Expected to Drop 2-11% in 2025, Report Says";"Los Angeles Wildfires Were More Likely Due to Climate Change: Report";"A fierce tussle over a Northern Territory river reveals Australia's stark choice on water justice";"Explainer: what does it actually mean to ‘firm' renewables?";"Earth is already shooting through the 1.5°C global warming limit, two major studies show";"Where should we look for new metals that are critical for green energy technology? Volcanoes may point the way";"Nature and shops: here's what people told us they want most from urban planning";"Golf courses can be safe havens for wildlife and beacons of biodiversity";"What Happens in the Arctic Won't Stay in the Arctic";"Climate Politics: What Would Donald Trump Do?";"The Plastic Crisis: A Health and Environmental Emergency";"How nature can strengthen Greater Sydney's flood resilience";"As the Black Summer megafires neared, people rallied to save wildlife and domestic animals. But it came at a real cost";"This form of anxiety is not officially recognised. But it's widely affecting young people";"A Ugandan climate activist works to hold global superpowers accountable";"CCAG: At the intersection of climate expertise and action";"You're invited to POWFest";"Air Pollution Exposure Reduces Ability to Concentrate on Everyday Tasks: Study";"UK Flood Defense Spending to Reach Record Levels in Face of Climate Crisis";"2025 Kicks Off With Warmest January on Record";"Australia tried to influence other countries and Unesco to keep Great Barrier Reef off in-danger list";"Greenland ice sheet cracking more rapidly than ever, study shows";"Heavy weekend snow and ice will hit swath of Midwest and Northeast";"Biden's Environmental Record";'"Dollars in the dust: Is outback scrub really saving the planet?";"Heavy weekend snow and ice will hit swath of Midwest and Northeast";"DOGE Ransacks NOAA, Raising Fears About Privatization of Climate Data";"Dollars in the dust: Is outback scrub really saving the planet?";"Hottest January on record mystifies climate scientists";"‘Backsliding': most countries to miss vital climate deadline as Cop30 n

A council in Greater Sydney has banned thong and g-string bikinis at its public swimming pools, causing outrage among pool users.Despite the outrage, sales of thongs are up at Marks & Spencer…So, why is there policing on what women can wear?Seán is joined by Édaein O'Connell, Freelance Journalist, to discuss.

A council in Greater Sydney has banned thong and g-string bikinis at its public swimming pools, causing outrage among pool users.Despite the outrage, sales of thongs are up at Marks & Spencer…So, why is there policing on what women can wear?Seán is joined by Édaein O'Connell, Freelance Journalist, to discuss.

Michael and Luke take time recap some of the work done by the Office of the 24-Hour Economy. Commissioner during 2024, while discussing some of the trends evident in the domestic and international hospitality sector. Supporting Information. At the Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner we work with other government partners, local councils, industry and the community to build vibrant, diverse, inclusive and safe hospitality and entertainment precincts. We seek to enhance both the economic output of the state and amenity for residents and tourists alike. We aim to do this by improving the conditions for flexible day and night trading. In so doing the Office of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner makes a positive contribution to the desirability of NSW as the best global location to live, work, play and invest. We seek to integrate planning and placemaking, diversify night-time activities, promote industry and cultural development, improve safety, mobility and connectivity and change the narrative around CBDs across Greater Sydney.

