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A mortgagee home in Woodroffe, an inner-city Darwin suburb of Palmerston, has come onto the market at $399,000. 
Located at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nt-woodroffe-133571298">62 Sibbald Crescent</a>, the single-level residence features three-bedrooms and two-bathrooms. 
Comprising of 898sqm, the home is set on a large block with a sizeable rear lawn and established gardens. 
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/Screen%20Shot%202020-05-14%20at%201.59.15%20pm.png" alt="">
The property is located close to the Palmerston town centre, schools and shops. 
Ray White’s Korgan Hucent has the listing. 
The median house price for Woodroffe is $332,500, according to CoreLogic data. 
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Woodroffe home set for mortgagee sale 

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A contemporary family home in Victoria’s Glen Iris has hit the market with hopes of $3,500,000 to $3,850,000. 
The four-bedroom, three-bathroom home is located in a tree lined street among other premium properties.
Glorious garden views are offered by expansive windows that also draw natural light. 
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/Screen%20Shot%202020-05-14%20at%203.13.35%20pm.png" alt="">
The award-winning Bayon garden features a fire-pit, plumbed barbecue and undercover alfresco domain. 
Jellis Craig’s Andrew Luke and Damien Davis hold the listing. 
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Glen Iris trophy home with award-winning garden listed

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A stylish trophy home in Melbourne’s inner-suburb Kew has been listed for sale with a guide between $3,500,000 and $3,750,000. 
The four-bedroom, four-bathroom home is located at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-kew-133044450">1/12 Mountain Grove</a>, under the canopy of a tree-lined cul-de-sac in the prestigious Sackville Ward. 
This award winning design by Virgon offers a three-level layout with secluded front gardens and open plan kitchen and dining. 
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/Screen%20Shot%202020-05-14%20at%203.47.10%20pm.png" alt="">
Located with immediate access to Glenferrie Road and Kew Junction, this home is situated in the heart of Melbourne’s leading schools. 
Rachael Fabbro and Paul Walker of RT Edgar hold the listing. 
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Award-winning Kew residence listed

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A Balwyn home has hit the market with $5 million hopes. 
With 925 sqm, the property features an astounding five-bedrooms and six-bathrooms and a grand entrance. 
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/Screen%20Shot%202020-05-14%20at%204.07.37%20pm.png" alt="">
An abundance of natural light fills the gas-heated indoor pool and spa to provide year round entertaining. 
The lavish home also offers premium features such as the private sauna, cinema room and Putting Green. 
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/Screen%20Shot%202020-05-14%20at%204.07.24%20pm.png" alt="">
Located at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-balwyn-133499586">306 Union Road</a>, this home is just minutes from East Balwyn villages and the 109 tram, as well as Melbourne’s leading private schools. 
The home is listed by Nicholas Scott’s Rob Caniglia with a price guide of $4,950,000 to $5,445,000. 
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Balwyn trophy home hit the market seeking $5 million

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The NSW Government has today released its plan to provide a COVID-safe transport network.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said as restrictions are eased and people travel more, we need to ensure physical distancing is maintained across our public transport network.
Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance said for the foreseeable future, the public transport system could not run as usual, and the current low patronage levels were already close to the safe capacity in the peak.
“Everyone will need to maintain physical distancing during this pandemic,” Mr Constance said.
“That means if you are not already using public transport during the peak times, please do not use public transport during peak periods.”
The NSW Government’s COVIDSafe Transport Plan includes:
1. Avoiding peak travel: If you are not already using public transport in the peak, please do NOT use public transport in the peak. Services are already close to capacity to allow for distancing at these times. Off peak times are between 10am and 2pm;
2. Deep cleaning and more hand sanitisers: Intense and ongoing cleaning will occur throughout the transport network and there will be a continued rollout of hand sanitiser at key transport hubs, including at high demand stations;
3. Boosting parking: Special event-style parking arrangements will be in place at Moore Park for people who are able to drive to work. Other locations will be rolled out soon. In addition car park operators will be offering special deals for all day parking;
4. More cycling and walking options: The Government is working with councils on establishing pop-up cycleways and enhancing pedestrian access to allow more people to find alternative routes to work;
5. Physical distancing - ‘No dot, no spot’: Distinctive green dots will be used on trains, buses and ferries to show passengers the safest places to sit and stand. A ‘No dot, no spot’ will see passengers asked to wait for the next service. School children will be given priority access;
6. More data: Customers to be given real time information through Apps, social media and Transport Info to see which services have space available to maintain physical distancing; and
7. More services: Changes will be considered to increase services eg; more ferries, water taxis and private vehicle passenger services on the water.
Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance said cleaning continues to be ramped up, with an extra 132,000 hours of cleaning since March.
“The network has never been cleaner, however to maintain physical distancing you will continue to see fewer people on our network and we want people to continue to drive, cycle and walk whenever they can,” Mr Constance said.
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NSW Government released plan for COVID-safe public transport

