Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: Allens Insights (legal sector)

What you need to know 13 min read

The Federal Government’s recent changes to foreign investment policies released on 14 March 2025 introduce significant modifications.

In this Insight, we:

• examine the Government’s latest foreign investment policy changes in respect of the acquisition by foreign persons of established dwellings, application fees in competitive bid processes, concessional fee treatment for build to rent investments and scrutiny of tax arrangements, each as reflected in updated guidance notes released on 14 March 2025;
• explain how, and to what extent, the upcoming federal election is expected to impact FIRB applications;
• consider the Federal Opposition’s proposal to establish a ‘white list’ for trusted investors from Quad, Five Eyes, and AUKUS countries;
• comment on Treasury’s new Foreign Investment Portal for applications and compliance reporting; and
• identify some points of interest from Treasury’s latest quarterly report on foreign investment.

Key takeaways

• Foreign persons are banned from buying established dwellings from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2027, subject to limited exceptions in relation to certain redevelopments, commercial scale developments and build-to-rent (BTR) projects.
• The Government has now published its policy on fee refunds and fee credits where a bidder is unsuccessful in a competitive bid process. While further clarity is helpful, there are prescriptive criteria which must be met. Decisions will still be made on a case-by-case basis.
• Application fees for investments in BTR projects are now subject to lower commercial land fee tiers.
• The Government’s scrutiny of tax arrangements continues to increase. There are additional tax conditions (which we have seen imposed over the past 12 months or so) which may be imposed on a case-by-case basis.
• Once a federal election is called, the Government will enter into caretaker mode. During the caretaker period, Treasury officials still have delegated authority to determine certain applications. However, expect deferred decisions in respect of sensitive applications as they will need to be decided directly by the Treasurer.
• The Federal Opposition’s ‘white list’ process is a welcome proposal, though it will be interesting to see what, if any, differences there are with the Government’s existing policy of streamlining low-risk investments.
• Treasury’s new Foreign Investment Portal is now live. Non-residential land compliance reports must now be submitted through the Portal. Once the final stage of the Portal is launched, the entire FIRB application process will be facilitated through the Portal.

Two-year ban on foreign persons buying established dwellings

For many years, successive federal governments have maintained a policy setting that generally prohibits foreign persons from purchasing established dwellings. There were limited exceptions, the main one being that temporary residents could apply for approval to purchase and retain ownership of an established dwelling so long as it was their principal place of residence.

On 16 February 2025, the Government closed this exception by announcing a ban on foreign persons buying established homes for at least two years, from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2027. The stated objective was that ‘Australians will be able to buy homes that would have otherwise been bought by foreign investors’.

On 14 March 2025, Treasury released an updated Residential Land guidance note which notes the ban, removes the exception for temporary residents and sets out limited exceptions to the ban. These exceptions include the following.

• Redevelopment into at least 20 additional dwellings: approval may be granted to a foreign person who proposes to redevelop an established dwelling into at least 20 additional dwellings, with no sales permitted prior to completion of construction. The previous exception only required a redevelopment to result in one additional dwelling.
• Commercial scale established dwellings: approval may be granted to a foreign person for an acquisition that supports the availability of housing on a commercial scale. For example, multi-unit developments such as retirement villages, assisted living or aged care facilities and student accommodation. This is a new exception in the guidance note, however it more or less reflects current practice.
• Build-to-rent developments: approval may be granted to a foreign person for acquisition of established BTR developments, provided certain conditions are met. The exception applies not only to direct acquisitions, but also to indirect acquisitions such as those of equity securities in entities that own BTR developments. The conditions include that the BTR development consists of at least 50 dwellings where each dwelling is offered for lease terms of at least five years, at least 10% of the dwellings are ‘affordable dwellings’, and that the foregoing remain satisfied during the shorter of the period in which the foreign person holds the interest and 15 years after the completion of the development.

A few observations:

• The ‘exception’ regarding BTR developments was first announced by the Government on 1 May 2024, but it is only now that further details have been made available.
• The guidance note does not allow for situations where a foreign person may have difficulty in procuring compliance with the conditions. For example, an acquirer of a minority interest would not normally have control over how the BTR development is managed. Unless a minority investor is able to obtain appropriate contractual protections regarding compliance with the conditions – such as a veto right to block any changes that could cause the development to cease to comply with the conditions – then the investor could in the future be forced to dispose of their interest so as to avoid breaching the conditions.
• Not all BTR developments will necessarily be characterised as ‘residential land’ under the FIRB regime. It is common for BTR developers to acquire vacant commercial land with the aim of developing BTR apartments, and for investors to provide funding at a time when the land has yet to become residential. Such a scenario is not caught by the recently announced ban.

Refund or credit of application fees in competitive bid processes

The Government’s May 2024 Budget provided that foreign investment applicants would have 75% of their application fees refunded if they were unsuccessful in competitive bid processes. However, further details regarding this policy were only made available on 14 March 2025, with Treasury’s release of an updated Fees guidance note.

The key takeaways are as follows.

