VICTORIAN Planning Minister Matthew Guy last week announced the fast-tracking of five major new high-density housing developments in the central city area – the largest numbers of private residential permits made on one day by the state government.

"The Australian dream of owning your own dwelling is still possible. With the release of these five towers in Melbourne, new home buyers and others can once again have confidence that the state government is aggressively tackling the housing affordability issue in outer as well as inner city markets," Mr Guy said in a statement last Tuesday.

THE Federal and Victorian Governments last week announced the start of major work on the $26 million Warragul Rail Precinct upgrade project, which involves a new rail underpass and a new car park and bus interchange at Warragul railway station and is expected to be completed by mid-2015.

The upgrade is being jointly funded by the Australian Government ($3.35 million) and the Victorian Government ($22.69 million). The Shire of Baw Baw has also supported the project through the transfer of land on the south east side of the railway station that will form part of the underpass.

THE Property Council last week released its 2014 Election Policy Platform, Victoria: the Property State, which contains recommendations that seek to position Victoria as the best state to invest, manage and own property.

Launched at the February Business Lunch with Victorian Premier Denis Napthine, the Policy Platform aims to show how the Victorian property industry can be at the heart of the state's economic development and ongoing prosperity.

NEW South Wales Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian last week announced that the testing of vehicles is now underway on the new Inner West Light Rail Extension, following the completion of the light rail stops and installation of tracks and infrastructure.

The $176 million Inner West Light Rail Extension will connect to the existing light rail service, which operates from Central to Lilyfield, and will run along the former Rozelle freight rail corridor, through the inner west to Dulwich Hill. It includes new stops at Leichhardt North, Hawthorne, Marion, Taverners Hill, Lewisham West, Waratah Mills, Arlington, Dulwich Grove and Dulwich Hill.

THE New South Wales Government last week announced the release of two important infrastructure planning documents for the Hunter that outline rail, road and other projects to support economic growth and enhance liveability in the region.

Regional Development Australia Hunter CEO Todd Williams said the Hunter Strategic Infrastructure Plan focuses on infrastructure to enhance the urban areas of the lower Hunter while the Hunter Economic Infrastructure Plan (HEIP) focuses on projects that enhance economic growth across the entire Hunter.

THE independent Joint Regional Planning Panel (JRPP) has been appointed as the relevant authority to assess a planning proposal for a key site in Wollongong's CBD, the New South Wales Government announced last week.

The proposal seeks to rezone the 'Gateway Site', a precinct bounded by Wollongong's Flinders, Keira and Campbell streets, to allow mixed-use development – including an increase in the building height controls from 24 metres to 60 metres and an increase in density controls over part of the site.

THE Northern Territory Government last week announced that work has begun on a Territory-wide planning study to prioritise infrastructure investment, with GHD Pty Ltd awarded the $1.19 million contract to undertake the Regional Infrastructure Study.

The study will determine what infrastructure is required to support economic development throughout the regional areas of the NT and will support the development of a 30-year NT Government Regional Infrastructure Plan by November this year.

THE ACT Government will amend its large scale feed-in tariff law to support the development of up to 550 megawatts of large scale wind, solar and waste to energy projects to help achieve the city's greenhouse gas reduction targets, Environment and Sustainable Development Minister Simon Corbell announced last week.

The announcement confirms an expansion of the amount of renewable energy generation able to be supported by the Electricity Feed in (Large Scale Renewable Energy Generation) Act, from the existing cap of 210 megawatts to a proposed 550 megawatts – enough to achieve the mandated 90 per cent renewable energy target set last year.

ACT Environment and Sustainable Development Minister Simon Corbell last week said the Capital Metro Agency has taken a crucial step in bringing light rail to Canberra, with the appointment of an Arup-led consortium to deliver technical advice.

The consortium also includes light rail expertise from HASSELL and Parsons Brinckerhoff alongside local specialist consultants Brown Consulting, LandDATA Surveys, Phillip Chun Access, SLR Consulting, GML Heritage and dsb Landscape Architects.

FEDERAL Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Warren Truss last week introduced the Land Transport Infrastructure Amendment Bill 2014, which maps out the government's infrastructure priorities and replaces the Nation Building Program.

"We are moving to deliver the infrastructure Australia critically needs through our $35.5 billion Infrastructure Investment Programme, which, over six years, will build the vital road and rail projects to improve efficiency, boost productivity and drive Australia's economy forward," Mr Truss said in a statement.