COVID restrictions update.
Advocacy in action.
This week UDIA Victoria has been meeting daily with key government stakeholders including senior government Ministers, representatives from the Department of Health and the Chief Medical Officer’s team, the Premier’s team, and industry leaders including employer associations and unions. Together we have presented a phased approach to Government about how the building, construction and development industry activity can safely increase our activity during the weeks following Stage 4 restrictions.
The work that UDIA Victoria did on our Roadmap to Recovery, released in May, has set us in good stead to make a strong case to Government for an urban development industry-led recovery.
Click here to see an overview of our Roadmap to Recovery.
Our industry is widely considered to have demonstrated excellence in the way we’ve managed COVID cases and mitigated COVID risk. Our Workplace Guidelines have placed us in a strong position to manage the next phase, and we have not had any COVID cases reported in our industry for the past 2 weeks.
Government’s roadmap to re-open.
UDIA Victoria is clear on the Government’s position that the re-opening of our industry and economy is likely to be staged and will be driven by the health data and the public health response.
There are six principles that will guide the Victorian Government’s Industry Restart Approach:
- Ensure physical distancing
- Wear a mask
- Practice good hygiene
- Act quickly if staff become unwell
- Avoid interactions in enclosed spaces
- Create workforce bubbles
UDIA Victoria’s members should be thinking about these principles and how your business and your team may need to change behaviour, or workplace practises to operate in a COVIDSafe way.
Access DHHS COVIDSafe planning information here.
Read the Premier’s media statement: Working together to re-open Victoria – safely.
The Victorian Government will release its re-opening roadmap this Sunday, 6 September 2020. Look out for UDIA Victoria’s explainer email and keep in touch with us via LinkedIn for up to the minute updates.
Advocacy wins.
UDIA Victoria is pleased to have secured some practical improvements on how the current Stage 4 restrictions work with respect to commencement and completion trades. These common-sense changes will help address bottlenecks being caused by the current restrictions on:
– Trades moving around a maximum of three sites per week on small-scale construction sites.
For work carried out prior to the completion of base stage – or for work carried out after the completion of the fixing stage – workers will no longer be limited to 3 sites per week.
– Number of workers permitted to safely pour a concrete slab on small-scale construction sites.
More than five workers can be present on site to ensure slab-pouring is completed safely but should be the minimum number possible.
– The point at which a project goes from being classified as an early stage land development project, to either a small- or large-scale project.
Greater clarity has been provided to industry on this point.
Read the updates on the Business Victoria website.
Research: Urban IQ June Quarter
UDIA Victoria, in partnership with RPM Real Estate, has released the latest quarterly Urban IQ research report.
The Urban IQ research highlights the positive effect of HomeBuilder and demonstrates that even with significant uncertainty, government cash grant offers are largely taken up by buyers on the cusp of making a buying decision.
We are using this research to bolster our case for the Victorian Government to introduce market stimulus to at least the middle of next year, to allow for a more natural transition out of the HomeBuilder grant.
Access the latest Urban IQ report in English.
Access the latest Urban IQ report in Mandarin.
UDIA Annual Review.
What. A. Year.
UDIA Victoria’s incredible membership has demonstrated exceptional resilience and adaptability throughout the 2019/20 financial year.
Take a moment to reflect on all we’ve faced as a strong and united industry in our Annual Review, which we presented at last week’s Annual General Meeting. Thank you to our Board, Committees, Partners, Sponsors and Members for your work with us throughout the year.
View the UDIA Victoria Annual Review.
News: JobKeeper changes.
Parliament passed a Bill this week to extend the end point of the JobKeeper program from 27 September 2020 to 28 March 2021. While this change in law extends the timeframe during which JobKeeper payments can be made, the details for extended JobKeeper eligibility will be set out in the Rules legislative instrument.
Click here for more information.
News: Extension for Victorians seeking cladding cost claims
Victorians will be given an extra two years to pursue legal action against builders responsible for installing combustible cladding on their homes under legislation introduced to the Victorian Parliament this week.
News: Applications re-open for land tax relief for landlords and business owners.
Applications for land tax relief have reopened via My Land Tax, which has now been updated with the further relief measures for landlords and business owners announced by the Victorian Government on Thursday 20 August 2020.
Check your eligibility for all land tax relief measures and find out what supporting documents you will need to upload with your application on the SRO ‘Apply for coronavirus land tax relief webpage’.
If you have previously applied for a 25% waiver and you want to apply for this further relief, you must make a new application through My Land Tax. If you have not already, register for My Land Tax.
Advocacy: Electronic signing of contracts and deeds.
UDIA Victoria has written to the Minister for Consumer Affairs requesting an extension to the COVID-19 measure to allow for the electronic signing of contracts and deeds to March 2021; and to consider making this measure permanent.
Click here to view the letter.
Complimentary EnviroDevelopment Audit.
See how your project stacks up.
Ever wondered how sustainable your project really is? Find out with a complimentary EnviroDevelopment Audit.
The EnviroDevelopment team will assess your project and advise what level of certification you may be eligible to achieve.
Certified projects provide a point of difference in the marketplace and provide evidence to the community, potential home buyers, and investors that your project is sustainable.
Email us to arrange a free audit.Learn about EnviroDevelopment.
2020 UDIA Victoria Awards for Excellence: Entry deadline extended to 18 September.
Given the huge impact of Stage 3 and 4 restrictions across Victoria, the 2020 UDIA Awards for Excellence entry deadline has been extended.
YOU NOW HAVE UNTIL FRIDAY 18 SEPTEMBER TO SUBMIT YOUR 2020 ENTRY!
Click here for more information.
