Build for cyclonic winds: call for tougher home construction standards
Building codes developed half a century ago to protect homes from cyclones should be extended "much further south" to reflect increasing extreme weather events, Climate Change Authority chair Matt Kean says.
In a new report on how climate affects Australian homes, the authority recommended changing the national construction code - which sets minimum building standards - to ensure properties can better withstand wind, floods, bushfires, coastal inundation, and heatwaves.
In the wake of Cyclone Alfred, which swept into south-east Queensland and northern NSW in March 2025, Mr Kean said it was time to rethink building standards.
"Climate change is creating the conditions for extreme storms much further south than in the past, so it makes sense to look at extending cyclone building standards down the coast to reflect today's real risks," Mr Kean said.
"Parts of coastal Queensland and [Western Australia] not now covered by cyclone construction standards may need to be, and soon."
Existing codes only required buildings north of Bundaberg - some 350 kilometres beyond Brisbane - to be able to withstand cyclonic winds, the Home safe: national leadership in adapting to a changing climate report pointed out.
Mr Kean said it was also time to rethink where homes were being built in the first place.
"As flood hazards change, we need to adapt our thinking about where to build new homes and suburbs," he said.
Insurance was "costing households too much" as premiums rose in line with growing risk.
The record-breaking May floods across the NSW mid-north coast and Hunter regions claimed the lives of five people, inundated hundreds of homes and stranded tens of thousands of people.
Extreme weather events had already cost the Australian economy $2.2 billion in the first half of 2025, the Climate Change Authority report, due to be released on June 19, found.
By the end of the decade climate change was expected to wipe more than $500 billion off the property market.
The report also found extreme weather events led to poorer physical and mental health, as well as substandard living conditions.
Building codes developed half a century ago to protect homes from cyclones should be extended "much further south" to reflect increasing extreme weather events, Climate Change Authority chair Matt Kean says.
In a new report on how climate affects Australian homes, the authority recommended changing the national construction code - which sets minimum building standards - to ensure properties can better withstand wind, floods, bushfires, coastal inundation, and heatwaves.
In the wake of Cyclone Alfred, which swept into south-east Queensland and northern NSW in March 2025, Mr Kean said it was time to rethink building standards.
"Climate change is creating the conditions for extreme storms much further south than in the past, so it makes sense to look at extending cyclone building standards down the coast to reflect today's real risks," Mr Kean said.
"Parts of coastal Queensland and [Western Australia] not now covered by cyclone construction standards may need to be, and soon."
Existing codes only required buildings north of Bundaberg - some 350 kilometres beyond Brisbane - to be able to withstand cyclonic winds, the Home safe: national leadership in adapting to a changing climate report pointed out.
Mr Kean said it was also time to rethink where homes were being built in the first place.
"As flood hazards change, we need to adapt our thinking about where to build new homes and suburbs," he said.
Insurance was "costing households too much" as premiums rose in line with growing risk.
The record-breaking May floods across the NSW mid-north coast and Hunter regions claimed the lives of five people, inundated hundreds of homes and stranded tens of thousands of people.
Extreme weather events had already cost the Australian economy $2.2 billion in the first half of 2025, the Climate Change Authority report, due to be released on June 19, found.
By the end of the decade climate change was expected to wipe more than $500 billion off the property market.
The report also found extreme weather events led to poorer physical and mental health, as well as substandard living conditions.
Building codes developed half a century ago to protect homes from cyclones should be extended "much further south" to reflect increasing extreme weather events, Climate Change Authority chair Matt Kean says.
In a new report on how climate affects Australian homes, the authority recommended changing the national construction code - which sets minimum building standards - to ensure properties can better withstand wind, floods, bushfires, coastal inundation, and heatwaves.
In the wake of Cyclone Alfred, which swept into south-east Queensland and northern NSW in March 2025, Mr Kean said it was time to rethink building standards.
"Climate change is creating the conditions for extreme storms much further south than in the past, so it makes sense to look at extending cyclone building standards down the coast to reflect today's real risks," Mr Kean said.
"Parts of coastal Queensland and [Western Australia] not now covered by cyclone construction standards may need to be, and soon."