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On Friday night Ray White Upper North Shore agent Lisa Davies broke the Lindfield suburb record with the sale of 9 Northcote Road to an overseas buyer in Hong Kong after an inspection via Facetime.
The five bedroom grand Federation property sold within two weeks of Ms Davies putting it online, having last traded for $4.45 million in 2008.
“There is such a limited amount of stock on the market but there’s definitely a lot of buyers looking. You simply cannot sell a secret,” Ms Davies said.
“You have to put it out there if you are selling. There’s huge demand from overseas buyers right now. This is the second property over $6 million that I have sold in the last three weeks to an overseas buyer. There’s a huge appetite for high end prestige homes."
The record breaking sale has now broken the top residential sale record in the suburb of Lindfield which stood at $6 million.
The Lindfield sale comes on the back of a similar successful campaign. Less than three weeks ago, Ms Davies sold a multi-million dollar house in nearby Killara, sight effectively unseen, to a buyer in Taipei via a Facetime inspection.
“After many hours on the phone over the Easter weekend I negotiated a sale price of $6.3 million for 23 Elva St Killara which was well above where the vendors thought the property may sell and reflective of prices we were seeing earlier in the year.”
The 1903 Lindfield home is set high in a prestigious east-side setting, which offers a spectacular lifestyle with proportions of living that are reserved for only the most remarkable of residences.
With its gated entry and substantial 1707 sqm block, pool and tennis court, the home is beautifully finished.
Bespoke interiors feature every luxury extra including a gym, wine cellar and decadent whole floor master retreat.
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Federation Lindfield trophy home sold over the phone at record breaking price

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This week, 400 capital city homes were scheduled for auction, with preliminary results returning a 64.0 per cent clearance rate, according to CoreLogic data.
Volumes were down as last week saw 480 homes scheduled for auction and a final clearance rate of 59.9 per cent while one year ago, there were 930 homes taken to auction and a 55.2 per cent clearance rate.
It is important to interpret clearance rates with caution given auction volumes remain substantially lower than usual due to the ongoing health pandemic.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2020/5/18/CL%20MAY%2018.JPG" target="_blank">Click here to enlarge</a>:
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2020/5/18/CL%20MAY%2018.JPG" alt="">
Sydney, one of Australia’s largest auction markets, returned a preliminary clearance rate of 73.4%, suggesting the relaxation in social distancing policies specific to housing are having an immediate and positive impact on home auctions, although the number of auctions remains well down on last year.
It saw 193 auctions scheduled this week compared to 2016 last week when Sydney saw a success rate of 66.3 per cent.
 
In Melbourne, 118 homes were scheduled to go under the hammer this week. So far 93 auctions have been reported, returning a preliminary success rate of 60.2 per cent.
The previous week saw a final clearance rate of 56.5 per cent across 163 auctions.
As mentioned over the previous week, with restrictions easing across many states and territories, we will likely see the number of homes taken to auction increase in the coming weeks.
The smaller auction markets saw little change with Canberra the busiest at 41 auctions followed by Brisbane with 28.
The highest confirmed residential auction sale in Sydney from yesterday was 68 Moruben Road, Mosman (pictured in title) which is reported to have sold for $7,500,000.
That five bedroom, four bathroom house sits on an 850 sqm block.
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Mid-May auction clearance rates rise while volumes shrink pre-COVID-19 winter hibernation

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The Australian Institute of Architects has recognised the outstanding efforts of both architectural practitioners and advocates for the profession with the awarding of its 2020 National Prizes. 
Awarded annually since 1960, previous Gold Medal winners include some of Australia’s most recognisable architectural names including Robin Boyd, Jørn Utzon, Harry Seidler, Romaldo Giurgola and Glenn Murcutt.The Institute’s most prestigious honour, the Gold Medal, is this year being awarded to the man known as the ‘architect’s architect’, Mr John Wardle. The Jury described John as a most worthy candidate for this highest accolade, a man who, ‘across the nation he has restored faith in what architects do best – the design of buildings that function well and please hand and eye.’
John’s craft is recognisable right around the country on projects of varying scale, from single family homes such as the Kitamura house in Kew to large-scale institutional and commercial buildings such as the Queensland Brain Institute (2004-2007) in Brisbane, or the Jane Foss Russell Building in Sydney (2009). The Jury notes that these and John’s other projects ‘exemplify the national impact of Wardle’s personal project of raising the public status of architectural design.’
From his Melbourne-based studio founded in 1986, the Jury described John as having created a practice ‘of national stature and international repute; a practice where design excellence takes the prime position in every single project and at every scale.’ His practice has won numerous state Institute awards for architectural excellence in Victoria, South Australia, and Queensland as well as at the national level. This peer recognition ‘reinforces the view of John Wardle as an architect whose contribution to the development of Australian architecture has been distinguished and substantial.’  
The ongoing advocacy and achievements of the City of Sydney’s Lord Mayor Clover Moore have been celebrated with the awarding of the 2020 President's Prize. Applauded as a ‘vocal advocate of quality architecture, progressive policies and ambitious action on climate change’, National President Professor Helen Lochheadsaid Councillor Moore’s ‘vision and leadership over 30 years, has systematically transformed the City of Sydney into one of our most liveable cities.’ Councillor Moore is Sydney’s longest-serving Lord Mayor, who Professor Lochhead said understands, appreciates and champions the intrinsic value of architecture. ‘Under her leadership, the City of Sydney has developed a global reputation, delivering award-winning buildings, open spaces and transport infrastructure, instituting design excellence as public policy, supporting creative industries and initiating progressive solutions to complex social and environmental challenges,’ Professor Lochhead said.
As an educator, advocate, practising architect, executive director, media commentator and project manager this year’s 2020 Leadership in Sustainability Prize winner Stephen Choi wears many hats but his passion for sustainable design is the constant underpinning his diverse career. Recognised by the Jury for his ‘ability to take the principles to practice’, they commended Stephen for his long-term advocacy and engagement ‘to enable delivery of change within sustainability across multiple areas of the value chain.’ Stephen is currently Executive Director of Living Future Institute of Australia and the Living Building Challenge Manager for Fraser's Brickworks which is aiming to be the world's most sustainable shopping centre, and first to achieve the Living Building Challenge™.
Parlour – a driving force behind national, and increasingly international, change in policy, structure and attitudes towards women in architecture – is the recipient of this year’s Paula Whitman Leadership in Gender Equity Prize. Their work combines research, education, advocacy and engagement leading the Jury to describe Parlour as ‘synonymous with gender equity in architecture’. The Jury commended ‘Parlour’s compelling and wide-reaching projects work to transform architecture into a more equitable and robust profession demonstrating outstanding leadership.’
The 2020 Student Prize for the Advancement of Architecture has been awarded to University of Adelaide architecture student Chantelle Fry for her proven leadership and commitment to fostering student engagement, while showcasing their work to the wider architectural community. Described by the Jury as a ‘passionate advocate for her fellow students’ they commended her for her openness, integrity and genuineness. 
The 2020 Jury comprised:
<ul>
<li>Professor Helen Lochhead LFRAIA (Chair)– National President, Australian Institute of Architects | Dean, UNSW Built Environment </li>
<li>Clare Cousins FRAIA – Immediate Past President, Australian Institute of Architects | Director, Clare Cousins Architects </li>
<li>Geoffrey London LFRAIA – Professor of Architecture, University of Western Australia  </li>
<li>Peter Elliott AM LFRAIA – 2017 Gold Medallist | Principal, Peter Elliott Architecture and Urban Design </li>
<li>Wendy Lewin FRAIA – Principal, Wendy Lewin Architect</li>
</ul>
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Australian architects and advocates celebrated with awarding of 2020 National Prizes 

