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GUEST OBSERVATION
<a href="https://www.treasury.gov.au/ConsultationsandReviews/Consultations/2014/ILRB-2014" target="_blank">Proposed laws</a> to reform the insolvency industry are long overdue. Under the changes, liquidators will require a licence and creditors will be able to remove poorly performing practitioners. The reforms aim to improve consumer confidence in an area that has been <a href="https://www.afr.com/p/business/companies/keeping_the_liquidators_honest_uohZ6UPQRtS9XIQAilJzDP" target="_blank">plagued with controversy</a>. However, they still fail to meet the need for transparency around corporate insolvencies.
The industry already has a chequered history when it comes to attempted reform. Proposed changes stalled last year. Regulation of the industry has been the subject of <a href="https://www.ntu.ac.uk/nls/research/insolvency_journal/previous_editions/index" target="_blank">eight major reviews and inquiries</a> over the last 25 years.
In 1998 the <a href="https://www.alrc.gov.au/report-45" target="_blank">Harmer Report</a> outlined the shortcomings of the regulatory system governing insolvency practitioners. It cited failures within the industry to respond quickly to complaints against practitioners. Other criticisms included a lack of established professional conduct standards and ethics.
Practitioners' remuneration levels were also not determined nor reviewed by an industry board. Rather the market was relied upon to set reasonable fees.
Although a professional code of conduct now exists 25 years later, the same criticisms can still be made today. Successive reviews have made <a href="https://www.ntu.ac.uk/nls/research/insolvency_journal/previous_editions/index" target="_blank">similar recommendations</a> to tackle these shortcomings. Most of them still have not been implemented. The result is the insolvency industry is open to criticism of over-servicing, excessive fees and self-interest.
The largest 13 insolvency firms <a href="https://www.bankruptcy.net.au/docs/Senate%20report%20September%202010.pdf" target="_blank">comprise 39% of the market</a>. They may be more deserving of, but better able to deal with, such criticisms than smaller individual practitioners, which represent 29% of the market.
<h3>The industry overhaul</h3>
The planned changes aim to remove unnecessary costs from the insolvency industry. This should result in around $55.4 million per year in compliance cost savings. Submissions on these changes are due in late December.
Under what has been dubbed as a “user pays” system, they require liquidators to be licensed and to undergo continuing education. The result is the government can reap big fees in exchange for licences.
Registration must be renewed every three years. For this to occur, written evidence of adequate professional indemnity insurance and compliance with continuing professional education conditions must be provided. The circumstances where registration may be cancelled or suspended have been widened. These include any offence conviction involving fraud or dishonesty.
There have been highly publicised accounts of poorly behaving liquidators. <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/sinodisp/au/cases/nsw/NSWSC/2009/829?stem=0&amp;synonyms=0&amp;query=Ariff" target="_blank">Stuart Ariff</a>, who is serving a six-year jail sentence, provides the most notorious example. However, the Ariff case is considered exceptional and not reflective of the majority of insolvency practitioners.
A lack of licensing within the industry has not led to an increase in the number of badly performing insolvency practitioners. Rather, its absence has meant the small number of dishonest practitioners remains undetected. Licensing will increase public confidence in the industry.
Where creditors are unhappy with the performance of a liquidator, they will be able to remove that practitioner and appoint another. To do so, the majority of creditors in number and value must pass a resolution at a creditors’ meeting. No particular grounds for removal are required.
However, the former administrator may apply to the court to be re-appointed. The court may re-appoint the administrator if it is satisfied the removal was improper.
<h3>Increasing consumer confidence</h3>
These changes finally act on the unanswered criticisms of the Harmer Report. The regulation of personal and corporate insolvency regimes will now be consistent.
This will cut compliance costs across the industry. A system of licensing will maintain educational standards and experience. So does the ability to cancel or suspend licences. These measures increase consumer confidence in the professionalism and competence of the industry.
Yet more can be done. More public education about a liquidator’s role and the nature of the work is needed.
The changes also fail to address a common theme in previous reviews: there is no adequate and publicly available corporate insolvency data. This information is needed for effective policy making, public debate, regulation implementation and ongoing review. It is imperative that such data be independently collected, maintained and available to the public free of charge.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/33888/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">Jennifer Dickfos is lecturer in business law and corporations law at <a href="https://www.griffith.edu.au/" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">Griffith University</a>.
This article was originally published on <a href="https://theconversation.com" style="line-height: 1.3em;">The Conversation</a>.
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JenniferDickfos-EWaQAER27W

Chasing money: Why the insolvency industry needs reform

The small southern Gold Coast suburb of Bilinga rarely sees new apartment developments.

