<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVATION
In February, about 600,000 cattle were killed by catastrophic flooding across north Queensland’s Carpentaria Gulf plains.
The flood waters rose suddenly, forming a wall of water up to 70 kilometres wide. Record depths were reached along 500 kilometres of the Flinders River, submerging 25,000 square kilometres of country. Cattle were stranded. Many drowned.
Even though cattleman Harry Batt lost 70% of his herd, he was <a href="https://www.thecourier.com.au/story/5906068/queensland-floods-decimate-native-wildlife/?cs=10229" target="_blank">more concerned about the wildlife</a>. He said, “all the kangaroos, and bloody little marsupial mice and birds, they couldn’t handle it”.
Harry was right to be concerned. As our research, published today in <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/aec.12803" target="_blank">Austral Ecology</a>, reveals, floods sweeping Australia’s plains have disrupted native species for millions of years. Now, as climate change drives <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10584-016-1689-y" target="_blank">more intense flooding</a>, we will see this effect intensify.
Flooding causes major disruptions to gene flow
February’s flood came ten years to the day after a <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/qld/flood/fld_reports/gulf_floods_jan_mar_2009.pdf" target="_blank">far bigger flood</a> on the adjoining river systems that submerged an area larger than Ireland. It was this flood that first drew our attention to the plight of native species.
Noel was asked by <a href="https://mynortherngulf.org/" target="_blank">Northern Gulf Resource Management Group</a> to survey wildlife in areas affected by the 2009 flood. Over the following four years, he found almost no ground-dwelling reptiles, despite them occurring elsewhere in the region. They appeared to have been washed away or drowned.
Biologists have long known that many species’ ranges are interrupted by the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1071/MU9870158" target="_blank">Gulf Plains</a>. Hence, these floodplains are considered one of Australia’s most important biogeographic barriers: the Carpentarian Gap.
Many closely related species with a common ancestor are separated by this Gap, including the Golden-shouldered Parrot of Cape York Peninsula and the Hooded Parrot of the Northern Territory. They are thought to have separated around <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1463-6409.2012.00561.x" target="_blank">7 million years ago</a>. 
The Gap also separates many other species, including birds, mammals, reptiles and butterflies, at the subspecies or genetic level. Even more species found on either side are just absent from the Gulf Plains.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285075/original/file-20190722-134095-gtpfir.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/285075/original/file-20190722-134095-gtpfir.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a> 
Huge flooding across the Gulf Plains, including the Norman and Flinders Rivers, in February 2009. <a href="https://worldview.earthdata.nasa.gov%20under%20Info/About" target="_blank">NASA Worldview</a>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/" target="_blank">CC BY-SA</a>
Flood impacts are immense and under-appreciated
When biologists first tried to find a reason for these patterns, they only considered aridity. They proposed <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1071/MU9870158" target="_blank">Australia’s arid zone expanded</a> to the Gulf of Carpentaria during ice ages.
There is no evidence for this, but the misunderstanding is completely understandable.
Any dry-season visitor to the Gulf Plains will find a dry, inhospitable environment with few trees or shrubs for shade, cracked clay soils, and lots of flies. European explorers described the region as “God-forsaken”.
But it can be quite a different place in the wet season.
Rains in the Gulf are caused by the summer monsoonal troughs or cyclones. About once a decade, these generate massive downpours. <a href="http://www.bom.gov.au/qld/flood/fld_history/index.shtml" target="_blank">Historical records</a> show at least 14 major floods since 1870.
So, to us, it seemed floods rather than aridity could be the cause of the odd distributions of plants and animals.
We set out to see whether Noel’s findings could have been caused by flooding or whether other factors such as soil, vegetation or climate were more important.
We also wanted to know what other effects floods might have on the region’s ecosystem. Could floods, by eliminating trees and shrubs, be responsible for the hostile appearance of the region? Could ground-dwelling reptiles and birds be underrepresented, not just at Noel’s sites, but on floodplains across the area?
To find out, we divided the area into floodplains and higher-altitude land, and generated 10,000 random sites across the Gulf Plains. We extracted soil, vegetation and rainfall data from national information sources, and examined the patterns.
We found trees and shrubs were significantly less common on floodplains than on land above the flood zone, regardless of soil or rainfall, and tree cover was further reduced on cracking clays. We concluded the plain’s open, hostile appearance is caused by a combination of soils and flooding.
We then examined all gecko, skink and bird records from the <a href="https://www.ala.org.au/" target="_blank">Atlas of Living Australia</a>.
We found ground-living reptiles and birds were much less common on the floodplains, regardless of vegetation or soil. As expected, reptiles were more sensitive to flooding than birds, which can fly to safety during floods.
Finally, we found the sites affected by the 2009 flood had significantly fewer geckos and skinks than other sites across the Gulf Plains.
Increased flooding from climate change could have major consequences
Our findings have evolutionary significance that extends into the future. Repeated disruption of species across their distributions affects gene flow and ultimately produces new species. If <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10584-016-1689-y" target="_blank">floods become more frequent</a>, as expected under climate change, so might the rates at which new species form.
They also have serious land management implications. Climate change planning emphasises conserving river corridors as safe refuges from arid conditions. However, periodic scouring of many of the nation’s floodplains – expected to increase under climate change – means that this approach needs rethinking.
We conclude that on the most arid occupied continent on Earth, unpredictable floods may cause the most disruption to the Australian plant and animal life.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/120753/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
Gabriel Crowley, Adjunct Principal Research Fellow, James Cook University.
Noel D Preece, Adjunct Asssociate Professor, 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/catastrophic-queensland-floods-killed-600-000-cattle-and-devastated-native-species-120753" target="_blank">original article</a>.
</body></html>

j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Catastrophic Queensland floods killed 600,000 cattle and devastated native species

