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GUEST OBSERVER
The 2015 year was a solid one for credit to the private sector. Credit grew by 6.6% over the year, accelerating from a 5.8% increase in 2014. 
That is the strongest calendar year result since the GFC, with outcomes from 2010 to 2013 of: 3.3%; 3.5%; 3.7% and 3.8%.
Both businesses and households responded to low and falling interest rates. The RBA began to ease policy in November 2011, reducing the cash rate from a peak of 4.75%. The most recent moves were in February and May 2015, lowering the cash rate by 0.5% to 2.0%.
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Housing credit growth progressively strengthened from a low of 4.5% in 2012, to 5.4% in 2013, 7.0% in 2014 and then 7.5% in 2015.
Business credit understandably was slower to respond, lifting from 1.7% in 2013, to 4.7% in 2014 and then 6.3% in 2015 as firms looked to take advantage of low rates and with commercial property an area of strength.
In the month of December 2015, total credit expanded by a solid 0.5%, with both housing and business reporting a rise of 0.5%, while personal was flat.
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In terms of momentum, the housing sector cooled in the second half of 2015, particularly the Sydney market. While the RBA eased policy in the first half of the year, this was partially reversed in the second half of the year, with the regulator, APRA, in discussions with the banks. Lending standards were tightened and mortgage rates increased, with a focus on the investor market.
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APRA set a threshold for investor housing credit growth of 10%yr. This was met in October and annual growth in investor credit moderated to 8.5% in December, down from a peak of 11.0% mid-year. Note, that there has been some switching, with investor finance declining in the December quarter but finance to owner-occupiers strengthening.
Housing credit in aggregate grew by 0.55% in December, moderating from an average 0.62% over the previous six months. A further modest moderation is likely.
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Business credit grew by 0.5% in December, following a flat November and a 1.1% rise in October. Such volatility is not unusual due to the lumpy nature of transactions.
In the four months to November, business credit grew by 0.9% a month on average, or 11% annualised. This is well in excess of that implied by commercial finance. In part, this reflects the boost from the valuation affect associated with the sharply lower Australian dollar.
Commercial finance, which is also volatile, has rebounded in recent months, notwithstanding sluggish real business investment by the non-mining sectors. That points to positive near-term momentum in business credit.
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<img src="/images/2016/01/29/Screen%20Shot%202016-01-29%20at%202.49.33%20PM.png" alt="">
Andrew Hanlan is senior economist for Westpac and can be contacted <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://au.linkedin.com/pub/andrew-hanlan/3/222/430" target="_blank">here</a>. 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

2015 a stronger year for credit, boosted by low rates: Westpac's Andrew Hanlan

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One of the life’s most stressful events is buying or selling your first home – it’s said to be up there with getting married. 
The REIQ offers several tips to first home buyers and sellers that will help you navigate one of life’s trickiest transactions with confidence and with a degree of certainty that you’ll achieve a great outcome, whatever you want that to be.   One of the keys to success is engaging a real estate professional that you can trust to be your guide throughout the process. You need to find that person who you can connect with; that person who is experienced and can help you with the many decisions that you are about to make.    Choosing your agent:
Interview the experts and get their views. Meet with two or three agents and talk to them about what you want to achieve from the transaction. If you’re buying your first home a buyer’s agent is a very good idea and if you’re selling for the first time then speak to a few agents from different offices to get a feel for how they each will approach the sale of your home.   Ask questions:   1. What is your area of expertise? Many people don’t realise that real estate agents can engage in a broad range of activities, including selling residential property, auctioneering, commercial property sales, leasing and management, along with business broking. So you need to choose someone whose background is in the area that you’re seeking guidance in.   2. Feedback: You need an agent who has experience in giving feedback and having tough conversations with clients. Sometimes it can be difficult to give honest feedback to vendors who don’t want to hear that the price they want is unrealistic or the renovations are not a good idea. You want an agent who will be honest and up-front with you, so ask them about their style of feedback for vendors and what they do when they have to have the tough conversations.   3. Do you have professional indemnity insurance? This is not a statutory requirement so not all agents will have it, which is a problem if something goes wrong. All REIQ accredited agency members are required to carry a minimum of $1 million in PI insurance. It gives an added peace of mind. After all, you don’t want to be embarking on one of the biggest transactions of your career without a safety net, do you?   4. What is your dispute resolution process? Nobody wants to think that something will go awry in their property transaction but if it does, what options are available to you? If your agent doesn’t have a simple, accessible dispute resolution policy in place how will you know what to do in the event of a dispute?   5. How do you stay up-to-date with legislative changes? Not all agents maintain their professional knowledge and this can be concerning when you consider that property transactions are very heavily regulated by government legislation. You really need to make sure that the agent you choose keeps their knowledge up to date. All REIQ members are required to maintain their continuing professional development as a requirement of their membership and this gives you peace of mind to know that they are up to date.
ANTONIA MERCORELLA is CEO of the <a href="https://www.reiq.com/" target="_blank">REIQ</a>.
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Property 101: How to take the stress out of property purchasing and selling: Antonia Mercorella