The last launch was Pipis in late 2023 — a boutique project of just 19 half- and full-floor beachfront apartments. Opportunities to buy into a development with more affordable configurations are few and far between.

Enter <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/bilinga-house-107-golden-four-drive-bilinga-qld-4225">Bilinga House</a> — 47 two- and three-bedroom apartments priced from just under $1.2 million.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150037 project_image_fid=5336]

Developed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/centa-property-group">Centa Property Group</a>, Bilinga House is located on Golden Four Drive, just 200 metres from Bilinga Beach.

Designed by renowned architecture firm <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a>, the five-storey building embraces a soft, neutral palette to maximise natural light and capture sea breezes. Floorplans feature generous built-in storage, contemporary kitchens, and master suites with ensuites.

Residents will enjoy access to a pool, gym, and sauna, along with professional onsite management. Each apartment includes at least one secure basement car space.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150037 project_image_fid=5335]

Location is one of Bilinga House’s biggest drawcards. The fact that it’s not absolute beachfront means pricing is considerably more affordable. Many apartments still offer beach and ocean views, and the sand is just a short 200-metre stroll away.

Another bonus for off the plan buyers is the proposed Stage 4 extension of the Gold Coast Light Rail, which will run along Golden Four Drive to Coolangatta and Kirra — arguably the most transformed pocket of the southern Gold Coast over the past five years. Bilinga House is also just a short walk from the North Kirra Surf Life Saving Club.

The line will also connect to Broadbeach, Surfers Paradise, Main Beach, and as far north as Helensvale, where there’s a train link to Brisbane.

Construction will be undertaken by renowned builder <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/greyburn">Greyburn</a>, with completion targeted for late 2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150037]

Joel Robinson

Bilinga House launches in booming southern Gold Coast pocket

Northland Group’s Central Quarter apartment development, located in the heart of Merrylands, ticks every box that buyers consider when purchasing a brand-new apartment.

CQ, currently under construction on Pitt Street, will comprise 194 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments in the heart of the growing suburb.

<h2>Guaranteed Delivery</h2>

First and foremost is the guarantee of delivery. <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/northland">Northland</a> has only just launched the development, despite being close to topping out the main structure. They progressed well into construction before bringing the project to market, giving buyers confidence that the development is genuinely moving ahead.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5660 project_image_fid=1674]

<h2>Quality Assurance</h2>

The second — and perhaps most important — consideration for new apartment buyers is not just whether the project will be completed, but whether it will be finished to a high standard. Northland Group is the only developer in Merrylands to take out Resilience Insurance’s Latent Defects Insurance, offering buyers protection from any structural or waterproofing issues for 10 years after completion. Northland also has a vastly experienced construction team, having been building across Sydney for the best part of three decades.&nbsp;

<h2>Prime Location</h2>

The third pillar, which is paramount, is location — and how well the apartment fits into a buyer’s lifestyle. It must be well-connected to both transport and local amenities. <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/new-apartments/central-quarter-merrylands-242-252-pitt-street-merrylands-nsw-2160">Central Quarter</a> occupies a prime site on Pitt Street, right next to the Merrylands Bus Interchange and Merrylands Train Station. This offers direct access to Parramatta, just one stop away, and places the CBD within 35 minutes.

<h2>Amenity-Rich Environment</h2>

While the development is already close to everything Merrylands has to offer, Northland Group is adding further value by delivering 22 new retail tenancies at the base of the building and within the commercial podium. Confirmed tenants include a 24/7 gym operator, a provider for a 111-place childcare centre, and major fast-food retailers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5660 project_image_fid=1613]

Residents will also have private access to a rooftop with several breakout spaces, barbecue areas, and a children's playground.