<html><body>
Property group CFMG Capital has acquired a $10 million site at Logan Reserve to double the size of their Middleton Park Development. 
The acquisition of the 10.35 hectare site at School Road, Logan Reserve will increase the size of the company’s existing Middleton Park development from 150 lots to 336 lots.
Together with two projects (Solander and Birchwood) at Park Ridge, CFMG Capital now has more than 600 lots in its pipeline in the Logan growth area. 
The Middleton park project currently offers land from $179,000 and house and land packages from $369,500. 
CFMG Capital has seven projects in the Brisbane to Gold Coast corridor (Oakland Pocket, Creeks Edge, Lomandra Park, Elevate, Solander, Birchwood and Middleton Park) with a strong focus on the Logan growth area. 
CFMG Capital General Manager Andrew Thomson said: “As the market improves, we expect demand for these in-fill projects to increase.” 
<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/2019/8/26/IMG_1609%20w%20MPII%20outlined.jpg" alt="">
CFMG Capital now has a pipeline of more than 1,000 lots across 10 different projects in Queensland and Victoria.
Earlier this year the company announced the purchase of three parcels of land across Queensland and Victoria that will collectively yield almost 200 lots. 
The Queensland sites are located at Rochedale and Park Ridge, both of which lie in the Brisbane to Gold Coast growth corridor, and in the Melbourne suburb of Wollert, 26 kilometres north of the CBD. 
The 4.94 hectare Park Ridge site, which is bordered by Koplick and East Beaumont roads west of the Logan CBD and has already received Development Approval (DA), will feature 89 lots with an average size of 373 square metres.
</body></html>

CFMG add to Middleton Park development with $10 million Logan Reserve acquisition

<html><body>
Millions of Australians are living with money worries, according to the Finder comparison site.
<a href="https://www.finder.com.au/" target="_blank">Finder</a> research found almost one in five Aussies (19%) are extremely worried about their financial situation while a further 55% admit they are somewhat stressed – that’s a total of 14.5 million Australians who are stressed about their financial situation.
Mortgage and rent top the list of money worries, with more than one in three (35%) admitting housing was their top concern. Energy bills (26%), groceries (21%), council rates (18%), health insurance (17%) and credit card bills (14%) also make the list.
Bessie Hassan, money expert at Finder, said "with one of the highest costs of living in the world, Aussies should be taking every opportunity to cut costs where they can – and this doesn’t have to mean compromising on quality or features".
She described the winners as "the cream of the crop".
Winners who took out multiple categories included household names such as Westpac, American Express and Budget Direct, as well as new disruptors such as Australia’s first digital bank, Up Bank.
UBank’s USaver was announced as Best Savings Account, while Freedom Lend’s Variable Home loan scooped up the Best Owner-Occupier and Best Low Deposit Home Loan categories.
NobleOak was awarded for Best Life Insurance, while Boost’s $30 plan won Best Prepaid Sim (under $40).
Hassan said it was a really exciting time to be a consumer.
The <a href="http://www.finder.com.au/finderawards" target="_blank">full list of winners</a> is available on the Finder website.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/8/26/Finder%20Awards%202019.JPG" alt="">
</body></html>

Australia’s top 2019 financial products revealed: Finder

<html><body>
The government will invest $78 million for water initiatives to help drought-affected communities in NSW. 
Minister for Water, Property and Housing Melinda Pavey, alongside Member for Dubbo Dugald Saunders announced the investment would go to communities facing water shortages and water restrictions in the Macquarie valley. 
“NSW is experiencing the worst drought on record, and the NSW Government is continuing to work with communities to safeguard town water by investing in critical water initiatives, including new infrastructure,” Pavey said. 
“In June, I wrote to every Mayor in the state about the drought situation and how the NSW Government can support them as the water utility provider. This package is part of our support for our rural communities."
The package in the Macquarie Valley includes: 
<ul type="disc">
<li>$10.89 million for the staged delivery of four critical projects that extend limited available supplies for Dubbo, Wellington, Nyngan and Cobar</li>
<li>$270,000 for Gilgandra Shire Council’s Tooraweenah New Bore project</li>
<li>Up to $5.5 million to partner with Orange City Council to plan for and deliver critical drought initiatives for their community such as pumping stations to enable the use of the Cowra to Orange pipeline</li>
<li>Up to $2 million to partner with Bathurst Regional Council plan for alternate water supplies </li>
<li>Further funding to partner with Councils in the region, such as Parkes Shire Council, to review drought management plans and assist Councils with water efficiency projects and other initiatives required to help their community </li>
<li>$30 million already allocated to Dubbo Regional Council to enhance their access to groundwater</li>
<li>$2 million to already allocated to Narromine Shire Council improve Narromine’s access to deeper groundwater</li>
<li>$2 million already allocated to Bogan Shire Council for critical maintenance of the Albert Priest Channel, and,</li>
<li>$8.24 million to Bogan Shire Council from the Safe and Secure Water Program to design and construct a second water storage in Nyngan.  </li>
</ul>
“More than 40,000 people rely on the town water supply in Dubbo, with seven bores currently providing about 30% of the town’s water,” Pavey said. 
“The new initiatives come on top of the $30 million already allocated over two years for an expansion of the South Dubbo bore field that will improve groundwater supply to supplement town water and alleviate the impact of drought.
“Another town doing it tough is Narromine whose 3,500 residents are currently on level three water restrictions. Due to the drought, the yield of Council bores has decreased. We’ve allocated $2 million to improve Narromine’s access to deeper groundwater in the area.” 
The announcement is part of the $78 million critical drought initiatives that will see WaterNSW immediately build critical drought projects in the Macquarie, Upper Namoi, Peel and Border Rivers valleys. Funding will also go to partnership programs with local Councils in Tenterfield, Parkes, Gilgandra, Orange, Walcha and Bathurst.
“These communities, with a combined population of more than 180,000, are doing it the hardest. This infrastructure provide immediate benefit to the community,” Pavey said. 
Saunders said the impact of the drought is being felt beyond farms and into local communities. 
“Over $7 million will be invested to extend water availability in Macquarie River to Dubbo for over four months, with benefits being felt downstream of Burrendong and supporting major tourist attractions like the Taronga Western Plains Zoo,” Mr Saunders said.
“Dubbo is one of NSW biggest regional hubs; water security is vital to the town’s economy, local businesses and jobs.”
WaterNSW is investing in critical projects to extend water supplies in places like Dubbo, Cobar, Nyngan, Wellington and major employers, including the Western Plains Zoo, by at least another 10 months. 
The work will involve: 
<ul>
<li>Temporarily raising the Warren weir and building temporary structures in downstream creeks, </li>
<li>Planning for temporary pumping infrastructure that would be installed at Burrendong Dam to extract the water below the outlet valve, as a last resort,</li>
<li>Funding will also be made available to partner with Councils and plan for and deliver critical drought initiatives for towns like Orange, Bathurst, Tooraweenah and Parkes. </li>
</ul>
</body></html>

