Tasmania is the cheapest Australian state for newly single people to set up a new home, with average moving costs of $3922. South Australia and the Northern Territory ranked as the second and third most affordable places to rebuild after a split. The ACT is the most expensive, with upfront costs of $5255, while NSW has the highest income burden, requiring 6.16 weeks of average wages to cover moving expenses. Rising interest rates may further strain household budgets.
Ten new Metro stations will open in Sydney’s western suburbs on 30 October, cutting travel times to the CBD. The stations will serve Bankstown, Punchbowl, Wiley Park, Lakemba, Belmore, Campsie, Canterbury, Hurlstone Park, Dulwich Hill and Marrickville. NSW Premier Chris Minns said the project would provide faster, reliable transport for southwest Sydney. The Metro West project’s cost has risen from $12 billion to $25 billion.
Cost pressures could push up the final price of Hobart's new stadium, the head of the body delivering it has said. BESIX Watpac was announced as the preferred builder on Thursday. The project is budgeted at $1.13 billion, but that estimate is more than a year old, and construction costs have risen since. Premier Jeremy Rockliff said the final cost will be revealed shortly before the contract is signed. He would not confirm whether the state's contribution would be capped at $875 million. Independent MLC Meg Webb said the full cost is likely to be well above $1.13 billion.
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Australian firm BESIX Watpac has been chosen to build the Macquarie Point Stadium in Hobart, future home of the Tasmania Devils AFL club. The company beat a group led by Italian firm WeBuild, which faced charges over alleged workplace safety breaches in NSW. The stadium currently carries a price tag of $1.13 billion, and opponents fear the final figure will rise before a contract is signed by the end of the year. The state government says it will cap its contribution at $875 million. The federal government is contributing $240 million and the AFL $15 million.
One Nation has announced its candidates for the Geelong and Lara electorates ahead of next month’s state election. Police officer Stephen Spyros will contest Lara, focusing on law and order and cost-of-living relief. John De Lorenzo, a former federal independent candidate, will stand in Geelong, campaigning on easing cost-of-living pressures and supporting local industries. Both candidates are running on platforms that include reducing bureaucracy and ensuring their communities have a strong voice in parliament.