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Australia’s largest body of professional buyer’s agents is warning homebuyers and investors to ‘think local’ when it comes to property predictions for 2016.
It has urged buyers to base their buying decisions on supply and demand rather than potential hotspots.
The Real Estate Buyers Agents Association of Australia (REBAA) president Rich Harvey listed some no go zones in capital cities across Australia.
He noted conflicting property predictions suggesting prices in various locations will rise or fall could confuse buyers into making the wrong investment decisions.
“The problem with any forecast is trying to sum up the direction of a diverse range of property markets into a single figure or hotpot,” said Harvey.
“Australia has over 15,000 suburbs and there are more than 700 suburbs in Sydney, more than 540 in Melbourne and around 450 in Brisbane.
“So to say that Sydney will rise by four per cent can give a misleading perception to a novice investor thinking that buying an over-priced off-the-plan apartment in Zetland will actually see price growth in their property.
“That poor investor may well see a five per cent decline in the value of their property due to the rapid increase in supply in that local market.”
Harvey recommends buyers and investors need to look at the individual drivers of supply and demand within a smaller zone and at a suburb level.
“While the overall predictions give you some comfort that property is a good asset class, it is far better to think long-term and become an expert in the local housing market and make informed decisions accordingly,” he said.
“In markets where values are escalating quickly, it’s a potential minefield for buyers who feel under pressure to buy.
“Buyers need to ensure they understand the local growth drivers of supply and demand and that they are in the right price pocket for that particular location. “A buyer’s agent can help analyse the data quickly using the best valuation tools available and guide buyers through the property maze with minimum stress.”
The REBAA recommends the following property investments to avoid in 2016:
Brisbane Brisbane Avoid: High density apartments in the CBD, West End and Fortitude Valley. Recommend: Character houses in low density, established areas with good schools, transport and lots of renovation activity.
Sydney
 Avoid: High density off-plan apartments in Mascot, Zetland, and some pockets around Parramatta and Rhodes with potential for oversupply as record building approvals take shape. Sydney still fundamentally under-supplied, but a short-term spike in units coming to market will depress rents. 
Recommend: Blue chips suburbs with strong growth potential: Eastern suburbs North Shore, inner west. Suburbs with lifestyle appeal, new transport infrastructure, growing population and continuing gentrification.
ACT 
Avoid: High density apartments either existing or off the plan in most areas. 
Recommend: Small boutique existing townhouse developments. Homes in established areas with access to good schools - inner north, inner south, Belconnen and Woden areas.
Melbourne 
Avoid: High density apartment blocks. Much like the Sydney market, avoid areas like Docklands and possibly Fisherman’s Bend and other areas that are being oversupplied with new, high-rise apartment blocks. 
Recommend: Low density developments that are well built with manageable ongoing running costs. Land is in short supply, so if you can afford to buy property in a good, well-serviced location with some land, then do that.
South Australia 
Avoid: Off-the-plan apartments in the Adelaide CBD. 
Recommend: Properties with development potential in middle-ring suburbs continue to increase in popularity. Also character properties with renovation potential in good suburbs on the “fringe” of upmarket established locations.
Tasmania 
Avoid: Lifestyle properties away from major population centres for income investment. Great if you plan to live there but not the best choice for a good performing long-term investment.
Recommend: Character properties in the inner city Hobart suburbs such as North Hobart, New Town and West Hobart are in very high demand with buyers out stripping supply. This shortage of supply is impacting on higher prices. A wellpriced renovator in these areas could be extremely beneficial. Also buying on the fringes of these suburbs is worth considering.
Western Australia 
Avoid: Developing suburbs on the outer northern and southern metropolitan fringes of Perth where there is currently an oversupply which is expected to continue for the next 12 to 18 months. Likewise the Perth unit market is looming for an oversupply for the next 12 months to two years. 
Recommend: Houses in a 10-20km radius of Perth with reasonable land holdings and rentable older houses. Likewise suburbs where there have been zoning changes and infrastructure spending can still provide opportunities for good buying. 
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Property investor no-go warning: Avoid Brisbane CBD, the Valley, Docklands and Zetland: Rich Harvey

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Estate agent John McGrath anticipates it’s going to be a lot quieter on the eastern seaboard property front. 
"While South-East Queensland will continue bubbling away in the early stages of its growth cycle, Sydney and Melbourne have reached the slow down point," he suggested.
"The boom is over but the growth cycle isn’t," he wrote in his Switzer blog. 
He anticipates ups and downs in the monthly reporting of price movements but still some overall annual price growth. 
He noted Sydney property values had risen by almost 50% since mid-2012.
"So if you purchased a property in 2011 for say, $600,000, your property would be worth about $900,000 now.
"That’s fantastic news for people who owned property before the boom but for those who missed the opportunity to buy before the growth, it’s just painful." 
 {mijopolls 127}
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Boom is over, but not growth cycle: John McGrath