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Kristina Keneally, Labor’s home affairs spokesperson, is calling for a <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/do-we-want-migrants-to-return-in-the-same-numbers-the-answer-is-no-20200501-p54p2q" target="_blank" style="font-family: Tahoma, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.15999984741211px;">reset on migration</a> as we emerge from the coronavirus crisis.
She noted in an article over the weekend that migration had been responsible for “over half of Australia’s economic growth” since 2005.
However, she argued that in a post-COVID environment with a sluggish economy, we need to focus instead on skilling up Australian workers to perform the jobs in the health, hospitality and other industries that have been the focus of skilled migration in recent times.
Many economists <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/migrants-don-t-actually-threaten-australian-workers-jobs-new-analysis-reveals" target="_blank">disagree</a> with Keneally’s connection between migration and the availability of local jobs. They point out that migrant workers contribute to overall economic growth, leading to a net increase in new jobs available for local workers.
There is also a risk that, despite her best intentions, Keneally’s rhetoric of “Australians first” will feed nationalist, anti-immigration sentiments that have no relationship to the economy and job opportunities.
<h2>A review of our migration intake is overdue</h2>
Keneally is right to call for a review of “the shape and size” of our migration intake, although not in the way she was suggesting.
At the top of this review should be a consideration of the balance between the two major streams of our migration program – skilled migrants and family migrants.
Current immigration policy favours skilled over family migrants, significantly underestimating the importance of family for the well-being and potentially the productivity of new migrants, as well as Australia’s long-term national interests.
In <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/BriefingBook45p/MigrationFlows" target="_blank">1995-96</a>, permanent migration was comprised of 58% family, 25% skilled and 17% humanitarian migrants. A decade later, the overall migrant make-up had changed dramatically: 62% skilled, 29% family and 9% humanitarian.
These proportions have remained about the same ever since. In <a href="https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/research-and-stats/files/report-migration-program-2018-19.pdf" target="_blank">2018-19</a>, there were 109,713 migrants (62%) in the skilled stream, 47,247 (27%) in the family stream and 18,762 (11%) in the humanitarian stream.
At the same time, <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/language/english/all-work-no-stay-australia-s-shift-towards-temporary-migration" target="_blank">temporary migration</a> of short-term skilled workers, working holiday makers, international students and New Zealanders on temporary special category visas has risen dramatically to over 1.2 million in <a href="https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/research-and-stats/files/temp-entrants-aust-31-dec-2016.pdf" target="_blank">December 2016</a>.
If all temporary migrants with work rights had a job, they would constitute over <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-27/fact-check-one-in-ten-workers-temporary-visas/9572062?nw=0" target="_blank">10% of the Australian workforce</a>.
<h2>Immigration is about relationships</h2>
Preferencing skilled migrants over family migrants is the inverse of the US, where most migrants come via <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/05/17/key-facts-about-u-s-immigration-policies-and-proposed-changes/" target="_blank">family connections</a>. Unlike Australia, this also includes the potential for migrants to <a href="https://www.uscis.gov/family/family-us-citizens/bringing-siblings-live-united-states-permanent-residents" target="_blank">sponsor siblings</a>.
What is sometimes lost in Australia, with a single-minded focus on migration to boost the economy, is that immigration is not only about economic growth. It is also about relationships.
Permanent migrants are future citizens. Migration builds community, and the ability of migrants to sponsor their broader family will deepen their connections and commitment to Australia.
The family migration program enables Australians to sponsor parents and children living overseas, partners, and in some cases their remaining relatives.
One of the effects of our focus on skilled migration has been the increase of new migrants with no extended family in Australia.
Although skilled worker visas allow for partners and children to accompany them, there is no provision for extended family. This makes these migrants potentially more vulnerable and isolated, less committed to Australia and, <a href="https://www.iom.int/sites/default/files/our_work/ICP/IDM/RB24ENGWEB.PDF" target="_blank">some have suggested</a>, less productive as workers.
If they were allowed to enter Australia, these extended family members could offer emotional support and practical assistance to their loved ones working here, such as child care.
Most temporary migrant workers, meanwhile, have no entitlement to be accompanied by any family at all. Only some international students can have family accompany them as a support person while they <a href="https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-finder/study">study</a>.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/332277/original/file-20200504-83779-o1m3c3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Kristina Keneally says Australia needs ‘a migration program that puts Australian workers first’. Lukas Coch/AAP
<h2>A growing waiting list for partners and parents</h2>
The difficulty skilled migrants have sponsoring their parents to migrate to Australia provides a dramatic example of just how restrictive current family migration options are.
In 2018-19, just 1,218 non-contributory parent visas were granted out of tens of thousands of applicants. The waiting period is <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/language/english/new-twist-to-parent-visa-waiting-periods-will-get-longer_1" target="_blank">at least 30 years</a>, longer than many of these parents have left to live.
The <a href="https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/parent-103#About" target="_blank">home affairs website</a> no longer provides waiting times, stating only
family migration visas are in high demand. It might take many years for this visa to be granted.
The waiting time for partner visas for all Australian citizens and permanent residents has also grown as the number of allocated placements has been cut. The home affairs <a href="https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/partner-onshore/permanent-801" target="_blank">website</a> currently says 90% of applicants will be processed in 21 months.
Migration numbers are destined to drop dramatically as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-21. When the economy and our borders open up, there is an opportunity to reflect on what is the best balance of skilled and family migration.
Attracting the most accomplished skilled migrants will undoubtedly continue to be a driver of migration policy.
However, in choosing numbers in the skilled and family streams, it is also vital the government factor in the role of extended family for the well-being and productivity of migrant workers, as well as the importance of family for community cohesion and a migrant’s sense of connection and commitment to Australia.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/137783/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alex-reilly-99355" target="_blank">Alex Reilly</a>, Professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-adelaide-1119" target="_blank">University of Adelaide</a>
This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/yes-it-is-time-to-rethink-our-immigration-intake-to-put-more-focus-on-families-137783" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Yes, it is time to rethink our immigration intake – to put more focus on families