NSW Government announces emergency drought initiatives in Macquarie Valley 

<html><body>
EXPERT OBSERVER
Since 2000, planning authorities in Australia have overseen a massive rezoning of inner-city industrial land to make way for mixed-use residential development. They claim central industrial space is obsolete in a post-industrial economy driven by knowledge, finance, and real estate. And rezoning offers opportunities to house people near jobs and services, thereby slowing urban sprawl.
While industrial rezonings have contributed to the <a href="https://theconversation.com/density-sprawl-growth-how-australian-cities-have-changed-in-the-last-30-years-65870" target="_blank">densification of Australian cities</a>, they also open the door to real estate speculation and accelerate <a href="https://theconversation.com/when-a-suburbs-turn-for-gentrification-comes-75609" target="_blank">gentrification</a>. This has forced many people to <a href="https://theconversation.com/its-not-just-the-buildings-high-density-neighbourhoods-make-life-worse-for-the-poor-82070" target="_blank">move outward</a> in search of affordable shelter.
Rather than fostering walkable <a href="https://www.planmelbourne.vic.gov.au/current-projects/20-minute-neighbourhoods" target="_blank">20-minute neighbourhoods</a>, “<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-06-06/ghost-shops-haunting-new-developments/11184644" target="_blank">ghost shops</a>” haunt many new mixed-use residential developments. And <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/melbourne-sprawl-50-000-housing-lots-to-be-released-making-way-for-12-new-suburbs-20190214-p50xwf" target="_blank">sprawl continues unabated</a>.
Other problems stem from a <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08111146.2018.1556633" target="_blank">fundamental misunderstanding of contemporary manufacturing</a>. The loss of central industrial zones displaces a range of <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-our-cities-thriving-creative-precincts-be-saved-from-renewal-83042" target="_blank">specialised manufacturers, creative producers, and small businesses</a>. With them go the quality jobs and vital services they provide. In the process, the diversity of land uses and jobs is reduced in the very places that policymakers want it.
Can urban policy make room for manufacturing and create real diversity and a mix of employment opportunities in our cities?
<h2>Australian manufacturing misunderstood</h2>
Manufacturing employment has declined for decades. This is typically attributed to competition from low-wage countries. In reality, Australian manufacturing is <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-australian-manufacturing-industry-is-not-dying-its-evolving-csiro-study-69398" target="_blank">changing</a> and is largely distinct from overseas high-volume, low-cost mass production. Urban policy and an <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08111146.2018.1556633" target="_blank">outdated vision of manufacturing</a> are as much to blame for the loss of central industrial land.
Today, Australian manufacturing is small, nimble, and specialised. Firms with fewer than 20 people provide <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/8165.0Main+Features1June%202014%20to%20June%202018?OpenDocument" target="_blank">93% of all manufacturing employment</a>. And most firms (74%) have fewer than five employees.
These businesses are not pumping out automobiles or anoraks. They are more likely to engage in small-batch production of high-value-added and design-intensive products.
Much of this production is directly <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S187791661730084X" target="_blank">linked to the cultural industries</a>, such as architecture, fashion and home furnishings, and is geared toward local consumption, particularly food and beverages. Combined, these forms of production account for about <a href="/news">half of all manufacturing employment</a>.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/287321/original/file-20190808-144873-sc1pby.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""> Carol and Stuart Faulkner of Heartwood Creative Woodworking in Marrickville, Sydney. Paul Jones, used with permission, Author provided
Yes, manufacturing does not provide as many jobs as it once did. Yet it remains crucial to a diversified economy.
Contemporary manufacturing <a href="https://www.sgsep.com.au/publications/rise-urban-manufacturing" target="_blank">thrives among the dense networks and consumer markets found in cities</a>. Or it would, if we did not rezone all of our central city industrial land. The decline in manufacturing employment over the past 20 years coincides with major industrial rezonings.
Despite a net increase in industrial land due to outer suburban expansions, Greater Melbourne <a href="/news">lost 2,423 hectares</a> (or nearly 19 Hoddle grids) since 2000-01. These were mostly small industrial pockets (less than 5 hectares) in the inner suburbs. The few that remain have no vacancies.
<a href="https://www.colliers.com.au/find_research/industrial/sydney_industrial_land_supply/" target="_blank">Sydney</a> has virtually no inner industrial land left. This follows years of industrial rezonings at the hands of major <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/business-spectator/news-story/the-property-players-cashing-in-on-sydneys-rezoned-land/a76e65f878b8fd2fc17e55f1039b4174" target="_blank">property developers</a>.