Existing codes only required buildings north of Bundaberg - some 350 kilometres beyond Brisbane - to be able to withstand cyclonic winds, the Home safe: national leadership in adapting to a changing climate report pointed out.
Mr Kean said it was also time to rethink where homes were being built in the first place.
"As flood hazards change, we need to adapt our thinking about where to build new homes and suburbs," he said.
Insurance was "costing households too much" as premiums rose in line with growing risk.
The record-breaking May floods across the NSW mid-north coast and Hunter regions claimed the lives of five people, inundated hundreds of homes and stranded tens of thousands of people.
Extreme weather events had already cost the Australian economy $2.2 billion in the first half of 2025, the Climate Change Authority report, due to be released on June 19, found.
By the end of the decade climate change was expected to wipe more than $500 billion off the property market.
The report also found extreme weather events led to poorer physical and mental health, as well as substandard living conditions.
Building codes developed half a century ago to protect homes from cyclones should be extended "much further south" to reflect increasing extreme weather events, Climate Change Authority chair Matt Kean says.
In a new report on how climate affects Australian homes, the authority recommended changing the national construction code - which sets minimum building standards - to ensure properties can better withstand wind, floods, bushfires, coastal inundation, and heatwaves.
In the wake of Cyclone Alfred, which swept into south-east Queensland and northern NSW in March 2025, Mr Kean said it was time to rethink building standards.
"Climate change is creating the conditions for extreme storms much further south than in the past, so it makes sense to look at extending cyclone building standards down the coast to reflect today's real risks," Mr Kean said.
"Parts of coastal Queensland and [Western Australia] not now covered by cyclone construction standards may need to be, and soon."
Existing codes only required buildings north of Bundaberg - some 350 kilometres beyond Brisbane - to be able to withstand cyclonic winds, the Home safe: national leadership in adapting to a changing climate report pointed out.
Mr Kean said it was also time to rethink where homes were being built in the first place.
"As flood hazards change, we need to adapt our thinking about where to build new homes and suburbs," he said.
Insurance was "costing households too much" as premiums rose in line with growing risk.
The record-breaking May floods across the NSW mid-north coast and Hunter regions claimed the lives of five people, inundated hundreds of homes and stranded tens of thousands of people.
Extreme weather events had already cost the Australian economy $2.2 billion in the first half of 2025, the Climate Change Authority report, due to be released on June 19, found.
By the end of the decade climate change was expected to wipe more than $500 billion off the property market.
The report also found extreme weather events led to poorer physical and mental health, as well as substandard living conditions.
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There were - to use the journalist's favourite literary device - 'sealier' places to be than soaking up the sun just off Newcastle Ocean Baths on a near-perfect winter's day on Friday. It boasted a pristine sky, fair surfing conditions and clean sets off the Cowrie Hole. Awash in a warm and sunny 19 degrees, and just off the back of the Newcastle Ocean Baths, a bulky Australian fur seal luxuriated in the serenity as the surfers gave it a respectful berth. The fur seal - which, along with their long-nose cousins, frequent the Hunter - is a somewhat regular visitor to the ocean baths. Lifeguards on Friday morning, speaking of the big pup like an old friend, said it drops by usually around this time of year to check in. Its whiskers just crested the water line as is bobbed between the swell. Time seemed to slow down as residents and shutterbugs mingled to take it in. 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But the good news is that from then on Aussies will get an incremental increase in the amount of visible sunlight each day. There were - to use the journalist's favourite literary device - 'sealier' places to be than soaking up the sun just off Newcastle Ocean Baths on a near-perfect winter's day on Friday. It boasted a pristine sky, fair surfing conditions and clean sets off the Cowrie Hole. Awash in a warm and sunny 19 degrees, and just off the back of the Newcastle Ocean Baths, a bulky Australian fur seal luxuriated in the serenity as the surfers gave it a respectful berth. The fur seal - which, along with their long-nose cousins, frequent the Hunter - is a somewhat regular visitor to the ocean baths. Lifeguards on Friday morning, speaking