A choice between a 75% refund or a 100% credit

• Options for a refund or credit: bidders can choose between a 75% refund (which must be applied for within six months after being informed of an unsuccessful bid) or a 100% credit for a subsequent FIRB application that is made within 24 months of the failed bid.
• Fee credit use: if a fee credit is issued, it can only be used once, even if the full value of the credit is not used for the first subsequent application where the credit is claimed.

Eligibility

• Criteria for a competitive bid process: there must be a competitive bid process where two or more parties place bids for an asset, and where the outcome is uncertain at the time the bids are made.
• No refund for a bid withdrawal: bidders cannot withdraw from the process before being notified that their bid was unsuccessful. Refunds or credits are not available if a bidder changes their mind or if the investment does not proceed for any other reason.
• Residential land not covered: bidders for residential land (such as bidders at public auctions) are not eligible for fee refunds or credits.
• Case-by-case decisions: decisions regarding fee refunds or credits are not automatic and will be made on a case-by-case basis. Supporting documentation will need to be provided to justify the refund or credit request.
• Supporting documentation: bidders should state in their FIRB application that they are participating in a competitive bid process. When applying for a fee refund or credit, a bidder should provide supporting documentation, preferably a statement from the vendor that the bidder participated in a competitive bid process and was genuinely unsuccessful. This will need to be built into sale processes if vendors require bidders to lodge FIRB applications upfront before the successful bidder is chosen.

There are some scenarios that are not addressed by the guidance note, and would therefore need to be dealt with via submissions in individual cases. For instance, the guidance note contemplates that an entity can apply for a refund or credit of a fee paid by another entity in the same corporate group. However, the guidance note does not address whether the credit is transferable between funds managed by the same manager or where there is a bid by a consortium.

Concessional fee treatment for BTR investments

On 10 December 2023, the Government announced that FIRB application fees for BTR projects would be subject to commercial land fee tiers, rather than the significantly higher residential land fee tiers. However, further details regarding this concessional fee treatment were only made available on 14 March 2025, with Treasury’s release of an updated Fees guidance note.

However, the guidance note does not (but ought to) extend the concessional fee treatment to other types of land that are used for commercial-scale housing dwellings, such as retirement villages, assisted living, aged care facilities and student accommodation. We are aware that certain acquisitions of such types of land have, in the past, had the benefit of concessional fee treatment, so we encourage Treasury to reflect this in the guidance note.

Greater scrutiny of tax arrangements

On 14 March 2025, Treasury released an updated Tax conditions guidance note. It reflects the Government’s increasing scrutiny of tax arrangements, being that the impact of tax risks in foreign investment proposals on Australian tax revenues is a key consideration of the national interest. The release of the updated tax guidance note was first foreshadowed in a 1 May 2024 announcement.

The updated guidance note largely codifies the tax risks that the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has been focusing on over the past 12 or so months in the course of its review of foreign investment applications.

It also sets out more examples of tax conditions than in prior versions of the guidance note. These conditions largely reflect those that have been imposed in various no objection notifications over the past 12 months or so and may be imposed on a case-by-case basis. The guidance note no longer sets out ‘standard tax conditions’ relating to compliance with Australia’s tax laws. It may be that the ATO no longer proposes to impose these types of conditions, given they merely replicate obligations already covered by Australia’s extensive tax legislation.

Also of note is a revised Tax checklist containing the tax-related information that the ATO expects to be included in a FIRB application, in response to a list of questions set out in the checklist. Where such information is not included, the application must state when the information will be made available. The questions largely reflect those that are commonly put to applicants post-lodgement of an application. Given the foregoing, foreign investors will need to move away from the common practice of not including tax submissions in the application, and of waiting to see if the ATO asks the questions. It is expected that the new application Portal (discussed below) will contain tax-related questions which must be answered upfront in order to submit a FIRB application.

The impact of the upcoming federal election on FIRB applications

In Australia, there is a long-standing practice for the Government to enter into ‘caretaker mode’ once the Prime Minister advises the Governor-General to call an election (technically when the House of Representatives is dissolved). The caretaker period continues until the election result is clear or, if there is a change of government, until the new government is appointed.¹ Normally, the caretaker period lasts for about four to six weeks, but it will depend on how long in advance of an election it is called and how long it will take for a new government to be formed.

Key points to note regarding the caretaker period.

• Deferral of decisions on sensitive applications: during the caretaker period, the Government traditionally avoids making major policy decisions that are likely to commit an incoming government.² Given this, applications that relate to particularly sensitive investment proposals and which are to be decided directly by the Treasurer will likely be delayed until after the end of the caretaker period. If the election results in a change of government, expect that the new Treasurer will take at least a few weeks after formation of the new government to start making decisions on delayed applications.
• Continued decision-making under delegations: many applications can be decided by Treasury officials under delegated authority. For example, under a Treasury delegations instrument, Treasury and ATO officials generally have authority to make decisions on applications involving acquisition consideration of not more than A$100 million. Such applications will generally continue to be decided under delegation during the caretaker period.
• Continued assessment by government agencies: the review of FIRB applications by Treasury and government agencies continues during the caretaker period. However, there can be delays in reviews by government agencies if, as part of their review, they consult with government ministers on policy matters.