<h2>Property speculation designs out mixed-use activity</h2>
Indeed, industrial rezonings have arisen less from an obsolescence of manufacturing than from opportunistic targeting of higher-return land uses. Two-thirds of Melbourne’s industrial land was <a href="/news">rezoned</a> to promote residential development or other mixed use that does not permit industrial activity.
That leads to an immediate rise in property values and, of course, speculative investment. An infamous example in Victoria is then planning minister Matthew Guy’s <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/report-slams-matthew-guy-on-rezoning-of-fishermans-bend-20151019-gkcyrv" target="_blank">2012 rezoning of 250 hectares</a>) of central Melbourne industrial land at Fishermans Bend for a high-density mixed-use precinct. But this is a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/feb/06/made-london-property-speculation-industry-capital" target="_blank">global phenomenon</a>.
Paradoxically, while mixed use is the planner’s holy grail, many new mixed-use projects do not foster the dense and walkable neighbourhoods they seek. Most are simply “shop-top” apartments with nominal ground-floor retail, not a diverse mix of uses. Meanwhile, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-06-06/ghost-shops-haunting-new-developments/11184644" target="_blank">retail vacancies are on the rise</a> – nearly 40% in some suburbs.
While some mixed-use projects include office space, rarely do they incorporate multiple forms of work space. This means they do not support a rich business mix. Nor do they help solve the challenge of affordable housing, because an <a href="https://www.thefifthestate.com.au/columns/spinifex/more-housing-hasnt-fixed-australias-affordability-crisis-its-time-for-a-national-settlement-strategy/" target="_blank">increase in housing supply does not guarantee lower prices</a>.
For these reasons, zoning out employment land in the central city may not be “the highest and best use”. Even in a post-industrial economy, we need urban industrial zones that provide flexible work spaces, incubate new creative activities, allow for maintenance and repair and, above all, temper market rents for firms that provide quality, essential jobs and services.
<h2>How to renew inner-city industry</h2>
Inner-city industrial land is at capacity. If urban policymakers do not confront the legacy of industrial rezonings, they risk compounding problems in housing, jobs and retail. That, in turn, will further homogenise our cities and worsen inequality.
We can tackle the problem in three ways:
<h3>1. Preserve inner and middle industrial zones</h3>
To support a critical mass of enterprises would require no longer treating industrial lands as an opportunity for speculative housing and mixed-use activity. Tenure security for hundreds of <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-our-cities-thriving-creative-precincts-be-saved-from-renewal-83042">micro-enterprises</a> encourages local entrepreneurialism, in contrast to the part-time, low-wage jobs that generic chains bring to mixed-use projects.
US cities such as Chicago, Milwaukee and Portland have long maintained central “<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/491196" target="_blank">industrial sanctuaries</a>” that prohibit residential development.
<h3>2. Develop alternative mixed-use zoning</h3>
Current mixed-use zoning primarily creates residential development and assumes manufacturing is incompatible. In fact, there are important <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S187791661730084X" target="_blank">spatial interdependencies</a> between manufacturing and creative industries.
Melbourne, Portland, San Francisco, and Vancouver have implemented new zoning designations intended to accommodate this mix. This is a positive step, but uptake of measures like the <a href="/news">Commercial 3 Zone</a> in Melbourne has been slow.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/287324/original/file-20190808-144843-na0ib.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""> SFMade’s 150 Hooper Street is a mixed-use project that provides the first new manufacturing space in San Francisco in 20 years. Carl Grodach
<h3>3. Add new inner-city industrial space</h3>
Consumers <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/they-are-wounded-animals-department-stores-fight-for-survival-20190807-p52eus" target="_blank">want direct relationships with makers</a>. Rising land prices and the changing size and scope of manufacturing today means there is potential to add industrial to <a href="https://sfmade.org/blog/the-manufacturing-foundry-at-150-hooper/" target="_blank">commercial</a> and even <a href="https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/strathcona-village-belcourt-residence-vancouver" target="_blank">residential</a> redevelopments, via cross-subsidy incentives. Empty shop-top retail could be carefully retrofitted for creative and small manufacturing, with new building codes that enable alternative low-impact, ground-floor uses.