There are multiple reasons why Australia has a housing shortage and why the numbers of new dwellings needed are simply not being built. This is something I have spoken about regularly in the past and will continue to do so, as it's the core issue creating problems for real estate consumers of all kinds – home buyers, investor buyers and tenants. Here are the latest events and announcements which help to explain why we have a housing shortage with rising prices and rising rents, problems which are not going to be fixed in the foreseeable future … ITEM 1 – BUREAUCATIC DELAYS: Sydney councils are sitting on backlog of almost 8,500 unresolved development applications and requests for development certificates, according to NSW government data. There are over 5,000 unresolved development applications across the Greater Sydney area, plus 3,300 active “complying development certificates”. Five councils each have more than 300 local development applications that are waiting to be finalised. Data from the Department of Planning Housing and Infrastructure lists the Inner West Council as the worst offender, with 456 “active” DAs waiting for a determination. The Northern Beaches, Hills Shire and Cumberland Councils also have major backlogs. Thousands more “complying development certificates” are also adding to the backlog, despite being designed to give faster approvals to developments that meet certain requirements. Some councils are taking more than a year to approve homes. And some developers are waiting up to a decade for projects to be approved. In my view, one of the core issues is that many councils have a NIMBY attitude to development, especially high-density residential. They simply don't want developments to be built and do everything they can to frustrate builders. ITEM 2 – NOT FINANCIALLY VIABLE: In Perth, the rate of apartment completions has dropped to its lowest levels since records began in the 1980s. A new Property Council report says that, to meet the housing targets set by the National Housing Accord, WA would need to be delivering five times the number of apartments per year that it currently is. The Sky High report says there are more than 10,000 apartments approved for WA but effectively on hold and unable to be constructed. The major issue is that projects are just not financially viable – because the cost of delivering an apartment is generally higher than the market is willing to pay, so projects simply don't stack up. Only luxury apartments are economically viable projects. The report blames climbing construction costs - driven by labour shortages and competition for labour from government and mining sectors. The report says: “Developers are reporting that construction cost estimates are now almost double the cost of similar developments five years ago.”  The Property Council expects that costs will climb even higher as the new national construction code and bargaining agreements imposed by government take effect. This is problem not only in Perth but right across Australia. Developers are scrapping unit projects because the costs are so high, making them financially unviable. The Australian Construction Industry Forum says it's a worrying trend for a country that needs more, denser homes – not only apartment towers but medium-rise and townhouse developments in existing suburbs – to tackle the chronic undersupply of housing and to ensure longer-term affordability. The forum's Construction Forecasting Council chair and chief economist Nerida Conisbee says: “It's very, very expensive to build apartments. Many projects aren't going ahead.” ITEM 3 – WORKER SHORTAGES: A recent report reveals that Australia needs 130,000 additional workers to combat labour shortages in the construction sector. This has prompted calls for rapid reforms from both federal and state governments to attract and retain skilled labour. The report says the nation is on track, in 2024, for the worst year in new home builds in over a decade, with an 9 per cent decline in new building starts, totalling just 158,000 when it needs to be 240,000 per year to meet the Federal Government's fanciful target of 1.2 million new homes in five years. Construction starts for detached houses have dropped by 10 per cent, while higher-density projects have declined by 6 per cent. If this pace continues, Australia could see fewer than 800,000 new home starts over the five years, leading to a shortfall of over 400,000 homes compared to the National Housing Accord target. The decline in apprenticeship numbers further compounds this crisis, with completions down 8 per cent and commencements down 12 per cent in the past year.  ITEM 4 – POLITICAL POLICIES: The Housing Industry Association says a home building recovery is possible because buyer demand is rising, but state government housing policies risk stalling the revival. HIA Senior Economist, Matt King, says demand for new homes nationally is accelerating - largely due to high population growth, low unemployment, stable incomes and the absence of interest rate rises for the past year. King says activity generally is picking up, but there are big differences across capital city and regional markets. Sydney remains an outlier and there is still no indication of a near-term rebound in residential building in the big city. King says: “New home building in the Sydney basin remains exceptionally low, primarily due to high land prices and excessive housing taxes and infrastructure charges.” Australia-wide, the HIA says the detached home building sector looks promising, but the unit sector remains constrained and is unlikely to experience recovery before mid-2025.  King says: “The sector continues to be dampened by skilled labour shortages, business credit constraints and the aftermath of significant building material cost escalation.  “The extent of the recovery in new home building will be determined by the ability of governments to ease the barriers to home building. “Recent state government plans to increased surcharges on foreign investors and introduce taxes on short-term rental accommodation are unhelpful at a time when stability is needed to achieve the target of 1.2 million homes.” King says the rate of home building is being slowed down by government failure to implement policies such as expedited land releases, concessions on property taxation, and accelerated development approval time frames. ITEM 5 – HIGH LAND COSTS:  The rapidly prising cost of home sites is one of the biggest barriers to easing the housing shortage. New figures for South East Queensland indicate that the cost of residential home sites has jumped by as much as $120,000 in a year – up 21 per cent in one LGA where it now costs as much for a block of land as the median home did just two years ago. This is the City of Brisbane LGA where land prices rose 8.7 per cent in the September quarter alone, pushing the median price of a block of land to $685,000 – which is $3,000 more than what an established home cost in this area in June 2022. The second biggest annual surge in land prices occurred in the City of Ipswich where the median block rose 15 er cent or by $48,000 to hit $360,000, with the third fastest pace set by Moreton Bay, where prices rose by 10 percent to $415,000. The cheapest blocks of land in South East Queensland are in Logan City in Brisbane's south, where a third of SEQ land sales are now occurring – with the median price at $350,000 after a rise of almost 10 percent across the year.  The Gold Coast had the second highest SEQ land price at $619,000, after an 8 percent rise in the past year. So, you can imagine what a new house on a block of land costs, when the land alone costs well over $600,000 – as it does in the City of Brisbane and on the Gold Coast. Why does it cost so much? Primarily because of bureaucratic delays, governments taxes fees and charges, and high interest rates – all problems created by our elected representatives.  

The Bream Fishing Project: 2024 Shimano Glenelg Hopkins CMA Bream Classic Recap In this episode, we dive into the 2024 Shimano Glenelg Hopkins CMA Bream Classic, held at the Hopkins River in Warrnambool on June 15-16, 2024. This episode covers the competition highlights, from the tough fishing conditions to the impressive team performances, and a heartwarming tribute to Barry Thomas. Andrew speaks with the top three teams to capture the strategies and insights that led them to success in a challenging event. Episode Highlights The Graham Taylor Memorial Trophy: This year's back-to-back winners, Team Richardson Marine Tackle Shack, were led by Corey McLaren and Adam Brown. Top Performers: Team Dyer (Jesse Roten and Kate Callow) achieved the highest overall weight with five fish at 3.34 kg, while Team Anger Management took the Eco Gear Big Bream honors with a 1.395 kg catch. Special Prizes: From the Shimano Junior Angler Award to the Miller Rogue Big Perch Prize, the competition featured a range of awards celebrating young talent, big catches, and more. Sponsors Mentioned in This Episode Fishing.com.au: Your go-to shop for all things bream, including Muscle Vibes, OSP Bent Minnows, and Daiwa rods. HWS Hobie Kayaks & Accessories: Whether you're just starting with the Hobie Passport series or upgrading to a high-end tournament-ready kayak, HWS has you covered with expert advice and free delivery across Greater Sydney, Central Coast, and Hunter. Sacred Soul Wellness: Join Jamie's 40-day yoga challenge or check out other wellness offerings. Join The Bream Fishing Project Collective! Become a member to gain access to early episodes, exclusive live streams, and bonus content while supporting our partner charity, The Fly Program. Each membership includes a $1 monthly donation to this incredible cause. Sign up today at breamfishingproject.supercast.com. Thanks for tuning in! Follow @thebreamfishingproject on Instagram for more insights and updates on upcoming episodes and challenges.

   Atomic East Gippsland Bream Classic Recap - Vic Bream Classics 2024 Welcome back to The Bream Fishing Project! In this episode, we're diving deep into the action-packed 2024 Atomic East Gippsland Bream Classic held in Mallacoota on August 17-18. Host Andrew Deeth, 2019 Hobie Kayak Fishing World Champion, brings you all the highlights, insights, and behind-the-scenes stories from this unforgettable tournament. You'll hear from top anglers, semi-regulars, and new talent who all brought their best to the competition. With tips on lure choice, tactics, and handling different water conditions, this episode has something for every angler. Key Moments in This Episode Saturday Recap – Major and minor bite periods, tidal insights, and key strategies from anglers as they navigate challenging conditions. Sunday Recap – A strong day for many, with improved fish activity and impressive catches that kept the competition tight. Angler Highlights: Team SeaWASP – Bowen and Ben's journey from fifth place to taking the win on day two, including insights into their winning techniques. Notable Catches – Winners of the Eco Gear Big Bream and Millerogue Big Flathead Prizes reveal their setups and strategies. Young Talent Shines – Recognizing outstanding performances from up-and-coming junior anglers. Join the Bream Fishing Project Collective! Ready to take your fishing to the next level? The Bream Fishing Project Collective is a subscription service offering early access to episodes, monthly live streams, and exclusive fishing content to enhance your skills. Dive into a community of like-minded anglers where you'll connect, learn, and share knowledge in a team environment. Join today at:   breamfishingproject.supercast.com Sponsor Shoutouts Podium Marine Wraps – Protect and customize your boat with top-quality wraps from Podium Marine Wraps. Visit: podiumarinewraps.com.au Fishing.com.au – Stock up on the latest bream fishing tackle and gear at Fishing.com.au HWS Hobie Kayaks & Accessories – Explore Hobie fishing kayaks and accessories with free delivery across Greater Sydney, Central Coast, and Hunter. Shop at HWS.com.au Supporting a Cause The Bream Fishing Project proudly supports The Fly Program, which helps Australian men with mental health through outdoor experiences.

