Peter Ryan shares his highs and lows from 45 years in journalism
Former ABC business editor, Peter Ryan sat down to speak with one of his successors, Michael Janda, to look back at some of the highlights of his 45 year career.
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ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
Circular economy of a new age of old stuff flourishes as Australians scrimp and save
A few minutes walking the aisles of an opportunity shop are enough for a shopper to ponder how utilitarian and disposable Australia's society has become. The artefacts of a passing generation go begging for sale. At any op shop around Australia brooches, stoles, clutch purses and gloves, as well as floral teacups, doilies and crystal vases come together in a cluttered shrine of sorts to a generation that survived two world wars. The Depression-era salvage mentality of keeping the good stuff for a special occasion was drummed into the post-war generation. But by the late 1960s cheap imports, mass manufacturing, plastics and technology would pave the way for a more casual, comfort and convenience-driven Australian lifestyle. Modern families thought nothing of disposing of unwanted items and replacing them with something new. Stradbroke-based recycler Nathan Bruce has made it his life's mission to reduce waste wherever possible, clearing unwanted items from deceased estates, downsizers, garage sales and hoarders. "I recycle everything. When it comes to deceased estates I do whole properties, so I will recycle a broken brick, a rusty tin, even putting a piece of paper into a cardboard bin to reduce the waste however I can," he said. "It's mainly older people who are downsizing and don't have the ability to do it themselves, or the family is not willing to help. That's where I come in." In building his Aladdin's cave crammed with antiques, records, DVDs, Tupperware, electric goods and bric-a-brac, Mr Bruce has come across everything from rats to 200-year-old coins in his hunt for treasure. Hazardous items like mouldy books and chipped ceramics must be thrown out, and not all plastics can be recycled. But the licensed second-hand dealer is determined to upcycle and sell the unsellable at his shopfront in Sale. Broken appliances are pulled apart for their wood, motors, copper and wires. "Silver is not worth much, about $1 a gram. Depending on the gold value a broken ring can get up to $30 to $40 a gram from some jewellers as scrap gold," Mr Bruce said, "Copper is about $10 to $11 a kilo so it all builds up if you have hundreds of pieces together. They're worth something." Mr Bruce said it was younger generations who were driving the second-hand and recycling movement as they dealt with their concerns for the environment and rising cost-of-living. At Morwell in the Latrobe Valley, vacant shops line the main street against a backdrop of a bustling op shop trade. William Smith is the warehouse coordinator at the Lifeline Gippsland thrift store and said women's clothing was always their biggest seller. "We never get enough men's clothing donated and that's because men generally wear their stuff until it dies. Then it gets thrown out," he said. "Whereas women tend to change their clothes regularly." Mr Smith said op shops had become the department stores of choice for the working poor and cash-strapped middle-class. "Shein, Anko, Temu, they're very much fast fashion where you wear it once and it's ruined," he said. "If you're going into an op shop you've got that potential of finding a quality item at a bargain price. "We don't want junk. Basically the best thing to think about when you're donating is, 'Would you buy it from or sell it to a family member?'" Mr Smith said old towels and blankets were often purchased by animal shelters, dog kennels and catteries, or cut up to be used as rags. "We have a secondary process where any old towels, windcheaters and T-shirts that we can't sell we repurpose into rags and we sell them in 10-kilogram bags to the industrial sector," he said. He said donations of crockery and bric-a-brac were always welcomed. "We sort it and we sell what we can, and what we can't we sell to an exporter, who then sells it on the second-hand market in developing countries overseas," Mr Smith said. "That way we can still raise money for our cause, which is the crisis line for Lifeline, and it doesn't end up in landfill." East Gippsland Shire Council waste minimisation officer Carina Turner said tremendous inroads had been made to improve sustainability and de-stigmatise hand-me-downs. "Repair cafes, tool libraries, general libraries and toy libraries are all part of a circular economy," she said. Ms Turner noted the success of initiatives like the container deposit scheme, which has been embraced by community groups for fundraising. "There's still an awful lot going in to landfill so we haven't yet solved the problem by any stretch of the imagination. But we are keeping more and more items out of landfill," she said. Ms Turner said new technologies had allowed for mattress springs to be recycled into fencing and polystyrene packaging to be turned into bricks. "More and more customers are expecting that the company that they choose to buy from will have sustainability as part of their business models," she said.
