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A recent Herron Todd White (HTW) residential report has noted most Canberra suburbs have maintained median price points for standard dwellings while medium density and unit stock have seen some small declines.
Active sections of the market include standard housing at the entry level price points in some of Canberra’s fringe and outer suburban locations.
"Generally purchases are looking for large blocks within established suburbs that provide access to good education and employment services," the valuation firm said. 
Entry level price points for this style of housing range between $550,000 and $650,000. 
"Most homes within this section of the market provide three- and four-bedroom accommodation, generally 30 to 60 years old and, in many cases, the dwellings are ready for some renovation and upgrading," the valuation firm added. 
A recent sale was a three bedroom house in Fraser which presents opportunity to update or to extend. 
Set on more than 1,100sqm, the house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-act-fraser-132268290" target="_blank">19 Carrodus Street</a> (pictured below) comprises three bedrooms, open plan living and modern bathroom.
It's just a short distance to Fraser Primary. 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/12/4/fraser%20.jpg" alt="">
Inner suburban locations in Canberra’s north and south set a higher price point, generally $1 million-plus.
The report notes this section of the market is also relatively stable with families looking to move on the property ladder with their second or third acquisition.
Again block size, location and proximity to schools and other services are the main drivers.
This section of the market ranges from $1 million up to around $3 million.
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"Market activity for property in the $3 million plus price point is slower, with buyers generally more discerning. 
"Location, block size, build quality and level of inclusions are major factors influencing this section of the market," the valuation firm said. 
A one level five bedroom residence in Griffith has recently been sold for $3.3 million. 
Designed by Paul Tilse and built by Classic Constructions, the home at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-act-griffith-132269770" target="_blank">12 Bremer Street </a>(pictured below) offers 366sqm of living space with 99sqm garage.
It features five bedrooms, living and dining room with high ceilings, cinema, gourmet kitchen, rumpus room and alfresco entertaining area.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/12/4/griffth.jpg" alt="">
Price points in the medium density unit market range from $200,000 to $275,00 for a one- bedroom unit recently constructed in a fringe Town Centre location, to $400,000 to $500,000 for a centrally located unit in Canberra’s inner north or inner south.
"Both investors and owner- occupiers are active, however strong supply within the medium density market has had an impact on activity.
"Being in close proximity to or directly in Town Centres including Tuggeranong, Woden, Canberra City, Belconnen or Gungahlin is important for rental return, low vacancy and potential future growth." 
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Canberra sees strong supply within medium density market: HTW residential 

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Residential property prices rose 2.4 per cent in the September quarter 2019, the strongest quarterly growth since the December quarter 2016, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).  Sydney and Melbourne residential property prices recorded strong growth in the September quarter 2019. Property prices rose in Sydney (+3.6 per cent), Melbourne (+3.6 per cent), Brisbane (+0.7 per cent) and Hobart (+1.3 per cent).  House prices rose 4.0 per cent in Sydney and 3.7 per cent in Melbourne while attached dwelling prices rose 2.8 per cent in Sydney and 3.6 per cent in Melbourne. ABS Chief Economist Bruce Hockman said the increase in property prices is in line with housing market indicators, particularly in Sydney and Melbourne. 
"New lending commitments to households, auction clearance rates and sales transactions all improved during the September quarter."  Residential property prices fell 3.7 per cent in the year to the September quarter 2019, with all capital cities except Hobart recording falls. This is a noticeable improvement on the 7.4 per cent annual fall in the June quarter 2019.  The total value of Australia’s 10.4 million residential dwellings rose by $189.9 billion to $6,869.4 billion in the September quarter 2019. The mean price of residential dwellings in Australia is now $660,800.
The number of residential dwellings rose by 43,300 to 10,395,200.
 
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Residential property prices up 2.4 percent in September quarter: ABS

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A Brassall, Queensland townhouse has sold after returning to the market as a mortgagee listing.
The abode sold for $210,000.
It last sold in 2009 for $234,000, having sold in 2004 at $210,000.
It has been on and off the market since 2016, with its latest asking price slashed $45,000 on its initial expectations.
The home has been taken off market twice, first in February 2017 after 117 days on market, and for the second time in November 2018, after 369 days on market.
It returned to the market as a mortgagee in this latest marketing campaign.
Steve and Corey Athanates of NGU Real Estate were marketing the listing.
Situated at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-unit-qld-brassall-131243950" target="_blank">10/12 Collins Street</a>, the three bedroom one bathroom townhouse is set on 191 sqm.
The home was listed as a rental in February 2017, the owners sought $280/pw.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/subscribe" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/1/Subscriber%20strip%20ad.jpg" alt=""></a>
The median price for a home in <a href="/developments/brassall-qld-4305">Brassall</a> is $333,000 according to CoreLogic, which calculate its annual change in median price over the past 10 years as 0.3%. 
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Much listed Brassall, Queensland mortgagee home sold for 2004 price

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The Australian Securities &amp; Investments Commission has updated its guidance surrounding responsible lending rules for the first time in five years.
The National Credit Laws provide consumers with important protections when seeking credit directly from a lender or through a broker.
ASIC’s revised guidance is intended to assist lenders and brokers to comply with their responsible lending obligations and ensure that they do not recommend or provide credit that is unsuitable.
ASIC Commissioner Sean Hughes said ASIC conducted extensive consultation on this important issue.
The aim is to stop banks and finance companies saddling consumers with unsustainable debt by requiring they obtain sufficient, reliable and current information about a customer’s financial position.
It follows ASIC's decision to appeal an adverse Federal Court ruling on alleged responsible lending breaches by Westpac.
The regulator advised that the decision in the appeal to the Full Federal Court would be reflected in any revised guidance.
Australian Banking Association chief executive Anna Bligh said the updated rules would provide clarity to banks on ASIC’s views on what responsible lending obligations require before offering credit to customers.
“This is an important document for the industry to guide each bank’s approach to responsible lending which we will now study closely to assess any impacts it may have on borrowing for customers,” Ms Bligh said.
“The industry is pleased to see ASIC has maintained a principles based approach to lending, which as an industry we have called for, and to ensure banks are able to fulfil their obligations without the process becoming too restrictive for customers,” she said.
 