The rise and rise of the unit market is keeping the Greater Sydney market busy, although below the exceptional levels seen in some of the other market jurisdictions across Australia.  Unit markets are considerably more positive than house markets in our most expensive capital city and the market share of attached dwellings continues to rise. In our latest analysis, well over half of all residential sales across Greater Sydney are attached dwellings. In most of the Greater Sydney municipalities where sales activity is strong, it's the unit markets that are most active. Outer ring house markets are generally subdued, suggesting that those seeking affordable options are choosing apartments and townhouses.  The dominance of attached dwellings in Sydney market performance can be seen in various metrics, resulting from our most recent analysis of activity. While 45% of locations with house markets have positive rankings in our latest analysis, 67% of unit markets are positive. This includes 24% of house locations classified as rising markets, in contrast to 37% of unit locations. This coincides with further evidence that a growing share of dwelling sales in the Greater Sydney market are attached dwellings.  Comparing the June Quarter results for the past four years, the market-share of units was 48% in 2021, 50% in 2022, 52% in 2023 and 54% in 2024. So the latest quarter has shown a resurgence in sales activity in Sydney, inspired by rising demand for attached dwellings. In the City of Sydney LGA, two-thirds of suburbs have positive ratings, headed by the unit markets in Sydney CBD, Surry Hills, Waterloo, Chippendale, Darlinghurst, Elizabeth Bay and Redfern – all rising markets. In the Canterbury-Bankstown LGA, which has recorded a steady rise in sales volumes over the past 18 months, 60% of locations have positive ratings, most of them unit markets. Those with rising sales activity include the unit markets in Bankstown, Belmore, Canterbury, Campsie, Lakemba and Wiley Park. The City of Parramatta fits this pattern also. Two-thirds of markets have positive ratings and 10 of the 13 ranked as rising are unit markets – headed by North Parramatta, Sydney Olympic Park, Toongabbie and Westmead. Top end municipalities that continue to pump strongly include the Woollahra LGA, where there have been steady increases in quarterly sales over the past 18 months. The apartment markets in Double Bay, Vaucluse and Edgecliff are all rising, while those in Rose Bay, Woollahra and Paddington have consistent buyer demand. The City of Randwick is also very consistent with its sales levels, boosted by rising activity in the unit markets of Kensington and Matraville, the house market in Randwick, and both houses and units in Maroubra. In the City of Waverley, another place with steady quarter-by-quarter sales, the leading locations with rising sales are the unit markets in Bondi, North Bondi, Bondi Junction and Waverley. In the outer-ring areas, the City of Penrith at the western fringe of Greater Sydney has recorded a recent upsurge in market activity and six out of ten markets have positive rankings. Rising locations include the house markets in Jamisontown, Kingswood, Penrith, St Marys and Werrington, as well as the unit markets in Colyton, Kingswood and St Clair. But the City of Liverpool is where house markets are doing best, amid a recent upturn in sales volumes – led by Green Valley, Moorebank, Prestons and Wattle Grove. The unit market in the central suburb of Liverpool is also notably strong.  

The new Spring edition of The Price Predictor Index provides emphatic confirmation of the most compelling trend in Australian real estate: the escalating demand for apartments and their challenge to houses on capital growth performance. We have been speaking about the rise and rise of apartments for the past 18 months and there is a growing body of evidence which confirms that more and more buyers are opting for attached dwellings: units, apartments and townhouses. Our analysis of sales activity data for the latest quarter for the Spring edition of The Price Predictor Index reveals that this trend is dominating markets across Australia. For example, there is a stark contrast in the Sydney market. In simple terms, unit markets are pumping and house markets are not - and the market share of attached dwellings continues to rise. In most of the Greater Sydney areas where sales activity is strong, it's the unit markets that are most active. Outer ring house markets are generally subdued, suggesting that those seeking affordable options are choosing apartments and townhouses. The dominance of attached dwellings in Sydney market performance can be seen in various metrics. While 45% of locations with house markets have positive (rising, recovery, consistent) rankings in this analysis, 67% of unit markets are positive. This coincides with further evidence that a growing share of dwelling sales in the Greater Sydney market are attached dwellings. Comparing the June Quarter results for the past four years, the market-share of units was 48% in 2021, 50% in 202, 52% in 2023 and 54% in 2024. There's a pretty clear pattern emerging there. Sydney's experience, with attached dwellings outperforming detached, is part of a strong national trend that is also evident in other cities and some of the regional jurisdictions. In the Brisbane City LGA, elevated demand for units is driving overall activity. In Melbourne, which overall continues to under-achieve, a key exception is provided by inner-city unit markets. And Canberra is experiencing a similar scenario.   While just over half of Canberra markets overall have positive ratings, 78% of unit markets have rising, recovery or consistent classifications based on sales activity trends. Of the 36 unit markets in our Canberra analysis, only 3 have negative ratings.  While only 35% of house markets are classified as rising markets, 61% of unit markets in Canberra have this rating. Affordability is likely a major driver of this trend. Canberra has a median house price close to $1 million (PropTrack data), higher than Melbourne and Brisbane. But its median unit price is $605,000, notably cheaper than Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney, and on a par with Adelaide. The market share of units is rising year by year and attached dwellings now account for 44% of dwelling sales in Canberra, compared to 41% in 2021. In booming Perth, the strongest markets in Perth now are well-located locations with a major presence of attached dwellings.  While the most popular house markets for home buyers and investors (mostly those at the affordable end of the market) are a little less buoyant than earlier in the Perth up-cycle, the focus is switching for affordable units. Perth started this boom with a reputation as the most affordable capital city housing market. After a couple of years of stellar price growth, that's no longer the case. Perth is now well above Hobart and Darwin with its median house price and challenging Adelaide.  Perth now has a median house price of around $800,000, but its median unit price is in the low $500,000s, still well below that of Hobart and Adelaide.  When the bargain suburbs have house medians above $500,000, the big attraction that caused the stampede starts to fade. So now buyers in Perth, increasingly, are looking at unit markets, which are less competitive than the house markets. So now units are capturing a growing market-share in Perth, similar to the scenarios in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra. And units are out-performing. In the new Spring edition of the Price Predictor Index, 29% of Perth house markets are3 classified as rising but almost 50% of unit markets are ranked as rising, based on trends with sales activity. Clearing, the trend with more and more buyers opting for attached dwellings over detached houses, is gathering momentum. It's a major paradigm shift in Australian real estate – and at Hotspotting we believe this trend is here for the long term.  