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The property developer Sunland Group has acquired a six hectare development site in Ingleside in Sydney’s Northern Beaches for $7.25 million.
Acquired by government tender, 169 and 169a Mona Vale Road represents Sunland’s third residential site acquisition in Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
It increases the group’s Sydney portfolio pipeline to more than 420 dwellings with an estimated end value of $408 million.
Sunland’s national portfolio comprises in excess of 6,000 residential housing, urban development and multi-storey products along Australia’s eastern seaboard with an estimated end value of $3.8 billion.
Sunland managing director, Sahba Abedian, said the acquisition has been earmarked for a residential development of 70 dwellings with an estimated end value of $82 million.
“This acquisition demonstrates our continuing confidence in Sydney’s thriving Northern Beaches market, where there is strong demand for boutique luxury housing,” Mr Abedian said.
It will lodge a development application in late 2016, pending the proposed rezoning of the land as part of a review being undertaken by Pittwater Council and the State Government's UrbanGrowth NSW.
Sunland’s other Sydney developments include the $138 million Dahlia development in North Kellyville, which is under construction. 
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Sunland dives in again for Sydney Northern Beaches housing development

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Set on 1610 sqm, it is one of the home that came following the demolition of Rose Hancock Porteous’s Prix D’Amour.
The listing agent Willie Porteous initially had it with $20 million expectations for the vendor John Clinton and his wife Lillian, who have moved overseas.
The home was built on two of the 10 blocks created when Rose Hancock Porteous demolished her Gone With the Wind-style mansion in 2006.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-wa-mosman+park-119328468" target="_blank">The seven-bedroom home</a> has an elevator servicing three levels, a 12-seat theatre, gymnasium and swimming pool with a spa.
The median price for a home in Mosman Park is $1,330,000, according to CoreLogic RP Data.
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Prix D'Amour replacement in Perth's Mosman Park gets revised $18 million asking price

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Hong Kong-based expats Karma Wilson, investment director, equities at HSBC Global Asset Management, and Nigel Tupper, Bank of America Merrill Lynch strategist, are seeking between $15 million and $16 million for their Federation Cremorne trophy home through McGrath agents Michael Coombs and Piers van Hamburg.
It was sold to the Wilson-Tuppers in 2006 for $4,355,000.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-cremorne-121590986" target="_blank">The three-storey Bertha Road residence</a> comes with billiard room, cellar, study, formal and informal living areas. There is a pool and separate guest house on the double-block 1670 square metre holding.
It was previously home to the late monarchist Lloyd Waddy, a World War II ace fighter pilot and state Liberal member for Kirribilli.
Waddy had bought the property in 1955 for 9250 pounds.
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Cremorne trophy home with $15 million hopes

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Wanda Ridong Gold Coast Development General Manager Weimin Xu and Ridong Group Chairman Riyu Li have officially announced that they have awarded the construction contract to bring the three-tower Jewel development at Surfers Paradise to life.
Brookfiled Multiplex will construct the Jewel project.
The contract is worth more than half a billion dollars.
Apartment sales began last September in the beachfront Jewel development.   Sales spanned $675,000 for a one bedroom plus, through to $5 million for a high-floor, three-bedroom luxury apartment.   Jewel is the Gold Coast’s first absolute beachfront development in 30 years.
Since its inception in 1988, the Wanda Group has grown to become the world’s largest owner of commercial property and five-star hotels, the world's largest cinema operator and also the world's biggest sports company.
It has recently acquired the 1 Alfred Street and Fairfax House buildings in Sydney. 
Brookfield Multiplex has been delivering landmark property and infrastructure assets for more than 50 years and is a leading international contractor with a focus on sustainable growth and a presence in Australia, the Middle East and Asia, Europe and Canada. Established in 1962, Brookfield Multiplex’s work to date comprises more than 930 projects with a combined value of US$61 billion. 
Brookfield Multiplex Regional Managing Director for Queensland Rod McDonald said the company was thrilled to be adding to its long history on the Gold Coast by delivering a project such as Jewel, which would become synonymous with luxury the world over.
“Jewel will transform the skyline and beach front of the Gold Coast and deliver a welcome boost for the local economy, creating 2,700 jobs during construction and attracting international and domestic tourism and investment,” Mr McDonald said.
The company is set to begin construction within weeks, after the completion of site works earlier this month.
“Brookfield Multiplex has a strong track record in the Gold Coast, having delivered many of the city’s iconic buildings including the multi-award winning Hilton at Surfers Paradise, The Wave and the Gold Coast Convention Centre.
“We are delighted to be able to continue this momentum and are honoured to be working with the Wanda Ridong Group on this game-changing development.
Jewel’s three shimmering towers will stand on an enviable 1.14 hectare site on the famous Surfers Paradise beachfront, giving residents and guests uninterrupted views over the Pacific Ocean.
Some 28 apartments in the Jewel development sold in the first week of release, totalling $55 million.
For more information <a href="https://www.jewelgc.com.au" target="_blank">click here</a>. 
 