ABC News
2 hours ago
- ABC News
New limits for short-stay accommodation proposed in Whitsunday region
Tourists in some of Australia's favourite winter holiday destinations could soon face new limits on where they stay, as local governments crack down on short-term accommodation. Changes proposed by the Whitsunday Regional Council, which includes popular north Queensland tourist hub Airlie Beach, would zone accommodation rented through companies like Airbnb or Stayz away from residential suburbs. Mayor Ry Collins said the proposed limits were the result of years of community feedback. "You obviously don't want to see residents who are living and working here displaced because they can't get a rental or accommodation in the area." Data from real estate company PRD shows the region had a rental vacancy rate of 1.4 per cent in December, well below the Real Estate Institute of Australia's "healthy" benchmark of 3 per cent. A council housing report in August stated rental availability had declined by 15 per cent across the region over the past two years, stating that "unprecedented" housing supply shortages and cost increases had "worsened considerably". In the leafy Whitsundays suburb of Cannonvale, Debra Burns, 63, said preventing more short-term accommodation properties in her area would ensure the idyllic region could support its residents. "A party house can be some hard-working people getting away for a few days with their families, just having a good time," she said. Further north in Townsville, dwellings advertised as short-stay accommodation for more than 30 days a year will now be charged commercial rates, rather than residential, in an update to the rates structure introduced by the city council in this year's budget. In Cairns, short-term accommodation is permitted in the central city area, but is subject to council approval in low-density suburbs. It comes as new data shows investors in the tropical holiday property market are generating some of the largest returns in the country. The Whitsundays topped international holiday letting analyst AirDNA's list of top-performing regions for short-term rentals in April, where owners are generating annual revenue potential of $141,372. A statewide review of the impact of short-term accommodation on the housing market, commissioned by the Queensland government in 2023, found it was a relatively minor contributing factor to the overall housing crisis. The biggest impact was found in localised areas with a high concentration of short-stay dwellings, such as in popular tourism destinations like the Gold Coast, the Whitsundays, Townsville and Cairns. A lack of supply was the main driver of the state's housing affordability and availability issues, the review found. Cr Collins said while the council's proposed changes were not a cure-all to the housing crisis, he hoped they would help separate the strong demand for short-term stays from residential housing stock. "It is really to create better definition around where exactly we want to see short-term accommodation occur and really define those key tourism precincts," he said. "We want to ground truth it and make sure it's in line with what the community expects." The changes are open to community consultation until July 26, before they go to the state government for final approval.
News.com.au
2 hours ago
- News.com.au
Land release opens the doors to home ownership
The first sales have begun at a Noarlunga development which will deliver more than 626 new homes over the next few years. Prospective buyers have lodged their intention-to-purchase for the first 22 lots, with the first forms signed on June 21. Half of the first lots released by Renewal SA are home-and-land packages, and half are land-only, with a steady stream of upcoming releases to keep up with demand. 'We are now assessing those forms, giving priority to owner-occupiers ahead of investors,' Renewal SA executive director Skye Bayne says. 'We will then bring on the next stages as quickly as possible.' The land is in two sections, straddling the railway line and immediately south and southwest of the Noarlunga Centre which houses Colonnades and other shops, the South Adelaide Football Club, Cardijn College and the Noarlunga Hospital, TAFE and railway station. It is only 2km from the beach, 1km from the Onkaparinga River, 15km from McLaren Vale and just 30km from Victoria Square. More than 1800 people have registered interest. 'Of course, that includes neighbours and local community members,' Bayne says. 'But land in the south is highly sought after. Developable land is much more constrained than in the north. 'It's a beautiful area and it's not often you get to create a master planned community in amongst such good existing amenity. This was intended to roll out over the next seven years but in the current market it could be a lot sooner.' A $35 million contract for civil works is in progress. All standard utility services will be installed but reticulated gas is excluded for increased sustainability. At least 15 per cent of dwellings will be affordable housing, with 80 social housing homes, led by the SA Housing Trust. HomeSeeker SA markets affordable homes and has a maximum price point now at $232,650 for land only, $594,550 for a home-and-land package, and $675,000 for a package purchased with the shared equity scheme. Income limits apply, currently $115,000 for singles and $150,000 for couples. Conditions include a limit on assets and a minimum occupancy. HomeStart offers shared equity loans. The site previously had no public infrastructure and was little used by the community. At least 12.5 per cent of the area will be public open space and a 5-star Greenstar Community rating is targeted. 'There will now be curated open space for kids to play,' Bayne says. 'We're working with a landscape architect and there will be extensive planting of native vegetation.' Renewal SA is sensitive to Aboriginal heritage and has engaged with First Nations community in relation to cultural heritage and more broadly on the project. Most of the site is in the suburb of Port Noarlunga. A formal process will bring a segment that is in Noarlunga Downs into Port Noarlunga. The master plan allows for detached housing, townhouses and apartments of up to four storeys. There will be flexibility during the roll-out as Renewal SA responds to the market and consults Onkaparinga Council, SA Housing Trust and the community. Renewal SA has a panel of builders for home-and-land packages, while buyers of land-only can choose their builder and home design, in line with the Urban Design Guidelines. The project is among a raft of Renewal SA projects. To find out more visit and register your interest. In a separate project, privately owned company MAB will develop the nearby former Port Stanvac refinery site. Better balance a big schools boost Schools across South Australia must share the love when it comes to spending on infrastructure, the State Government has decided. To support the policy of 'Every School a Great School', funding will be directed toward creating a better balance across the entire school system. 