Lễ hội Fringe Sydney là lễ hội nghệ thuật độc lập lớn nhất ở New South Wales, với hơn 400 sự kiện được trình bày tại hơn 70 địa điểm trên khắp Greater Sydney vào tháng 9 hàng năm. Sự kiện năm nay giới thiệu hơn 1.800 nghệ sĩ, biểu diễn nhiều thể loại như hài kịch, âm nhạc, sân khấu, khiêu vũ, nghệ thuật biểu diễn, xiếc và cabaret.

There are two opposing story lines circulating in news media about Australian real estate ownership. One story line, repeated regularly by media, is that the Great Australian Dream is dead and that young Australian adults can no longer afford to buy homes. The other one, revealed whenever the Australian Bureau of Statistics releases official data on real estate finance, tends to suggest that the dream is very much alive – and indeed thriving. In fact, the latest lending figures show major increases in buying activity by all types of real estate consumers, including first-home buyers. Media loves negative sensation about housing affordability and very often the truth is optional.  Some organisations who crave publicity to lift the profile of their businesses regularly feed this weakness in news media by creating bogus reports about Australian housing affordability. They do this, usually, by applying a set of parameters that are irrelevant and unrealistic. Here's a typical example: a so-called research organisation will create a report which examines how long it takes a young couple to save a 20% deposit to buy a house at the median price in Sydney or Melbourne. Or how much a person needs to earn to achieve a loan for this. Now, there are multiple reasons why this is a nonsense designed to create a headline rather than inform the public. These reports are full of furphies. Furphy No.1 – you don't need a 20% deposit. You can get into real estate ownership with a 10% deposit or even a 5% deposit. Furphy No.2 – first-home buyers don't buy at the median price in Sydney or Melbourne or anywhere else. They buy in the lower price ranges. The city median is irrelevant to the circumstances of young buyers and the issue of affordability. Furphy No.3 – these reports always overlook attached dwellings as an option for buyers seeking affordability. In many capital city suburbs, the median price for units is half the median price for houses. But these bogus reports never speak about this viable, popular and more affordable option. Why are these so-called research reports full of irrelevant and misleading information? Because the goal is NOT to inform people, or help people, or improve the situation for the community. The goal is always self-serving and dishonest – to create free publicity by generating alarm in the community. And journalists are happy to recycle this nonsense as factual news. In Sydney, the median house price is close to $1.5 million (according to CoreLogic) but that is irrelevant to people seeking affordability in our most expensive capital city.  What is considerably MORE relevant is how much it costs to buy a unit in the Canterbury-Bankstown area of Sydney, where there are plenty of viable options in multiple suburbs in the price range from $400,000 to $600,000. Or what it costs to buy a house in more affordable parts of Greater Sydney, like the local government areas of Liverpool, Parramatta and Blacktown. And of course there is the reality that over 20 million Australians live in places other than Sydney and the median house price in our most expensive city is utterly irrelevant to them. How about some focus on what it costs to buy a house in the affordable northern suburbs of Adelaide, or an apartment in the inner-city Brisbane suburb of Bowen Hills, or in the inner-city Perth suburb of Belmont or a house in outer-ring areas of Greater Melbourne. And what about regional Australia, which is attracting growing numbers of new residents relocating from the biggest cities in search of a different lifestyle, empowered by technology that allows more and more people to work remotely. So, let me tell you, the home ownership dream is very much alive right across Australia. How can I be so sure? Because the official lending data confirms it. The latest stats from the ABS – which is for the month of June - shows we are currently seeing growing numbers of people buying homes as first-home buyers, other types of owner-occupier buyers and investors. Lending for the purchase of homes rose 19% in June, compared to a year earlier. In June lending to owner-occupier buyers was up 13% compared to a year earlier, with an even larger increase in loans to investors. There was also a rise in lending to first-home buyers, though not as large an increase. It should be fairly self-evident that lending levels would not be rising, including for first-home buyers, if it was true that no one can afford to buy any more. We have highly active property markets in most parts of Australia and buyers of all kinds are active. So, next time you see one of those shallow media headlines declaring that the dream is dead and that young Australians are priced out of the market, don't believe it.  