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Responsible lending rules updated by ASIC

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A Curra, Queenland mortgagee home on 5 acres has sold for $330,000.
The sale marks the second consecutive loss on the property since it sold for $380,000 in 2010.
It last sold for $375,000 in 2014.
Peter Olsson of the Professionals marketed the property.
SItuated at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-acreage+semi-rural-qld-curra-131849254" target="_blank">189 Cliff Jones Road</a>, the house on the property is a three bedroom, two bathroom affair.
Built in 1987, it is located 15 minutes north of Gympie.
The home sold at auction following an unsuccessful 2017 campaign when the vendors sought $450,000 for the property.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/subscribe" target="_blank"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/1/Subscriber%20strip%20ad.jpg" alt=""></a>
The median price for a home in <a href="/developments/curra-qld-4570">Curra</a> is $327,500 according to CoreLogic.
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Curra, Queensland mortgagee acreage home sold for $50,000 loss

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EXPERT OBSERVER
The release of the draft Plans, along with the draft State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP), is a positive step forwards for the development of the 11,200-hectare Aerotropolis site which will eventually provide up to 200,000 jobs to Western Sydney.
This is good news for landowners and developers in the area who are keen to progress plans to contribute to the future development of the Aerotropolis.
The Aerotropolis is a key city-shaper that will completely transform the way Sydney functions in terms of jobs, growth and housing.
The plans announced today provide detail on key aspects of the Aerotropolis, such as flexible land use zones which incorporate a variety of uses, including agribusiness, commercial, residential, advanced industries, and research and development. 
Six aerotropolis precincts will be rezoned in the first round, which is hoped to be completed in mid-2020. The Urban Taskforce support this timeframe and are pleased to see a clear deadline established and progress being made by the government on the delivery of this piece of critical infrastructure. 
The sooner we progress these plans, the sooner the development industry can commence the formation and growth of the Aerotropolis on the ground.
This will lay the platform for the residents of Western Sydney to reap the benefits of additional jobs, homes and growth.
However, it was not all bouquets for the NSW Government.
Mr Forrest said that he was concerned that property values had already been driven up, even before the rezoning process has commenced, based on a series of government announcements.
If the NSW government adds additional State Infrastructure charges or “value capture contributions” (taxes) on top of already inflated land prices, they risk sterilising the land by rendering development unfeasible. The details of these charges have not yet been determined and every effort should be made to keep them to a minimum to ensure that the development and jobs (as well as GST revenue and stamp duties) can flow asap.
Further detail on the SIC and Value Capture charging regime, along with details of supporting infrastructure, are anticipated to be released next year.
It is critical that all supporting infrastructure is planned for and provided alongside the development of the aerotropolis.
Urban Taskforce believes that the State Government should fund infrastructure around the aerotropolis to stimulate an economic boom. They will reap the benefits from the subsequent taxation revenue. To put this burden on developers risks stopping the development happening at all.
The Western Sydney Planning Partnership should be commended for coordinating different levels of government as well as infrastructure agencies to collaborate on this very complex project.
TOM FORREST is the CEO of Urban Taskforce
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Urban Taskforce welcomes release of Western Sydney Aerotropolis Plan: Tom Forrest

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EXPERT OBSERVER
The Urban Taskforce welcomes the move to increase height limits in the city of Sydney. Sydney Tower has set the cap since 1981, and it is high time that was removed.
The new cap established by Clover Moore and Rob Stokes of 330m in the CBD is sensible. But the additional height appears to be biased towards commercial development. The Urban Taskforce calls on both State and Local Governments to continue to support mixed use development and keep Sydney alive, 24 hours a day.
This announcement effectively reverses the “Living Sydney” philosophy, established by Hon Frank Sartor and Hon Lucy Turnbull, which kick-started the Sydney CBD after years of inactivity prior to the Sydney Olympics. As Lord Mayor, Clover Moore herself became a champion of the live-work-play “24-hour city”. A mix of retail, commercial and residential building uses is critical to this.
This new plan includes in the fine print a concerning shift away from residential development in the CBD of Sydney, and it is not consistent with what the City of Sydney proposed to the Government in its plans.
After the IPC and the Department of Planning’s failure to support jobs and investment with its decision in the Ritz Carlton Hotel proposal in Pyrmont, this could be another blow to the growth of Sydney.
It was anti resident rules that turned the Sydney CBD into a ghost town, pocked with empty holes in the ground and half-built buildings like World Square in the 1990s.
The Government has just reversed its last effort to kill the Sydney night-time economy through its licensing law restrictions – and now the Planning Minister appears to be trying to return sections of the CBD to an empty wind tunnel without people after dark.
Residents in the city enliven the city. The live-work-play 24-hour city thrives where there is mixed use.
The activation of Sydney’s CBD south of Market Street is there because of the Living Sydney vision which included mixed-use high-rise development. North of Market Street, the city is still dead after dark, except for the Rocks area where there is activation through high rise residential accommodation.
This plan has been sitting with the Department of Planning for over two and a half years. The City of Sydney has been begging to have this plan finalised for over 18 months. Industry had all but given up.
The proposed heights have not changed from those proposed by the City of Sydney – in fact, they have used the very same map. The only thing that has changed since the City submitted its City of Sydney draft Central Sydney Planning Strategy the Department over 36 months ago, is that the Minister for Planning has removed the need for design excellence for these taller buildings, and taken a deliberate move to favour CBD office accommodation over CBD residential development.
The Urban Taskforce strongly asserts that quality building design and quality architecture are critical to the city’s development.
TOM FORREST is the CEO of Urban Taskforce
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Building heights go up but residents could be forced out of Sydney CBD: Tom Forrest