of the big pup like an old friend, said it drops by usually around this time of year to check in. Its whiskers just crested the water line as is bobbed between the swell. Time seemed to slow down as residents and shutterbugs mingled to take it in. "This is a process called thermo-regulating," a spokesperson for Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia told the Newcastle Herald in 2023, when another seal was spotted off the Nobbys breakwall similarly waving a flipper as it floated. "When they get too hot, it helps them cool down." Friday's sunshine was expected to gradually give way to cloudier conditions, with a chance of showers toward the middle of next week. Surf conditions are expected to remain fair through Sunday, with a swell just above two feet, at waist height. Southern swell spots were making the best of the conditions, surf forecasters said, with chest-high waves for the short boards, or the sheltered zones optimal for the longboards on the incoming tide. The southern hemisphere's winter solstice is on Saturday, June 21. It marks Australia's shortest day and longest night of the year based on sunlight hours. But the good news is that from then on Aussies will get an incremental increase in the amount of visible sunlight each day. There were - to use the journalist's favourite literary device - 'sealier' places to be than soaking up the sun just off Newcastle Ocean Baths on a near-perfect winter's day on Friday. It boasted a pristine sky, fair surfing conditions and clean sets off the Cowrie Hole. Awash in a warm and sunny 19 degrees, and just off the back of the Newcastle Ocean Baths, a bulky Australian fur seal luxuriated in the serenity as the surfers gave it a respectful berth. The fur seal - which, along with their long-nose cousins, frequent the Hunter - is a somewhat regular visitor to the ocean baths. Lifeguards on Friday morning, speaking of the big pup like an old friend, said it drops by usually around this time of year to check in. Its whiskers just crested the water line as is bobbed between the swell. Time seemed to slow down as residents and shutterbugs mingled to take it in. "This is a process called thermo-regulating," a spokesperson for Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia told the Newcastle Herald in 2023, when another seal was spotted off the Nobbys breakwall similarly waving a flipper as it floated. "When they get too hot, it helps them cool down." Friday's sunshine was expected to gradually give way to cloudier conditions, with a chance of showers toward the middle of next week. Surf conditions are expected to remain fair through Sunday, with a swell just above two feet, at waist height. Southern swell spots were making the best of the conditions, surf forecasters said, with chest-high waves for the short boards, or the sheltered zones optimal for the longboards on the incoming tide. The southern hemisphere's winter solstice is on Saturday, June 21. It marks Australia's shortest day and longest night of the year based on sunlight hours. But the good news is that from then on Aussies will get an incremental increase in the amount of visible sunlight each day. There were - to use the journalist's favourite literary device - 'sealier' places to be than soaking up the sun just off Newcastle Ocean Baths on a near-perfect winter's day on Friday. It boasted a pristine sky, fair surfing conditions and clean sets off the Cowrie Hole. Awash in a warm and sunny 19 degrees, and just off the back of the Newcastle Ocean Baths, a bulky Australian fur seal luxuriated in the serenity as the surfers gave it a respectful berth. The fur seal - which, along with their long-nose cousins, frequent the Hunter - is a somewhat regular visitor to the ocean baths. Lifeguards on Friday morning, speaking of the big pup like an old friend, said it drops by usually around this time of year to check in. Its whiskers just crested the water line as is bobbed between the swell. Time seemed to slow down as residents and shutterbugs mingled to take it in. "This is a process called thermo-regulating," a spokesperson for Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans in Australia told the Newcastle Herald in 2023, when another seal was spotted off the Nobbys breakwall similarly waving a flipper as it floated. "When they get too hot, it helps them cool down." Friday's sunshine was expected to gradually give way to cloudier conditions, with a chance of showers toward the middle of next week. Surf conditions are expected to remain fair through Sunday, with a swell just above two feet, at waist height. Southern swell spots were making the best of the conditions, surf forecasters said, with chest-high waves for the short boards, or the sheltered zones optimal for the longboards on the incoming tide. The southern hemisphere's winter solstice is on Saturday, June 21. It marks Australia's shortest day and longest night of the year based on sunlight hours. 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The Advertiser