The latest lending data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics finds that loans to investors in New South Wales in April represented a 44% increase on the same time last year. That's a major jump in buyer demand, but it does not surprise the team at Hotspotting, particularly after the analysis we have done on market trends for the Winter edition of The Price Predictor. Our research shows there is heightened buyer activity in selected locations, both in Sydney and in Regional NSW. The Price Predictor Index finds that some of the nation's regional areas are the leading markets in the nation, including the Wollongong/Shoalhaven region in NSW. In the Winter edition of the PPI, we have nominated the Shoalhaven LGA as the strongest market among the nation's municipalities, while the City of Wollongong also makes our National Top 10. The Price Predictor Index for several years has charted the trend we call The Exodus to Affordable Lifestyle and our latest analysis suggests the demographic drift from the biggest capital cities is still pumping strongly. In some cases, the NSW regional markets of note are what we call “second-wind markets” -locations across Australia which were at the peak of their up-cycles in 2021 and then subsided in 2022 and 2023 – but are now showing signs of embarking on the next up-cycle, with improved activity late in 2023 and early in 2024. A prime example is Byron Bay which previously had a boom which, in reality, overshot true value – with property values doubling in two years. The median house price peaked at $3.5 million in mid-2022, but dropped markedly since to as low as $2.4 million. Now we see evidence in the sales data of a pickup in activity and also the first signs of prices recovering. The strong Albury-Wodonga regional city at the NSW-Victoria border was a boom market until mid-2022 – and now, after a flat period, is showing early signs of revival. The suburb of Albury is one of our National Top 50 Supercharged Suburbs in the Winter edition of The Price Predictor Index. Other standout locations include Newcastle and nearby areas such as Lake Macquarie and Port Stephens. Mid-coast centres like Forster and Taree are also travelling well. In Sydney, the top end is undoubtedly leading the Sydney market while the cheaper areas are struggling to maintain their previously high sales levels. Locations where houses sell for multiple millions of dollars are the strongest clusters for buyer activity, in a Greater Sydney market where sales levels have moderated a little but continue to be solid. Our analysis reveals three stand-out clusters of suburbs where sales activity is most vibrant, all of them at the upper end of the market – the municipalities of Woollahra, Waverley and Bayside. Within these LGAs, suburbs classified as rising markets include Bondi, Darling Point and Paddington. Inner-city areas which have been boosted by strong demand for apartments in the past year or so – Sydney City and the Inner West LGA - continue to generate good buyer demand. Rising suburbs in the City of Sydney include Surry Hills and Woolloomooloo, while Chippendale stands out for its consistency of performance. At the opposite end of the market spectrum, outer ring areas including the municipalities of Blacktown, Hills Shire and Penrith have lost momentum and have significant numbers of suburbs classified as declining markets. This is part of a notable trend nationwide which finds that new development areas are among the struggling markets with sales activity falling. The problems within the housing construction sector are well-documented, with building companies going broke amid rapidly rising costs and shortages of tradespeople and materials. We note that sales levels in the City of Blacktown, which has been a star performer in Sydney in recent years, have faded notably. It's noteworthy that many of the declining suburbs have median house prices well above $1 million and no longer provide relative affordability, including Rouse Hill, The Ponds and Schofields. In The Hills Shire, an even more expensive market in the far north-west, sales activity generally has dropped notably and half its suburbs are now rated as declining markets. They include a number of suburbs which all have median house prices above $1.7 million and in some cases above $2 million. Listings of homes for sale have been trending upwards in the Hills District recently, so low sales volumes cannot be attributed to a shortage of properties. But beyond that hiccup in the outer Sydney market, New South Wales broadly presents as a place that is attracting strong buyer demand, both in Sydney and in regional markets, with an uplift in investor activity a key factor.  

In episode 180 of Commercial Real Estate Leadership, join Darren Krakowiak as he delves into the partnership of Brad Lord and Charlie Yankos, principals of RWC (Ray White Commercial) Greater Sydney South. Charlie Yankos, a former captain of the Australian national soccer team, reveals the lessons he learned about team work, discipline and leadership that helped him forge a post-professional athlete career in the cut-and-thrust world of commercial real estate. Brad Lord, who spend many years in property management and then moved into sales and leasing, provides practical steps that others can use to make the successful transition into a transaction-based, commission-driven role. This episode will captivate listeners interested in learning how personal dynamics can positively influence professional endeavours; listen now and you'll discover how these two leaders with a shared family connection (Charlie is married to Brad's mum) have united to enhance their business together at RWC Greater Sydney South and as clients of CRE Success. --- Follow CRE Success on Instagram and then DM us the word "GROW" to get your business growing faster: instagram.com/cresuccess 'Multiplied Growth' is a free guide for commercial real estate leaders who want to get their business growing faster. Get your free copy at cresuccess.co/growth Visit CRE Success online: cresuccess.co Read the episode anecdote, get the transcript and watch the video recording of the podcast here: cresuccess.co/blog/180 To share this episode or your thoughts on it, tag us on socials: @cresuccess or use our hashtag: #cresuccess If you enjoy the show, leave us a rating or review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Connect with Darren Krakowiak on LinkedIn Podcast music sourced from audioblocks.com

Dr Marthe Kondemo is visiting Australia from the Democratic Republic of Congo to learn about innovative women's health and livelihood initiatives to see what may be replicable in the DRC. While here she will meet a wide range of organisations dealing with such issues as domestic violence prevention, conflict resolution, peacebuilding, disability services and youth engagement. Despite vast natural resources the DRC has suffered from political instability, a lack of infrastructure, corruption and centuries of commercial extraction and exploitation. Her visit is facilitated by Lucy Hobgood-Brown from the Rotary E-Club of Greater Sydney.

Welcome back to another episode of Monday Breakfast, broadcasted from the studios of 3CR in so-called Melbourne.  Our first segment for this week is Mercedes Zanker of Uprise Radio speaking with Mohamed of The Sit Intifada on the first sitting day of Victorian Parliament of 2024, direct from the steps of Parliament House.   On Thursday last week the NSW government released a discussion paper to allow for feedback on policy changes they see as potential fixes for the state's housing crisis, specifically its lack of housing supply. Currently around 56,000 people are waiting for social housing in the state, with a shortfall of what the NSW government calls ‘221,000 social house dwellings'. We also know that in since 2019, advertised prices of long-term rentals increased by 38%; and that in December 2023, vacancy rates in Greater Sydney were at a mere 1.7%, below the decade's average of 2.3%. Rob spoke with Harry Millward, General Secretary of the Renters and Housing Union to talk about if this approach could ease the housing crisis in that state. Join RAHU to collectively push for a world in which everyone has a home: https://rahu.org.au/join-rahu/  Following that we hear a portion of Queering the Air's interview with  Frank Gafa, a queer Aboriginal unionist, about the No Police at Pride campaign, the lack of engagement from VicPol in LGBTQI+ community issues, and a new community led pride happening next year. Find out more(https://nopoliceatpride.com/) on No Police in Pride, and sign the petition here(https://nopoliceatpride.com/petition/). Follow the campaign on Instagram @no_police_at_pride  Lastly Grace speaks with Sara Shaweesh, initiator of the Families for Palestine ongoing action outside Prime Minister Albanese's office, bringing her Palestinian heritage to the forefront as a powerful advocate against the genocide in Palestine. She's also the founder of Khamsa Eatery in Sydney's inner west, Sara commitments extends beyond her restaurant to amplify the collective call for a Free Palestine.  Event Details:Location: 334A Marrickville Rd, Marrickville NSW 2204Start Date and Time: Sunday, 11th February 2024, 6pmDuration: OngoingHow You Can Support:Join the Sit-in: Attend the vigil at any time to show your support for peace and justice.Media Coverage: Journalists and media outlets are invited to cover this peaceful demonstrationand bring attention to the urgent issues at hand.Social Media: Share updates and use the hashtags #KibbutzAlbo #CampForCeasefire#FamiliesForPalestine to amplify the message. Rob and Grace also gave an update on Camp Sovereignty's events for the week, the info for which you can find on the Black People's Union (@blackpeoplesunion) and Old Country Calling (old.country.calling) Instagram pages. They ended the show with breaking news from Bayswater -- a number of activists have successfuly shut down a known F-35 striker jet parts manufacturer from operating this morning. Support is needed to help continue the shutdown at Rosebank Engineering, 836 Mountain Hwy, Bayswater. Songs played: 9-5 - Dolly Parton Back to Black - Amy Winehouse Meditjin (Feat JessB) - Baker Boy 

