Greenwich Capital Partners Acquires Majority Stake in Australian HVAC Business AUSCOOL GROUP Australia: Mid-market private equity investor Greenwich Capital Partners has acquired a majority stake in Melbourne-based AUSCOOL GROUP, according to the Australian Financial Review. The transaction marks Greenwich Capital Partners’ entry into the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) sector, which has proved lucrative for US private equity firms. The purchase price, exact

Queensland’s US$1.56 Billion Infrastructure Fund to Unlock Land for Over 50,000 Homes Australia: Queensland, Australia, has opened applications for its US$1.56 billion (A$2.4 billion) Infrastructure Activation Fund to unlock development-ready land and support the delivery of more than 50,000 homes, including over 20,500 for first-home buyers. The Housing Industry Association (HIA) welcomed the initiative, which will provide grants and interest-free loans to accelerate essenti

New Zealand Reviews Building Rules for Overheating Homes New Zealand: New Zealand authorities are facing calls to introduce changes to building regulations addressing overheating in newly constructed homes. Organisations including the Building Research Association of New Zealand and the Green Building Council have raised concerns about homes reaching high indoor temperatures during summer, citing factors such as large windows, limited ventilation, lack of external shading and

Accessible Bathroom Design Gains Importance in Australian Hospitality AUSTRALIA: Accessible bathroom design is becoming an increasingly important part of Australia’s hospitality sector, supported by requirements such as AS1428.1 and the Disability Discrimination Act. Hotels and public venues are moving beyond basic compliance towards bathrooms that combine accessibility, safety and aesthetics. Manufacturers are offering solutions including grab rails, shower seats, accessible

Brookfield Proposes Acquisition Of RWC Australia: Reliance Worldwide Corporation (RWC) Limited has entered into a process deed with Brookfield Capital Partners LLC following a non-binding proposal to acquire 100% of its ordinary shares through a scheme of arrangement at a cash offer price of AUD 4.75 per share. The offer represents premiums over recent trading levels and values the company at approximately AUD 4,100 million (USD 2,665.0 million/EUR 2,460.0 million). The propo

Trade New Zealand’s Parliament has passed legislation to implement the country’s free trade agreement with India, paving the way for reduced or zero tariffs on around 95% of New Zealand’s exports to the Indian market. The legislation was approved by 93 votes to 29, with the opposition Labour Party supporting the measure. More than half of the products covered under the agreement are expected to become duty-free from the date of implementation. In return, India will receive du

Australia’s Housing Boom Australia: More than 23% of Australia’s residential building approvals are concentrated in growth corridors where over half of households are experiencing severe mortgage stress, according to OurTop10 research. In the year to June 2026, 46,557 of the 205,249 approved homes were located in these high-stress areas, including Logan, Ipswich, Casey, Hume and Wanneroo. Despite strong housing demand, approvals remained below the Housing Accord target of 240

Australian Bidet Brand Conor Expands Into New Zealand with Full Smart Bathroom Range New Zealand: Australian bidet and smart toilet company Conor Australia is expanding into New Zealand after four years of growth in Australia. Founded in Melbourne in 2022, the company offers non-electric bidet seats, smart electric bidet seats, integrated smart toilets, portable bidets and handheld sprays. Its entire product range is WaterMark-certified, supporting compliance with Australian

New Zealand Unemployment Reaches Highest Level Since 2015 New Zealand: New Zealand's unemployment rate increased to 5.6% in the second quarter of 2026, the highest level since late 2015, according to Statistics New Zealand. The figure rose from a revised 5.4% in the previous quarter and exceeded the market forecast of 5.4%. The increase was driven by a rise in the number of people seeking employment, which outpaced growth in employment. The data indicates continued labour mar

How Policy, Not Technology, Is Driving the Decline of Gas Heating in Australia Australia's transition away from gas heating is often framed as a technological shift driven by the rise of heat pumps, reverse cycle air conditioning and other electric alternatives. Yet this explanation overlooks a more important reality. The technologies capable of replacing gas heating have existed for years and, in many cases, have been widely adopted for decades. What has changed is not only