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GUEST OBSERVATION 
The “New Bradfield” scheme is more than an attempt to transcend environmental reality. It seeks to revive a pioneering spirit and a nation-building ethos supposedly stifled by the bureaucratic inertia of modern Australia.
This is not a new lament. Frustrated by bureaucracy, politicians in North Queensland have long criticised the slow pace of northern development.
In 1950, northern local governments blamed urban lethargy. <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/63184273?searchTerm=concern%20at%20drift%20in%20north%27s%20population&amp;searchLimits=" target="_blank">One prominent mayor</a> complained: "These young people lack the pioneering spirit of their forebears, preferring leisure and pleasure to hardships and hard work."
These sentiments were inspired by an agrarian nostalgia that extolled toil and toughness. Stoic responses to the challenges of life on the land are part of the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/9284258" target="_blank">Australian legend</a>.
With drought devastating rural and urban communities and a state election looming in Queensland in 2020, <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/queensland/leaders-tout-bradfield-scheme-options-in-queensland-election-fight-20191101-p536o2" target="_blank">both sides of politics</a> have proposed a “New Bradfield” scheme.
An idea with 19th-century origins
Civil engineer John Bradfield devised the original scheme in 1938. His plan would <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/97050378?browse=ndp%3Abrowse%2Ftitle%2FQ%2Ftitle%2F379%2F1939%2F05%2F04%2Fpage%2F10280686%2Farticle%2F97050378" target="_blank">swamp inland Australia</a> by reversing the flow of North Queensland’s rivers. Similar proposals go back to at least 1887, when geographer <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/35590102?q&amp;versionId=44284267+219718360+231090219" target="_blank">E.A. Leonard recommended</a> the Herbert, Tully, Johnstone and Barron rivers be turned around to irrigate Australia’s “<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/13361128" target="_blank">dead heart</a>”.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/302057/original/file-20191117-66921-mj64sz.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/302057/original/file-20191117-66921-mj64sz.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Blencoe Falls, on a tributary of the Herbert River, North Queensland, during the dry season. Patrick White, Author provided
As the “dead heart” became the “<a href="http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/finlayson-hedley-herbert-14881" target="_blank">Red Centre</a>” in the 1930s, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/6707892?q&amp;versionId=7723963" target="_blank">populist writers</a> revived the dreams of big irrigation schemes.
These schemes have always been contested on both <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-06-18/fact-file-bradfield-scheme-drought-relief/11216616" target="_blank">environmental and economic grounds</a>. A <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/20252029" target="_blank">compelling history of Bradfield’s</a> proposal reveals many errors and miscalculations. But what the scheme lacked in substance it made up for in grandiose vision.
<a href="https://www.textpublishing.com.au/books/the-water-dreamers" target="_blank">Water dreaming</a> has been a powerful theme in Australian history. The desire to transform desert into farmland retains appeal and <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/97099323?searchTerm=bradfield%20AND%20%22Nimmo%22&amp;searchLimits=exactPhrase=Nimmo%7C%7C%7CanyWords%7C%7C%7CnotWords%7C%7C%7CrequestHandler%7C%7C%7CdateFrom=1944-01-01%7C%7C%7CdateTo=1948-01-01%7C%7C%7Cl-advstate=National%7C%7C%7Cl-advstate=New+South+Wales%7C%7C%7Cl-advstate=Queensland%7C%7C%7Cl-advstate=Victoria%7C%7C%7Csortby" target="_blank">discredited</a> schemes like Bradfield keep reappearing.
Contempt for nature and country
While less ambitious than the original plan, the “New Bradfield” scheme still engineers against the gradient of both history and nature. It would have irreversible consequences for Queensland’s <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/am/experts-dismiss-new-drought-proofing-bradfield-scheme/11666006" target="_blank">environment</a>, society and culture.
What’s more, the new scheme manifests much the same mindset as the old.
It’s an attitude that privileges the conquest of nature: in this case literally up-ending geography by turning east-flowing rivers westward. Its celebration of the human struggle against defiant nature reprises the pioneering ethos.
Like many pioneers, “New Bradfield” proposals disregard the interests and land-management practices of Indigenous people. The bushfires ravaging the eastern states show the folly of <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-14/traditional-owners-predicted-bushfire-disaster/11700320?sf223598160=1&amp;fbclid=IwAR2UkvGj_wyO4s6tbRqyI5sI6UgEI6SvqkoMwxCFEkKEV6FO7ZGJfGMP3Kc" target="_blank">ignoring traditional ways of caring for country</a>.
<a href="http://www.hcourt.gov.au/cases/case_d1-2018" target="_blank">Overlooking native title realities</a> can also cost governments and communities.
Polarising debate neglects more viable projects
“New Bradfield” is promoted as “<a href="https://www.deb2020.com.au/newbradfield/?utm_source=Digitaliyf&amp;utm_medium=GSearch&amp;utm_campaign=NBradfield&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiA8K7uBRBBEiwACOm4d-0xBRkgojO1Wykl937_rMhWhPhAb2ZsKhcKHOqdM2OuG11V34XdHBoCxBMQAvD_BwE" target="_blank">an asset owned by all Queenslanders for all Queenslanders</a>”. But <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-darling-river-is-simply-not-supposed-to-dry-out-even-in-drought-109880" target="_blank">environmental destruction</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/drought-and-climate-change-are-driving-high-water-prices-in-the-murray-darling-basin-119993" target="_blank">disputes over water sales</a> in the Murray-Darling Basin sound a warning.
The Queensland Farmers Federation has <a href="https://www.qff.org.au/media-releases/qff-welcomes-lnp-commitment-new-bradfield-scheme/" target="_blank">cautiously welcomed</a> the new scheme. Others have dismissed it as a “<a href="https://www.queenslandcountrylife.com.au/story/6479100/cold-water-poured-on-bradfield-mark-ii/" target="_blank">pipe dream</a>”.
Thus, northern Australia again sits amid a polarised debate about its utility to the nation. Such polarising contests diminish the likelihood of more viable projects being implemented.
Extravagant expectations of “untapped” northern resources have been <a href="https://scholarly.info/book/northern-dreams/" target="_blank">proffered for nearly two centuries</a>. Distant governments have fantasised the Australian tropics as a land of near-limitless potential. Northern communities have many times been disappointed by the results.
Today’s promises to “<a href="https://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/news/opinion/flow-of-jobs-water-vital-for-nq-says-lnp-leader-deb-frecklington/news-story/053bb635b9cb86461ead6eedd39756ca" target="_blank">drought-proof</a>” large areas of Queensland rely on similar images. “Drought-proofing” aims to keep people on the land but often defies economic and social reality.
Dam developments have an underwhelming record
The “New Bradfield” rhetoric echoes the inflated expectations of myriad disappointing northern development plans in the past. The <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9781349905737" target="_blank">Ord River project</a> was touted as an agricultural wonder that would put hundreds of thousands of farmers into the Kimberley. Its success lies forever just over the horizon.
Much closer to the present proposal is the Burdekin Falls Dam. It sits in the lower reaches of the same river earmarked for the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-01/bradfield-scheme-is-moving-water-from-north-to-south-feasible/11662942" target="_blank">Hells Gates Dam that would feed</a> the “New Bradfield” scheme. Damming Hells Gates has been advocated since at least the 1930s and has <a href="https://www.townsvilleenterprise.com.au/news-media/news-centre/advocacy-alert-hells-gates-funding-agreement-signals-boots-on-the-ground/" target="_blank">new supporters</a>.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/302055/original/file-20191117-66921-zna3a6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
The proposed site for Hells Gates Dam is on Gugu Badhun country on the Burdekin River. Dr Theresa Petray, Author provided
Back in the 1950s, damming the Burdekin was expected to generate hydro-electric power and irrigate vast swathes of farmland. After decades of political squabbling, the dam was completed in 1988. It does not generate hydro power. Although it irrigates some land downstream, the anticipated huge agricultural expansion never happened.
The Burdekin Falls Dam has helped the regional economy and could help to overcome the water shortages of the nearby city of Townsville. But it has not met the inflated expectations widely proffered decades earlier. The benefits that would flow from another dam further upstream are likely to be even more meagre.
Grandiose visions of northern development have a habit of <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/8505121?selectedversion=NBD660057" target="_blank">failing</a>. A “New Bradfield” scheme, animated by an old pioneering ethos, is unlikely to be different.
Drought-affected communities would derive more benefit from sober proposals that acknowledge the past, integrate Indigenous knowledge and incorporate agricultural innovation.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/127010/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;">
Patrick White, PhD Candidate in History and Politics, James Cook University
Russell McGregor, Adjunct Professor of History, James Cook University
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/new-bradfield-rerouting-rivers-to-recapture-a-pioneering-spirit-127010" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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‘New Bradfield’ and how talk of rerouting rivers tries to recapture a pioneering spirit