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/carl-grodach-403324" target="_blank">Carl Grodach</a>, Professor and Director of Urban Planning &amp; Design, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065" target="_blank">Monash University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/chris-gibson-9277" target="_blank">Chris Gibson</a>, Director, UOW Global Challenges Program &amp; Professor of Human Geography, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711" target="_blank">University of Wollongong</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/justin-oconnor-11847" target="_blank">Justin O'Connor</a>, Professor of Cultural Economy, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180" target="_blank">University of South Australia</a>
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/three-ways-to-fix-the-problems-caused-by-rezoning-inner-city-industrial-land-for-mixed-use-apartments-121566" target="_blank">original article</a>.
</body></html>

Three ways to fix the problems caused by rezoning inner-city industrial land for mixed-use apartments

<html><body>
ASIC has approved changes to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) Rules to allow the scheme to name financial firms in published determinations. 
In its first six months, AFCA received 35,263 complaints. 
About 4,500 to 5,000 complaints are currently expected to be finalised each year by way of determination. 
While the publication of determinations has been a longstanding feature of the external dispute resolution schemes in Australia, the names of firms involved in financial services, superannuation and credit complaints have not been published to date. 
AFCA applied for approval to change their Rules to enable identification of firms following public consultation. 
Consumers who are party to a complaint will continue to be anonymised in all determinations. 
In approving this change ASIC took into account stakeholder feedback to AFCA’s public consultation and the statutory approval criteria. 
ASIC’s view is that naming firms in determinations can help identify conduct or market problems within firms or affecting specific products or services, as well as highlighting where firms have done the right thing. 
It will also enhance transparency and accountability of firms’ performance in complaints handling and of AFCA’s own decision-making. 
To support the new Rules, AFCA will shortly be issuing updated operational guidelines which set out examples of the circumstances in which a determination naming a financial firm would not be published.
This includes where naming may expose confidential information about a firm’s systems or policies. 
Naming firms in AFCA determinations is part of a broader set of reforms aimed at increasing transparency in financial services. 
This includes Parliament giving ASIC power to collect and to publish internal dispute resolution (IDR) data at firm level. 
The UK Financial Ombudsman Service has been naming firms in published determinations since 2013. 
Background
On 31 May 2019, AFCA conducted a public consultation on Rules changes to enable the scheme to name firms in determinations and received 25 submissions in response to that consultation. 
ASIC approved this Rule change in accordance with legislative requirements in s1052D of the Corporations Act which require AFCA to seek ASIC approval of material changes to the AFCA scheme and establish the statutory approval criteria. 
ASIC’s consultation on updates to internal dispute resolution (IDR) policy settings and data reporting framework closed on 9 August 2019. ASIC’s review of IDR policy and regulatory guidance is expected to be completed by the end of 2019.
</body></html>

ASIC approves AFCA rule change enabling the naming and shaming of firms

<html><body>
A historic four bedroom home in a coveted Paddington dress circle with views of Brisbane has sold at auction.
Glynis Austin of Glynis Austin Properties marketed the property
It went under the hammer June 6, transacting for an undisclosed price.
Built around 1918, the house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-paddington-131130242" target="_blank">52 Tooth Avenue</a> has been preserved in its original condition by the two previous owners. 
<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/2019/5/21/paddo%202.jpg" alt="">
Nestled on a fully fenced 465sqm parcel, it comprises formal lounge opening to the verandah, formal dining room, kitchen with double-door dishwasher, downstairs master suite, three additional bedrooms, and rear garden.
The rear garden was designed by Paul Bangay and paved in Israeli Lime Stone.
Other features include timber shutters with polished timber floors on both levels, iron garden gate, separated laundry, separate cellar, and storage 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/2019/5/21/paddo%203.jpg" alt="">
It is within walking distance to Latrobe Terrace, public transport and only 6 minutes' drive to Brisbane CBD.
Last sold in 1992, the abode sold for $252,500.
</body></html>

Preserved 1920's Paddington home sold at auction

<html><body>
St Giles, a historical Victorian home in Mosman has sold for $3,710,000 following a late June auction.
Brendan Warner of Raine &amp; Horne marketed the listing for the Mosman landmark. 
Once the home of William Dind, North Sydney's first Mayor, the circa 1873 home at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-mosman-131279154" target="_blank">44 Cowles Road</a> has retained a number of original features including soaring cathedral ceilings, central hallway, timber floors and stained glass.
It comprises four bedrooms, an open plan kitchen, family room, large dining area, raised lounge room, entertaining terrace, large separate living room, and office or 5th bedroom 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/2019/5/30/mosman%202.jpg" alt="">
St Giles is surrounded by manicured gardens and fully fenced secure lawns.
Other features include reverse cycle ducted air-conditioning, plantation shutters throughout and a back to base security system.
<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/2019/5/30/mosman%203.jpg" alt="">
It is close to local schools, city and North Sydney transport and within walking distance to both Spit &amp; Mosman Junction, parks, foreshore walks, café's and restaurants.
Last sold in 2011, the home transacted for $2.08 million.
</body></html>

Historical Victorian Mosman residence sold 

<html><body>
A three bedroom cottage sitting on a 2,405 sqm bush block in Aldgate, South Australia has been sold for $552,500. 
It was listed by Anne Einarson from Harris Real Estate with a price guide of $545,000 to $560,000. 
The cottage at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-sa-aldgate-131531918" target="_blank">11 Dillion Road</a> comprises living three bedrooms, one bathroom, dining area, and Shaker-style new kitchen.
<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/2019/8/5/aldgate%202.jpg" alt="">
The private garden is shielded by a tall photinia hedge and pathways accessing to the wood shed and storage shed.
Other features include front verandah, breakfast bar, reverse cycle split air conditioning and carport.
<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/2019/8/5/aldgate%203.jpg" alt="">
Located within 30 minutes of the Adelaide CBD, the abode is close to shopping villages, wineries, cafes and restaurants, local schools and markets.
It last sold in 2014 transacting for $482,500.
</body></html>