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Until a trans-Tasman travel bubble is <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-04/trans-tasman-bubble-coronavirus-what-might-happen-next/12212580" target="_blank">established</a>, there is little doubt the New Zealand tourism industry will <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/413845/covid-19-domestic-travellers-eyed-to-keep-tourism-sector-viable-after-lockdown" target="_blank">rely entirely</a> on domestic travel post-COVID-19.
Without underplaying the impact the pandemic will have on discretionary spending in both countries, however, there may be a silver lining to the crisis.
New Zealand is in the fortunate position of having an <a href="https://tia.org.nz/about-the-industry/quick-facts-and-figures/" target="_blank">already strong</a> domestic tourism sector. Domestic tourists spent NZ$23.7 billion annually (or NZ$65 million a day) pre-COVID-19, compared to a total spend of NZ$12.7 billion (or NZ$47 million a day) by international visitors. <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://openrepository.aut.ac.nz/handle/10292/11857" target="_blank">Research</a> pre-COVID-19 showed 65% of New Zealanders wanted to explore more of their country, a figure expected to increase.
True, New Zealanders generally don’t have the deep pockets international tourists have. Their higher overall spend is a reflection of their numbers, not their bank balances. But with the big ticket tourist attractions now missing the bigger spenders, the market will rule.
Regional tourism organisations, attractions and operators may need to rethink their offerings and their pricing. While tramping the <a href="https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/things-to-do/walking-and-tramping/great-walks/" target="_blank">great walks</a> may be perfectly affordable for a family of four, taking the family on a whale watch, a bungy jump or a cruise on Milford Sound may not be – especially as parts of one big holiday. Indeed, it has been found that <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://openrepository.aut.ac.nz/handle/10292/11857" target="_blank">price</a> is the major decision-making factor for 30% of New Zealanders when it comes to holidays.
So this is also an opportunity to give New Zealanders back a piece of the summer pie – not only for the COVID-19 recovery but in the longer term. Summers have tended to be characterised by a large influx of international tourists, with Kiwis settling for shoulder seasons (and unfavourable weather) to tramp the famous tracks when they are <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/99088942/tourists-outnumber-new-zealanders-on-the-great-walks--and-the-gaps-growing" target="_blank">less crowded</a>.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/331898/original/file-20200501-42929-8lze50.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Attractions such as the famous Shotover Jet near Queenstown may have to adjust costs to suit Kiwi pockets. www.shutterstock.com
But domestic tourists who have grown accustomed to off-peak holidays away from high-cost destinations will soon tip the scales. Now is the time for operators to win back their hearts.
With New Zealand’s gradual easing of its strict lockdown (possibly to the stage of allowing non-essential travel by mid-May), tourism can clearly support the economic revival of local communities. The challenge is how to reinvent New Zealand tourism as an initially purely domestic industry.
Overall, only a handful of New Zealand destinations have depended entirely on international tourists. These also happen to be the places most heavily associated with overtourism in the past. Given that the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14616688.2020.1759131" target="_blank">growth model</a> driven by short-term, dollars-first business thinking has led to an <a href="https://www.noted.co.nz/money/money-economy/nz-tourists-should-we-limit-number-visitors" target="_blank">unsustainable</a> tourism market, might this also be a chance to restore some equilibrium?
That will mean no more killing the goose that lays the <a href="https://www.pce.parliament.nz/publications/pristine-popular-imperilled-the-environmental-consequences-of-projected-tourism-growth" target="_blank">golden egg</a>. Some hotspots, such as the <a href="https://www.tongarirocrossing.org.nz/" target="_blank">Tongariro Alpine Crossing</a> and <a href="https://www.thecoromandel.com/activities/must-do/hot-water-beach/" target="_blank">Coromandel’s Hot Water Beach</a> may be managed by restricting visitor numbers.
Such strategies have long been in place in other places, such as the <a href="https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/fiordland/places/fiordland-national-park/things-to-do/tracks/milford-track/" target="_blank">booking requirement</a> for the Milford Track. We have also seen tremendous problems associated with too many cruise ships in too small places. Akaroa is a prime example, and limiting both the number of visits and the size of vessels may be a feasible <a href="https://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player?audio_id=2018685520" target="_blank">future strategy</a>.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/331899/original/file-20200501-42929-1nm13fy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
A cruise liner arrives at tiny Akaroa in the South Island: limiting the number of visits to small centres has already been proposed. www.shutterstock.com
As part of our own research (yet to be published) into the pressing issues of overtourism we conducted interviews with various tourism stakeholders around New Zealand, including city and regional councils, the Department of Conservation, residents and operators. This took place just before New Zealand’s strictest lockdown level was imposed, without any real foreknowledge of the eventual economic impact of COVID-19.
Nonetheless, our interviewees shared very similar sentiments when it came to how the industry can evolve sustainably only if New Zealanders themselves embrace the behaviours they expect (and sometimes demand) of foreign tourists. According to our subjects, too many Kiwis still hold on to a past when the country’s population was half its current size and SUVs and large motorhomes didn’t crowd the roads and parking lots.
Initiatives such as the <a href="https://tiakinewzealand.com/" target="_blank">Tiaki Promise</a>, which promote environmental and cultural sensitivity to tourists, have largely targeted international visitors. These now need to turn the lens inwards so that Kiwis become better ambassadors within their own backyard.
Kiwis love their country, but they will now need to truly discover what it has to offer, not only for a weekend of tramping or a quick getaway, but for their main summer holiday. And they will have to become better kaitiaki (or guardians) of their homeland in the process.
The absence of international tourists will be a huge challenge, but also an opportunity. If we get it right, when those foreign visitors are allowed to return (most likely at first from Australia) we will have found ways to grow – or limit – their numbers and their expectations so that our tourism industry can thrive as well as survive.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/137256/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/sabrina-seeler-744896" target="_blank">Sabrina Seeler</a>, Postdoctoral Researcher, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/nord-university-3607" target="_blank">Nord University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-lueck-804450" target="_blank">Michael Lueck</a>, Professor of Tourism, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/auckland-university-of-technology-1137" target="_blank">Auckland University of Technology</a>
This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-coronavirus-survival-challenge-for-nz-tourism-affordability-and-sustainability-137256" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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The coronavirus survival challenge for NZ tourism: affordability and sustainability