Federal Opposition’s ‘white list’ proposal

On 5 March 2025, the Federal Opposition announced that, if elected, it would design a ‘white list’ process for trusted investors from Quad, Five Eyes and AUKUS countries (ie US, Canada, UK, New Zealand, India and Japan).

The Federal Opposition stated that the goal of the proposed white list process is to ‘reduce the volume of paperwork’, ‘increase the pace of decisions’ and reduce ‘the number of times trusted partners need to go through the process, and pay the fees which are increasingly being used as a revenue source rather than genuine cost recovery’. The Federal Opposition also stated that ‘rigorous national security checks will stay in place’.

The proposal is a welcome one, though by no means a new idea. It is similar to the ‘fast-track’ path that many foreign investors from Five Eyes countries have requested be put in place. The Federal Opposition has yet to release details on how the ‘white list’ process will operate, including what types of investors are eligible (eg whether investors need to have a minimum level of ultimate ownership by persons from those countries). It will be interesting to see how such a process might operate differently to the current Government’s policy of streamlining low-risk investments as reflected in the current Foreign Investment Policy document.

Treasury’s new Foreign Investment Portal

Treasury released the first stage of the new Foreign Investment Portal on 24 February 2025. Since then, all compliance reports under non-residential no objection notifications and exemption certificates must be submitted via the Portal. Such reports can no longer be made via email to Treasury, despite what is stated in a no objection notification or exemption certificate. This is the effect of the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers (Manner of Notification and Application) Approvals 2025 instrument.

It is expected that the final stage of the Portal will be launched by the end of April 2025, after which the entire FIRB application process will be facilitated via the Portal. This includes the submission of applications, payment of application fees and communications with Treasury. Foreign investors seeking to submit FIRB applications via the new Portal will need to set up a Portal account or have the applications submitted by an adviser’s Portal account.

A key objective of the new Portal is to streamline the assessment process for applicants. However, the new Portal will result in some significant practical changes.

• Application cover letters will not be permitted under the new Portal. Rather, the Portal will contain fields for insertion of information. This will mean foreign investors and their advisers need to reconsider how they present complex or detailed information or information that is not fixed. For example, it is unlikely that the new Portal will accommodate information in tables, nor footnotes, nor diagrams that appear next to text to facilitate understanding of the relevant information, and it may be that the insertion of investor ownership percentage ranges are not permitted.
• The need to complete information fields will likely mean foreign investors will no longer be able to submit an application without providing all required information (eg information on the investors who have interests in the applicant).
• Applicants will no longer be allocated a case officer or case team. In fact, applicants will not know who at Treasury is looking after their application. Further, all communications in the Portal will be in writing, and Treasury has indicated that only in exceptional circumstances would there be calls or meetings between applicants and Treasury. For the more complex and sensitive investment proposals, we consider it important that Treasury continue its current practice of meeting with applicants or their advisers during an application assessment period.

Treasury’s latest quarterly report on foreign investment

On 25 February 2025, Treasury released its latest Quarterly Report on Foreign Investment for the period from 1 July 2024 to 30 September 2024.

Some points of interest from the report.

• There was a median processing time of 34 days for approved commercial investment proposals for the quarter, compared to 41 days for the previous quarter. Note that this is a ‘median’, not ‘average’. Given the lengthy processing times of many sensitive applications, the ‘average’ processing time would be significantly longer.
• During the quarter, 17 out of 20 mandatory national security investment proposals were approved without conditions, compared to 17 out of 25 for the previous quarter. It would be interesting to know whether any proposals were withdrawn due to high prospects of a rejection. The report discloses that 32 commercial investment proposals in total were withdrawn during the quarter.
• There were no commercial investment proposals prohibited during the quarter, compared to one for the previous quarter. Again, it would be interesting to know whether any proposals were withdrawn due to high prospects of a rejection.
• During the quarter, there were numerous approved residential investment proposals for applicants from Asian countries. We expect this figure will fall dramatically once the established dwellings ban described above takes effect on 1 April 2025.

If you wish to discuss how these developments could affect you, please contact any of the people below.

Source: Allens Insights (legal sector)

Failing to protect against cybersecurity risks 6 min read

ASIC has announced it has commenced civil penalty proceedings against FIIG Securities Limited (FIIG) for allegedly failing over four years to protect itself and its clients from cybersecurity risks. Specifically, ASIC claims FIIG failed to:

• provide financial services efficiently, honestly and fairly;
• have adequate resources (financial, technological and human) to ensure appropriate cybersecurity measures and comply with its legal obligations; and
• have adequate risk management systems,

in contravention of sections 912A(1)(a), (d), and (h), and 912A(5A) of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth).

ASIC’s enforcement action against FIIG is consistent with its current enforcement priorities, namely, to ensure licensees have in place adequate cybersecurity protections. ASIC Chair Joe Longo has also emphasised the importance of ‘proactively and regularly’ checking the adequacy of cybersecurity measures and following the advice of the Australian Signals Directorate’s Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC).