South East Adelaide cottage on bush block sold

<html><body>
The Chinese property developer Huang Xiangmo allegedly gave $100,000 in cash to the former head of the NSW Labor Party, Jamie Clements, a NSW corruption inquiry heard on Monday.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) inquiry is beginning six weeks of public hearings to investigate whether NSW Labor received money from illegal sources.
A key witness in the hearing said Mr Huang, a billionaire property developer, visited Labor Party headquarters in 2015.
It was when he allegedly handed $100,000 in cash to then NSW Labor General Secretary Jamie Clements.
There have been varying reports as to whether the cash was in an envelope or an ALDI plastic bag.
In 2014 and 2015 the cap on political donations was $5,700.
The OPERATION AERO hearing is investigating whether the $100,000 donation was disguised as a series of $5,000 donations, made during a Chinese Friends of Labor fundraising dinner.
The ABC reported the commission was told one witness, Quanbao Liao, took his own life in 2018 before giving evidence to the ICAC.
Quanbao “Leo” Liao, of the Chatswood property developer firm Wu International, left a suicide note, telling his family he had been visited by detectives.
“I have decided to leave this world, which is also my last hardest attempt, to prevent you and our daughter from becoming family members of a criminal.
"This is because I am still innocent at the time I wrote this letter,” he wrote in a letter.
The hearing is set for six weeks. ICAC has released the witness list for its upcoming public inquiry into allegations concerning political donations to the NSW Labor Party. General Secretary of NSW Labor Kaila Murnain and former NSW Upper House MP Ernest Wong will appear among others.
Earlier this year the billionaire property developer Huang Xiangmo lost his permanent residency status for reasons including character grounds.
The crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14
<p data-gtm-vis-recent-on-screen-6236702_632="1550404332083" data-gtm-vis-first-on-screen-6236702_632="1550404332083" data-gtm-vis-total-visible-time-6236702_632="4000" data-gtm-vis-has-fired-6236702_632="1"> 
</body></html>

$100,000 cash in envelope for NSW Labor from billionaire Chinese property developer

Perth’s new apartment market recorded its strongest quarter of sales since Q4 2021, with 412 apartments sold in Q1 2026 and a record quarterly sold value of $537 million, according to Urbis’ latest Apartment Essentials results.

Urbis said the March quarter result reflects strong, highly product‑specific demand across both ends of the market, from more attainable projects delivering at scale, through to premium stock being absorbed by equity‑rich downsizers.&nbsp;

David Cresp, Partner at Urbis, said the key story in Perth is not demand, it is the market’s ability to convert demand into delivered housing.&nbsp;

“This is the strongest sales quarter since Q4 2021, and it reinforces that demand in Perth is real and it’s local,” David Cresp said. “But the task now is delivery, turning that demand into projects that can actually be built and completed.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110291 project_image_fid=302785]

<h2>Affordable product leads, premium demand remains resilient</h2>

Sales in Q1 were led by more affordable projects, with The Boulevard (SKS Group) recording 115 sales in the quarter, the presentation noting this is only the second time a single project has surpassed 100 quarterly sales. The project was able to offer more affordable housing product right next to a train station.&nbsp;

Palmyra West (Finbar) also delivered strong results with 28 sales in Q1, following 84 sales in Q4, with an average price of under $800,000, underscoring depth of demand for well‑located, attainable new stock.&nbsp;

At the premium end, Urbis said downsizer demand is continuing, with the results highlighting Romeo (Applecross, Finbar) recording 75 sales and reaching almost 50% sold in one quarter.

Jual (Shenton Park, Celsius Property) also posted a strong quarter with 28 sales, reaching 39% sold in one quarter.

Urbis noted that Perth apartment demand is not speculative, not investor‑led, and not uniform, describing it as localised, often equity‑driven and highly product‑specific, a pattern reflected in the polarisation between strong “attainable” performers and premium downsizer product.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=148957 project_image_fid=364102]

<h2>Prices underpinned by costs, and the delivery risk is growing</h2>

Urbis said pricing pressure is cost not demand‑driven: construction costs and delivery risk are now a central constraint, with the results noting build costs remain elevated and volatile, and that energy, fuel and labour uncertainty weigh on feasibility.

David Cresp said a growing challenge for private Build‑to‑Sell developers is simply securing a builder in the current environment.

“Developers are really feeling the pressure from a building market that was operating at capacity and securing a builder is challenging,” David Cresp said, adding that even where a builder can be secured, “trying to get to the price that makes the development financially viable is incredibly challenging in the current market.”&nbsp;

Urbis’ broader WA commentary also notes that industry remains at or above capacity with lot and housing creation, and that many builders are limiting new sales to manage stretched workforces and fixed‑price contract pressures, conditions that flow directly into apartment feasibility and delivery timing.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108869 project_image_fid=317905]

<h2>Supply: improving later, but still constrained, and Perth lags eastern benchmarks</h2>

While near‑term supply remains constrained, Urbis’ forecast shows completions lifting “Supply is forecast to be back above 1,500 apartments per annum for the first time since 2019”, with 1,775 completions forecast for 2026, and volumes remaining above that level over the following years.&nbsp;

Looking further ahead, completions are forecast to reach 2,500 in 2028, with the report noting 32% of that total is social/affordable, reflecting the role of government‑supported delivery in rebuilding the pipeline.&nbsp;

However, Urbis said Perth remains behind comparable markets on pipeline scale. In a national comparison of projects under construction, the report shows under construction Perth Build‑to‑Sell (BTS) at 3,446 apartments versus the Gold Coast at 7,922. Mr Cresp said “The challenge for Perth is how to we grow the delivery pipeline”.

