The Fifth Estate

The UK has officially legalised plug in solar, and with momentum building across Europe, it’s time for Australia to follow suit. Spinifex is an opinion column. If you would like to contribute, contact us to ask for a detailed brief. Millions of Australians are locked out of the energy transition, unable to install solar panels and stuck paying ever increasing energy bills. All Australians, whether they rent or own a home, deserve access to cheap, clean power.

Despite its many innovations and incarnations over the last thirty years, workplace design has essentially been driven by the same premise: efficiency. Whilst there have been a number of prevailing trends or movements throughout this time, the persistent focus has been on how efficiently organisations can accommodate people, utilise space and manage cost. Spinifex is an opinion column. If you would like to contribute, contact us to ask for a detailed brief.

Victoria’s Big Build is all over the news at the moment, for a few pretty eye-popping reasons. The less salacious part of the story is that government infrastructure investment is falling and falling fast. Spinifex is an opinion column. If you would like to contribute, contact us to ask for a detailed brief. The state’s own budget papers show spending dropping from $21.4 billion this financial year to an average of $16.5 billion over the forward estimates, settling at $15.3 billion by 2029-30.

THE SPEAKERS Filomena Beshara, Development Manager – ESG and Innovation lead, Freecity Tristram Carfrae, Arup Fellow, Arup Jillian Hopkins, Director Design Quality, Government Architect NSW Michael Mihailou, Director, Rider Levett Bucknall Jess Miller, Deputy Lord Mayor, City of Sydney Jeff Morgan, Principal, Hassell MC Maria Atkinson We usually get some good swings on the voting at our debates – held before and after the panel speaks and the audience lets fly at the QandA questions, comments...

TRANSITION RISK MASTERCLASS: If there were just 10 Adam Murchies in the country, we’d probably decarbonise Australia’s mid tier buildings a lot faster than the current rate. Either that, or quickly repurpose them once they’re declared stranded assets. Murchie, who is co-founder and director of Forza Capital, attracted a trail of media stories for his company’s upgrade of a Brisbane building from 1 star NABERS to 6 stars.

TRANSITION RISK: Big corporates, such mining and agriculture companies – and cities – need to know if their investments are viable in the next decade or two as they deal with the climate and net zero challenges underway. But it’s the building and construction sector that is one of the most exposed to the geopolitical shifts and depleted resources from nature.

Every time Australia is hit by a major flood, the same questions surface. Could anything have been done to reduce the damage? Most importantly, what can Australian homeowners do to better prepare for the next flood? Spinifex is an opinion column. If you would like to contribute, contact us to ask for a detailed brief.

Australia’s regional freight debate is often framed as a contest between rail and trucks when both should be used to improve energy and regional sovereignty, significantly reduce road trauma and potential to enable passenger rail. Spinifex is an opinion column. If you would like to contribute, contact us to ask for a detailed brief. Debates are too often framed as a contest between one solution and another, rather than an opportunity for well executed integrated planning for the best outcome.

Spinifex is an opinion column. If you would like to contribute, contact us to ask for a detailed brief. With a state election approaching and a recent change in government leadership, much is in flux in Victoria. One thing is certain though, planning decisions made during this next term of government will leave a long term legacy for the state – positive or negative.

Melbourne Lord Mayor Nick Reece is just two years into a job that will be among the most challenging of a career that’s already spanned policy, politics, economics and business journalism. Melbourne is often cited as the world’s most liveable city, he’s happy to note, but judging by the energy he’s brought to the role, it’s clear he knows that the accolade is neither lightly won nor easily maintained.