Background

FIIG holds an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) and specialises in fixed-income products and services. It collects and maintains personal information on clients and held significant assets on their behalf.

ASIC claims that, due to the nature of FIIG’s business and the data it held, FIIG was at ‘real risk’ of cyber intrusion, which could lead to data breaches, financial loss and an inability to access data, provide services or operate its network or systems. 

ASIC alleges that, despite this risk, FIIG failed to have adequate cybersecurity measures in place and failed to implement the controls identified in its risk management system to mitigate cybersecurity risks. This culminated in a cyber intrusion in May 2023 where 385GB of data is alleged to have been stolen (affecting approximately 18,000 individual customers), some of which was published on the dark web. ASIC alleges FIIG became aware of this intrusion when the ACSC alerted FIIG that its systems may have been compromised on 2 June 2023. It is alleged that FIIG was not aware the intrusion had occurred before this alert.

ASIC alleges FIIG did not investigate and respond to the incident until 8 June, almost a week after it had been notified of the potential malicious activity by the ACSC.

ASIC has published its Concise statement and Originating process. The likely next steps in the proceeding will involve a detailed statement of claim filed by ASIC and a defence filed by FIIG, unless the parties are able to agree on a statement of agreed facts and admissions.

Takeaways

Declarations and orders

ASIC is seeking:

• declarations: that FIIG failed to: 
  1. have adequate resources (financial, technological and human) to ensure appropriate cybersecurity measures and comply with its legal obligations;
  2. have adequate risk management systems; and
  3. as a consequence of the failures above, failed to do all things necessary to ensure the financial services covered by FIIG’s licence were provided efficiently, honestly and fairly,

  in contravention of sections 912A(1)(a), (d), and (h), and 912A(5A) of the Corporations Act.

• a pecuniary penalty: in respect of each of FIIG’s alleged contraventions of the Corporations Act (and where, for each contravention, the maximum civil penalty for companies is the greater of (i) 50,000 penalty units ($13.75 million at the time), (ii) three times the benefit obtained and detriment avoided, and (iii) 10% of annual turnover, capped at 2.5 million penalty units ($687.5 million at the time)).
• a compliance order: that FIIG complete a compliance program involving review of its cybersecurity measures and commission an independent expert to report on those measures to ASIC, in such form as the court thinks fit.
• that FIIG pay ASIC’s costs.

Source: Lance Franklin teams up with NAB to celebrate unifying power of footy

National Children’s Commissioner Anne Hollonds is urging a national response to revelations about dangerous practices and regulatory failings across Australia’s childcare sector. 

An ABC Four Corners investigation aired last night has exposed an ineffective regulatory system for Australia’s childcare providers which is failing to protect the safety, health and wellbeing of infants and young children.  

Commissioner Hollonds: “The safety and wellbeing of our youngest and most vulnerable children should be of paramount concern for governments across Australia.  

“There’s been a lot of commentary about ‘childcare deserts’ being a barrier to women seeking employment, and so governments have been focussed on increasing supply and improving affordability as well as increasing pay for childcare workers and early childhood educators.  

“However, there has clearly been insufficient focus on the safety of infants and preschool age children in some of these centres.  

“Australia has had a childcare quality framework in place since 2012, and the majority of childcare centres do prioritise child wellbeing. 

“However, the ‘quality’ of early childhood education needs to start with the basics, and that means ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our youngest and most vulnerable children, without exception.  

“We must urgently address any serious gaps in the regulatory scaffolding and child safeguarding framework that allows physical, sexual and emotional abuse of children in early childhood centres to continue unnoticed or unaddressed.   

“Putting babies, toddlers and young kids at risk because of regulatory failings is unacceptable and we need urgent government action across our federation to address these dangerous gaps in how we protect children in this country. 

“By not making child safety and wellbeing a priority for National Cabinet, we’re allowing our youngest citizens to fall into these gaps created by jurisdictional boundaries as well as fragmentation and complexity in the childcare industry.   

“As I have consistently said, our whole approach to child safety and wellbeing in this country is in desperate need of systemic reform, and this includes our childcare sector.  

“Governments need to stop tinkering around the edges and make the safety and wellbeing of children a priority for National Cabinet so we have accountability and evidence-based approaches at the heart of how we protect our kids and provide opportunities for them to thrive.” 

ENDS | Media contact: media@humanrights.gov.au or +61 457 281 897

Source: Assistant Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science

19 March 2025

The Albanese Labor Government is locking in no interest loans for the next five years with an additional $48.7 million to support Australians with the cost of living.

The funding boost to the No Interest Loans program (NILs) will allow Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand in partnership with National Australia Bank (NAB) to continue providing no-fee, no-interest loans for essentials to eligible people.

More than one million Australians have already benefited from NILs.

Good Shepherd administers the scheme, with NAB providing the loan capital. The loans can be used for urgent, critical household purchases and for vehicles for transport to work and essential day-to-day use.