The Sydney market performed strongly in 2023, according to data from all the major research sources, and has started the New Year with considerable forward momentum. PropTrack reports that the median house price for Greater Sydney rose around 8% in 2023, above its capital city average of 6.4%. Domain has more bullish figures, with Sydney's median house price rising 10.6% last year, while CoreLogic claimed that Sydney house prices lifted 12.5%, also above its national average of 8.6%. While it's confusing for consumers that different research entities have conflicting figures on median prices and how much they have changed, the common features from PropTrack, Domain and CoreLogic is that they all record a strong year for the Sydney house market. In terms of the apartment market, all three major data sources have Sydney showing solid price increases close to their national average figures – 4.5% (PropTrack), 6.3% (Domain) and 7.7% (CoreLogic). But the most relevant data, we think, is the trends with sales volumes, often a forward indicator of prices. Hotspotting's analysis for the quarterly editions of The Price Predictor Index found that the Greater Sydney market improved as 2023 evolved and finished the year strongly. In our most recent analysis, 84% of suburbs had positive classifications, including 51% of suburbs which were ranked as rising markets. That 51% rising result was the strongest in the nation and it means that Sydney has entered 2024 with lots of momentum. Whichever way we look at the numbers, Sydney has a strong market, with rising buyer demand in sectors right across the Greater Sydney area, from the Sydney CBD to Penrith. As we have noted in recent editions of The Price Predictor Index, there is rising buyer demand in locations with a high content of apartments. The City of Sydney LGA is one of the busiest in the Greater Sydney Area. Of the 22 Sydney City suburbs in our latest quarterly analysis, 20 had positive classifications, including 15 rising markets. Other precincts with a high component of attached dwellings also had strong markets, notably suburbs in the Inner West, Parramatta, Ryde, Canada Bay and Strathfield LGAs. The Inner West LGA has 19 suburbs on our list of which 17 had positive rankings, including 15 rising markets, in our most recent analysis.  And there is strength in other sectors of the Greater Sydney market. It may be the most expensive of the nation's city markets, but buyer demand remains strong and prices continue to rise. There is impetus in inner-city markets with good demand for apartments; in middle-ring locations like the popular Canterbury-Bankstown precinct; and in outer-ring locations with more affordable prices like the municipalities of Liverpool, Blacktown and Penrith. So Hotspotting expects Sydney to continue to deliver solid growth in 2024 – and to once again defy the economists who have started the year with their customary pessimistic forecasts.  

Hundreds of calls for help were made by citizens in the Greater Sydney area due to heavy rain and thunderstorms. At the same time the Bureau of Meteorology is warning of a series of extreme weather events. - Εκατοντάδες κλήσεις για βοήθεια πραγματοποιήσαν πολίτες στην ευρύτερη περιοχή του Σύδνεϋ, εξαιτίας έντονων βροχοπτώσεων και καταιγίδων. Την ίδια ώρα η Μετεωρολογική Υπηρεσία προειδοποιεί για μία σειρά ακραίων καιρικών φαινομένων.

Welcome back, property enthusiasts!