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GUEST OBSERVATION
The effective exclusion of Uber from London, one of the digital platform’s most lucrative markets, adds to a small but significant list of places putting up roadblocks to “uberisation”.
Governments in Bulgaria, China, Denmark, Hungary and Australia’s Northern Territory have all made conditions hostile to Uber. There are partial bans in Finland, France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands.
Specific reasons for the bans differ. In the case of London it is thousands of cases of unauthorised, uninsured drivers using verified driver accounts to pick up passengers.
Behind safety concerns, though, is also a deep resentment towards Uber itself circumventing regulations. This has led, in 2016 and 2014, to thousands of drivers of London’s traditional black cabs jamming the city <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-11/london-black-cab-drivers-block-streets-in-uber-protest/7158214" target="_blank">in protest</a>.
Uberisation refers to the use of a computing platform to facilitate transactions between service providers and customers, often bypassing a traditional organisational intermediary. Uber pioneered this in “ride-sharing” and has pushed aggressively into food delivery. Its most controversial bypass is the traditional employment relationship.
This is epitomised by the case of Amita Gupta, the Australian Uber Eats driver fired for being <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace/uber-eats-driver-sacked-for-being-10-minutes-late-seeks-tribunal-appeal-20191115-p53b2f" target="_blank">ten minutes late</a> in delivering a food order. Gupta’s claim of unfair dismissal was rejected by Australia’s federal Fair Work Commission on the basis she was an independent contractor, not an employee, and therefore not covered by the protections of Australia’s Fair Work Act. (She is now appealing to the <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace/uber-eats-drivers-only-free-to-negotiate-a-lower-rate-of-pay-20191118-p53bnn" target="_blank">full bench of the Fair Work Commission</a>.)
The good news, as the London ban on Uber signals, is that uberisation is not an unstoppable force. For all its attractions to companies keen to hire labour while circumventing costly labour laws, it is destined to clash with the controls required to keep capitalism ticking over.
That’s no cause for complacency, though, because even if uberisation has its limits, we are seeing the apparent normalisation of all forms of precarious and insecure work.
The revolution that never happened
In 2015, with a crush of Uber-inspired startups rushing to market, <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2015/04/01/uberization-uber-of-everything_n_6971752" target="_blank">a Huffington Post article</a> predicted the combination of “realtime data, mobile payments, instant gratification and dynamic pricing” was the beginning of “an on-demand revolution that will ‘Uberize’ the entire economy.”
This hasn’t happened.
In the <a href="https://www.nber.org/papers/w22667" target="_blank">United States</a> the percentage of workers in precarious employment – including agency temps, contract workers, independent contractors, freelancers and the like – rose from 10.7% in 2005 to 15.8% in 2015. Only an estimated 0.5% were involved with online intermediaries like Uber.
A <a href="http://natcen.ac.uk/media/1543748/The-characteristics-of-those-in-the-gig-economy.pdf" target="_blank">2018 report</a> for Britain’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy estimated less than 1% of British workers relied on the gig economy for the majority of their income.
In Australia, our analysis of the data presented by Deloitte Access Economics for the <a href="https://www.finance.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/Deloitte_Report_Review_Collaborative_Economy.pdf" target="_blank">NSW Department of Finance, Services and Innovation</a> suggests 1.6% of the population earn money in the gig economy, often as supplement to other income.
The limits of capitalism’s logic
Uber and other labour-based digital platforms reveal the limits of the logic of contemporary capitalism: a logic based on the assumed value of deregulated markets that operate best with minimal interference by the state.
Their business models follow a textbook formula of unfettered capitalism. It eliminates employment obligations in favour of a spartan market-based economic exchange between capital and labour. Paid holidays, pension contributions, minimum wage, sick leave and protection from unfair dismissal – with a click on an app, all these hard-won rights disappear.
If this were to become the dominant economic model, it would undermine the system rather than help it flourish. More workers would find themselves among the “working poor”, unable to sustain themselves and their families. The burden on the welfare state would increase. Conflict and industrial unrest would escalate, as it has wherever Uber has set up shop, be it in <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/almost-100-000-drivers-accuse-uber-of-wage-theft-20191108-p538kv" target="_blank">New York</a>, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/business-48190176" target="_blank">London</a>, <a href="https://fortune.com/2016/12/16/france-uber-protest/" target="_blank">Paris</a>, <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/spain-police-crane-lift-taxis-to-break-anti-uber-protest/a-47269876" target="_blank">Madrid</a>, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-europe-39046463/uber-threat-drives-noisy-italy-protests-by-taxi-drivers" target="_blank">Rome</a>, <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/germanys-taxi-drivers-protest-uber-deregulation-plans/a-48277628" target="_blank">Berlin</a>, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-africa-49008968/uber-drivers-in-nairobi-explain-why-they-are-on-strike" target="_blank">Nairobi</a>, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/08/violence-erupts-taxi-uber-drivers-johannesburg" target="_blank">Johannesburg</a>, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-uber-ola-strike/uber-ola-drivers-strike-in-india-demanding-higher-fares-idUSKCN1MW1WZ" target="_blank">Delhi</a>, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-asia-35868569/scuffles-at-jakarta-uber-protest" target="_blank">Jakarta</a> or <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05-08/uber-drivers-stage-global-protest-over-pay-and-conditions/11092696" target="_blank">Melbourne</a>.
The business model is parasitical. It depends on the regular economy to subsidise it. And yet this is still not enough. To date <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/lensherman/2017/12/14/why-cant-uber-make-money/#45bd196e10ec" target="_blank">Uber has never recorded a profit</a>. When it listed on the New York Stock Exchange, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-12/uber-ipo-filing-warns-that-drivers-will-be-even-less-happy" target="_blank">its Initial Public Offering filing</a> revealed its plan to further “reduce driver incentives to improve our financial performance”.
Normalising precarious work
While we can be relieved the gig economy hasn’t become more widespread, it is a concern that these platforms’ high profiles and extensive marketing have helped normalise and sanitise business models with parasitical employment practices.
Celebrities to have fronted Uber Eats advertisements in Australia, for example, include Boy George, Sophie Monk, Naomi Watts, Nic Naitanui, Ryan Moloney, Peter FitzSimons, Rebel Wilson, Ruby Rose, Lee Lin Chin and Ray Martin. Its most recent campaign features Jimmy Barnes, John Farnham and Anh Do.
Such endorsements have arguably helped to make Uber Eats and all forms of precarious work more acceptable.
In Australia, some research suggests the number of workers who feel insecure in their jobs has been <a href="https://theconversation.com/workers-are-actually-feeling-less-insecure-in-their-jobs-81836" target="_blank">relatively stable for the past two decades</a>, as have <a href="https://theconversation.com/factcheck-has-the-level-of-casual-employment-in-australia-stayed-steady-for-the-past-18-years-56212" target="_blank">casualisation</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/australian-jobs-arent-becoming-less-secure-99739" target="_blank">self-employment</a>. But Australia also tops the OECD <a href="https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2018/05/australia-tops-oecd-insecure-work/" target="_blank">in its levels of casual and contract work</a>. Given <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/aug/14/wage-growth-in-australia-stagnant-at-23-despite-hourly-rate-rise" target="_blank">stagnant wage growth</a>, <a href="http://www.roymorgan.com/findings/7733-wealth-inequality-in-australia-is-getting-worse-201809210554" target="_blank">widening inequality</a>, <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/BriefingBook45p/HousingAffordability" target="_blank">falling housing affordability</a>, a <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/business-advice/politics/wage-theft-woolworths-senate/" target="_blank">mounting wage theft crisis</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/self-employment-and-casual-work-arent-increasing-but-so-many-jobs-are-insecure-whats-going-on-100668" target="_blank">growing corporate power</a>, it is clear that feelings of insecurity and precariousness about work are painfully real for many.
So even without Uber taking over the world, we might all end up damagingly closer to the situation workers like Amita Gupta have found themselves in.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/127234/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;">
Peter Fleming, Professor, University of Technology Sydney.
Carl Rhodes, Professor of Organization Studies, University of Technology Sydney.
Kyoung-Hee Yu, Associate Professor, University of Technology Sydney.
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/uber-might-not-take-over-the-world-but-it-is-still-normalising-job-insecurity-127234" target="_blank">original article</a>.
Photo credit: <a href="http://www.quotecatalog.com/" target="_blank">www.quotecatalog.com</a>
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Uber might not take over the world, but it is still normalising job insecurity