Minister for Social Services, Amanda Rishworth, said the Government’s investment will help ease cost of living pressures for many Australians who need support.

“We’re proud to support Good Shepherd and NAB to deliver no-interest loans as an alternative to other high risk, high interest products such as Buy Now Pay Later products and payday loans,” Minister Rishworth said.

“NILs provides support that is usually unavailable to low-income earners through mainstream providers, meaning tens of thousands of vulnerable Australians can purchase the essential things they need.

“These loans also really help people achieve independence and financial recovery in escaping family, domestic, and sexual violence. And having access to a vehicle gives many Australians the ability and independence to work, study, provide care or seek medical care.”

The NILs program is a great example of successful partnerships with industry. The Government has provided funding to Good Shepherd for the administration of NILs since 2009. Around 25,000 general NILs loans are provided each year while nearly 10,000 NILs for Vehicles loans have been provided since this program started in 2021.

Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand CEO Stella Avramopoulos said: “Through powerful partnerships and expanded reach, including into the Northern Territory and First Nations communities, NILs is breaking down barriers, empowering women, sole parents and families, especially those escaping domestic violence, to achieve lasting financial independence and wellbeing.

“With 25 per cent of recipients being sole parents and 18 per cent survivors of family and domestic violence, this support isn’t just about financial assistance — it’s about providing dignity, stability, and a pathway to a better future.

“This work is only possible because of the strength of collaboration between not-for-profits, corporates such NAB, and government. Together, we’re creating meaningful, lasting change — removing credit barriers, preventing predatory lending, and ensuring vulnerable Australians, particularly those in regional and remote communities, have access to the resources they need to recover and rebuild.”
 
NAB Executive Sustainability Jessica Forrest said: “NILs is NAB’s longest-standing community partnership, with more than $560 million in zero-interest capital provided over 21 years. Together, we are helping more Australians access credit for life’s essentials.

“NAB is proud to provide the loan capital that supports the Good Shepherd NILs program, and pleased to keep working with Government on backing this longstanding program. This funding will ensure more people continue to get the support they need.

“Too often, people in financial stress turn to high-interest payday loans. No interest loans offer a safer alternative, helping Australians borrow money without having to pay any fees or interest.”

NILs assists vulnerable Australians to access affordable loans up to $3,000 for household goods, such as fridges, washing machines and furniture, as well as education and medical expenses.

NILs for Vehicles loans up to $5,000 can be used to purchase cars, mobility scooters and related costs such as registration or maintenance expenses.

Individuals can apply for NILs at over 600 locations across Australia. They are available to individuals and families who can service the loan and who:

• earn less than $70,000 gross annually as a single person or $100,000 gross as a couple or person with dependants, or
• have experienced family or domestic violence in the last 10 years, or
• have a Health Care Card or Pension Card.

More information about NILs is available on the Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand website.

Source:

PAUL CULLIVER: Catherine King is the Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport and is visiting the region today. Let’s find out why. Minister, good morning to you.

CATHERINE KING: Hi, Paul. How are you?

PAUL CULLIVER: I’m very well. What brings you to the region?

CATHERINE KING: Well, today– I was actually here three weeks ago inspecting the Singleton Bypass, which is going along well. It’s a really important part of infrastructure here for the region. But we’re also announcing today that because of the great work they’ve done on Singleton, it means that we can now bring money forward to get the Muswellbrook Bypass started. There was always an issue between the two projects, just making sure we had the workforce and capacity to do that work. So today we’re announcing that we’re going to bring that Muswellbrook Bypass money forward. We’ll start to see some early works and activities, movement of services and things like that through the course of the next few months so that we can start work to get that really– next important project underway.

And then we’re also starting– we’re putting some money in to do the planning work to actually start thinking about how do we then build a bypass for Cessnock. And again, this is about making sure we can get the huge volumes of traffic that we’re now seeing through what largely were really small country towns originally, but have seen such growth, to get the traffic out, get people to work more quickly, but give people back their main streets.

PAUL CULLIVER: All right. On the Muswellbrook Bypass – so how much money is sort of being put into this early start?

CATHERINE KING: Yeah. So the total Australian Government commitment is $304 million. And the amount of money we’re bringing forward is really just– is to do that early work. So making sure that we’ve got the services movement, that’s often the biggest part of the preparation work that needs to be done. So, moving– whether it’s sewerage works, water, utilities, power utilities, those sorts of things. So quite a bit of the money, is being brought forward to do that.

PAUL CULLIVER: Okay. And– sorry, when you say brought forward, how much sooner is all of this beginning?

CATHERINE KING: Well, it was not due to start– early works were not due to start until next year, but they’ll start this year. So it’s a year early.

PAUL CULLIVER: Okay, actual 12 months early.

CATHERINE KING: Yeah, which is good.

PAUL CULLIVER: Understood. Just explain when you say that– what, things went so well on the Singleton Bypass that that’s allowed this to happen? Just explain what that actually means.