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sunland-group">Sunland Group</a> has officially lodged plans for its first Gold Coast apartment project since the departure of the Abedian family from the company three years ago, unveiling a new high-rise proposal for a prominent Broadbeach corner site on Old Burleigh Road.

The application was submitted by an entity directed by Tom Jamieson, stepson of longtime Sunland leader Soheil Abedian, and Riaz Rezvanipour, brother-in-law of Sahba Abedian, Soheil’s son.

Sunland acquired the 1,283 sqm site on the corner of Old Burleigh Road and Armrick Avenue for $9.5 million late last year and is now seeking approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/99-101-old-burleigh-road-broadbeach-qld-4218">42-storey tower with 81 apartments</a>.

<img alt="First look: Sunland Group returns to Broadbeach with new Old Burleigh Road tower plans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fea2946d-90ee-4cfc-babe-2a8ad5db2cb6" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/pers.png?VersionId=BV0fihJw31nDIQ8ozY_h3GbS8mxDyhnm" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/contreras-earl-architecture">Contreras Earl Architecture</a>, the proposed tower at 99-101 Old Burleigh Road would deliver a predominantly larger-format apartment mix aimed at the owner-occupier market. Plans include 17 two-bedroom apartments, 55 three-bedroom apartments, and nine four-bedroom residences across 35 residential levels.

The development also incorporates three basement levels, four podium parking levels, two levels of communal recreation facilities, and rooftop plant and equipment. A total of 189 car spaces are proposed, significantly exceeding the 90 spaces required under the planning scheme.

The architecture adopts a sculpted, curvilinear form, with deep wraparound balconies and integrated landscaping intended to soften the tower’s vertical expression. The planning report states the building’s “slender footprint/form provides a complimentary yet varied built form within the local streetscape” and contributes to “a varied, yet ordered skyline.”

