According to NAB’s quarterly business survey (Jan 2018) companies are expected to continuously improve business conditions and planning to lift investment and hire more people over the coming year. NAB's quarterly business survey found conditions were slightly higher in the final three months of 2017. Business conditions are strong across all major industry groups except for retail and finance. Specially the construction industry is performing really well. ‘The improvement in construction conditions over the last twelve months is due to improved trading conditions, profitability and employment, and [...]
Is my Home up to Speed with Smoke Alarms?
New smoke alarm legislation will make Queensland households the safest in Australia in relation to fire safety. QFES has long recommended photoelectric, interconnected smoke alarms to be hard-wired into homes and the decision to mandate this in what is the strongest legislation of its kind in the country, will see more Queensland lives saved. The new legislation specifies that all Queensland dwellings will be required to have interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms in: All bedrooms In hallways that connect bedrooms with the rest of the dwelling On every [...]
Top Tax Return Tips for Small Businesses
If your turnover is less than two million dollars, you would be classed as a small business entity (SBE). This tax time, the ATO is making things easier for small businesses. Whether you use a registered tax agent or manage your own tax affairs, here are some tips to help you: Timing you are preparing your own tax return you must lodge by 31 October 2017. you're using a registered tax agent they will have different lodgment dates. If you are using a tax agent for the [...]
Queensland’s New Planning System (2017)
From 3 July 2017, Queensland will operate under new planning legislation which will replace the Sustainable Planning Act 2009. The new planning scheme provides the basis for securing the liveability, sustainability, and prosperity of our communities. The legislation aims to deliver a more transparent and efficient system that not only contributes to investment and jobs but embraces genuine community engagement. Who will benefit from the new planning System? Better for the Community New bounded code assessment with clear and unambiguous code provisions will give the industry and community [...]
Building Smart and Sustainable Homes
The Department of Public Works produced the initiative ‘Smart and Sustainable Homes Program’ in an effort to create more awareness for environmentally friendly homes. The information presented in the program explains the simple application of climate-responsive design in a specific zone. For the purpose of example, we will only focus on smart and sustainable sub-tropical climate design in this post but you can read all about it here: Smart Design QLD Climate “Homes in sub-tropical climates have hot and humid summers and cool winters, that require controlled shading [...]
New Laws Expanding the Scope of the Queensland Home Warranty Scheme Commence on 28 October 2016
In case you haven’t heard there have been various changes to the home warranty scheme as a result of an inquiry by a Parliamentary Committee into the former Building Services Authority. What is the Queensland Home Warranty Scheme? As part of the regulation of Queensland’s building industry, the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) administers a home warranty scheme to provide insurance cover for loss where a building contractor fails to complete residential construction work or to rectify it. The Scheme applies to work for detached houses, [...]
2017 – Increased Interest Rates Even if RBA Holds?
Australian’s record run of low interest is allegedly over and rates are most likely to increase in the new year even if the Reserve Bank officially has it on hold. Australians should get ready for rates to rise in 2017 to cool the hot property market. The Australian property market has seen steady increases of around 3% per annum since the 1970s. Since the 1990s, however, prices have risen by around 6% per annum. In the late 2000s, house prices in Australia, relative to incomes, were at [...]