CATHERINE KING: Yeah, so there was always what we had to do when we looked at the pipeline of projects. And as people are driving around, you can see there’s a lot of work going on at the moment, whether it’s from Hexham, Raymond Terrace, obviously Singleton, that there just were some issues in terms of making sure we had the workforce to be able to deliver these projects, that Transport for New South Wales also could manage those projects as well. So we were waiting to see– get Singleton started first. That’s really now well and truly underway and looking very good, so that’s allowed us then to bring Muswellbrook a bit forward so that we can actually start work on that and have that continuous pipeline of work for people in the district.

PAUL CULLIVER: Yeah, right. So it’s not so much that the people working on Singleton will be the people working on the Muswellbrook Bypass.

CATHERINE KING: Well, obviously that will need to go out to tender. New South Wales will manage all of that project. But generally people move from work site to work site. Generally, that’s what happens in a region rather than importing people in.

PAUL CULLIVER: [Talks over] Yeah, sure. What is the timeline for the Muswellbrook Bypass now?

CATHERINE KING: Yeah, again, that will be managed by the New South Wales government. But as I said, early works which are all of the earthworks, the movement of services, that will happen this year with the major construction to start early 2026.

PAUL CULLIVER: Okay. Well let’s talk about the Cessnock Bypass then. So, what’s the plan there?

CATHERINE KING: Yeah, so really this is planning money. So it’s to plan to work out what to do. Like, where would you put the bypass? How do you make sure you get the efficient movement of traffic? What’s the landscape like? How do you actually move people around? We know that there are significant housing developments slated for Cessnock. Again, people are discovering what a great place it is to live, but that brings challenges when it comes to infrastructure. So really this is planning money for New South Wales to then start the planning work to look at how do you actually plan for a bypass, where does it go, what does it look like? There’ll be a lot of community consultation along the process, a lot of engineers having a look at it. But really that’s the money that we’re announcing today.

There’s a number of key routes that lead right into Wollombi Road in the middle of Cessnock, and that population boom with surrounding suburbs and more traffic is making it pretty difficult for people. So really it’s looking to identify what were the alternate routes connecting those new housing developments in Bellbird and Cessnock South to those in the north, and then onward onto the Hunter Expressway – so what’s the best route for that, and how do you do that? That’s really what the money is for, to plan that.

PAUL CULLIVER: So obviously with population in the Hunter growing and growing and growing, getting people around is a pretty high priority. So I understand the need for more road infrastructure – although I’m sure there’s many that would say, why aren’t we also doing more to improve public transport links, rail links? Why is there not more money being spent on that aspect of getting people around the Hunter?

CATHERINE KING: Yeah, well, certainly in terms of the money that we are investing, a large proportion of it, you are right, is on that road infrastructure. Most people are still pretty reliant on their cars to get to work and to get to and from their homes to work. But certainly over time, those big public transport links, they are something that New South Wales Government obviously has looked at. We’re taking responsibility for trying to really get high speed rail up and running. We’ve invested substantially in that, and you’ll see some further work now that we’ve got the business case for that. You’ll see some further work now in the development stage of high speed rail. But really that is obviously Newcastle– from Newcastle, Central Coast into Sydney. But that is again looking at can people work from home more, how do we get bigger industries and bigger businesses into Newcastle and into the Hunter itself. So really there the investments that we make and then looking at further transport movements is really something we do in partnership with the New South Wales Government.

PAUL CULLIVER: Speaking of rail, of course, the business case for the high speed rail between Sydney to Newcastle, I understand, was given to the Government just before the end of last year, still waiting for an investment decision. What can you tell me about that?

CATHERINE KING: Yeah, well it’s with Infrastructure Australia at the moment. So, they will provide advice to government via Cabinet, via the budget process for when it’s ready for further investment. It will still need a development phase. That’s the next phase of work that will be recommended to us, which is again looking at that land acquisition, the finalising all of the geotechnical work and getting it ready for an investment decision. But we’ll make some announcements about that in due course, but Infrastructure Australia is looking at the business case at the moment.

PAUL CULLIVER: Okay, so Infrastructure Australia haven’t said to the Government yet– you haven’t been provided advice as to whether it’s a goer or not?

CATHERINE KING: They haven’t. That advice has not been provided to me yet, no.

PAUL CULLIVER: Okay. We’re one week away from the Federal Budget. Might we see something in that?

CATHERINE KING: Again, we’ll make investment decisions when we’ve got that advice. I’m not going to push Infrastructure Australia to how– the timeline of their job. They will– it’s a big piece of work, so they’ll be doing their analysis of it. They’ll provide advice to the Government, and then we’ll make our decisions about what the next phase of it will be. But really, it’s gone through the sort of exploratory stage. It will then have to go into the development stage, which again, is getting all of the planning approvals to do the work. And we’ll have some further announcements to make about that in due course.

PAUL CULLIVER: All right. We’re not too far away from a federal election. You’re not going to turn up in the Hunter during a federal election with the Prime Minister and say, we’re building high speed rail?