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Videos showing autonomous or self-driving vehicles weaving in and out of crossroads at speed without colliding suggest this technology will solve traffic problems. You almost never see pedestrians or cyclists in these videos. The reality is that they don’t fit.
The vision of autonomous traffic is either of a large convoy of vehicles just a metre apart moving along road corridors at 100km/h, or of vehicles in an urban setting where their sensors are picking up every pedestrian movement and slowing or stopping. In the first case, the vehicles form an impenetrable barrier to pedestrians or cyclists (who, like on a freeway, will probably be banned). In the second case, pedestrians and cyclists are able to ruin traffic flow and are <a href="https://theconversation.com/nothing-to-fear-how-humans-and-other-intelligent-animals-might-ruin-the-autonomous-vehicle-utopia-114504" target="_blank">likely to just take over streets</a>.
It occurs to me this is a really good thing for our cities. I worried that the vision some had (mostly car makers, I suspect) was of a city completely taken over by self-driving vehicles.
All public transport would be gone as thousands of these vehicles scattered along every street looking for on-demand passengers. Historic centres and tram corridors would be ruined and we would no longer be able to appreciate their walkable character.
However, we may instead be able to take the best features of autonomous mobility technology to create cities that are more productive, liveable, inclusive and sustainable.
How would we do this?
The first thing is to realise that for 20-30 years cities around the world have been <a href="https://islandpress.org/books/end-automobile-dependence" target="_blank">getting rid of cars in their centres</a> and subcentres, drawing on the ideas of urban designers like <a href="https://islandpress.org/books/cities-people" target="_blank">Jan Gehl</a>. This trend includes Australian cities. These centres are where the knowledge economy workers who drive innovation want to live and work.
Cities are not going to easily give up their cherished walkability to thousands of self-driving vehicles. Cities mostly are planning more walkable centres with even more public transport and fewer cars; they are unlikely to yield to autonomous vehicle ideology.
It’s more likely cities will ban self-driving vehicles from these centres, with just one small entry and exit point to enable vehicle access. Cities will not want to kill off the economic and social golden goose of walkable centres, let alone abandon climate change plans to reduce car use.
The second thing is that these active walkable centres are being heavily supported by quality public transport. Fortunately, autonomous technology is also being applied to transit services such as the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-trackless-trams-are-ready-to-replace-light-rail-103690" target="_blank">trackless tram</a>. These are guided but not driverless, like <a href="https://urbantransportnews.com/worlds-fastest-high-speed-driverless-bullet-train-starts-service-in-china/" target="_blank">high-speed rail</a> and <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-05-31/driverless-trains-embraced-around-the-globe-what-could-go-wrong/11155858" target="_blank">metros</a>, as they need drivers at times.
Not only could autonomous technology improve transit services, it could also take over some major road corridors that are failing at peak times. This could create an alternative rapid transit route <a href="https://theconversation.com/going-down-the-same-old-road-driverless-cars-arent-a-fix-for-our-transport-woes-50912" target="_blank">carrying the equivalent of six to eight lanes of traffic</a>.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/303670/original/file-20191126-112512-11owrk3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/303670/original/file-20191126-112512-11owrk3.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Data source: author provided
The ‘movement and place’ approach
Around the world and in Australia, cities are looking to make roads into combined “<a href="https://www.governmentarchitect.nsw.gov.au/guidance/movement-and-place" target="_blank">movement and place</a>” sites – some places will remain highly walkable and some will be just for movement but special corridors will be for both so they <a href="https://transport.vic.gov.au/our-transport-future/movement-and-place-in-victoria" target="_blank">keep people and goods moving and are places for people to live, work and enjoy</a>. This approach gives priority to fast public transport using light rail or trackless trams combined with higher-density development around their stations.
The big issue on such corridors is how to get rid of cars so mass transit services have a fast, free lane to travel along as well as walkable station precincts to enter. Such a system would be much more efficient in traffic terms, but car users don’t easily give up their right to space.
However, the inherent problem with self-driving vehicles is that they will make a corridor impenetrable and travel through a dense precinct ridiculously slow and unpredictable. The politics will therefore shift towards a fast transit corridor along main roads together with walkable, car-free station precincts.
Self-driving cars can help make the fast corridor work as they are ideal for bringing on-demand passengers to the precincts where people can access local services and transfer to the fast transit line. This integrated service enables the best of both mobility solutions: fast and effective access, without destroying either the corridor or centres, and an on-demand local service as shown below.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/299399/original/file-20191030-154675-qyah35.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/299399/original/file-20191030-154675-qyah35.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Author provided
Each centre will have micro-mobility options feeding into the transit system and the station precinct services. These options will provide “first mile-last mile” connectivity on demand. They include walking, electric bikes, scooters, skateboards and autonomous shuttles or cars that travel to and from the centre along a specific isolated route.
Certain main roads would have to be declared as clearways for autonomous electric transit, with a set of stations serving high-density centres for urban regeneration. Autonomous vehicles could reign supreme out in the suburbs that were built around the car, but would not interfere with existing or new transit corridors as well as the historic and new centres where pedestrians would reign supreme. Such is the vision of the City of Liverpool for a <a href="https://www.liverpool.nsw.gov.au/development/major-projects/fifteenth-avenue-smart-transit-fast-corridor" target="_blank">trackless tram route to Western Sydney Airport</a>.
This vision is not anti-autonomous vehicles. It is enabling innovations to serve us rather than being our master. We cannot simply give up our cities to cars just when we are learning to overcome such dependence.
To make the most of autonomous vehicles’ advantages and avoid the disadvantages, we must choose to shape our cities. Autonomous transit services with feed-in autonomous cars and micro-mobility can achieve the walkability and civility we need for a good city in the future.
Peter Newman, Professor of Sustainability, Curtin University.
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/driverless-vehicles-and-pedestrians-dont-mix-so-how-do-we-re-arrange-our-cities-126111" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Driverless vehicles and pedestrians don’t mix. So how do we re-arrange our cities?