Urbis’ conclusion is that Perth’s market is increasingly defined by product discipline and delivery certainty, with the research identifying “delivery certainty is key” and calling out builder risk and procurement models as core success factors, alongside “timing and staging”.&nbsp;

Joel Robinson

Perth apartment sales hit strongest pace since late 2021 as builder capacity tightens

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sammut-developments">Sammut Group</a> has secured development approval for its latest Brisbane apartment project, marking the Sydney developer’s next step in expanding its Queensland pipeline following the success of its debut Gold Coast development, Coast.

The approved project at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/44-glen-road-toowong-qld-4066">44 Glen Road, </a><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/toowong-qld-4066">Toowong</a> will deliver a 15-storey riverfront apartment building with 42 residences, significantly increasing the scale of the site’s previous approval for a smaller luxury scheme. Designed by Bureau^proberts, the development will comprise a mix of predominantly four-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments positioned to maximise Brisbane River and city views.

Sammut Director Julian Sammut said the group had been actively searching Brisbane for several years before identifying Toowong as the right fit.

“Brisbane was the right step for Sammut,” Sammut said.

“With the success of Coast we thought we should definitely look to do more in Queensland alone. We then pushed up to look at Brisbane. We've been looking for I'd say two to three years actually and it was hard to find the right location.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_75/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.14%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=dYAVIL7qdcGA8ojvkslSrLjczXFejSSx" />

Sammut said suburbs including New Farm and Teneriffe were considered before the group ultimately focused on Toowong due to its strong downsizer demographic and limited supply of developable riverfront land.

The site was acquired off-market after what Sammut described as a lengthy negotiation and planning process, with the developer pursuing an uplift to the original approval.

“We are DA approved now which is very exciting,” Sammut said.

“We've had our change approval come through and we've obviously doubled the height, 15 storeys plus rooftop. We've got 42 amazing apartments that are going to be coming to market soon.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.26%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=ohkRkY0dIZlqdfME2EZePsCQavRiBadE" />

Bureau^proberts said the design responds to Toowong’s evolving urban character, balancing contemporary apartment living with the area’s established residential identity.

“A place where traditional Queensland living has taken place for centuries; Toowong is seeing a shift of contemporary influence, commercial and retail hubs mixed with well-considered residential offerings – all the while maintaining its character and charm,” the architect noted in planning documents submitted to Brisbane City Council.

The architecture practice said the project’s form was shaped by its riverfront setting, flood considerations, neighbouring building scales, and view corridors.

“They said the mix of four and two-bedroom apartments capture the ‘fundamental qualities of Queenslander living,’ translated into the context of a contemporary subtropical building.”

The development sits just off Coronation Drive within walking distance of Toowong’s retail precinct and the upgraded Regatta ferry terminal, while also benefiting from proximity to the incoming green bridge connection to West End. Sammut said the accessibility and amenity offering were central to the site’s appeal.

The approval adds to growing residential activity along the Toowong riverfront, joining nearby projects including Consolidated Properties’ Monarch Residences and Spyre Group’s ARC Residences.

Sammut secures approval for debut Brisbane apartment development in Toowong

Developer Lanevick is heading back into Sydney’s apartment market after focusing more heavily on the luxury townhouse and terrace sector in recent years.

Lanevick, founded and directed by Steve Maroun, is expecting to receive approval in the coming months for a new apartment development in Gladesville, with the aim to launch it to the market later this year.

The 51-apartment project, designed by Studio Johnston, will comprise a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments positioned toward the Hunters Hill downsizer market.

“Traditionally it’s been difficult for people in that market to downsize because there just hasn’t been the right product available,” Maroun said.

“We’re targeting buyers who might have 30 to 40 per cent of their house value sitting in the bank after downsizing.

“They still want good spacious entertaining areas, they still want quality design, but they also want flexibility and the ability to enjoy life a bit more after working hard for a long time.”

The project sits near Boronia Park and within close proximity to the Parramatta River foreshore, an area Maroun says offers more of a Hunters Hill lifestyle than a traditional apartment precinct.

“From a lifestyle perspective, it’s really more Hunters Hill than Gladesville,” Maroun said. “You’re close to the foreshore, close to parklands, and still connected back into the village precinct.”

From level four and above, apartments will capture water views&nbsp;toward Sydney Harbour. Communal amenity will include rooftop entertaining areas, wellness spaces, and a gym tailored toward owner-occupier buyers.

“We’ve really designed these apartments around that buyer coming from the Hunters Hill LGA and what they’re actually looking for in their next chapter.”

The proposed development has also been designed to respond to the changing character of the broader Gladesville town centre, where a growing number of mixed-use and residential proposals are expected to emerge over the coming years.

“Gladesville presented a rare opportunity to deliver a genuinely design-led residential project within an evolving lifestyle precinct, just moments from the growing Gladesville town centre, and we’ve approached the project with a strong focus on architecture, liveability and long-term community value,” Maroun said.

Maroun said Lanevick saw a first-mover advantage within the precinct as planning controls continue to evolve to accommodate greater housing density.

“We think there’s a real opportunity there that hasn’t really been serviced properly yet,” he said.

“There’s going to be a broader evolution of the whole Gladesville village precinct over time, particularly with more activation and mixed-use outcomes.”

The Venus Street proposal will include a commercial and retail component at ground level designed to contribute to that evolving streetscape activation.

“A big part of the thinking was how do you activate that area properly and create more vibrancy and amenity, which is what Hunters Hill has been looking for,” Maroun said.