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Brookfield Multiplex awarded Wanda's Gold Coast Jewel construction contract

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GUEST OBSERVER
Cities and mine sites are complex spaces, which frequently change at a fine scale. This makes them hard to monitor. It is now possible, though, to adapt digital aerial photography to monitor changes as small as 10-20cm in both land use and vegetation in three dimensions.
Interested? Wondering whether that’s feasible? Here’s how you can do it cost-effectively.
Monitoring changes in land cover including vegetation has been routine since digital satellite imagery became available in the 1970s and 1980s. However, satellite images have traditionally been too coarse to monitor complex environments such as cities and mine sites, so aerial data is often acquired. In addition to needing sub-metre resolution, city buildings, mine pits and spoil dumps present challenges for automatically tracking change.
Analogue (film) imagery has been used for aerial monitoring long after digital photographers replaced film in hand-held cameras. This is partly because changing large programs with multiple users is risky.
About ten years ago the authors started working with Landgate, the Western Australian government agency responsible for photographing Greater Perth. Our aim was to see if the advantages of satellite monitoring could be incorporated into Landgate’s annual aerial photograph capture to detect changes in land use and vegetation condition at the sub-metre level.
<h2>How is it done?</h2>
As well as recording red, green and blue bands of light, a near infra-red band was included because vegetation health is best measured at this wavelength. The elevation of the ground, buildings and trees is estimated each time, with a similar resolution as the pixel size making the imagery three-dimensional. Being digital, it is easy to count pixels to quantify changes.
Digital data allows changes over time to be measured with much greater accuracy and efficiency than when comparing film images.
It requires, though, that the images be captured using a standard approach. Standardised images ensure that a change in digital reflectance represents a real change and not a change in the atmosphere, sun angle, camera type or a shadow. Each image also needs to be very accurately aligned.
Reflectance targets were placed on the ground to ensure images were standardised during the acquisition as well as between years.
After trials in 2006 and 2007, summer images were chosen. This was because these met most of the requirements of the consortium of 13 government agencies and non-government organisations that guided the transition from analogue to digital.
Summer is a time when un-irrigated plants are most stressed. This enables monitoring of soil water deficits, groundwater-dependent vegetation and an assessment of irrigation efficiency at the individual-sprinkler scale. There is also less cloud and the impact of recent rainfall is less evident, given that the capture can take several weeks. To limit shadows, capture times were restricted to two hours each side of solar noon.
The area covered by the digital aerial photography each summer (see figure at right) extends beyond that needed to update street directories. It includes groundwater catchments, pine plantations and peri-urban horticulture. This coverage also enabled us to monitor disease impacts on native trees of interest to the consortium.
Technical details can be found in an article in the International Journal of Digital Earth and on the Urban Monitor websit<a href="https://urbanmonitor-beta.landgate.wa.gov.au/project.php">e</a>. The website includes a beta test site of vegetation products maintained by Landgate.
<h2>Many uses, and counting…</h2>
The method has been applied to:
1) Monitoring tree canopy cover in the Greater Perth region for state and local government planners to assess habitat loss and an increase in the urban heat island.
<a href="/images/2016/01/28/image04.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/01/28/image04.png" alt="">
2) Identifying tall trees (even those in low-elevation areas) of importance to roosting birds such as the endangered Carnaby Cockatoos for the Perth Peel Regional<a href="https://www.environment.gov.au/resource/urban-monitor-enabling-effective-monitoring-and-management-urban-and-coastal-environments"> </a>Sustainability Plan. In the image below, tree heights are shown in increasingly “hot” colours, displayed with a sun-shaded elevation model in grey for unvegetated areas. 
<a href="/images/2016/01/28/image-20160121-9746-1tx05wv.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/01/28/image-20160121-9746-1tx05wv.jpg" alt="">
 
3) Tree and bush decline in native vegetation in urban areas. The image below shows vegetation losses in red, growth in green and no change in yellow. Non-vegetated areas are uncoloured.
<a href="/images/2016/01/28/image-20160121-9725-zngwfw.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/01/28/image-20160121-9725-zngwfw.png" alt="">
4) Estimating the effect of urbanisation on urban water balances, especially runoff and recharge. Being three-dimensional, the images can identify where water will flow in new urban catchments.
5) The identification of blocks of land that have been built upon for urban infill planning (shown as red blocks in the image below).
<a href="/images/2016/01/28/image-20160121-9769-1wfyfg4.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/01/28/image-20160121-9769-1wfyfg4.jpg" alt="">
6) Drying of groundwater-fed wetlands in the Perth Peel region.
7) The impact of mine or coal seam gas developments on vegetation and runoff. The example below shows predicted flow paths and accumulations of water in a rural landscape after development of coal seam gas sites.
<a href="/images/2016/01/28/image-20160121-9763-1cfenec.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/01/28/image-20160121-9763-1cfenec.png" alt="">
 
The scale of the imagery is especially suited to local government and mining companies reporting to regulators, as it can help separate mine impacts from climate, fire, grazing or other disturbances.
Readers will probably identify further uses for the method – something that we have experienced whenever we give talks on its application.
In the Greater Perth region, digital acquisition using monitoring standards has replaced analogue capture, so it is routine with limited additional costs for acquisition. Not all datasets have been fully processed but they are archived for later reference as funds and needs arise. The data are expected to become increasingly valuable over time because they cannot be acquired retrospectively.
In time it is anticipated that Urban Monitor products similar to Land Monitor will be made available on the Landgate website. Land Monitor has used interpreted satellite imagery to provide change products to West Australian natural resource management agencies for more than 15 years for an annual cost of about $80,000.
This shows that good monitoring need not be expensive if thoughtful acquisition methods are used and products are developed to meet multiple user needs.
 
