🚭 QLD strata smoking bans | $55m for local GC space company | New Battery Booster Program | Game of Thrones spinoff to start | Pro surfers join forces with property executives and more!
Volume 51 - Today’s newsletter is 1,368 words, a 4.5 minute read.
Welcome to Thursday, February 22.
In today’s email
Pivotal QLD Legislation Passes: Strata smoking bans and more
Interstellar Leap: Local GC space company’s $55 million funding boost
New Battery Booster Program: Queensland home rebates announced
Trending: Fast-food rubbish
Around The Web (Snippets): Pro surfers join forces with property executives, Qantas’ lounge access subscription, Clive Palmer’s new Palm Beach house, Game Of Thrones spinoff filming to start and more!
Local Legend Shoutout: Pennybridge Creative Studio’s ten-year event
Councillor’s Corner PLUS a Mayoral Candidate for 2024
Upcoming Events
Weekend Weather and Surf
Live Gold Coast Housing Price Index
1. One Big Thing: Pivotal QLD legislation passes strata smoking bans and more
What’s Happening
Just recently, Queensland introduced sweeping reforms to strata laws, with a significant focus on smoking, parking, pets, and scheme termination, aiming to harmonise communal living.
Why It Matters
These changes, especially the smoking ban, reflect a societal push towards healthier living spaces, following a move by New South Wales back in 2022.
Big Hitters
Towing: of an owner or occupier’s car if it is parked in violation of the by-law without the need for initial enforcement through a contravention notice
Banning smoking on the property: permits a body corporate to prohibit smoking not only in enclosed areas and on the common property but also in outdoor areas, including balconies, of a lot
More accessible pet ownership: With new laws provide greater approval mechanisms for occupiers seeking permission
Terminating of a community titles scheme: Will be allowable with 75% of owners approving of the termination
The Big Picture
Balancing individual liberties with a reasonable, general quality of a shared-home environment for all appears to have been on the agenda, something becoming increasingly in view here on the Gold Coast as the city continues to build up instead of out.
What To Look For Next
Bad habits being broken, and a whole lot of committees faced with increased requests on all fronts to implement and police these pivotal regulatory changes.
2. Interstellar Leap - Local GC Gilmour's $55 Million Funding Boost
What’s Happening
Gilmour Space Technologies on the Gold Coast has secured a $55 million funding round to help fund the manufacture, testing, and launch of sovereign-made rockets and satellites to orbit.
Why It Matters
Setting the stage for Australia's inaugural orbital launch later this year, this venture signals a significant stride in Australia's space and defence capabilities, spotlighting Queensland as a keenly emerging player in the aerospace sector, fostering innovation, and generating skilled jobs that help strengthen the breadth of human capital in the region.
By the Numbers
$55 million in Series D funding, showcasing robust investor confidence.
2021: Was when QIC originally started investing
Plans to increase employees: From the current 100 to 300 by mid-2027
Local Impact
Increasing staff numbers from 100 to 300 is some serious growth and opportunity in a fast emerging and in-demand industry for what was once a much quieter seaside, little seaside town.
Voices of Innovation
Adam Gilmour, CEO: "This boosts our capacity to enhance Australia's sovereign capabilities."
Patrick Christiansen, QIC: "This is a tangible vision for Australian-made rockets."
Taking Off
This significant investment promises to bolster Queensland's economy in a unique direction amongst a broadly booming corner of the state, continuing to develop it as a go-to hub for space technology and high-tech manufacturing.
3. New QLD Battery Booster Rebate Announced
What’s Happening
Just this week, Queensland launched its Battery Booster program, offering rebates for homeowners installing battery systems alongside rooftop solar, aiming to help support cutting energy costs and promote sustainable living.
Why It Matters
This initiative marks an inevitable move towards energy self-sufficiency in the Sunshine State, making renewable energy more accessible and encouraging households to adopt greener practices sooner rather than later.
By the Numbers
A rebate of $3000 is available for households with a combined income of $180,000 or less
Rebates up to $4,000 are available for eligible low-income families where the highest-income earner earned $66,667 or less
A 5kW minimum solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity is required, ensuring significant energy savings
Local Impact
Households will only qualify if they use an official Department of Energy and Climate installer, so check to see if your local Gold Coast solar business is on this list of approved installers.