Lanevick’s focus since 2020 has largely been on smaller-scale luxury townhouse and terrace developments. The developer recently completed Royale Randwick, also designed by Studio Johnston, where prices reached $3.65 million. The project was featured in the UDIA NSW 2026 Professional Development Prospectus and was also named a finalist for Development of the Year.

&nbsp;

Lanevick to cater for Hunters Hill downsizers with new Gladesville apartment development

Property developer One Living, backed by former Macquarie banker turned investment manager Chris Green’s investment firm, has unveiled plans to bring more institutional capital into housing to help address the national supply crisis.

The New York-based investor has focused his firm, GreenPoint Partners, on addressing the supply shortage hitting middle market housing in Australia.

It is backing the new One Living business to develop more than 1000 units along the eastern seaboard. The new firm is starting with a development on Mona Vale Road, on the border of Mona Vale and Pymble, in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, with around 140 apartments planned. They are eyeing off more sites across the city.

With cost pressures rising in the industry, One Living’s model is to be a vertically integrated developer-builder, so it can respond directly to the housing gap by removing the cost inefficiencies embedded in traditional residential delivery.

“We are building a platform designed to operate at scale and starting in a market where there’s a clear need for quality, attainable housing,” One Living joint managing director Joseph Scuderi said.

“It’s that missing middle – it’s that attainable end of housing… that’s what most Australians invest into and what Australians can actually afford.”

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="798dfa93-4941-4db6-a696-31e9dc18e81c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.31.50%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=mKBqi5C_DmeiXS.AtJkcR8LQIxqCqmFi" />

GreenPoint Partners brings years of experience assembling and scaling real estate operating businesses across major markets. And Green sees a big opportunity in Australia.

“For its size, sophistication and importance to the community, Australia’s living sector has remained largely under-institutionalised, which represents significant opportunity,” Green said. “GreenPoint identified that gap, assembled the right team, and is backing One Living to build a platform that is aligned to market needs.”

Green said being a builder-developer would give the company the capacity and flexibility it required to deliver reasonably-priced homes.

“We want it to be at that attainable level; not super high end luxury but at that attainable level,” he said.

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="74a5344a-4b26-4d4a-ada3-056b1220be77" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.32.15%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=vY8hXHO4reBMdO8ZXMWCNtGZJofUPQ3j" />

&nbsp;

One Living will undertake a component of affordable housing in its schemes, which it will own and operate, and it could also run build-to-rent on some sites.

Green praised local policy settings.

“The NSW government is being very supportive, strategic and pragmatic in terms of how do we generate more supply of housing,” he said. “We think it’s actually positive for development and the bit that’s been lacking at that attainable level is that it’s lots of relatively small private developers, whereas we want to create an institutional platform.”

One Living is also&nbsp;looking at high-density projects and could take on more institutional funding in the future.

“The way we will be able to achieve economies of scale is through size,” Green added.

One Living enters Sydney's new apartment market with Northern Beaches site acquisition

It's been several years since there's been an opportunity to buy a brand new townhome in Melbourne's coastal suburb of Mordialloc. Even apartment developments in recent times have been few and far between in the area.

Local developer LDS Property identified the gap in new housing, securing a site on White Street, directly opposite&nbsp;Woodlands Golf Club Mordialloc. They've recently launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/wm-residences-mordialloc-102-white-street-mordialloc-vic-3195">WM Residences</a>, just 13 townhouses which they have already started building.

Projects by Buxton Director Heath Thompson, who is selling WM Residences, says the townhouses x that perfect middle ground be

"Mordialloc residents have had limited options to downsize within the suburb, often forcing them to look elsewhere despite long-standing ties to the area," Thompson says.

"With very little comparable new supply coming to market, projects like WM Residences are well placed, particularly as buyers look to capitalise on current conditions amid constrained supply."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6109]

The development, designed by regarded architecture firm&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ewert-leaf">Ewert Leaf</a>,&nbsp;adopts a deliberately restrained architectural approach, focusing on simplicity, durability and liveability rather than overt design gestures.

The boutique scale is central to the offering. With only 13 three-bedroom residences, each home is configured to prioritise functional layouts and everyday use, supported by private terraces and secure two-car garages.

Ewert Leaf’s design response leans into a calm, neutral material palette. Interiors are defined by oak flooring, white walls and soft finishes, creating a consistent and understated backdrop. The approach avoids trend-driven detailing in favour of longevity, with an emphasis on natural light and spatial clarity.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6110]

Beyond aesthetics, the homes are designed to meet contemporary performance expectations. Each residence targets a minimum 6-star energy rating, incorporating double glazing, comprehensive insulation and all-electric Bosch appliances.

The project’s location supports a walkable coastal lifestyle, sitting within close proximity to Mordialloc’s foreshore, Main Street retail strip and the train station. Local cafés and dining venues, including Suburbia Deli and Hendriks Café, are within a short walk, reinforcing the area’s established neighbourhood character.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6116]

While <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/mordialloc-vic-3195">Mordialloc</a> is often defined by its beach and pier, the project taps into other areas of day to day living, offering easy access to local food, casual dining and transport, rather than positioning itself purely as a lifestyle retreat.

WM Residences reflects a continued trend across Melbourne’s coastal suburbs towards smaller-scale, design-led townhouse developments, particularly on infill sites where proximity to amenity is already established.

With construction commenced prior to its market entry, the project aligns with a growing preference among buyers for developments with visible progress and defined delivery timeframes.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134646]

Staff reporter

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News