<h2>Thoughtfully Designed Apartments</h2>

With all the above boxes ticked, attention turns to the apartments themselves. Northland has gone above and beyond, offering large floorplans and premium finishes as standard. Kitchens include stone island benches, integrated Smeg appliances (gas cooktop, oven, rangehood, microwave, and dishwasher), and Villeroy &amp; Boch tapware.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5660 project_image_fid=1607]

Even the small details haven’t been overlooked. The integrated VRF air conditioning system allows for zoned temperature control in each room. Furthermore, each Central Quarter balcony will be built with pedestal tiles allowing for seamless indoor/outdoor living.&nbsp;

<h2>A Decade in the Making</h2>

Central Quarter has been over a decade in the making, with Northland Group securing the site back in 2014. Years of careful planning and design have gone into creating a product that truly suits the area.

With completion expected by early to mid-2026 and interest rates forecast to fall further before then, now is arguably the perfect time to secure a new home at this advanced stage of construction.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=5660]

Why Northland Group’s Central Quarter apartment development ticks every box

High-end retailer Cult Design has signed up to take all of the commercial space, and a large section of the retail space, on the street-level of the upcoming new Fitzroy apartment development, Fitzroy Fitzroy.

Cult Design, which offers&nbsp;premium&nbsp;furniture, lighting and objects from iconic international and local brands, will also furnish the communal areas of the project with Cult’s brands, as well as Cultivate — Cult’s in-house sustainability program that provides buyback, refurbishment, and recycling services — a program that aligns with the project’s efforts to restore and preserve the heritage aspects of the building. Current and future residents will also have the option to purchase a turnkey furnished solution curated by Cult.

Cult has taken&nbsp;the entirety of the project's commercial space, and two of the three retail lots, which will form Cult's new HQ and flagship showroom.&nbsp;

In a further commitment to the building, Cult Design Founder Richard Munao has also bought one of the five terrace homes in the project. So too has DKO’s Director of Interiors &amp; Design Lead for the project, Michael Drescher. The sales highlight the deep alignment between the project’s architectural intent and its growing community of discerning owner-occupiers, including the collaborators themselves.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=14394 project_image_fid=183070]

Dean Lefkos, founder and director of Chapter Group which is developing Fitzroy Fitzroy, said the project is unlike any development he’s seen in terms of its buyer community.

“<a href="https://www.urban.com.au/new-apartments/fitzroy-fitzroy-411-421-smith-street-fitzroy-vic-3065">Fitzroy Fitzroy</a> is a true owner-occupier project; we’ve had best friends, siblings and even cousins purchasing homes, which is truly rare in residential projects these days," Lefkos said.

“The architecture and interiors of Fitzroy Fitzroy genuinely reflect the suburb’s character, with thoughtful design that has clearly resonated with purchasers."

Located on Smith Street and designed by DKO Architecture, Fitzroy Fitzroy sits behind a grand heritage brick facade, once home to MacRobertson’s Garage and Workshop, and reaches nine storeys high, complete with angular rooftops and a chamfered western side to create sunlit internal spaces and generous viewlines.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=14394 project_image_fid=183066]

Originally launching to market with 56 apartments and six terrace homes, Fitzroy Fitzroy will now be home to 52 apartments and five terrace homes following a number of amalgamations. One such purchaser is Michael Drescher, DKO’s design lead on the project, who purchased a three-bedroom apartment.

“I knew the site well, it’s a pocket of Fitzroy I’ve always admired, but it was through designing the interiors and meeting future residents 
that I knew this was a place we could truly call home,” Drescher said.

“I sensed early on that the building would foster a strong sense of community, and that feeling came to life during one of the purchaser events — everyone had the chance to meet their future neighbours, but it felt more like a gathering of old friends coming together.

“At DKO, we invested considerable time in crafting each floor plan with care. From the outset, we anticipated strong interest from owner-occupiers and particularly those already living in the area. The apartment we purchased was always one of my favourite floor plans in the project."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=14394 project_image_fid=1011]

Buyers will have access to resident-only amenities including the Smith Club, with communal bar and dining, private meeting and work-from-home spaces and an expansive, tranquil rooftop garden on level nine, designed by TCL.

Having met with future residents and purchasers, Drescher has developed an understanding of how the residential amenities and rooftop communal spaces will be used and is working with Cult and Chapter Group on furniture selections to suit.