Repeat buyers are one of the strongest measures of confidence in any apartment development.

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/era-newcastle-west-124-126-bull-street-newcastle-west-nsw-2302">ERA</a> in Newcastle West, some purchasers are returning to <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/gwh">GWH</a> after living at the developer's One Apartments. Their decision to purchase again was driven by the quality of life they found after moving into their first GWH home.

Keith Wilton had spent years living in a house in East Maitland before deciding it was time for a change. Apartment living had always been on his radar, but he was selective about what he wanted.

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"I had some boxes I wanted to tick," he says.

Keith points to the open-plan design, generous outdoor areas and considered inclusions as key reasons One Apartments worked for him.

“One of those things was a nice indoor open plan area, but also I wanted a nice outdoor open area that I could entertain on in summer or Christmases or birthdays,” he says.

He also found value in the smaller details, from integrated appliances to shared resident spaces including the pool, cinema and rooftop areas.

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After comparing several developments, he chose One Apartments because of GWH's longstanding local reputation and his own experience working with the developer on a commercial project more than a decade earlier.

"I knew that they were local, that the quality of the build was going to be up there. I'd looked at other apartment complexes around and close by, and I just knew that here was a better decision location wise."

Today, Keith says the move has completely changed how he experiences Newcastle.

"I enjoy living in this location because it's more of a lifestyle change. That Newcastle city living where you can walk to restaurants and bars and even beaches and parks and even shopping across the road."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356828]

Beyond the location, he says it's the sense of community that has surprised him most.

"Everyone loves living here because they chose to live here, but everyone looks out for each other. It's a real great community feel here."

For Aimee and Lyle Goodman, the journey started almost by chance.

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The couple happened to be having coffee in Newcastle when they noticed the site where One Apartments was about to begin construction.

"We were aware GWH was planning a development," Aimee says. "We made one phone call and things moved pretty quickly after that."

As busy business owners, they initially thought apartment living would simply reduce the maintenance that came with larger homes. Instead, it fundamentally changed how they spent time together.

"We actually catch up more as a family now," Aimee says.

"We've had homes with big yards and lots of space, but everyone ended up in different rooms. Here we'll have dinner together, the kids can play, and we spend far more quality time together."

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Lyle says their confidence came from GWH's reputation within Newcastle's building industry.

"I know people who've worked across different apartment projects, and whenever GWH came up the feedback was always the same. They're rock solid. They're quality."

That confidence only grew throughout the buying process.

"One of the things that really impressed us with GWH was the whole process, was the communication," Lyle says. "It was consistent, it was regular, there was no problem if we had some weird questions, there was no problems in getting answers."

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Aimee says one moment stood out.

"The project actually finished on time. We realised we needed to hurry up and sell our house because everything was happening exactly when they said it would."

The positive experience at One Apartments ultimately gave all three buyers the confidence to purchase again with GWH, this time at ERA.

Their confidence reflects what many buyers are seeking in today's apartment market. Location remains important, but so too does certainty around delivery, quality and long-term liveability.

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ERA builds on those foundations with 280 one, two and three-bedroom apartments across two landmark towers in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/newcastle-west-nsw-2302">Newcastle West</a>.&nbsp;

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fk-australia">Fender Katsalidis</a>, the project will include more than 2,000 square metres of resident amenities, including a resort-style pool, gym, sauna, private cinema and rooftop entertaining spaces overlooking the harbour and coastline.&nbsp;

The development is also within walking distance of the Newcastle Interchange, Honeysuckle, Darby Street, the harbour foreshore, restaurants, retail and the city’s beaches, continuing the walkable lifestyle that existing GWH buyers say has transformed how they live.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356826]

For Keith, the appeal remains straightforward.

"You feel at home even before you've moved into your home."

For Aimee, the change is measured in time.

“I just felt like I had more time,” she says.

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Construction at ERA is now underway, with more than half of the residences already sold and limited two and three-bedroom apartments remaining in the East Tower release. Priced from $980,000 for two-bedroom residences and $1.46 million for three-bedroom residences, buyers can secure an apartment with a 10 per cent deposit, with premium homes offering ocean views from Level 8 and harbour views from Level 10.

ERA is also backed by Resilience Insurance's 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy, providing protection against structural or waterproofing defects for 10 years after completion. The project is anticipated to be completed in early 2028.

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Joel Robinson

From ONE to ERA: Why buyers are choosing GWH again in Newcastle West

Virgate Property Group is preparing to commence construction of Verdé, its new apartment development in Melbourne's Arts Precinct at Southbank, following a strong run of sales that has seen more than half of the project's 173 apartments secured.

Verdé has attracted a broad mix of first home buyers, owner-occupiers upgrading from nearby inner-city suburbs and investors, with younger owner-occupier couples aged between 28 and 45 accounting for the strongest enquiry. Many are already living in Southbank, South Melbourne, Albert Park, Port Melbourne, South Yarra and the CBD.

"Verdé is located in one of the most desirable pockets of southern Melbourne," Blair Property Group Director Darren Blair, who is managing sales at Verdé, said.

"It's within walking distance of the Arts Centre, Royal Botanic Gardens, Albert Park Lake, and Southbank's restaurants and retail. It's a great lifestyle location with strong amenity and liveability, which made it a very attractive choice for the project."