'There will be significant changes from how we have made funding decisions in the past,' Department for Education deputy chief executive Ben Temperly says. 'There has been a history of investing in the most popular schools, which adds to the enrolment demand on those schools. Under the new plan we want to improve the quality of the learning environment across the system. 'So, we will minimise investing in new enrolment places where we have spare places at other schools nearby. 'We want to increase the attractiveness of schools that have spare capacity, so parents, students and the community see them as a good option.' Under the 20-year Infrastructure Plan for SA Public Education and Care strategy published late last year, schools are being assessed individually to raise the bar. That may be buildings and amenity, but extends to curriculum support, use of digital technology, or whatever is needed. SA's student numbers are increasing at more than 2 per cent a year, outpacing the overall population increase of just over 1 per cent. This reflects SA's strong economic growth encouraging more young families to stay or move here. Population growth is fastest in outer suburbs and is a key driver of infrastructure spending. That is why in the north a new $155 million secondary school will be open in 2028 in the suburb of Eyre, and a $70 million new primary and preschool will be built in the northern suburbs. Mt Barker will see a new $61 million primary and preschool in the south-east of the Hills town, while Mt Barker High School is receiving a $9 million upgrade. In a strategic investment exemplifying the change, a $15.9 million upgrade at Oakbank Area School includes facilities to teach cyber security. This will assist existing students and also attract new students, easing pressure on Mt Barker. Some schools need urgent attention to ageing assets. This financial year's budget provided $7.6 million to Bellevue Heights Primary and $16.5 million to Surrey Downs Primary. As part of the 2025-26 State Budget, $10 million each was allocated to Fairview Park and Fraser Park Primary to replace run-down buildings. Local communities are excited about the five new technical colleges – Findon, Tonsley, The Heights, Limestone Coast and Port Augusta – which will all be open by Term 1, 2026. Lifting standards across the board will deliver multiple benefits. 'When you visit different schools now, you see quite a contrast in the age and condition of the buildings,' Temperly says. 'Our investment decisions will make it a more level playing field.' Schools investment a class act The old is making way for the new at Bellevue Heights Primary School in a welcome redevelopment thanks to a $7.6 million investment by the South Australian Government. The community nestled around the school's 180 students is looking forward to bright, open spaces in new buildings. 'We've been in old, closed spaces for so long,' principal Margot Bradley says. 'The staff are looking forward to the openness and togetherness of the new spaces. They love the connectedness of the design enabling classes to work together.' After 50 or more years, the old building bears the weathering of generations and will be demolished. In its place, the new buildings will have integrated, flexible spaces and a melding of the outdoors and indoors. Bellevue Heights Primary already has highly regarded strengths in teaching, from award-winning courses in robotics and STEM through to a flourishing environmental awareness program. The school has its own garden with vegetables and chickens. Due to open in 2027, the new building will include a community and cultural centre which will be available for parents to use. Firms share in public spend The purchasing power of the South Australian Government is behind the successful growth of many local small and medium businesses. Government investments in infrastructure and services give businesses the opportunity to compete for work. On major projects, work packages are often split into smaller sub-contracts so local companies can have a fair go. One such winner is full-service cyber consultancy Hannan & Partners, which has leapt in three years from director Mat Hannan flying solo to an outfit of 25 people and revenue of up to $5 million a year. The company has assisted more than 25 SA government agencies with cyber security, ICT strategy, procurement and risk management. Government contracts, which account for more than half of the company's order book, underpinned the business being able to invest in recruiting and training its own staff because the work was consistent and reliable, Hannan says. It also helped the consultancy demonstrate its credibility, allowing the business to grow its private sector work. 'Our involvement in high-profile projects like the Covid response and deploying a world-class platform called Splunk in SA Health has contributed to our strong trajectory in both public and private sectors,' Hannan says. Splunk is a platform which analyses and monitors the vitality of the entire SA Health Digital Network to help keep it available and secure. The SA Health deployment won international awards for innovation. In the private sector, the company has many clients in defence, transport and education and it has won work in Tasmania, NSW, California and Ireland. Hannan is extremely positive about the future. 'South Australia is a place of connections. It is through our networks and willingness to 'get stuck in' that small businesses are able to provide world-class services to government and industry alike,' he says. 'Small and medium businesses will likely not find a more accessible state government to work with than what we have here in SA.' The cyber and ICT sector is one of the areas where South Australia's share of the national industry far exceeds the population share. There are more than 50 cyber security companies, a 40 per cent increase since the early 2020s.