At ground level, an internal laneway connects Smith Street to the residents’ lobby, inspired by the local arcades in Melbourne’s CBD, with Cult’s future corner showroom to be located behind the existing brick facade, with large windows opening onto both Smith Street and Leicester Street.

Limited apartments remain, ranging from $720,000 to over $4 million. Three yet-to-be-released sub-penthouses will launch to market in spring.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=14394]

Dean Lefkos, founder and director of Chapter Group which is developing Fitzroy Fitzroy, said the project is unlike any development he’s seen in terms of its buyer community

Cult Design takes commercial and retail space at Fitzroy Fitzroy as founder buys into project

The prolonged growth in the Brisbane unit market is becoming quite remarkable.

Unit values rose another 1.1 per cent in July, according to Cotality's latest Home Value Index. They are now over 10 per cent up over the last 12 months, and making it the best performing capital city unit market in the country, just head of Perth and Adelaide. Over the same period, Sydney unit values have seen now growth, and Melbourne units have decline 0.8 per cent.

What makes the continued growth in 2025 remarkable is how well the unit market is performing after 2024, when it grew by over 16 per cent, growth not seen over a calendar year since the 1980s.

The median unit value in Brisbane is now $727,000, the second most expensive capital city unit market in the country, only behind Sydney's $868,000 median.

With strong fundamentals including low supply, growing consumer confidence, rate cut tailwinds, and the anticipation building for the 2032 Summer Olympics, there's no suggestion Brisbane’s unit market won't continue to see strong growth.

<h2>What happened in Brisbane’s off the plan apartment market in July?</h2>

Developers are looking at any opportunity to get into the Brisbane apartment market.

Veteran builder John Kearney, who runs the successful development company Immerse Projects on the Gold Coast, secured a site in Toowong for his debut Brisbane apartment development.

It’s a location filled with nostalgia for Kearney, who studied at the nearby University of Queensland.

"It feels like a full circle moment," Kearney told Apartments.com.au.

“I spent many nights at the Regatta Hotel just down the road — as have most people in Brisbane. It’s one of the city’s most well-known hotels, and with several cafes, restaurants, and a CityCat stop nearby, it’s become an even more attractive place to live.”

He also noted the opportunity to take advantage of significant view corridors from the new development site: across Toowong Memorial Park, north to the city, and east along the Brisbane River.

Read more: <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/first-look-immerse-projects-moves-into-brisbane-apartment-market-with-toowong-site-acquisition">First look: Immerse Projects moves into Brisbane apartment market with Toowong site acquisition</a>

National developer Fortis has also been in acquisition mode, filing for two new apartment developments in Hamilton and New Farm.

They are seeking to develop a boutique block of 12 on Hamilton's Racecourse Road (below), and 74 apartments on New Farm's dress circle Bowen Terrace.

<img alt="Fortis doubles down on Brisbane, files boutique apartment plans on Hamilton's Racecourse Road" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_auto/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Racecourse_Hero_01.jpg?VersionId=tFCZcfOm_N9P7FqmhX9ViXj_EF_5EQ_u" />

They've had <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/koichi-takada-architects">Koichi Takada Architects</a>&nbsp;design the Hamilton project, which is part of a wave of new development that will uplift Racecourse Road.

Read more: <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/fortis-doubles-down-on-brisbane-files-boutique-apartment-plans-on-hamiltons-racecourse-road">Fortis doubles down on Brisbane, files boutique apartment plans on Hamilton's Racecourse Road</a>

More apartments are coming to West End, with Zen Group securing approval for a 200 climate-responsive apartments on <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/24-duncan-street-west-end-qld-4101">Duncan Street</a>.

The two 17-storey towers will have a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments.

<img alt="200 &quot;climate-responsive&quot; apartments set for West End as Zen Group given green light" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_auto/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Duncan%20Street%20pers.png?VersionId=nmW9L.fBmBQSq_9OKGMUvFkSA2NZek20" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bettspartners">Betts + Partners</a>, the development is grounded in a climate-responsive and contextually sensitive approach, aiming to reinforce the emerging identity of the West End Riverside South precinct.

The project includes a 2,600 sqm rooftop offering a comprehensive suite of resident amenities: three pools, a fitness centre, cinema room, private dining rooms, lounges, a library, and wellness facilities including hot and cold plunge pools, pilates, a sauna and a contemplative garden.