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Virgate was already familiar with the precinct, having previously delivered the successful Domain House development in neighbouring South Melbourne. That experience gave the developer confidence to acquire the Coventry Street site and continue expanding its presence in Melbourne's inner south.

"We had been keeping an eye on the site and the broader precinct for a few months before deciding to move forward with the acquisition," Virgate said.

The project was ultimately secured in 2020 following feasibility studies, planning assessments and due diligence, with the brief centred on delivering "a high-quality, considered design that feels both refined and fit for purpose."

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Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bruce-henderson-architects">Bruce Henderson Architects</a>, Verdé comprises 173 one, two and three-bedroom apartments priced from $599,000. The architecture is distinguished by a faceted glass façade that responds to both the site's outlook and Melbourne's changing light conditions.

According to Bruce Henderson Architects, the coloured glazing gives the building a distinctive identity while also providing privacy and solar shading, with residences oriented to capture views across the bay, city skyline and surrounding parklands.

Inside, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/designoffice">DesignOffice</a> has created interiors focused on natural light, efficient planning and enduring materials. Apartments feature engineered oak flooring, natural stone benchtops, floor-to-ceiling glazing and SMEG appliances, while a restrained material palette aims to complement the expansive outlooks rather than compete with them.

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Resident amenity has also been designed around everyday functionality rather than occasional use. Facilities include a concierge-serviced lobby, residents' lounge with fireplace, library and co-working space, gym, terrace garden with barbecue facilities, ground-floor café, and package delivery management.

The project's location continues to be one of its strongest drawcards. Positioned on Coventry Street, Verdé sits within walking distance of the National Gallery of Victoria, Arts Centre Melbourne, Royal Botanic Gardens and Albert Park Lake, while Southbank's dining precinct, Sturt Street trams and the new ANZAC Station are all nearby. The surrounding education catchment also includes Melbourne Grammar, Melbourne Girls Grammar, Mac.Robertson Girls' High School and several major university campuses.

The sales team says buyers have responded particularly well to the combination of location, design quality and long-term liveability.

"They're responding really positively to the quality of the design, premium resident amenities and the uninterrupted views. Many also appreciate the location and how connected it is to everything they need."

The ability to secure stamp duty savings before completion has also been a key factor for purchasers, alongside the opportunity to personalise finishes ahead of settlement.

With construction set to commence soon and more than half the apartments already sold, Verdé enters its next phase as one of the Arts Precinct's more established apartment developments, offering remaining buyers an opportunity to secure a residence before construction advances further. Expected completion is scheduled for late 2027.

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Virgate's Verdé Southbank moves toward construction as sales fly past halfway stage

Downsizer-focused apartment development Kooyongkoot in Hawthorn has been recognised at the 2026 Better Future Melbourne Design Awards, taking home Gold and Silver awards in two categories.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kooyongkoot-hawthorn-1-kooyongkoot-road-hawthorn-vic-3122">Kooyongkoot</a>, currently being delivered by developer PQD and designed by Cera Stribley, received Gold in the Interior Design – Proposed category and Silver in the Architecture – Proposed category.

The dual recognition reflects the design approach behind the boutique development on prestigious Kooyongkoot Road, where the focus has been on creating homes for downsizers seeking the space, quality and functionality of a detached house within a low-rise apartment building.

Rather than maximising apartment numbers, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/pqd">PQD</a> and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cera-stribley-architects">Cera Stribley</a> limited the development to just 18 residences, allowing for larger floorplans, greater privacy, generous landscaping and expansive communal spaces.&nbsp;The majority of the apartments also benefit from corner aspects, allowing for dual sources of natural light.

Now around 70 per cent complete and on track for completion in November 2026, Kooyongkoot will comprise a mix of garden residences, ter​race apartments, sub-penthouses, and is crowned by two half-floor penthouses with direct lift access and private rooftop terraces.

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The Silver Award for Architecture recognised the way the building responds to its prominent corner position at the ent​rance to Hawthorn's Scotch Hill precinct, one of Melbourne's most established residential neighbourhoods.

Rather than competing with the grand homes that line Kooyongkoot Road, the architectural approach focused on restraint and longevity, using curved brickwork, generous landscaping and carefully considered proportions to integrate with the existing streetscape.

"The form feels fluid and timeless, as though shaped by the landscape itself – architecture that belongs, rather than competes," said Chris Stribley, Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Cera Stribley.

The judging submission also highlighted practical innovations throughout the building, including lift cores servicing only nine homes each, a central landscaped lightcourt designed to bring daylight and ventilation into the building, and fully enclosed private storage rooms with lighting, power and shelving to better accommodate residents transitioning from larger family homes.

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The Gold Award for Interior Design recognised the project's focus on long-term liveability rather than display-home aesthetics.

According to the awards submission, the interiors were designed from the inside out, prioritising how homes would function over decades of daily use through generous proportions, practical storage, durable natural materials and flexible layouts.

The specification includes natural stone throughout, upgraded acoustic glazing, V-ZUG appliances and fully enclosed storage rooms, alongside an amenity offering focused on wellness, entertainment and everyday convenience.&nbsp;

Residents will have access to a gym and yoga studio, a wellness centre featuring traditional and infrared saunas, a cold therapy shower and treatment room, as well as a residents' lounge and golf simulator/cinema room for entertainment.&nbsp;Kooyongkoot has also considered the everyday convenience of its residents by offering a private carwash and pet wash facilities on site as well as dedicated parcel lockers and oversized fully enclosed storage rooms.&nbsp;

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The project's attention to detail has already resonated with buyers. Earlier this year, Kooyongkoot recorded one of Boroondara's highest apartment sales when an $8 million penthouse was purchased by a Melbourne CEO downsizing from a nearby family home.

"Every detail feels deliberate, from the overall design down to the smallest touches," the purchaser said.

"The level of quality and refinement is exceptional, but what really sold it was how liveable it felt... It felt like a place where everything had been considered, not just a luxury building."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102717 project_image_fid=355304]

Sustainability also formed a key part of both award submissions. Kooyongkoot is targeting a minimum 7.5-star NatHERS rating across all residences, supported by passive design principles, high-performance glazing, EV charging infrastructure, water reuse systems and a wellness model focused on lower-energy dry facilities rather than pools and large wet areas.

Located within walking distance of Scotch College, Methodist Ladies' College, Koo​yong Lawn Tennis Club, Aubur​n Village and Camberwell Junction, Kooyongkoot continues to target owner-occupiers looking to remain in Melbourne's inner east without compromising on space or quality. A limited selection of two, three and four-bedroom residences remains available, with prices starting from $1.9 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=102717]

Kooyongkoot wins Gold and Silver at Better Future Melbourne Design Awards

New apartment supply has become increasingly constrained across <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/parramatta-nsw-2150">Parramatta</a> in recent years, with fewer projects progressing through to completion as development conditions have become more challenging.