Written and directed by Heath Davis, “Christmess” marks the big screen debut of acclaimed alternative rock band Middle Kids' Hannah Joy, while the film also stars Steve Le Marquand (“Last Train to Freo”) and Darren Gilshenan (“No Activity”).Le Marquand plays the role of a once famous actor who has been reduced by alcohol addiction to performing as Santa Claus in a mall. After accidentally meeting his estranged daughter (Nicole Pastor), he seeks help from his sponsor (Gilshenan) and a sharp-tongued musician in recovery (Joy) in order to win his daughter's forgiveness in time for the festive season.“Christmess” is produced by Daniel Fenech, Cindy Pritchard and Matthew McCracken. It is financed through crowd funding and the support of unnamed partners. Distribution will be handled by Bonsai Films.Production started on the light-hearted drama in Greater Sydney earlier this year. Le Marquand has starred in three of Davis' previous films “Book Week”, “Broke”, and “Locusts”. In addition to acting, Joy contributes original music to the film and also covers a famous Christmas song. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The new Summer edition of The Price Predictor Index shows that residential real estate in 2023 has defied the dire predictions of economists and commentators who told us that house prices would drop at least 15% because interest rates were rising. Sales activity and prices have become stronger as the year has evolved. Our analysis shows that markets throughout the nation are overwhelmingly upbeat: 71% of suburbs have positive sales activity trends, led by the 31% of locations which we classify as rising markets and the 26% which are recovering markets. Only 4% of suburbs are ranked as declining markets. There are numerous municipalities nationwide where virtually every suburb has a positive (rising, recovering or consistency) ranking in our analysis of sales activity trends and many outstanding precincts failed to make our National Top 10 Municipalities list because there were so many worthy candidates. The rise of the three biggest cities, described in our Spring edition three months ago, has gathered further impetus. Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney all have 84-87% of their suburbs with positive momentum in their markets, a dramatic turnaround since the start of calendar 2023. But next in the national rankings are Regional Queensland, Regional South Australia, Regional WA and Regional Victoria, indicating that markets outside of the capital cities continue to deliver growth. Overall, there is more powerful momentum in the cities than the regions. Seven of our National Top 10 Municipalities are capital city precincts - and 72 of the National Top 100 Supercharged Suburbs are located in capital cities. Sydney is stronger than Regional NSW at present, Melbourne is outpointing Regional Victoria and Brisbane is (slightly) ahead of Regional Queensland. The dominant trend in 2023 has been recovery, initially, and then strong upward trajectories with sales volumes - but not everywhere is on board with the resurgence. As Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and several regional markets move into overdrive, Canberra and Darwin are stuck in neutral and Perth - after being a nation-leading growth market for three years - is now in reverse. The Perth market is showing the first signs of fading and has lost its position as a national growth leader (although it will take time before it shows up in the price data). The Canberra market is the weakest we have recorded in the eight years of these quarterly surveys and the Darwin market has little energy (CommSec in the State of the States report ranks the ACT and the Northern Territory as the nation's weakest economies). This confirms that property markets are local in nature and it's rare to see all markets moving in the same direction and at the same speed. Currently, the top 5 markets (Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, Regional Queensland and Regional SA) are very strong and the bottom 3 (Canberra, Darwin and Regional Tasmania) are rather weak. One of the key findings of our surveys in 2023 has been the emergence of unit markets and this trend has taken on greater force as the year has progressed. Suburbs where apartments dominate the dwelling mix are among the most powerful markets in Australia. The National Top 100 list of Supercharged Suburbs includes 24 in Greater Sydney, of which half are locations dominated by units. Inner-city suburbs in Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth also feature prominently on this list, while the National Top 10 Municipalities list includes the City of Melbourne, the City of Sydney and the Brisbane- inner precinct - as well as Gold Coast City, where a sizeable proportion of buyer demand is directed towards apartments. The dominant paradigm of real estate (that houses on land show superior capital growth to apartments ) is being challenged. While recovery, revival and resurgence are the dominant themes of Australian property markets, there are (as always) notable exceptions. The most striking absentees from the lists of market jurisdictions where sales activity is strong are some of Australia's most iconic Sea Change locations: Byron Bay, the Sunshine Coast, the Mornington Peninsula and the Central Coast. The common feature of those four locations is that they experienced extraordinary uplift during the so- called Covid Boom and indeed overshot realistic market values in some cases. The median price for Byron Bay more than doubled in three years, upmarket Sunshine Coast suburbs like Sunshine Beach achieved similar astronomical growth, while the Mornington Peninsula was the Victorian equivalent. It's significant that while the upsurge across Greater Melbourne has been felt in almost every market sector, the Mornington Peninsula is a stark exception. The Gold Coast is again a growth market but the Sunshine Coast is lagging. These places are having longer and deeper corrections than other parts of the country. So those are the highlights – but's there's so much more in the Summer 2023-24 edition of The Price Predictor Index. It provides a ranking for every major suburb and town in Australia and alerts you to the markets that are likely to show good price growth – and warns you of the ones to avoid. It's justifiably one of our most popular reports and not to be missed by anyone wanting to plan a real estate move in 2024.

Housing crisis pushes more into poverty with new research from the University Canberra finding overall poverty rates in regional NSW are now higher than Greater Sydney. 

Dr Sarah Hill, the CEO of the Western Parkland City Authority, talks about delivering her vision for 'a metropolis of three cities'', a vision she co-created as the inaugural CEO of the Greater Sydney Commission, to fundamentally change the way we think and plan for Greater Sydney.Sarah talks about leading the Commission to develop new ways of engaging with citizens, to measure and monitor key planning outcomes and to better align growth with infrastructure through new methods such as Australia's first Place-Based Infrastructure Compact.

Trudi Mares describes herself as the accidental public servant but whether accidental or not, Trudi has carved out an impressive and impactful career and continues to learn, eveole and take the opportunities she rightly earns. She understands how to connect purpose and values and turn it into meaningful action and inspires the same in others. Trudi has a passion for authentic leadership, customer and people experience and transformation. She has led teams across the NSW Public Service at NSW Police, Roads and Maritime Services, National Parks and Wildlife Service, Corrective Services and Attorney Generals and Justice. Her background spans business management, policy, finance, people and culture and shared and corporate services. Trudi holds a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) and is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (MAICD). --------- Want to create a great place to work? Join the free Culture Makers Community to learn and share with like-minded peers Find out more about Colin www.colindellis.com --------- Incidental show music courtesy of https://www.purple-planet.com --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/culturemakers/message

The wet weather is easing in some parts of New South Wales, but authorities say the crisis is far from over. Flood waters moving downstream are likely to bring further disaster. This comes as more than 100 evacuation orders are in place across Greater Sydney and people in another 50 areas have been put on alert. Parts of the city have received 200 milimetres of rain, almost a fifth of the annual average - in just 24 hours. Meanwhile, developing weather could bring another deluge today in parts of the Mid North Coast that has already washed out multiple times in recent months. ABC reporter Cecilia Connell spoke to Susie Ferguson.

With the wild day of weather, Transport NSW chief Howard Collins has joined Mark Levy with an update on transport interruptions and advice for around greater Sydney. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thousands of people have been urged to flee their homes across Sydney as dangerous bad weather escalates, which is expected to last until Tuesday. - Χιλιάδες άνθρωποι κλήθηκαν να εγκαταλείψουν τα σπίτια τους σε όλο το Σύδνεϋ, καθώς κλιμακώνεται η επικίνδυνη κακοκαιρία, η οποία αναμένεται να διαρκέσει μέχρι την Τρίτη.

Much of Greater Sydney has been battered by a weekend of torrential rain and flooding - with thousands forced to evacuate and waters expected to rise further today. The Warragamba dam was spilling at a rate greater than during the devastating floods in March and April, with those in the Hawkesbury and Nepean Valleys advised to be ready to leave.

Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt says the flood crisis gripping Greater Sydney will likely get worse throughout the day, especially around the Nepean and Hawkesbury Rivers. With 6000 homes under evacuation orders, the Minister has announced a further 100 defence personnel will be deployed to help with sandbagging and water rescues.