Don McFarlane is research scientist; Groundwater Hydrology Team Leader, CSIRO and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/don-mcfarlane-2324" target="_blank">here</a>.
Peter Caccetta is research scientist, CSIRO, and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/peter-caccetta-221621" target="_blank">here</a>. 
Both are authors for The Conversation.
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The planner's new best friend

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GUEST OBSERVER
Globally, there is intense discussion about the future of urban life through the World Urban Campaign.
The central proposition is that the battle for a more sustainable future will be won or lost in cities.
Presumably, this is predicated on the fact that 54% of the world’s people live in cities, where 70% of global GDP is generated. By 2050 the urban population will have risen to 66%.
In parallel, following the Paris climate agreemen<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-paris-climate-agreement-at-a-glance-50465">t</a>, major cities are committing to measures designed to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The poster for this campaign should read “Coming to your city soon".
It is clear 2016 will be the “urban year” as the global community prepares for the Habitat III summit in Quito, Ecuador, this October.
At Habitat III, governments will agree an urban agenda to guide global urban development over the next 20 years. The agenda is taking shape through preparatory meetings (the next one is in Indonesia in July), as well as regional and thematic meetings.
A series of 28 urban thinkers campuses has been organised across the globe, running until February 2016. One of the last of these is in Melbourne, Australia.
<h2>A world of challenges</h2>
We are all too familiar with the problems cities commonly face. These include rising house prices putting ownership beyond the reach of many, suburban sprawl, long commutes, traffic congestion, social problems, isolation and polarisation.
<div class="enlarge_hint">At the same time, Australian cities have real strengths. This is reflected in their performance in various rankings on liveability and quality of urban life. But we ought not assume that this situation is sustainable, or that we can lock in liveability.</div>
Globally, cities face even greater challenges. In the global south, if you live in a city there is a one-in-three chance that you live in a slum.
Also, despite progress on the Millennium Development Goals, poverty is still our greatest urban concern. It is not limited to the south and has been growing across cities globally since the global financial crisis. Limited financial resources constrain the capacity of city administrations to respond to these challenges, especially in the face of austerity measures.
While that may seem like a pretty glum picture, there are reasons to be hopeful.
In a survey of 20 cities last year for the UN Global Compact Cities Program we identified many examples of civic leadership and urban innovations.
Related to this, in the US, Bruce Katz and Jennifer Bradley at Brookings have described these innovations as a “metropolitan revolution”. They argue that local leaders are doing the hard work of growing the job market and making their communities more prosperous. They cite examples in New York, Portland, Houston and Miami.
In Europe, the Norwegian city of Oslo plans to be fossil-fuel-free by 2030. Utrecht is the first of several cities in the Netherlands planning trials in which they pay citizens a universal basic income.
<h4> </h4>
<div class="enlarge_hint">Across the English Channel, Bristol is seeking to transform the economy by introducing a local currency. The Bristol pound is designed to strengthen business relationships within the city and to build trust.</div>
What these cities and their leaders have recognised is that “business as usual” will not get us to where we need to be.
Technological innovation, institutional reform, financial investment and regulatory change are all part of the answer, especially as we seek to achieve development goals while ensuring we do not undermine our environmental sustainability. However, we may need to dig deeper. Something that we neglect is the need for changes in values at both the societal and individual levels.
Twisting Einstein’s famous quote somewhat, it is possible to assert that “we can’t solve problems by using the same value system that created them".
Here is where the notion of the ethical city comes in.
<h2>What is the ethical city?</h2>
Ethics is concerned with what is “right, fair, just or good”, not necessarily what is most accepted as normal or expedient.
Most people will have heard of the term ethical corporation. It suggests that such businesses place certain key values and practices at the centre of their operations. This could include fairness, integrity, respect for the environment, elimination of discrimination, and so on.
Internationally, some of these key values are elaborated in the ten principles of the UN Global Compact. Thousands of companies have signed up. Mayors of cities and governors of regions can also sign up to these principles by sending a letter to the UN secretary-general.
Yet the term ethical city is rarely used, even though ethical considerations underpin how we plan and manage our cities. And the ethical values underpinning the vast majority of our decisions about city life are rarely made explicit.
Even so, in most cities we already see various measures designed to support ethical governance. These range from internal commissions to audit and check on performance through to measures to promote transparency and community participation in decision-making.
Urban leaders, administrators, planners, engineers and others are aware of the ethical ramifications of their work, have guidance to refer to and training when needed. Although sometimes people fall foul, the vast majority do not because they are seen to be doing the right thing.
But we must recognise that there is a dominant view of “business as usual” based on an embedded set of values. Good examples include how most cities are designed primarily to accommodate the car, how we work in the CBD and live in the suburbs, or how homelessness is seen as a fact of life in many cities.
<h2>How do we create a more ethical city?</h2>
Thought leaders like Peter Singer have done a lot to elaborate the importance of ethics in everyday life, especially with his book Practical Ethics. However, we live in utilitarian times.
More than ever, our cities need ethical leadership – good governance, transparency, public trust building and fairness. They need ethically based planning to deal with the complex challenges facing our communities. This depends on our willingness to tackle the tough questions around sustainability, resilience, economic vibrancy and inclusiveness.
There is also our role as citizens. What are our expectations of ourselves as ethical, engaged citizens? What do we expect and deserve, and what are we prepared to commit to each other in the ethical city? What kind of citizens do we need to be?
Most of all, if we end up agreeing that we need a city that cares, how do we navigate to this end in a world where private profit and consumption are kings and where the tenets of the ethical city – social inclusion, climate action, gender equity, rights of children and youth, and myriad other rights and needs – are lacking?
If this sounds like a new year dose of utopianism, think of cases that you could envisage in your city – from participatory budgeting, to crowd-funded social enterprises, to any number of people who decided “what should we do?”, then acted on it.
 