3 days ago
- The Advertiser
World's top player and a struggler off to flying start
World No.1 Scottie Scheffler has laid down the marker with an eight-under 62 to share the lead with Austin Eckroat in the Travelers Championship. The week after a rough-and-tumble US Open was a welcome break for so many at the TPC River Highlands even with the rough just as long but not quite as thick as soaked Oakmont. Rory McIlroy played bogey-free for a 66 and didn't look to break too much of a sweat on Thursday. "This is a nice tonic compared to last week in terms of it's a slightly more benign golf course and the penalty for missing isn't quite as severe," McIlroy said. Scheffler faced the hot afternoon when a refreshing breeze turned into a strong wind, and he wasted no time getting in the mix with four birdies in six holes and a 30 on the front nine. And then came the par-5 13th, 236 yards away into the wind, over a pond to a pin on the right. It was perfect - that's coming from golf's best player - and settled 10 feet away for birdie. "That three-iron I hit in there was really nice," Scheffler said. "It was pretty much exactly what I was trying to do. It was kind of one where I had to hit it really solid in order to get it there with the water short, and I just did pretty much exactly what I wanted to and it felt nice." McIlroy was at 64 along with Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley and Wyndham Clark. Another shot back was Cameron Young. He was in the mix late on Sunday at Oakmont, and started the Travelers Championship by going from the rough to the bunker, and then a three-putt from 25 feet for a double bogey. "I managed to get around Oakmont for four days with no doubles and I made it zero holes here," Young said. "Typically that's not kind of what you expect around here." Not to worry. He followed with eight birdies in a day with a new routine. His caddie went down with a stomach virus and the best option was to turn the bag over to his father, Dave Young, recently retired as the longtime pro at Sleepy Hollow. The surprise was Eckroat, already a two-time winner on the PGA Tour but struggling so much this year that he has only two finishes in the top 20 and eight missed cuts. "Felt great over the putter, and just a really solid day, and I felt confident, which it was nice to feel that this season," said Eckroat. "It's been a while." US Open champion JJ Spaun felt the fatigue, and the steamy heat didn't help the cause. Playing along Scheffler, he was hanging in there until it took him two chips and two putts to cover 40 feet for a double bogey on No. 12, and a bogey-bogey finish for a 73. Jason Day was the best of the Australian contingent making a four-under 66 to be tied seventh. The former world No.1 made five birdies, including four in a row starting on the 13th, with his only bogey on the sixth. Cam Davis (71), Adam Scott (72) and Min Woo Lee (73) are all in the second half of the field but there is no halfway cut in this tournament. World No.1 Scottie Scheffler has laid down the marker with an eight-under 62 to share the lead with Austin Eckroat in the Travelers Championship. The week after a rough-and-tumble US Open was a welcome break for so many at the TPC River Highlands even with the rough just as long but not quite as thick as soaked Oakmont. Rory McIlroy played bogey-free for a 66 and didn't look to break too much of a sweat on Thursday. "This is a nice tonic compared to last week in terms of it's a slightly more benign golf course and the penalty for missing isn't quite as severe," McIlroy said. Scheffler faced the hot afternoon when a refreshing breeze turned into a strong wind, and he wasted no time getting in the mix with four birdies in six holes and a 30 on the front nine. And then came the par-5 13th, 236 yards away into the wind, over a pond to a pin on the right. It was perfect - that's coming from golf's best player - and settled 10 feet away for birdie. "That three-iron I hit in there was really nice," Scheffler said. "It was pretty much exactly what I was trying to do. It was kind of one where I had to hit it really solid in order to get it there with the water short, and I just did pretty much exactly what I wanted to and it felt nice." McIlroy was at 64 along with Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley and Wyndham Clark. Another shot back was Cameron Young. He was in the mix late on Sunday at Oakmont, and started the Travelers Championship by going from the rough to the bunker, and then a three-putt from 25 feet for a double bogey. "I managed to get around Oakmont for four days with no doubles and I made it zero holes here," Young said. "Typically that's not kind of what you expect around here." Not to worry. He followed with eight birdies in a day with a new routine. His caddie went down with a stomach virus and the best