UDIA Victoria

The Allan Government will this week introduce into Parliament the Building Legislation Amendment (Buyer Protections) Bill 2025, which proposes significant reforms to Victoria’s building regulatory framework. This legislation aims to enhance consumer protections and strengthen enforcement mechanisms within the construction sector. UDIA Victoria and our fellow industry associations were brought in to consult on the draft legislation.  A member bulletin was sent earlier today. In our view, industry engagement was inadequate, rushed and did not fully consider the impact of some of the reforms, particularly on the feasibility of Class 2 buildings (four storey residential or higher).  Key elements of the bill include: - Establishment of a new Building and Plumbing Commission - Enhanced enforcement powers to rectify defects - A developer bond scheme - First resort domestic building insurance - Mandatory construction inspections While UDIA supports measures that enhance consumer confidence and protect homebuyers, it is essential that regulatory changes are practical, balanced, and do not impose excessive costs or delays that could impact housing supply and affordability.  Our position has been clear, the Government cannot expect to introduce new costs to construction and not impact housing affordability and supply. The industry is already facing some of the toughest conditions many have seen, and despite a focus on building more homes than ever before, Victoria is building fewer and fewer.    We will be engaging closely with the Government to ensure industry is represented in development of corresponding regulations.   We strongly encourage members to provide feedback on how these changes may impact their projects. Members can read the Regulatory Impact Statement and make formal submissions via Engage Victoria https://lnkd.in/gKpPFX5d. Didn't get your member bulletin? Email info@udiavic.com.au to subscribe to our bulletins. Not a member? Email us to find out how you can be part of the UDIA Community. Government media release: https://lnkd.in/gPyxriNs

Judi's dedication to UDIA Victoria and mentoring the next generation of property professionals is inspiring. Providing women in property with the skills, confidence, and networks they need to thrive is so important for the industry's future. On behalf of the UDIA community, thank you 🙌

Thank you for joining us last Wednesday at the UDIA Industry Lunch - ‘Making it Stack: Data, Dynamics, and Developing’. It was great to see so many people in the room at the RACV Club Melbourne. We would like to express our gratitude to our speakers and industry experts - Eliza Owen, Michael Staedler, Tim Hyland, Samantha O'Shaughnessy and James Collins. Their insights and knowledge shared on the day gave us invaluable perspectives on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead this year. The success of this event was made possible by the generous support of our Proud Presenting Partner RPM GRP and our Proud Support Partner Maddocks. To view images from the day, please follow the link below and feel free to share them with your networks. https://lnkd.in/gqJVhAxp We have more great events coming up this year, so keep a look out - we look forward to seeing you again soon!

Registration close tomorrow for the UDIA Property Development Essentials 2-day immersive course, delivered face-to-face in Melbourne. Participants will learn directly from industry experts, establish connections with fellow participants and review a real case study where they will apply their learning of the practical concepts taught throughout the course. 📅 Date: Friday, 28th February and 7th March. 📍 Venue: Collins Square, Melbourne CBD. 🕖 Time: 8:45am - 4:00pm each day. For more details or to register, please visit: https://lnkd.in/g7hCeBun Thank you to our Education Partner Red23 and Program Partner nbn® Australia for their continued support of our industry training. #UDIAVIC #propertydevelopment #industrycourse #professionaldevelopment

Only 2 places left in the UDIA Mentoring Program. Don't miss out on the opportunity to further your career, establish connections and learn from directly from an industry leader. Registrations close tomorrow. Find out more and secure your place: https://lnkd.in/gwXzE2SA The UDIA Mentoring Program is proudly supported by our program host JINDING and partner Dalton Consulting Engineers (DCE). #UDIAVictoria #UDIA #Mentoring #ProfessionalDevelopment

UDIA Victoria welcomes the Government's announcement today to provide fast tracked approvals to townhouses. This is a hard-fought win by UDIA, who has been advocating for codification for townhouses as a way of increasing density in the 'missing middle' ring of Melbourne, and also to speed up townhouse approvals across Victoria.   As CEO Linda Allison told media outlets this morning:   "Townhouses and dual occupancy are an important part of solving the housing crisis. The industry is better positioned to deliver this type of housing in the present market conditions compared to the apartment market where project feasibility is extremely challenged.   Housing preferences continue to change and evolve, and for many a townhouse is a good middle ground between a detached house on a larger block and apartment living. When well located to community amenities, townhouse living works for many different household types – for single people, couples and families.”   UDIA calls on the Victorian Government to extend the off the plan concessions announced last year beyond 12 months to help Victorians gain a foot in the door to home ownership."   More analysis will be in our next edition of Urban Insights tomorrow. Are you in the loop? Make sure you subscribe - email info@udiavic.com.au Not a member? Find out more here https://lnkd.in/gcigK9Fk Government media release: https://lnkd.in/g2iDiP8m Tom Trevaskis Sean Pinan Dean Gold Kathy Johnson Oscar Stanley Andrew Duggan Brad Paddon James Westh Alicia Davidge Nick Holuigue Nicola Smith Robert Steele