Brendan Barrett is research fellow, RMIT University and author for The Conversation. He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/brendan-barrett-179124" target="_blank">here</a>.
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The ethical city: an idea whose time has come

Buyers considering a residence at boutique Gordon townhouse development <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/lume-gordon-43-47-dumaresq-street-gordon-nsw-2072">Lume</a>&nbsp;now have another reason to bring forward their decision.

For a limited time, purchasers of a residence at Lume will receive a BMW iX3 50 electric SUV, valued at more than $120,000, as part of their purchase. The offer is designed to add value for buyers while complementing the lifestyle envisioned for the architecturally designed Upper North Shore development.

Scott Timmins, Development Manager at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/winim">WINIM</a>, said the partnership was created to provide buyers with a compelling reason to act.

"In today's market, buyers need a compelling reason to act now, and the BMW partnership was designed to create that catalyst. We wanted to add genuine value for our future purchasers. Choosing the all-electric BMW iX3 50 also reflects the values behind LUME, forward-thinking design, innovation and a more sustainable way of living. It's a premium incentive that complements the lifestyle our buyers aspire to and rewards those who commit early."

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Delivered by WINIM in partnership with Burtonwood Investment Partners, Lume comprises 14 architecturally designed two, three and four-bedroom townhomes created for families seeking the space of a freestanding house with the ease of modern, low-maintenance living.

The three-storey residences, designed by award-winning architecture practice <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a>, have been tailored for families and multi-generational living, featuring private internal lifts, flexible lower-level spaces, generous open-plan living and entertaining areas, media rooms, and landscaped outdoor spaces with custom outdoor kitchens.&nbsp;

Inside, engineered oak flooring, bespoke dining joinery with integrated wine fridges and backlit bars, sculptural porcelain bathrooms, Parisi freestanding baths and Astra Walker tapware create interiors that balance functionality with refined finishes.

Each townhome has been designed to combine generous internal spaces with sustainability initiatives such as EV charging infrastructure, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/arcadia-landscape-architecture">Arcadia</a>'s landscaped communal areas, centred around a restored creek line and native planting, encourage residents to connect with nature and spend more time outdoors.

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Rothelowman's Gary Tsui said the architecture was conceived to respond carefully to its Upper North Shore setting.

"Our vision was to create elegant, uplifting homes that draw on and positively contribute to the local character through meticulously considered design and an interaction with the surroundings."

The communal landscape has been designed as more than an open space between homes. Arcadia's Ben Newell and Kate Phillips said the adjoining reserve provided an opportunity to create a distinctive natural retreat for residents.

"Just as waterways carve their way through Ku-ring-gai's landscape, a raised boardwalk weaves through the reserve, connecting the homes to this tranquil oasis."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7354 project_image_fid=374892]

Located just 300 metres from <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/gordon-nsw-2072">Gordon</a> Village and Gordon railway station, Lume offers convenient access to Sydney's CBD while placing residents close to some of the North Shore's leading schools, including Ravenswood, Pymble Ladies' College and Knox Grammar. Lane Cove National Park, Gordon Golf Club and a range of cafés and restaurants further reinforce the family-focused lifestyle on offer, with the BMW iX3 50 complementing everything from local trips around Gordon to weekend drives and city commutes.

Construction is underway with completion expected in mid-2027.

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Joel Robinson

Boutique Gordon townhomes now come with a BMW iX3 50

Two apartments have sold for more than $10 million at EADE Byron Bay, setting some of the highest apartment prices ever achieved in the coastal town and underlining the growing appetite for luxury beachfront apartments in Australia's most popular coastal locations.

The $210 million project by Vitale Property Group has now secured more than $70 million in sales, led by residences that changed hands for $12.75 million and $11.75 million.

The record-breaking transactions reinforce the shift occurring in Byron Bay's premium property market, where affluent downsizers and lifestyle buyers are increasingly opting for high-end apartments over large beachfront homes.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/eade-byron-bay-29-shirley-street-byron-bay-nsw-2481">EADE Byron Bay</a> occupies a rare 6,000 sqm absolute beachfront site on the corner of Shirley and Milton Streets overlooking Main Beach and The Wreck surf break, just 350 metres from Byron Bay's town centre.

The 25-residence development is the first beachfront apartment project approved in Byron Bay in more than a decade and is currently under construction, with completion expected in May 2027.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145590 project_image_fid=359521]

The project has attracted a mix of local Byron Shire residents downsizing from larger homes, alongside interstate buyers from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane seeking a permanent coastal lifestyle without compromising on space.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hayball">Hayball</a> and with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/alexander-co">Alexander &amp; Co</a>, EADE comprises&nbsp;10 garden apartments ranging from 284 sqm to 622 sqm, nine with private pools, five full-floor apartments and 10 rooftop residences with private plunge pools, expansive outdoor entertaining areas and uninterrupted ocean views.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145590 project_image_fid=359527]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/vitale-property-group">Vitale Property Group</a> Managing Partner Chris Vitale said the project's combination of scale, location and limited future supply was driving buyer demand.

