Vacancies slightly down, rent prices stable

The average vacancy rate across the nation is 1.34 per cent — and sits at 1.12 per cent across all regional areas.

In terms of rent prices, the median rent in regional Victoria rose 4.7 per cent from September 2023 to September 2024, and currently sits at $450 per week.

This has been stable for the past quarter.

Listen up

Hearing loss from a workplace incident has impacted one in 10 Australians, despite most saying ear protection is not necessary, a report has revealed.

Hearing Australia surveyed more than 1000 people on their experience with, and avoiding, hearing damage.

Data released on Thursday showed that one in four Australians thought about hearing protection and used it at work or when undertaking noisy activities during their leisure time.

A quarter of respondents said they knew someone who had experienced workplace noise-related damage.

Eleven per cent experienced damage from workplace noise themselves but one in three gave little thought to protecting themselves.

Hearing Australia principal audiologist Karen Hirschausen said there were ways to mitigate risks.

“Safety is everyone’s business, and not just in the workplace. Hearing damage can also occur outside work,” she said.