Only 20 Tickets Remain! Registrations close tomorrow at 2pm, Tuesday 25 February   Only a limited time remains to secure your spot for the Outlook Young Professionals - Night on the Green networking event, Thursday, 27 February! To register: https://lnkd.in/gNGyiM2i   🎉 Bowling & Lawn Games – Whether you're a seasoned bowler or just playing for fun, everyone is welcome! This year, we've introduced giant Jenga, Connect Four, or a game of pool alongside our championship lawn bowls.  🏆 Compete for Prizes – Think your team has what it takes? Prizes for 1st and 2nd place have been generously contributed by our Outlook Sponsors, Red23 and SMEC.    👥 Team Up & Network – Enter a team of four or let us place you with a group. It’s the perfect chance to reconnect with industry peers and make new connections! #lawnbowls #youngprofessionals #udiavic #outlook

Today the Allan Government announced some changes to the first ten pilot Activity Centres - namely a reduction in height for "inner catchments" behind the core activity areas to be reduced from six stories to three or four. Some key takeouts from the announcement: 1. The announcements recognises the importance of bringing the community and local government on the journey - change takes time and attempting to rapidly pivot to a 70/30 infll/greenfield dynamic in a short space of time won't work. UDIA has been clear since the Housing Statement that there needs to be a pathway to density. The vast majority of Victorians want to live in a detached home, and should be given choice about where they want to live and the type of houses they want to live in. We have advocated for a nuanced approach in the activity centres to ensure policies are aligned with what's good for communities and that they work from a development economics perspective. 2. Reducing deemed to comply height limits may result in those areas being undevelopable for the near term because the feasibility may not work with less height, or the planning risk in applying for increased height and the potential delays in this process may make developers averse to these locations. 3. It will be crucial to come to a developer contribution arrangement that is not simply another tax on development, otherwise it will make these areas less attractive to develop compared to others. UDIA is part of an industry working group to examine infrastructure contribution reform. It is complex, and we are working very hard to ensure any reforms deliver industry meaningful improvements to the process, and reductions to the overall tax impost of developing in Victoria. As always we welcome our member feedback. Not a member? Get in touch to learn how you can become part of the UDIA Community. Email us at info@udiavic.com.au https://lnkd.in/gW4t8cNy

Last chance to register for the UDIA Victoria Mentoring Program 2025 – Register by 26 February to take advantage of this fantastic opportunity! Do you have less than 5 years of industry experience, and would like to grow your career? Would you like to expand your network? Are you keen to connect with people who can support your personal and professional career progression? Whatever your goals are, the UDIA Victoria Mentoring Program can help you achieve them, and is proudly supported by our program host JINDING and partner Dalton Consulting Engineers (DCE). Program mentors are UDIA Victoria members with a minimum of 8 years leadership and management experience. We would like to thank this year's mentors who all bring a strong commitment to supporting, growing and nurturing our industry's future leaders. For more information or to register: https://lnkd.in/gwXzE2SA #UDIAVictoria #Mentoring #ProfessionalDevelopment #Education Linda Allison, Danielle Trudgeon, Luke Green, Zoe Quick, Nikita Bourbos, Cettina D'Abaco, Maurice Maytuckey, Mia Jenkins, Gabriella Nelson.

Celebrate International Women’s Day with UDIA Victoria & Gender Equity Victoria (GEN VIC)! Join us for a bold conversation on gender equality in place naming & public art. Let's explore how new subdivisions can create more inclusive public spaces. 📅 Tuesday, 4 March 2025 📍 Queen Victoria Women’s Centre, Melbourne ⏰ 11:00 AM – 1:30 PM 💰 Free event (Lunch provided) In-person spots are limited—register now! https://lnkd.in/gpvZ8An2 #IWD2025 #GenderEquality #UDIAVictoria