"There isn't another beachfront holding in Byron Bay of this size and position that could be developed again," Vitale said.

"Buyers are responding to the scarcity and the irreplaceability of a site of this calibre and to floorplans they can't find elsewhere in the market.

"We are seeing buyers place significant value on quality, space, design, resort-style amenities and the rarity of the location. The sales achieved to date demonstrate that discerning purchasers recognise the long-term significance of what is being created at EADE Byron Bay.

"Many are coming from larger homes in the Byron region, or from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and are after the space, security and convenience, without the upkeep of a house."

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[smartcode_project:default project_id=145590 project_image_fid=359523]

The Byron Bay project follows Vitale Property Group's delivery of the Mondrian Hotel and Private Residences at Burleigh Heads, with EADE continuing the developer's focus on luxury coastal developments.

Residents will have access to a resort-style swimming pool, gymnasium, sauna, cold plunge pool, concierge services and dedicated workspaces, while the project is targeting an 8-Star Green Star rating.

EADE Byron Bay is being exclusively marketed by Projx Australia in conjunction with WHITEFOX Projects.

WHITEFOX National Projects Director Phillip Rand said demand had been driven predominantly by owner-occupiers.

"We are seeing buyers at EADE place significant value on quality, space, design, resort-style amenities and the rarity of this location," Rand says.

"The sales achieved to date demonstrate that purchasers at this level recognise the long-term significance of what is being created at EADE Byron Bay."

Residences at EADE Byron Bay are currently priced between $4.75 million and $15.95 million.

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Vitale breaks Byron Bay records with EADE sales flurry 

When buying an apartment, most people compare the big-ticket items first. Floorplans. Kitchens. Balcony size. Natural light. The view.

But there's one everyday consideration that often doesn't come up until after moving in: how parcels are delivered.

As online shopping has become part of everyday life, parcel deliveries have shifted from an occasional event to a regular occurrence. Australians spent a record $82.6 billion shopping online in 2025, with almost one in every four retail dollars now spent digitally.

For apartment residents, that can present a challenge.

If nobody is home to accept a delivery, parcels may be redirected to a nearby Post Office, left in a building lobby or common area, or require building management to step in. In higher-density buildings, where dozens or even hundreds of residents may receive deliveries each day, parcel management has become an increasingly important part of everyday living.

That can create a range of frustrations. A missed delivery often means making time to collect a parcel elsewhere, while packages left unattended in foyers or mail areas can create clutter and increase the risk of theft. What seems like a minor inconvenience can quickly become a recurring issue for residents who shop online regularly.

It's one of those details that rarely features in a display suite but can have a noticeable impact once residents move in.

As a result, buyers are beginning to look beyond traditional apartment features and consider how a building supports day-to-day convenience, including whether there are secure options for receiving deliveries.

Australia Post's Parcel Lockers provide one solution.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CkF2oKmlACg?si=C50sDaoUUn2nuLmq" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Rather than having a parcel delivered directly to an apartment, eligible deliveries can be sent to a nominated Parcel Locker. Once the parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS and can collect it using a QR code or one-time PIN at a time that suits them.

The Parcel Locker network now includes more than 1,500 locations nationwide, with installations at Post Offices, shopping centres, transport hubs and an increasing number of residential developments. By providing a secure collection point, Parcel Lockers help reduce missed deliveries and avoid parcels being left unattended in common areas.

For developers, parcel infrastructure is becoming another way to improve the resident experience. Rather than relying on concierge staff or leaving parcels in communal spaces, secure collection points help streamline deliveries while preserving the presentation and functionality of shared areas.

For buyers, it's a reminder that the best apartment features aren't always the most obvious.

A generous floorplan or quality finishes might help narrow the shortlist, but the conveniences that simplify everyday life, whether that's EV charging, secure bike storage or reliable parcel delivery, often become the features residents appreciate most once they're living there.

The apartment feature many buyers don't think about, until their first missed delivery

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hg-developments">HG Developments</a> is doubling down on Maud Street in Newstead, filing plans for a new apartment tower just a few doors down from its under-construction Aire Newstead development.

Recently submitted to Brisbane City Council, the proposal is for an 18-storey building designed by bureau^proberts, which has drawn heavily on Brisbane's subtropical design principles while referencing the suburb's industrial heritage.

A total of 64 apartments are planned for the amalgamated 1,518 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/17-21-maud-street-newstead-qld-4006">17–21 Maud Street</a>, a short walk from the Brisbane River and Newstead Riverwalk.

<img alt="First look: HG Developments plans 18-storey subtropical apartment tower for Newstead" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a400c7fd-bd15-48f8-a63b-10ede92efe00" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Maud%20st%20bldg.png?VersionId=.0vPmjpbC7CNP7kqGWa6L7rGIwsNExaw" />

"The building is defined by a series of vaulted motifs that reinterpret the arches, colonnades and layered facades evident throughout Newstead's historic built fabric," the Urban Design Report states.

"Combined with recessed glazing and generous balconies, these elements create a layered building envelope that provides shade, weather protection and opportunities for natural ventilation whilst establishing a distinctive architectural identity."

