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GUEST OBSERVATION
A need to manage waiting lists, rather than ensuring positive outcomes for tenant households, strongly influences social housing policy, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.ahuri.edu.au/research/final-reports/316" target="_blank">newly published research</a> finds. This situation is not only a result of operational policies, but also a shortage of social housing stock that is suitable for tenants and a lack of viable alternatives – namely affordable, safe and secure private housing. Eligible applicants who don’t have a “priority need” can wait up to ten years to be housed. They face strict eligibility checks just to remain on the waiting list.
Since the large-scale <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.ahuri.edu.au/research/final-reports/309" target="_blank">post-war expansion to house working-class families</a>, the social housing sector has <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/housing-assistance/housing-assistance-in-australia-2018/contents/housing-in-australia" target="_blank">shrunk relative to the rest of the housing system</a>. More than <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/housing-assistance/housing-assistance-in-australia-2019/contents/priority-groups-and-wait-lists#pg4" target="_blank">140,000 people</a> are on public housing waiting lists.
Importantly, this figure does not capture <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.ahuri.edu.au/research/final-reports/306" target="_blank">unmet demand</a> such as people sleeping rough and very low-income households in housing stress who are not on waiting lists.
Waiting lists also don’t include hidden demand such as people suspended from waiting lists or excluded by their <a href="https://www.homelessnessnsw.org.au/sites/homelessnessnsw/files/2018-12/Path%20to%20Nowhere_0.pdf" target="_blank">visa status</a>.
The supply of social housing stock simply does not match the growing numbers of households experiencing <a href="https://amplify.csi.edu.au/amplify-insights/" target="_blank">housing affordability problems</a>. Between 2011 and 2016, <a href="https://www.launchhousing.org.au/%20australianhomelessnessmonitor/" target="_blank">government spending</a> on social housing fell by 7% from A$1.42 billion to A$1.32 billion. Today, social housing is provided to over <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/housing-assistance/housing-assistance-in-australia-2018/contents/housing-in-australia" target="_blank">800,000 tenants in more than 400,000 households</a> – 76% in public housing, 20% in community housing and 4% in Indigenous housing.
The expansion of public housing (delivered by state and territory housing authorities) to community housing and Indigenous housing (delivered by non-profit community organisations and Indigenous organisations) has transformed social housing. Community housing has <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/housing-assistance/housing-assistance-in-australia-2019/contents/social-housing-dwellings" target="_blank">increased by 121%</a> between 2008-09 and 2017-18. This growth includes <a href="https://theconversation.com/growth-of-community-housing-may-be-an-illusion-the-cost-shifting-isnt-108598" target="_blank">tenanted stock transfers from public housing</a>.
Against this background, policymakers are <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.ahuri.edu.au/research/final-reports/316" target="_blank">increasingly seeking to promote housing “pathways”</a>. Operational housing policies are intended to improve tenant housing and social outcomes (such as well-being and economic participation), but also to manage long waiting lists and make the system more efficient.
These policies shape housing pathways, determining how tenants and households move into, within and out of social housing. But these pathways are also influenced by household relationships and a <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/140360902760385565" target="_blank">household’s changing needs</a>. What a tenant or family need from their housing changes when, for example, relationships break down, new relationships begin, children are born or children leave home.
<a href="/news">Our research</a> sought to better understand the policy context behind housing pathways and their impacts on tenants’ experience.
Getting in
Pathways into social housing begin with application, which is a centralised process in most states and territories (apart from the Northern Territory). Prospective tenants apply once through a single portal, with information shared between government housing departments and community housing providers.
The success of an application depends on a range of eligibility criteria (see Table 1), starting with income and assets. Even if a prospective tenant meets the income criteria, priority is given to people and households with specific or complex needs. What constitutes “specific or complex needs” varies, but generally includes disability, poor physical or mental health, experience of family violence, exiting institutions, or being homeless or at risk of homelessness (the <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/housing-assistance/housing-assistance-in-australia-2019/contents/priority-groups-and-wait-lists#pg1" target="_blank">most common pathway into social housing</a>).
