27 million and counting

The Australian Bureau of Statistics' (ABS) population clock ticked over 27 million around 3.45pm AEST on Wednesday, January 24. This incredible milestone reminded me of a similar headline in 2018. At the time, we were in Melbourne exhibiting at an annual trade show. Despite the late hour, I recall lying in bed watching the clock tick over 25 million. It's hard to fathom that, less than six years later, another two million people live in Australia.

The country's population has grown by an extraordinary 624,100 over the past 12 months. That's equivalent to adding the entire population of Tasmania (572,800) in just one year. This rapid growth easily exceeded the previous record of 442,500 set in 2009. 

Therefore, it's no surprise the nation is experiencing a massive housing shortage. The strain is present everywhere you look. The national rental vacancy rate was 1.09% in January, falling 0.04 percentage points over the month. In Sydney, the rate dropped to 1.20%, while the median price for rentals in the city hit $900 a week, up 20% on the previous year. Perth still maintains the lowest vacancy rate in the country at 0.76%. Meanwhile, rental affordability is at its lowest in at least 17 years.

The Federal Government is currently working with the States to build 1.2 million new homes over the next five years.  As part of this initiative, New South Wales is committed to building more than 380,000 homes, or 75,000 homes annually.  However, with high-interest rates and rapid inflation dogging the construction sector, it's no surprise this target isn't anywhere close to being met. 

Here at home, we're already feeling the impact of these market dynamics. Our apartment building is currently tendering for retrospective repairs to its fire protection infrastructure. Over the last two years, quotes for these works have increased by a third. We're now scrambling to find another $200,000 to get them underway. 

In the current economic climate, how can any first-home buyer afford to build, let alone buy, a home?  Affordable housing is a pressing national policy issue. It'll be interesting to see how bold politicians will be as they strive to solve the current crisis.

Creating memories one day at a time

I’ve spent a week catching up with family and friends in New Zealand. It’s been six months since my last visit. I’ve filled my time visiting my Mum in her rest home and enjoying several weekend outings.

Friday saw me spend some quality time with Mum. She was delighted to see me and still knows I’m her son. We spent the afternoon visiting McLaren Falls and enjoying a light lunch at the local cafe. Sadly, recent dry weather meant the falls weren’t at their best.

 

Saturday was taken up with a day at the races in Tauranga. It’s been decades since I last spent time on a racecourse. The weather certainly played its part. Our group enjoyed a fun-filled afternoon under a temporary gazebo. I started well with a healthy win on the first race I bet on. However, by the end of the day, I'd lost more than I'd won.

Sunday was spent enjoying the beach and the last of the Summer sunshine with Mum before joining my brother Hamish and his family for dinner in Papamoa.  This dinner followed an adults-only session we all enjoyed on Friday night at Nectar in Tauranga.

Today saw me returning to Bethlehem Views for a final visit with Mum. It was a sad affair as Mum was struggling to stand and remain alert. Sadly, her dementia continues to take a toll. Her mobility is declining and her cognitive abilities are increasingly unpredictable.  It’s hard to know how smoothly future visits will unfold.

Given Mum's declining health, earlier in the week I decided to extend my visit to make the most of my time with her on this trip. I fly home tomorrow. I won't be back in Aotearoa now until August. Hamish is heading to Europe for two months so I’m coming over to share Mum's visiting hours with Matt for a week.

Swept away by history

Last weekend I visited a temporary Banksy exhibition at the Sydney Town Hall. The exhibition features more than 160 artworks from this globally renowned street artist. The art on display includes limited edition prints of his most recognized pieces, a body of work spanning almost three decades.

Banksy’s artwork often take the form of multi-layered stencils. Some of his most striking art installations also integrate objects already present including street signs and fire hydrants. His work is often satirical, combining dark humour with thought-provoking messages about art, philosophy, and politics.

A Banksy original regularly commands valuations in the millions, including iconic works like Girl with Balloon. A original framed copy of this artwork was sold for $1.4 million by Sotheby’s in 2018. In a classic Banksy move, immediately after the auction ended, a shedder hidden in the frame was triggered by remote control. It partially shredded the piece to protest the folly of capitalism. Ironically, this act instantly increased its resale value.

During last week’s exhibition, I discovered that another of Banksy's most recognized pieces, English Maid, was originally painted on a wall in our London neighbourhood. It’s an image of a maid lifting a section of the wall and sweeping dust under it. In hindsight, I have a vague recollection of seeing it outside the Roundhouse on Chalk Farm Road. Sadly the artwork, created in 2006, has long since disappeared. 

All in all, it was a superb show. Interestingly, the same organisation that arranged the Van Gogh exhibition we saw in London is responsible for this event. I love Banksy's whimsical style. I'll be sure to buy one of his works the day I win Lotto. My first piece will be, The Mild Mild West, a teddy bear throwing a Molotov cocktail. Painted in 1999, it was Banksy’s first major street art installation.

Afterwards, my route home took me past another iconic artwork. I walked through Hyde Park as I was keen to explore a dramatic sculpture on the park's western boundary. It depicts four golden bullets and several spent shells standing vigil over passersby. It appeared a few years ago but I’ve yet to discover its origins. I’m happy to report that it's a stunning memorial to First Nation's people who've fought on behalf of Australia. Now that's progress!

No.72 locked in

Destination number 72 on the list of countries I've visited is now locked in. We've just booked flights to Samoa in September for what's fast becoming an annual ritual. For the last seven years, we've been booking an annual Spring vacation in a tropical location (setting aside pandemic border closures).

This annual pilgrimage has included time in Bali (Indonesia), Fiji (in 2018, 2019 and 2022) and the Cook Islands. We've chosen Samoa this year in part to secure Platinum Frequent Flyer status until the end of 2025. Qantas was running a double status points promotion last week. As a result, by choosing flights carefully savvy frequent flyers can secure enough points to maintain or improve their status with less travel.  

I already have several flights booked including a trip with Garry's parents to Far North Queensland in June. I've also booked flights to New Zealand in March, to Tasmania for a business event in May, and to Melbourne for an annual trade show in August.

A round trip to Samoa involves four flights as we have to fly via Brisbane. This extra domestic leg, with double status points locked in, is enough to secure Platinum status for another year for Garry and me. For now, we've only booked our flights. We've yet to finalise a hotel booking. Stay tuned for more details on our tropical plans in the months ahead.

UPDATE: 28 March

We’ve booked a villa at Return to Paradise. It’s a locally owned resort on the southwest coast of Samoa. The photo above was taken by my friend Nicole Webb. She stayed at the resort with her family last year.