Read more: <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/200-climate-responsive-apartments-set-for-west-end-as-zen-group-given-green-light">200 "climate-responsive" apartments set for West End as Zen Group given green light</a>

There was a rare new launch of apartment in July, in the heart of the Brisbane Olympic precinct. <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/keylin-group" target="">Keylin</a>&nbsp;has started taking sales at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/oria-spring-hill-447-gregory-terrace-spring-hill-qld-4000">Oria Spring Hill</a>, located across the road from Victoria Park, the heart of the Games.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/oria-spring-hill-447-gregory-terrace-spring-hill-qld-4000">Oria</a>&nbsp;will comprise 132 residences across 15 levels in an elevated position on Gregory Terrace, directly opposite Victoria Park, the future site of the Games.

Leaning into its Olympic location, Keylin is introducing unique amenities that cater to changing lifestyle requirements.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=109146 project_image_fid=1015]

Much like the shift developers made during the pandemic to include study nooks and multi-purpose rooms in response to the work-from-home trend, Keylin has responded to the growing popularity of pickleball. Oria will feature a proposed private pickleball court as part of its facilities, one of the first courts in a new residential development across the country.

Keylin understood the prime value of this location long before the announcement that Victoria Park would be the heart of the 2032 Summer Olympics.

The address at 447 Gregory Terrace provides residents with easy access to major transport links, universities, and hospitals. Keylin has already commenced construction on Oria, which is being delivered by builder CoStruct.

Read more: <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/keylin-group-launches-oria-in-victoria-park-spring-hill-olympic-precinct">Keylin Group launches Oria in Victoria Park, Spring Hill Olympic precinct</a>

City Beat July 2025: Brisbane's supercharged unit market continues to boom

There’s no sign of Palm Beach’s development boom slowing down.

Local developer Chippendale Group — which welcomed buyers to its Eva on Tenth project late last year — is now moving ahead with its next venture, Elise.

Similar in scale to Eva, <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/new-apartments/elise-1425-1427-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach-qld-4221">Elise</a> will deliver 47 two-bedroom apartments, several with multipurpose rooms and dedicated study spaces. The project occupies a 1,230 sqm site at 1425–1427 Gold Coast Highway, with dual frontage to Twenty Fifth Avenue.&nbsp;It is on the prized eastern side of the Gold Coast Highway, 55m to the sand.

<img alt="Chippendale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f923e5ae-0554-4a27-8d30-2f00990e09e6" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-08-14%20at%203.35.48%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=tkiYZ4CdZCklnS_KwDH_EZSnZl9K0QQT" />

Chippendale Group, led by&nbsp;fifth-generation family member and local businessman Daniel&nbsp;Chippendale, appointed BDA again to design Elise.

They noted in their submission to the Gold Coast City Council that the design "prioritises visual permeability and climatic performance to create a liveable residential outcome in a prominent beachfront location”.

The nine-level building will also home two swimming pools on the ground level, a gym with a sauna, and a resident lounge with dining space, kitchen, and barbecue area.&nbsp;

<img alt="Chippendale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ef9ea403-e608-466e-a277-09d3c96220c6" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-08-14%20at%203.35.54%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=hS2zvNS0C43vRqrrS4s6yeDiS9ov6UJq" />

Palm Beach is going through another wave of development. The quiet suburb became one of the most in demand suburbs in the country in 2020 and 2021 during the onset of COVID-19, with both developers and buyers scrambling to get into the market.

Those developments have since been delivered and settled - and now there's a new wave of projects coming through.

Sherpa has two projects, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/amargo-6-12-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Amargo</a>, and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-ovana-1150-1154-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Ovana</a>, across the road from each other on Sixth Avenue, while&nbsp;

On the eastern side of the Gold Coast Highway, DJ Fisher and wife Chloe launched <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/new-apartments/pescado-palm-beach-228-230-jefferson-lane-palm-beach-qld-4221">Pescado</a>, to much fanfare. Gordon Corp is also soon to release its newest development, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/elle-on-jefferson-62-64-jefferson-lane-palm-beach-qld-4221">Elle on Jefferson</a>. BPG Developments is also planning a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/first-look-bpg-developments-returns-to-palm-beach-new-apartment-market">new project on Jefferson Lane</a>.

Jennifer Dickfos

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