What To Look For Next
Unfortunately, the lacklustre $180,000 combined income threshold will limit the program's effectiveness.
Given you’re hard-pressed to buy or manage a house in the current market with a combined income of less than $200,000, given current interest rates, average freestanding house prices and inflated expenses everywhere, it feels like the government isn’t that serious about making programs a bit more realistic and approachable to those most likely looking at implementing the systems.
Hopefully, our local small businesses and those that do fit the full eligibility criteria benefit from the program nonetheless.
4. Trending
GC Redditors teeing off at litterbugs..
5. Around The Web (Snippets)
Clive Palmer bought a massive: 1214sqm block at Palm Beach for $28 million
Pro surfers join forces with property executives: To tackle an escalating dementia challenge
A new Qantas lounge access subscription: Model is likely to be introduced that will allow new members in via a low-cost subscription payment
Game of Thrones spinoff filming to start: In June 2024, called The Hedge Knight, which will be set 90 years before House of the Dragon
Local GC business and Westpac joined: For a session on cybercrime and how to implement controls to reduce vulnerability and guard against fraudulent B2B payments
Fact-checking Putin’s: Version of history from the Tucker Carlson interview, an article released by the BBC
The Rotary Club of Coomera announced: An upcoming book fair
The complete list of Gold Coast local election candidates has been released: And you can see them all here
6. Local Legend Shoutout
🖥️ Pennybridge Studio: PIONEERS OF BRAND™️ and one of the GC’s premier creative design studios located in Palm Beach, for reaching ten years in the industry and believing that business can be a force for good.
Get tickets to their epic 10-year celebratory event tomorrow night here.
7. Councillors’ Corner
Div 6 | Ashmore, Benowa, Bundall, Southport | Cr Brooke Patterson
Div 14 | Kirra, Coolangatta, Currumbin, Elanora, Tugun +6 | Cr Gail O'Neill
Local Elections CANDIDATES’ Corner
Introducing Lavinia Rampino for Mayor
8. Upcoming Events
🎬 The Road to Patagonia – National Q&A Film Tour: February 22 from 6:30 pm onwards; Q&A screening with filmmakers Matty Hannon and Heather Hillier at Event Cinemas, Pacific Fair Shopping Centre and HOTA
🍻 DECADE by Pennybridge: February 25, an epic night at Mo's Desert Clubhouse of live music, art and nostalgia to celebrate the GC’s best design studio celebrating ten years in the industry - tickets still available
🎟️ Shen Yun: February 23-25; a brilliant artistic revival with breathtaking dance and music in celebration of China’s rich heritage before communism, a divine culture lost, at HOTA
🎉 Pizzey Park Precinct Celebration: February 24 from 10 am to 1 pm; free action-packed celebration of one of Australia’s biggest and best sporting and recreation facilities at Pizzey Park Precinct
🏉 Gold Coast Titans Pre-season Challenge: February 25 at 4 pm versus the Paramatta Eels with tickets available here
🛳️ The Luxury Travel & Cruise Event: February 25 from 10 am onwards; the only truly luxury travel consumer event in Australia at GC Convention and Exhibition Centre
🖼️ Art+Potluck Exhibit Opening and Gala Dinner: February 25 from 5:30 pm onwards; this event is free to join, but registration is essential; Robina Auditorium
🏫 Griffith University Campus Tours: February 26 - March 1 from 9 am onwards; a tour led by Guild Crew volunteers
🐦 Birds of the Gardens Guided Walk: February 27 from 9 am onwards; a knowledgeable guide to identify and monitor the bird life at GC Regional Botanic Gardens
🎤 Hinterland Community Band Concert: February 28 from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm; free concert for the people of Mudgeeraba and the Hinterland at Cuddihy Park
📢 Customer Contact Week Australia and New Zealand 2024: February 28-March 1; collaboration and exploration into the latest tools and strategies to deliver customer contact excellence at The Star