The woman offered the New York trade ambassador post only to have it ripped away and given to John Barilaro has spoken of her “distress” and fears for her  career. An Australian crime lord has risked a death sentence after allegedly masterminding the smuggling of a huge haul of drugs into Bali and is on the run from Indonesian police and Interpol. A strong East Coast Low is forming off the NXW coast- this weather system is bringing torrential rain and major flooding to Greater Sydney. Teenagers have returned to Facebook – to rip people off in a series of sophisticated scams that have alarmed police. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Independent MP Alex Greenwich is holding the media responsible for a crackdown on illegal protesters disrupting Greater Sydney. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The federal treasurer claims Tuesday's budget will ease cost-of-living pressures. Public transport will be free across Sydney's entire network for 12 consecutive days during the Easter holidays. China has defended its security cooperation with the Solomon Islands. Showdown in favour and against Imran Khan in the Pakistani capital.

The Squiz is your shortcut to the news. More details and links to further reading for all of today's news can be found in The Squiz Today email. Sign up (it's free!) - www.thesquiz.com.au.Do our survey!Other things we do:Sport Today - a sports news podcast designed to keep you ahead of the game. Or sign up to the newsletter here.Squiz Shortcuts - a weekly explainer on big news topicsSquiz Kids - a news podcast for curious kids. Age appropriate news without the nasties! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The wild weather that has been causing havoc in eastern Australia seems to have stalled over Greater Sydney, which is under the 17th day of a torrential downpour. with more days forecast. Evacuation orders have again been issued, with thousands of Sydneysiders told to leave their homes as the waters keep rising. The ABC's Peter Ryan talks to Lisa Owen.

Tens of thousands of people in the Greater Sydney area have spent the night out of their homes as floodwaters rise across a number of catchments;

Tens of thousands of people in the Greater Sydney area have spent the night out of their homes as floodwaters rise across a number of catchments;

비 구름이 계속 남하하고 있는 가운데 시드니 광역권 바깥 지역(Greater Sydney), 헌터(Hunter), 센트럴 코스트(Central Coast) 지역이 폭우와 사투 중이다. 

Australia is entering a frightening new stage of the pandemic this week. Greater Sydney, Greater Melbourne and all of regional Victoria are in lockdown, and despite the restrictions, the outbreaks are still growing on both sides of the border. So with 12 million people being told to stay home, how big a hit will there be to the economy? Today on The Signal, we question the cost of Australia's zero-COVID strategy. What is the price, and is it something we should still all be willing to pay? Featured: Nicki Hutley, Economist, Social Outcomes

Listeners offered grace and good humour in the face of extensive lockdowns in Victoria and Greater Sydney.

Due to covid and the current lockdown in Greater Sydney, we were not able to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Slovenian independence as a community in Sydney and had to postpone the event. We spoke with the Chairman of the organising committee, Walter Šuber, who shared new information, including a new date for the event. - Konec junija zaradi omejitev COVIDa-19 nismo mogli praznovati 30. obletnico slovenske samostojnosti v Sydneyu. Pogovarjali smo se z Valterjem Šuberjem, voditeljem odbora za prireditev v NSWu, ki je podal nekaj novih informacij v zvezi s prireditvijo.

It should be clear by now that coronavirus, especially the Delta variant, is incredibly infectious. Victoria is the latest state to get hit, after the Delta variant found its way in two different ways: a family returning from Sydney and a removalist crew. In Sydney, it's proving hard to get under control - with the NSW Government extending the lockdown in Greater Sydney by at least two weeks. Also on today's show: * ATAGI's updated advice on AstraZeneca * An idea to make Pfizer go further * Norman is accosted in a park * Please get vaccinated (if you can) with an actual vaccination

It should be clear by now that coronavirus, especially the Delta variant, is incredibly infectious.Victoria is the latest state to get hit, after the Delta variant found its way in two different ways: a family returning from Sydney and a removalist crew.In Sydney, it's proving hard to get under control - with the NSW Government extending the lockdown in Greater Sydney by at least two weeks.Also on today's show:* ATAGI's updated advice on AstraZeneca* An idea to make Pfizer go further* Norman is accosted in a park* Please get vaccinated (if you can) with an actual vaccination

Things are pretty dire in NSW. The extended lockdown in Greater Sydney, the Central Coast, Wollongong and the Blue Mountains has got progressively tougher, and with hundreds of new cases of COVID-19 still popping up, the end date is unclear. The outbreak started a month ago when an unvaccinated airport limo driver ferrying US air crew caught COVID at work and spread it to Bondi, in Sydney's east. Since then, the cases have moved, with a focus at the moment on three council areas in Sydney's South West: Fairfield, Liverpool, and Canterbury-Bankstown. Today on The Signal, with all the numbers still trending in the wrong direction, is the lockdown a failure? And if so, what needs to change? Featured: Dr Julie Leask, Professor of Public Health, University of Sydney

Over the weekend, lockdowns ended in WA, NT and Queensland - leaving only Greater Sydney and surrounding areas with heavy restrictions.New South Wales' health authorities have been battling a much bigger outbreak, but there's hope that it might finally being brought under control.But many challenges remain, such as an outbreak in an aged-care home and still several mystery cases.So on today's Coronacast, what's the chance Sydney's lockdown will end this week?Also on today's show:* When do you think research will tell us whether or not we should have another COVID-19 shot next year?* The US, UK, Canada and some European countries are mixing and matching vaccines. When do you Australia will follow suit?

Over the weekend, lockdowns ended in WA, NT and Queensland - leaving only Greater Sydney and surrounding areas with heavy restrictions. New South Wales' health authorities have been battling a much bigger outbreak, but there's hope that it might finally being brought under control. But many challenges remain, such as an outbreak in an aged-care home and still several mystery cases. So on today's Coronacast, what's the chance Sydney's lockdown will end this week? Also on today's show: * When do you think research will tell us whether or not we should have another COVID-19 shot next year? * The US, UK, Canada and some European countries are mixing and matching vaccines. When do you Australia will follow suit?

Australia is backsliding in the battle to suppress COVID-19, and the weekend brought more bad news. Greater Sydney and Darwin are both in lockdown, and there are new restrictions in place in Perth, Queensland, the ACT and regional NSW. All over Australia, everyone is nervously waiting to see where more cases pop up next. So how did it all unravel so fast? Today on The Signal, we ask what we're doing to bring the virus back under control, and whether it will work. Featured: Professor Nancy Baxter, Epidemiologist and Head, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health