The proposal comprises 64 two, three and four-bedroom apartments across 18 residential levels, positioning it alongside a growing number of taller residential projects transforming Newstead's northern precinct. The tower incorporates extensive subtropical landscaping, with cascading planter boxes, deep planting at street level and a landscaped rooftop recreation area.

<img alt="First look: HG Developments plans 18-storey subtropical apartment tower for Newstead" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1d8140f4-8b98-45cd-b1b8-1efe8c8e266b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Maud%20st%20podium.png?VersionId=VAZtbCoD44YCJ57N99fQCAKeSJx7ldZs" />

Bureau Proberts has prioritised passive environmental design throughout the project, with generous balconies, recessed glazing and operable façades helping reduce solar heat gain while maximising natural ventilation. River views become available from the upper levels, while the building has been orientated to capture prevailing breezes from both the Brisbane River and the west.

The architects say landscape is intended to be integral to the building rather than an applied element.

"Vertical greenery, cascading planter boxes and elevated gardens are woven throughout the architecture, softening the built form and strengthening the connection between residents and the subtropical environment."

"Through the integration of landscape, high-quality materials and passive design principles, the development delivers a refined residential address that celebrates Newstead's heritage character while contributing positively to Brisbane's evolving subtropical identity."

Newstead has remained one of Brisbane's most active apartment markets in recent years, with a number of developers continuing to back the inner-city suburb.

HG Developments is currently delivering the 40-apartment Aire Newstead at 25 Maud Street. Fortis recently launched the 65-apartment <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/crest-walker-newstead-12-kyabra-street-newstead-qld-4006">Crest &amp; Walker</a> on Kyabra Street, while builder-developer BPG and Don O'Rorke's Consolidated Properties are both expected to launch their respective Newstead projects before the end of the year.

HG Developments doubles down in Newstead with second Maud Street apartment development

Walk past a new apartment development promoting its sustainability credentials and it's easy to picture rooftop gardens, mature trees, landscaped courtyards and residents surrounded by nature.

But in many cases, that's not actually what those sustainability ratings guarantee.

Australia's leading environmental rating tools have played a significant role in improving the energy efficiency and environmental performance of buildings. Yet despite their focus on reducing emissions, many don't require developers to include trees, biodiversity or meaningful green space.

In other words, a building can achieve one of the country's highest sustainability ratings while containing little more than concrete, glass and hard landscaping.

That disconnect has led to the emergence of a new movement across Australia's property industry: nature-based cities.

The concept goes beyond designing buildings that consume less energy. Instead, it encourages developers to treat nature as essential infrastructure, integrating biodiversity, tree canopy, living landscapes and green spaces into projects from the earliest stages of planning.

Research has consistently linked access to nature with better physical and mental health, cooler neighbourhoods, improved biodiversity, stronger climate resilience and more connected communities. As Australia's cities continue to become denser, advocates say those outcomes should be considered just as important as energy efficiency.

Nature Based Cities (NBC) was established in 2022 to help accelerate that shift.

Founded by Hamton Executive Chairman Paul Hameister OAM, the not-for-profit was created after research highlighted a significant gap in Australia's sustainability framework. While existing environmental rating tools rewarded energy performance and emissions reductions, they placed little emphasis on the inclusion of living landscapes.

"We've always wanted to do more, and we know other developers who want to do more, but the ESD rating tools just aren't there," Hameister says.

"In Australia, you can have a five-green-star rated building that's concrete and glass with not a blade of grass.

"The focus is on reducing emissions, which is laudable, but there hasn't been enough attention paid to protecting and re-establishing nature. We need both for the health of the environment and for communities."

Since its launch, NBC has developed independent design guidelines and accreditation frameworks that encourage developers to prioritise ecology, biodiversity, tree canopy, walkability and living landscapes alongside traditional sustainability measures. The organisation first focused on medium and high-density residential developments before recently expanding into precinct-scale communities and masterplanned neighbourhoods.

Jan Talacko, founder of sustainability consultancy Ark Resources and a member of the Nature Based Cities Advisory Council, says the initiative addresses an area that has largely been overlooked by the property industry.

"Throughout my 25 years of working collaboratively with all stakeholders in the property sector, I've always favoured a pragmatic approach to sustainable design which encourages initiatives that not only meet environmental expectations but also improve amenity," Talacko says.

"Whilst we are making steady progress in relation to energy and carbon emissions from buildings, there has been much less emphasis on encouraging biodiversity and tackling the urban heat island effect.

"The Nature Based Cities initiative responds to a gap in the suite of tools currently used by the property development sector, which don't provide sufficient incentive, or recognition, for the integration of landscaping and greenery."

For apartment buyers, the shift is also changing the questions worth asking.

Rather than assuming a sustainable building will naturally include abundant green space, buyers are increasingly being encouraged to look beyond environmental ratings and ask what nature is actually being delivered. How much tree canopy will the development create? Has biodiversity been considered? Are landscaped spaces designed for people as well as appearance?

As Australia's cities continue to grow upwards and outwards, the next generation of sustainability may not simply be measured by lower emissions, but by how successfully developments bring nature back into everyday urban life.

Jonathan Chancellor

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