Housing Australia Future Fund Progress Remains Below Target Australia: Official figures show that Australia's Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) had delivered 1,432 social and affordable homes by April, more than two years after its launch. The AUD 10 billion programme aims to deliver 40,000 homes by 2029. According to Housing Australia, a further 5,189 homes are in planning, 4,927 are in pre-development and 6,851 are under development. However, only 82 of the 173 projects

Australia Housing Market Slows Amid Higher Borrowing Costs Australia: Australia's housing market has recorded its sharpest slowdown since the pandemic as higher borrowing costs and changes to tax incentives have weakened market activity. House prices in Sydney and Melbourne have fallen by nearly 5% since the beginning of the year, accompanied by lower auction clearance rates, reduced loan enquiries and declining property sales. The slowdown is expected to affect related indus

New Zealand Updates Infrastructure Funding Framework for Housing Development New Zealand: New Zealand has passed the Infrastructure Funding and Financing Amendment Bill, introducing changes intended to expand funding options for infrastructure supporting residential development. The legislation allows councils, developers and infrastructure providers to use a wider range of financing mechanisms without increasing council borrowing. Under the framework, private investors can f

New Zealand Inflation Climbs to Two-and-a-Half-Year High in Q2 New Zealand: New Zealand's annual inflation rose to 4.1% in the second quarter, its highest level in two and a half years, exceeding both market expectations of 4.0% and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand's forecast of 3.9%. Quarterly consumer prices increased by 1.5%, compared with economists' expectations of 1.4%. Following the data release, expectations strengthened that the central bank could raise its official c

Labour Unrest Raises Strike Risks Across Australia’s Mining and LNG Sectors Australia: Labour unrest has intensified across Australia’s resources sector, raising strike risks at major iron ore mines, ports and LNG facilities following the 2022 labour law reforms that expanded union bargaining powers. Working days lost to industrial disputes reached their highest level since 2022 in the December quarter of 2025, as workers sought higher wages and job security amid 4% inflation

General Australia Australia and New Zealand: GENERAL Australia has announced the departure of Philip Perham from his position as managing director for Australia and New Zealand after nearly 27 years with the company. Sachio Inami, Head of Oceania, will become the senior point of contact for the Australian market. The change follows the acquisition of Fujitsu General Limited by Paloma Rheem Holdings in 2025. Perham has served as managing director since 2017 and oversaw the tra

HVAC Factory AUSTRALIA: Climate HVAC is strengthening its position in the Australian market through innovative offerings such as Prihoda Fabric Ducting, which provides enhanced airflow performance, quicker installation, and greater design flexibility for contemporary commercial applications. The company has secured exclusive distribution rights for Prihoda fabric ducting across Eastern Australia, further underscoring its focus on delivering high-performance, future-ready HVAC

Ariston Group Acquires Full Ownership of Chromagen Australia Australia: Ariston Group has acquired the remaining 49% stake in Chromagen Australia, taking its ownership of the Australian water heating company to 100%. The business had already been 51% owned and fully consolidated by Ariston Group following its initial acquisition in January 2022. The transaction strengthens Ariston Group’s presence in Australia’s water heating market, where demand for renewable heating technol

How Consumer Preference Has Driven the Dominance of Japanese Air Conditioners in Australia The Australian air conditioner market is significantly influenced by Japanese brands, with consumer preference playing a key role. Brands like Daikin, Mitsubishi Electric, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), Fujitsu and Panasonic consistently top buyer satisfaction surveys, command premium prices, and enjoy loyalty that no other competitor has successfully eroded. Understanding why Austr

HVAC AUSTRALIA: AIIR Intelligent HVAC has entered into a strategic partnership with Copeland to enhance smart HVAC system integration and energy management capabilities. Under the collaboration, all AIIR products will be equipped with a custom-configured version of Copeland’s Verdant VX4 thermostat, creating an advanced HVAC solution aimed at simplifying installation, speeding up project approvals, and improving energy efficiency. The specially configured Verdant VX4 thermost