It makes <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/novm">NOVM</a>'s 2021-completed <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/the-lennox-parramatta-12-phillip-street-parramatta-nsw-2150">The Lennox</a> one of the most recently completed residential towers on the Parramatta River, and among the newest apartment developments in Sydney's second CBD.

With the project largely completed before the sharp escalation in construction costs and inflation following the pandemic, The Lennox is now offering pricing that would be difficult to replicate in a comparable new development in Parramatta today, or across much of Western Sydney.

The majority of the 413 apartments at The Lennox sold before and shortly after completion. A limited release of the remaining apartments has recently been brought to market by capital partner <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/equitifund-group">Equitifund</a>, with entry-level pricing from $700,000 and two-bedroom apartments available from under $1 million.

Rising above the Parramatta River at 12 Phillip Street, The Lennox comprises one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments, appealing to first home buyers, young professionals, families, downsizers and interstate investors seeking a completed apartment in one of Australia's fastest-growing economic centres.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=372394]

Rather than positioning Parramatta as an alternative to Sydney's CBD, Equitifund believes the city has reached a point where it stands on its own merits.

"Parramatta is no longer simply an alternative to Sydney CBD, it's becoming a destination in its own right," Equitifund Executive Chairman Greg Huxley said.

"The Lennox captures that evolution with a level of quality and amenity that's difficult to match at its price point."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=953]

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/marchese-partners">Marchese Partners</a>, the tower responds directly to its riverfront setting through expansive glazing and open-plan layouts that maximise views across the Parramatta River and city skyline. Interiors feature engineered timber flooring, stone benchtops, stainless steel appliances and floor-to-ceiling glazing, while generous balconies extend the living spaces outdoors.

Marchese Partners says the project was conceived to balance high-quality apartment living with practical, long-term functionality, pairing larger, efficient floorplans with amenities more commonly associated with five-star hotels.

That emphasis continues through the resident facilities, which include a 20-metre rooftop swimming pool, fully equipped gym and wellness spaces, full-time concierge, a residents' lounge, function room, private lifts, secure basement parking and rooftop communal areas overlooking the Parramatta River. Ground-floor boardwalk retail and dining further activate the riverfront and integrate the building into the surrounding public realm.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=925]

Australian housing and finance group Equitifund has secured the remaining apartments, believing there are few completed apartment opportunities in Parramatta that offer the same combination of location, amenity and pricing.

Equitifund National Sales Director Ben Hamblett says buyers are increasingly recognising that premium apartment living no longer needs to come with Sydney CBD pricing.

"The Lennox is where aspirational living becomes attainable," Hamblett said.

"Wake to river and mountain views, step into Sydney's Second CBD, and arrive home to resort-calibre amenities, all without the harbour price tag."

Hamblett says owner-occupiers are also attracted by the convenience of having Westfield Parramatta, Church Street's dining precinct, Parramatta Park, Riverside Theatres, Western Sydney University and major transport connections all within walking distance.

"At The Lennox, lifestyle is not an afterthought, it is the foundation."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5743 project_image_fid=5374]

The Lennox places residents within walking distance of Parramatta Square, Westfield Parramatta, Church Street Eat Street, Parramatta Station, the ferry wharf, Light Rail, the future Sydney Metro West, Parramatta Park and CommBank Stadium, reinforcing Parramatta's position as one of Australia's most connected metropolitan centres outside Sydney's CBD.

Equitifund says buyers visiting the display suite consistently comment on the quality of the finishes, generous floorplans, river and skyline views, and the walkability of the location. The project has attracted a broad mix of local professionals, upsizers, downsizers, buyers relocating from Sydney's inner suburbs and interstate investors seeking long-term growth opportunities.

That demand aligns with Parramatta's continued evolution as an economic powerhouse. Equitifund Research and Market Insights specialist John Bekiaris says sustained population growth, infrastructure investment and expanding employment opportunities continue to support long-term housing demand across the city.

"Parramatta has evolved from a satellite city into one of Australia's most important economic centres. Population growth, infrastructure investment and employment are all supporting sustained long-term housing demand."

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=5743]

The apartment price gap drawing Sydney buyers west

A luxury beachfront apartment at Rainbow Bay has more than doubled in value since it sold off the plan six years ago, setting a new local apartment record in the process.

The three-bedroom apartment in the Flow development on Petrie Street, the first of four new projects locally by Paul Gedoun's S&amp;S Projects, has sold for $7.4 million, after originally selling for $3.27 million when the project launched in 2020.

The seventh-floor apartment, comprising 187 sqm of internal living space and a 54 sqm balcony overlooking Froggies Beach and Snapper Rocks, was purchased by a local family.

The transaction was negotiated by Pezet Matheson director Kerry Pezet and equates to more than $30,000 per sqm.

Pezet said the sale reflected the limited opportunities to buy into the boutique beachfront development.

"The sale highlights the rarity of opportunities within the boutique beachfront development, where residences seldom become available," Pezet said.

"Flow is one of the Gold Coast's most tightly held buildings. Buyers from our database move quickly when residences become available, and achieving an off-market sale at $7.4 million demonstrates the depth of demand for property of this calibre."

<img alt="Flow" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c585b206-2130-4eee-a50c-3f27c51a7c70" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-06%20at%208.33.25%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=m3pHRDV62Y3fvN.XQuQHq.52ilTWpRLf" />

Flow was the first of four luxury apartment developments delivered by Paul Gedoun's S&amp;S Projects at Rainbow Bay and was completed in 2023.

Positioned on the beachfront overlooking Snapper Rocks, the residence includes three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a powder room and views stretching north along the coastline towards Surfers Paradise.

Pezet Matheson Residential principal Mitchell Lambert said buyers continued to prioritise quality beachfront apartments in tightly held locations.

"Flow Residences offers a rare combination of elevated beachfront positioning, architectural excellence, comprehensive resident amenity and premium finishes, which is exactly what discerning purchasers are seeking," Lambert said.

"The transaction further reinforces Rainbow Bay's reputation as one of Australia's premier coastal lifestyle destinations, where limited supply and growing demand continue to support strong market performance."

Pezet Matheson originally marketed and sold out Flow off the plan, making the latest transaction a return to one of the project's original buyers.

Paul Gedoun is selling his third project, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/radia-rainbow-bay-271-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Radia Rainbow Bay</a>, after recently completing, and selling out, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/esprit-217-227-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Esprit</a>. He has plans for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/first-look-s-s-projects-proposes-88-apartment-wellness-tower-at-coolangattas-boundary-street">fourth building</a>, 88 apartments on <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/209-213-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Boundary Street</a>.

Staff reporter

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