CATHERINE KING: Nice try, nice try. We’re very committed to high speed rail. And the Prime Minister has been talking about it for a long period of time. We’re serious about getting it done properly, making sure that we’ve got all of the information we need to be able to make those investment decisions. But also, if anything I’ve learnt from this job in the last three years in Inland Rail in particular, when you look at the report into Inland Rail, is don’t start making investment decisions when you don’t know how much it’s going to cost and you haven’t got that planning work done. So actually getting planning approvals will really be the next most important phase for high speed rail.

PAUL CULLIVER: All right, if I can just ask you about an idea that’s come from the Coalition – Peter Dutton has been talking about proposing a referendum to change the Constitution to allow the Government to deport dual citizens convicted of serious crimes. What do you think of this idea?

CATHERINE KING: I think it’s just yet another thought bubble from him. I don’t think he’s thought it through. When he wants to take the country to a referendum on decisions that– like, really? It just seems madness to me. I think it’s a thought bubble, and I reckon you’ll see him walk away– crab walk away from it in the next few days or so. It’s been a bit of a pattern from him. I think we’re supposed to also be having another referendum on indigenous representation as well, according to him, but he hasn’t said much about that. He’s promised we were going to do that as well. So let’s see, let’s see.

PAUL CULLIVER: You don’t think it’s a power that the Australian Government should have?

CATHERINE KING: I think it’s a thought bubble from Peter Dutton. I think that’s what it is.

PAUL CULLIVER: All right, Minister, thanks for your time today.

CATHERINE KING: Thanks very much.

PAUL CULLIVER: Catherine King, the Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, in the region today to announce that the Muswellbrook Bypass is getting brought forward by about 12 months.

Source:

The Australian Government is Building Australia’s Future by investing in crucial infrastructure to boost housing supply across the country.

Critical sewer infrastructure upgrades for a new urban precinct in Brighton, Tasmania are now complete.

Located near the new Brighton High School, Brighton’s sewerage infrastructure has been enhanced to meet the needs of the rapidly expanding community. 

New residential and commercial developments are benefitting from improved services, supporting economic growth and liveability in the region.

TasWater’s work included the construction of a new sewage pumping station, a gravity sewer main, and a rising sewer main. The expanded system is designed to service 73 hectares of residential and commercial land. 

Delivered in collaboration with Brighton Council and supported by $10.1 million from the Australian Government, the completion of TasWater’s work on the project marks a significant milestone in ensuring the region’s future growth and sustainability.

Brighton Council are continuing to deliver upgrades to 2,040 metres of Brighton Road, Dylan Street and William Street, including new footpaths, kerb, gutter and landscaping.  

It will also include 1,090 metres of 2.5 metre wide separated shared path to connect to the existing shared path at the Brighton Industrial Hub. These works are expected to be completed in early 2026.

The $10.1 million in Australian Government funding is being provided through the Community Enabling Infrastructure Stream of the Housing Support Program, which is designed to fast track the delivery of increased housing supply by funding projects that seek to deliver enabling infrastructure to support new housing development.

Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King:

“We’re turbocharging housing supply in Tasmania by delivering vital enabling infrastructure such as this project in Brighton.

“A place to call home is not a luxury or a nice-to-have, but a fundamental need, and our Government is making this a reality for more Australians.”

Quotes attributable to TasWater General Manager Project Delivery Tony Willmott:

“The completion of the work highlights TasWater’s commitment to delivering essential services that support Tasmania’s growing communities.

“This upgrade will be a game-changer for Brighton.

“This infrastructure will provide essential services to the new Brighton High School, up to 600 new homes, including 110 housing lots created through Homes Tasmania – accelerating much-needed housing supply for Greater Hobart.

“We have delivered a future-proofed water and sewerage network that will support the region’s development for years to come. We are grateful for the Australian Government’s support and for the strong collaboration with Brighton Council, which made this project possible.”

Quotes attributable to Brighton Council Mayor Leigh Gray: 

“This urban growth collaboration between Brighton Council and TasWater has been a gamechanger for progressing the development of the South Brighton area.  It will facilitate a range of residential and commercial developments for our rapidly growing community and create the outcomes we had always envisaged for this precinct.  

“Council has been extremely pleased to partner with TasWater to deliver these positive outcomes, with considerable interest from developers to add more housing lots. Due to this effective partnership with TasWater, we can see Brighton Council’s long-term planning coming to fruition.” 

Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Social Services and NDIS Amanda Rishworth:

“The Albanese Government has an ambitious agenda to boost housing supply across Australia and it’s fantastic to be in Tasmania to see this work underway. This new infrastructure in Brighton will be a game-changer for the growing community.”  

Source:

The Albanese Labor Government has appointed Dr Kevin Fewster AM and Dr Bülent (Hass) Dellal AO as members to the Council for the Australian National Maritime Museum for three-year terms. 

Minister for the Arts, Tony Burke, said the appointees’ industry knowledge would contribute greatly to the boards. 

“Kevin has many years of experience working within cultural institutions as well as a deep passion for maritime history which will be a great asset to the council.”

“Bülent is an accomplished academic and who has a keen interest in exploring Australia’s multicultural stories which is something our incredible cultural instutions do with pride.”