Contreras Earl noted in its Architectural Statement that from the early stages, the project addressed a fundamental challenge: how to accommodate the required residential yield while avoiding the conventional model of a tower sitting on a rigid, fully resolved parking podium.

“The most direct response would have been to consolidate parking into a singular, flat podium and extrude a repetitive tower above,” the statement said. “While efficient, this approach would result in a consolidated built form with limited engagement with the surrounding landscape and public realm.”

Instead, the conventional podium model was “deliberately rejected”. The architects described the base of the building as “a landscaped architectural condition where structure, planting and circulation are integrated”.

“Rather than presenting a continuous built mass, the base of the building is articulated through a series of concrete planter elements that organise the podium into a fragmented system,” the statement said. “This approach reduces the perceived bulk of the lower levels while establishing a more permeable interface with the streetscape and adjacent open space.”

<img alt="Sunland" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="923fad8d-c960-4527-8fbe-975cf1ddf88d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-25%20at%2010.32.03%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=pngwb0hYOIUpq9vDw6F2EsOiVuHF3DiX" />

&nbsp;

The site sits within the High Density Residential Zone and inside the City of Gold Coast’s unrestricted “HX” building height area, where the planning framework anticipates intensified residential development tied to the expanding light rail corridor. The planning report notes the area is undergoing “transition toward more intense development forms” given its proximity to Broadbeach, Surfers Paradise, and high-frequency public transport infrastructure.

Positioned directly opposite Broadbeach Park and within walking distance of Florida Gardens light rail station, the development would sit among a rapidly evolving stretch of Old Burleigh Road that has become one of the Gold Coast’s most active apartment development corridors.

The application joins a growing pipeline of luxury residential projects reshaping Broadbeach, including nearby developments by 5Point Projects, Polycell, and Graya.

The planning report argues the project contributes toward the Gold Coast’s long-term housing targets under the South East Queensland Regional Plan, which forecasts the need for more than 100,000 additional high-rise dwellings across the city by 2046.

<section data-scroll-anchor="false" data-testid="conversation-turn-4" data-turn="assistant" data-turn-id="request-WEB:84a2af5e-d7cf-4ddf-922a-f4d44d6c6caa-1" data-turn-id-container="request-WEB:84a2af5e-d7cf-4ddf-922a-f4d44d6c6caa-1" dir="auto">
The Abedian family departed Sunland Group in late 2023, ending a four-decade association with the company, and subsequently established the private development firm Abedian &amp; Co. The group is currently delivering <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/greenmount-residences-cnr-hill-street-and-marine-parade-coolangatta-qld-4225">Greenmount Residences</a> at Rainbow Bay and recently launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/18-mary-avenue-14-18-mary-avenue-broadbeach-qld-4218">18 Mary Avenue</a> in Broadbeach.
</section>

Joel Robinson

First look: Sunland Group returns to Broadbeach new apartment market with new Old Burleigh Road tower plans

The Minns Labor Government has established the new Bays West Delivery Authority to lead the development&nbsp;of the Bays West Precinct and Blackwattle Bay Precinct.&nbsp;

The Authority is charged with creating Sydney’s newest precinct, a thriving, connected, sustainable hub with White Bay Power Station as its cultural heart. Its vision is to build on the area’s natural, cultural and industrial history to shape a vibrant new neighbourhood.

The precinct will deliver up to 8,500 well-located homes, including a minimum of 10 per cent affordable and essential worker homes. Combine new housing with public open space, opening public access to the waterfront for the first time in more than 100 years, while retaining important deep-water facilities to support Sydney’s working harbour.

Located just minutes from the Sydney CBD and connected to a world-class metro, ferry, walking and cycling links, the Bays West precinct will rebalance housing growth towards well-serviced inner-city locations and help tackle the state’s housing crisis.

The Bays West Delivery Authority,&nbsp;an agency of the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, will report to the NSW Minister for Lands and Property who already has oversight of major precinct renewal projects including at Blackwattle Bay and Barangaroo.

As part of the broader Bays West transformation, the Minns Government recently announced that a proposal from Lendlease to redevelop part of the Bays West Precinct has progressed to Stage 2 of the NSW Government’s unsolicited proposals process.

<img alt="Sydney" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2ed71eb9-d8e8-4fa7-b9d1-de4531dcf2f3" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-25%20at%209.42.31%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=IDryFIbped9SNDg72LEN_EecvhUsOPvp" />

The Minns Labor Government has also confirmed the Bays West precinct will have a new suburb name. This will be the first major suburb built in close proximity to Sydney’s CBD in decades and will encompass the area currently being referred to as Bays West, including Glebe Island and the White Bay Power Station. Served by a new Metro station just five minutes from the CBD, it will become one of the most populous suburbs in the Inner West and one of Sydney’s premier cultural destinations.

An early works program is taking shape, which&nbsp;includes the first stages of an international design competition.&nbsp;

The aim of the Bays West&nbsp;International&nbsp;Design Competition is to&nbsp;ensure design excellence is embedded in the project from the start. The competition will deliver an&nbsp;urban framework that defines the character, ambition and long-term identity of&nbsp;this&nbsp;former industrial precinct as it transitions to a vibrant, inclusive and sustainable residential&nbsp;neighbourhood.

The competition will be led by the Bays West Delivery Authority in partnership with Government Architect NSW.&nbsp;

It will launch with an invitation for a global Expressions of Interest, before moving to an invitation-only stage that will be assessed by a panel that&nbsp;will provide advice to Cabinet who will select a winner.