option was to turn the bag over to his father, Dave Young, recently retired as the longtime pro at Sleepy Hollow. The surprise was Eckroat, already a two-time winner on the PGA Tour but struggling so much this year that he has only two finishes in the top 20 and eight missed cuts. "Felt great over the putter, and just a really solid day, and I felt confident, which it was nice to feel that this season," said Eckroat. "It's been a while." US Open champion JJ Spaun felt the fatigue, and the steamy heat didn't help the cause. Playing along Scheffler, he was hanging in there until it took him two chips and two putts to cover 40 feet for a double bogey on No. 12, and a bogey-bogey finish for a 73. Jason Day was the best of the Australian contingent making a four-under 66 to be tied seventh. The former world No.1 made five birdies, including four in a row starting on the 13th, with his only bogey on the sixth. Cam Davis (71), Adam Scott (72) and Min Woo Lee (73) are all in the second half of the field but there is no halfway cut in this tournament. World No.1 Scottie Scheffler has laid down the marker with an eight-under 62 to share the lead with Austin Eckroat in the Travelers Championship. The week after a rough-and-tumble US Open was a welcome break for so many at the TPC River Highlands even with the rough just as long but not quite as thick as soaked Oakmont. Rory McIlroy played bogey-free for a 66 and didn't look to break too much of a sweat on Thursday. "This is a nice tonic compared to last week in terms of it's a slightly more benign golf course and the penalty for missing isn't quite as severe," McIlroy said. Scheffler faced the hot afternoon when a refreshing breeze turned into a strong wind, and he wasted no time getting in the mix with four birdies in six holes and a 30 on the front nine. And then came the par-5 13th, 236 yards away into the wind, over a pond to a pin on the right. It was perfect - that's coming from golf's best player - and settled 10 feet away for birdie. "That three-iron I hit in there was really nice," Scheffler said. "It was pretty much exactly what I was trying to do. It was kind of one where I had to hit it really solid in order to get it there with the water short, and I just did pretty much exactly what I wanted to and it felt nice." McIlroy was at 64 along with Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley and Wyndham Clark. Another shot back was Cameron Young. He was in the mix late on Sunday at Oakmont, and started the Travelers Championship by going from the rough to the bunker, and then a three-putt from 25 feet for a double bogey. "I managed to get around Oakmont for four days with no doubles and I made it zero holes here," Young said. "Typically that's not kind of what you expect around here." Not to worry. He followed with eight birdies in a day with a new routine. His caddie went down with a stomach virus and the best option was to turn the bag over to his father, Dave Young, recently retired as the longtime pro at Sleepy Hollow. The surprise was Eckroat, already a two-time winner on the PGA Tour but struggling so much this year that he has only two finishes in the top 20 and eight missed cuts. "Felt great over the putter, and just a really solid day, and I felt confident, which it was nice to feel that this season," said Eckroat. "It's been a while." US Open champion JJ Spaun felt the fatigue, and the steamy heat didn't help the cause. Playing along Scheffler, he was hanging in there until it took him two chips and two putts to cover 40 feet for a double bogey on No. 12, and a bogey-bogey finish for a 73. Jason Day was the best of the Australian contingent making a four-under 66 to be tied seventh. The former world No.1 made five birdies, including four in a row starting on the 13th, with his only bogey on the sixth. Cam Davis (71), Adam Scott (72) and Min Woo Lee (73) are all in the second half of the field but there is no halfway cut in this tournament. World No.1 Scottie Scheffler has laid down the marker with an eight-under 62 to share the lead with Austin Eckroat in the Travelers Championship. The week after a rough-and-tumble US Open was a welcome break for so many at the TPC River Highlands even with the rough just as long but not quite as thick as soaked Oakmont. Rory McIlroy played bogey-free for a 66 and didn't look to break too much of a sweat on Thursday. "This is a nice tonic compared to last week in terms of it's a slightly more benign golf course and the penalty for missing isn't quite as severe," McIlroy said. Scheffler faced the hot afternoon when a refreshing breeze turned into a strong wind, and he wasted no time getting in the mix with four birdies in six holes and a 30 on the front nine. And then came the par-5 13th, 236 yards away into the wind, over a pond to a pin on the right. It was perfect - that's coming from golf's best player - and settled 10 feet away for birdie. "That three-iron I