The Australian National Maritime Museum is dedicated to exploring Australia’s maritime history through topics of migration, archaeology, ocean science, commerce, culture and lifestyle, and honours the stories of First Nations peoples’ living cultural connection to ancestral waters. 

Dr Kevin Fewster AM has held a number of senior maritime heritage sector positions since 1984, particularly in Australia and the United Kingdom. He was previously Director of the Royal Museums Greenwich (2007-2019), the Powerhouse Museum (2000-2007), Australian National Maritime Museum (1989-2000) and South Australian Maritime Museum (1984-1988). He is currently a Patron of the Melbourne Maritime Heritage Network and The Friends of Gallipoli Inc, and a Board member of The Mariners’ Museum in Newport, Virginia. Dr Fewster was previously the President of the International Congress of Maritime Museums, the world peak body for maritime museums, as well as a former Chairman of the Council of Australasian Museum Directors. Dr Fewster was awarded a British CBE and was made a Member of the Order of Australia for service to museum administration and the preservation of maritime history. 

Dr Bülent (Hass) Dellal AO is Chair of the Australian Multicultural Foundation, and Adjunct Professor at Deakin University’s Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation. Dr Dellal’s other board memberships include: Chair of Alfred Deakin Institute of Citizenship and Globalisation’s Advisory Board, Board of Directors of the Scanlon Foundation, Board of Directors of The Huddle, and Board of Directors of the Penington Institute. Dr Dellal has given decades of service to multicultural organisations, the arts and the community, promoting a multicultural Australia. In 2015, Dr Dellal was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to the multicultural community He has extensive board and council experience, contributing 10 years of service on the Board of Directors of SBS Television and Radio. In 2024, Dr Dellal served as Panel Chair for the Commonwealth’s Multicultural Framework Review.

Source:

Journeys around the Hunter will soon be made easier, with construction to start earlier on the Muswellbrook Bypass and planning to begin on a new Cessnock Bypass.

The Albanese Labor Government has brought forward its $304.8 million investment in the Muswellbrook Bypass which means construction can commence ahead of schedule.

Critical utility relocation work will start this year and the tender for major construction is expected to be in late 2026, with construction to commence the following year.

The bypass will move the New England Highway out of the Muswellbrook town centre, onto an alternate route to the town’s east. 

The new route will allow highway traffic to avoid traffic lights and flow freely at highway speeds, saving time for motorists and truck drivers who are travelling through the Hunter toward Aberdeen in the north, or the Liddell region in the south.

With the 13,000-20,000 cars that pass through Muswellbrook’s town centre every day, residents will benefit from a less congested main street and reduced wear-and-tear on local roads, with 13 per cent being heavy vehicles.

The Muswellbrook Bypass is just one project within the suite of New England Highway Corridor upgrades, with the Australian Government investing nearly $1.1 billion in improving the highway between Tenterfield and Newcastle. 

The bypass is funded in partnership with the NSW Government, which is contributing $76.2 million. 

The Albanese Labor Government is also announcing $5 million today to kick-start the planning process for a future Cessnock bypass. 

The project will identify an alternative safe route to connect new housing developments at Bellbird in Cessnock’s south west to Nulkaba in the north and then onwards to the Hunter Expressway.

This would bypass Cessnock’s city centre, reducing traffic congestion on Wollombi Road and supporting safer, more efficient journeys for road users.

These transformative packages of works will better connect residents of the Hunter region with jobs and services, and will fast-track goods to markets and consumers. 

Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King:

“Fast tracking this work in Muswellbrook is a big win for motorists and truck drivers in the Hunter, but also for resdients who will see a significant  reduction of vehicles through their local roads. 

“We’re accelerating this funding so construction can start a ahead of schedule. Alongside our planning work for a future Cessnock Bypass, the Albanese Government’s investment will mean trips across the Hunter will be quicker and safer, sooner.”

Quotes attributable to Federal Member for Hunter Dan Repacholi:

“The Muswellbrook Bypass is a game-changer for our community. Not only will it ease congestion and improve travel times, but the construction phase will bring hundreds of jobs to the region, supporting local businesses and boosting our economy.

“When the bypass is complete, Muswellbrook will see less heavy traffic through its main streets, making it a more inviting place for locals and visitors to stop, shop, and enjoy everything our town has to offer.

“The $5 million investment from the Australian Government to kickstart planning for the Cessnock Bypass is another critical step in improving connectivity in the Hunter. Cessnock’s roads are under significant pressure, and this project will provide much-needed relief to residents and businesses alike.

“The Cessnock Bypass will work hand-in-hand with existing road infrastructure to significantly reduce traffic and congestion on Wollombi Road. By easing pressure on this critical route, we can ensure safer and more efficient journeys for locals and visitors while supporting the continued growth and prosperity of the region.”

Source: Australian Capital Territory – State Government

Headline: Minns Government seeks energy bill relief for cyclone region

Source: Australian Capital Territory – State Government

Headline: New Aboriginal Cultural Learning Hub to empower students in Botany Bay