Premier of NSW, Chris Minns said the establishment of the new Authority is the first step in transforming the Bays West precinct into a vibrant, livable suburb minutes from the Sydney CBD and two stops from Hunter St Station on the Metro West line.

“The Authority will deliver well-located homes close to the heart of the city and integrate the new precinct with Blackwattle Bay and the new Sydney Fish Market.

“This is a generational opportunity to build a new suburb on the city’s edge and open the harbour foreshore to the public for the first time in a century.”&nbsp;

Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said the new Bays West Delivery Authority established by the Minns Government will turbocharge the development of Sydney’s newest suburb.

“The Authority is working at a record pace to deliver an international design competition, planning pathways and a financial model so that this development benefits Sydney with well-designed homes in a central location, close to public transport, jobs, entertainment and essential services.

“If we want Sydney to stay liveable and affordable, we need to be bold about using underutilised government-owned land to deliver homes for the future while making sure essential working harbour functions can be accommodated.”

Bays West Delivery Authority established to "turbocharge" Sydney’s newest suburb

Around 400 additional homes could be built at Southwark Grounds on Port Road, lifting total site capacity from 1300 to around 1700 dwellings.

A recently approved code amendment would allow apartment towers of up to 14 storeys in some areas of Renewal SA’s redevelopment of the former West End Brewery.

Renewal SA Acting Chief Executive Shane Wingard said he welcomed the code amendment, with the increase in heights and homes making a positive impact on the supply of high-quality, well-connected housing close to the city.

“By going higher across some parts of Southwark Grounds, we are adding a substantial number of very well-located homes with little impact on project delivery time or planned open space,” Mr Wingard said.

Since the project officially launched in 2025, Mr Wingard said more than 12,000 enquiries had been received about living at Southwark Grounds.

“The very strong early interest we’ve seen since homes were first released in the precinct reinforces our plans to create more housing opportunities,” he said.

The Southwark Grounds code amendment was launched in December last year, with community engagement undertaken over five weeks from January.

It proposed increasing maximum building heights from eight to 14 storeys on the eastern section of Southwark Grounds, and to 12 storeys across the remainder of the site, with minimum building heights ranging from two to four storeys.

The code amendment was implemented through an Early Commencement policy in late January, allowing developers to quickly explore the viability of increased height and housing yield while other planning processes continue.

One of the first developers delivering apartment sites have already finalised redesigns to increase the number of apartments following the code amendment.

Samaras’ development adjacent to the future Colonel Light Park is now planning to deliver 125 apartments across 11 storeys, significantly greater than original plans of around 50 apartments across four storeys.

The developer is also exploring the potential for additional affordable housing outcomes.

Most of the apartments at Southwark Grounds will be delivered within a master-planned precinct on a large parcel of land on the eastern portion of the site, covering around two-thirds of its 8.4 hectares.

Wingard said detailed precinct planning over the coming months may identify further opportunities to increase yield further that could see total apartment numbers at Southwark Grounds, exceed this number.

Affordable homes at Southwark Grounds will also see a net increase, with Renewal SA maintaining its commitment to a minimum of 20 per cent affordable housing across the development.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Civil works have begun across the site, with construction under way on the first new roads surrounding a townhouse precinct in the south‑west corner of Southwark Grounds. This includes Renewal SA’s 17 Founder’s Row homes, which are on track for completion by Christmas.

“We expect to have people living at Southwark Grounds by the end of the year, so delivering roads and public spaces for those residents is among our highest priorities.”

Construction of 40 townhouses off Anderson Street, known as West Village and being delivered by Contour, is forecast to begin in mid‑2026. Kolabb’s Anderson Lane development will follow shortly after, delivering a further 26 townhouses.

Southwark Grounds is a state government‑led urban renewal project now set to deliver around 1,700 homes over the next decade.

Homes will be supported by a supermarket, a range of retail and hospitality offerings anchored by a revitalised Walkerville Brew Tower, a childcare centre, car parking and well‑connected public spaces.

400 new homes planned for Adelaide's former West End Brewery site

Brisbane developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/cavcorp">Cavcorp</a> has lodged plans for a new mixed-use residential development at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/55-wyandra-street-teneriffe-qld-4005">55 Wyandra Street</a>, Teneriffe, anchored by an 85-metre public laneway designed to reconnect the suburb’s riverfront with the Gasworks precinct.

The buildings, known as Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane, would replace the existing Queensland Cotton head office site with a 15-storey residential tower transitioning to eight storeys toward Helen Street. The project has been designed by Plazibat Architects and lodged as a code assessable development application for 93 apartments across a 3,401 sqm mixed-use site within the Newstead and Teneriffe Waterfront neighbourhood plan.

Central to the scheme is the transformation of an existing service easement into a publicly accessible cross-block connection linking Wyandra and Helen Streets. Cavcorp says the new laneway will act as both a pedestrian shortcut and a landscaped civic space between the Teneriffe Riverwalk, ferry terminal, and Gasworks precinct.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="26e7f058-b065-4de8-b13d-a2b8cb64dfcc" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/bldg.png?VersionId=sELS0ZKYi361oYipUa1BIKfe_.DLZoFV" />

“The revised proposal delivers a legacy public-realm cross-block link, permanently secured for community use, transforming an existing private easement into a safe, high-quality pedestrian connection between the Teneriffe heritage riverwalk and the Gasworks–Long Island precinct,” the planning report states.