hit in there was really nice," Scheffler said. "It was pretty much exactly what I was trying to do. It was kind of one where I had to hit it really solid in order to get it there with the water short, and I just did pretty much exactly what I wanted to and it felt nice." McIlroy was at 64 along with Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley and Wyndham Clark. Another shot back was Cameron Young. He was in the mix late on Sunday at Oakmont, and started the Travelers Championship by going from the rough to the bunker, and then a three-putt from 25 feet for a double bogey. "I managed to get around Oakmont for four days with no doubles and I made it zero holes here," Young said. "Typically that's not kind of what you expect around here." Not to worry. He followed with eight birdies in a day with a new routine. His caddie went down with a stomach virus and the best option was to turn the bag over to his father, Dave Young, recently retired as the longtime pro at Sleepy Hollow. The surprise was Eckroat, already a two-time winner on the PGA Tour but struggling so much this year that he has only two finishes in the top 20 and eight missed cuts. "Felt great over the putter, and just a really solid day, and I felt confident, which it was nice to feel that this season," said Eckroat. "It's been a while." US Open champion JJ Spaun felt the fatigue, and the steamy heat didn't help the cause. Playing along Scheffler, he was hanging in there until it took him two chips and two putts to cover 40 feet for a double bogey on No. 12, and a bogey-bogey finish for a 73. Jason Day was the best of the Australian contingent making a four-under 66 to be tied seventh. The former world No.1 made five birdies, including four in a row starting on the 13th, with his only bogey on the sixth. Cam Davis (71), Adam Scott (72) and Min Woo Lee (73) are all in the second half of the field but there is no halfway cut in this tournament.
Perth Now
3 days ago
- Perth Now
World's top player and a struggler off to flying start
World No.1 Scottie Scheffler has laid down the marker with an eight-under 62 to share the lead with Austin Eckroat in the Travelers Championship. The week after a rough-and-tumble US Open was a welcome break for so many at the TPC River Highlands even with the rough just as long but not quite as thick as soaked Oakmont. Rory McIlroy played bogey-free for a 66 and didn't look to break too much of a sweat on Thursday. "This is a nice tonic compared to last week in terms of it's a slightly more benign golf course and the penalty for missing isn't quite as severe," McIlroy said. Scheffler faced the hot afternoon when a refreshing breeze turned into a strong wind, and he wasted no time getting in the mix with four birdies in six holes and a 30 on the front nine. And then came the par-5 13th, 236 yards away into the wind, over a pond to a pin on the right. It was perfect - that's coming from golf's best player - and settled 10 feet away for birdie. "That three-iron I hit in there was really nice," Scheffler said. "It was pretty much exactly what I was trying to do. It was kind of one where I had to hit it really solid in order to get it there with the water short, and I just did pretty much exactly what I wanted to and it felt nice." McIlroy was at 64 along with Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley and Wyndham Clark. Another shot back was Cameron Young. He was in the mix late on Sunday at Oakmont, and started the Travelers Championship by going from the rough to the bunker, and then a three-putt from 25 feet for a double bogey. "I managed to get around Oakmont for four days with no doubles and I made it zero holes here," Young said. "Typically that's not kind of what you expect around here." Not to worry. He followed with eight birdies in a day with a new routine. His caddie went down with a stomach virus and the best option was to turn the bag over to his father, Dave Young, recently retired as the longtime pro at Sleepy Hollow. The surprise was Eckroat, already a two-time winner on the PGA Tour but struggling so much this year that he has only two finishes in the top 20 and eight missed cuts. "Felt great over the putter, and just a really solid day, and I felt confident, which it was nice to feel that this season," said Eckroat. "It's been a while." US Open champion JJ Spaun felt the fatigue, and the steamy heat didn't help the cause. Playing along Scheffler, he was hanging in there until it took him two chips and two putts to cover 40 feet for a double bogey on No. 12, and a bogey-bogey finish for a 73. Jason Day was the best of the Australian contingent making a four-under 66 to be tied seventh. The former world No.1 made five birdies, including four in a row starting on the 13th, with his only bogey on the sixth. Cam Davis (71), Adam Scott (72) and Min Woo Lee (73) are all in the second half of the field but there is no halfway cut in this tournament.