The laneway will sit beneath a large subtropical loggia integrated into the podium levels of the development. The design incorporates deep landscaping, water gardens, lobby spaces, business lounges, and ground-floor apartments to create what Cavcorp describes as a climate-responsive “urban verandah.”

The tower itself has been designed as a slender form with recessed floorplates and curved translucent corners inspired by contemporary Japanese architecture. The building height aligns with the Commercial Road precinct controls, which permit towers up to 15 storeys within proximity to Longland Street.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a8a17d40-43b6-4718-b3fd-67676fcbb485" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/pers%202_1.png?VersionId=i3VwDtp5AmL_8InW7w4qRbDFEpb744Jt" />

The project will comprise a mix of larger-format apartments aimed at owner-occupiers, downsizers, and families. The proposed apartment mix includes 11 loggia apartments across the lower levels, 50 four-bedroom Sky-Terrace apartments from levels three to seven, and 32 Sky-Pool Homes occupying the upper tower levels. The Sky-Pool Homes will feature private thermal plunge pools integrated into oversized balconies.

According to the application, the apartments are intended to reinterpret the scale and character of Teneriffe’s woolstore conversions and Queensland homes within a vertical residential format.

“The sky-pool homes build on Cavcorp’s previous projects and introduce a distinct apartment typology to Teneriffe, informed by both local and international precedent and responding to an identified market demand for enhanced safety, space and amenity,” the planning submission notes.

A major focus of the proposal is its five-level wellness and lifestyle offering, extending from the basement through to the rooftop.

Amenities proposed include a rooftop Swim &amp; Racquet Club with a 25-metre Olympic lap pool and tennis court, coworking spaces and libraries, golf simulators, wine storage, concierge facilities, business lounges, pet wash areas, and rooftop longevity-focused wellness spaces with spas, outdoor fitness zones, and landscaped terraces.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="944b352c-49b9-4247-a4c6-5967b4b69fda" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/amenity.png?VersionId=Ed_qKjAtMwFT.5gfl3jiA9QwdWxSMsaX" />

All parking will be concealed within basement levels accessed from Wyandra and Helen Streets. Cavcorp says the deep-basement engineering approach allows the entire ground plane to prioritise landscaping, pedestrian movement, and active frontage rather than vehicle infrastructure.

The development continues Cavcorp’s concentration in Newstead and Teneriffe, where the Brisbane developer has delivered a number of apartment projects including Lucent, Le Bain, and Luminare, as well as the Long Island Wellness Precinct nearby. Several of those projects have received national design and architecture awards, including recognition under Brisbane’s “Buildings that Breathe” program.

Cavcorp unveils wellness-focused Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane apartment buildings

Focus Group Investments has lodged plans for a new apartment development at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/64-70-hanover-street-fitzroy-vic-3065">64–70 Hanover Street</a> in Fitzroy, seeking to utilise the Victorian Government’s recently introduced Great Design Fast Track pathway to accelerate approvals for the project.

The proposal is among the latest developments to emerge through the state-led initiative, which was established to fast-track well-designed residential projects in activity centres and transport-connected inner-city locations. The pathway allows qualifying developments that meet elevated design and housing benchmarks to bypass traditional council planning timeframes and instead be assessed directly by the Department of Transport and Planning.

Designed by SJB, the development will comprise a mix of apartments above activated lower levels, with a strong focus on architectural articulation, landscaping, and communal amenity. The design response seeks to balance the industrial character of Richmond’s former warehouse precincts with a more contemporary residential form.

<img alt="First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Richmond apartments" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="abea51cc-d85b-479e-9aef-a589f3b37ca7" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/ground.png?VersionId=e1Kf8EyPWwyiVumtqQ4rM5S4GpOR3CCz" />

Proposed are 63 new dwellings, a wide ranging mix of studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, and townhouses and duplexes. They will be spread across a part-three, part-eight storey building.

The Planning and Urban Context Report by Tract says the development is of an "exemplary architectural standard" and has been carefully crafted by SJB Architects.

"Dwellings&nbsp;will benefit from excellent access to natural light, cross-ventilation opportunities and extensive communal space," the report noted.

The architectural material highlights the project’s integration of landscaped elements and communal spaces throughout the building. The proposal also incorporates sustainability initiatives aligned with the Victorian Government’s push for higher-performing apartment developments under the fast-track program.

The Great Design Fast Track was unveiled by the Victorian Government in 2024 as part of a broader housing supply strategy aimed at accelerating the delivery of new homes. Projects assessed through the pathway must demonstrate high-quality architecture, sustainability outcomes, and housing diversity while being located close to public transport and existing infrastructure.

<img alt="First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Richmond apartments" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="afdbe834-8dc4-4a77-a943-ba07bc927348" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/site_11.png?VersionId=0J657j.TaChAZfp93wqJYBTqSsnREJx2" />

Focus Group, founder and led by Paul De Lutiis, is increasingly active across Melbourne’s inner suburbs, targeting well-connected urban renewal locations suited to medium and higher-density residential development. The Fitzroy proposal continues that strategy, leveraging the area’s strong transport links, established retail amenity, and proximity to the CBD.

Fitzroy has been one of the most popular spots for developers and buyers in recent years. The likes of PACE Development Group, SMA Projects, Crema Group and Chapter Group, currently selling projects in the suburb.

Staff reporter

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