Other criteria include citizenship and residence status (including restrictions based on permanent residency/citizen status), age and tenancy history.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285804/original/file-20190726-43153-1p9x80p.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Table 1: Summary of common eligibility criteria. <a class="source" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.ahuri.edu.au/research/final-reports/316" target="_blank">Source: Powell et al 2019</a>, Author provided
An applicant’s place on the waiting list is continually checked. If an applicant is found to be ineligible, or simply does not respond, they may be suspended or removed from the list.
Staying in
Most states and territories have policies on the eligibility of tenants to continue in public housing. Criteria include income levels, use of the premises, and household change. What criteria are reviewed, and how often, varies widely.
Eligibility reviews mean tenants fear any extra income might result in an end to their tenure or having to make higher rent contributions. This potentially undermines their preparedness to undertake education and training, or take up work opportunities that might lead to greater independence.
Moving within
Policies allow tenants to apply for a transfer if household circumstances have changed. A dwelling might no longer be suitable – for example, as a result of overcrowding or family violence.
In practice, however, supply constraints make this challenging. Policies that transfer public housing properties to community housing providers result in tenants becoming less mobile as moving between public and community housing is not possible.
Landlord-initiated transfers can also occur. For example, property or housing estate renewal might require tenant relocation. A transfer might also be a result of tenant conduct or changes in eligibility status.
Moving out
Exits from social housing may occur when a tenant chooses to move to private housing or is evicted. Eviction may result from issues such as neighbourhood disputes, anti-social behaviour, rental arrears, a lease coming to an end, or changes to eligibility.
Tenants who are no longer eligible for social housing based on their income may also be evicted. These tenants often still have limited capacity to take on and manage a private rental tenancy.
Policy levers to help with moves out of social housing include: selling dwellings to tenants; providing private rent subsidies; rental transition programs; financial planning; and client-based needs planning. Some policies also target private landlords with a goal of increasing housing affordability and therefore pathways out of social housing.
By far the biggest obstacle to moving out of social housing, however, is the lack of affordable housing alternatives.
What this means
While operational policy establishes formal pathways (by setting eligibility criteria and so on), what happens in practice may be different, as service providers can interpret and implement policies in different ways, with different effects for tenants.
Further, what is known about the housing pathways of tenants moving in, within and out of social housing is based on partial evidence. It comes from social housing providers themselves (missing information about events prior to and following occupancy), or from survey research seeking to fill some of the data gaps. Many blind spots exist in the housing pathways evidence base.
Optimal policy development requires clear, up-to-date evidence on how we might understand social housing pathways within a changed housing policy and housing assistance context. We also need to consider what advances in administrative and longitudinal data can tell us about how policy innovation might improve social housing pathways.
Abigail Powell, Associate Professor at the Centre for Social Impact, UNSW
Chris Hartley, Research Fellow (Housing and Homelessness) at the Centre for Social Impact, UNSW
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/focus-on-managing-social-housing-waiting-lists-is-failing-low-income-households-120675" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Focus on managing social housing waiting lists is failing low-income households: UNSW Academics

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There has been a substantial increase in the number and size of property-related claims by Australian homeowners due to internal water damage, according to a new report published by Chubb Insurance.
Chubb estimates that the average claim from water damage in Australia has increased by 72% in the past five years.
According to the Chubb Insight Report, <a href="http://www.chubb.com/au/get-smart-about-water-leaks" target="_blank">Get Smart about Water Leaks</a>, the average claim from water damage received by Chubb in Australia has increased from A$17,627 in 2014 to A$30,361 in 2018.
In addition, water damage as a percentage of actual household claims is also increasing with 34% of all Chubb claims being due to water damage, compared to 16% for fire and 9% for burglary.
“Australians are increasingly more aware of the damage caused by floods and fire, yet few are prepared for the threat from water damage to their homes,” explains Michelle O’Dowd, Underwriting Manager, Australia &amp; New Zealand, Personal Lines, Chubb.
O’Dowd says that while Australian homeowners commonly focus on protecting their homes against fire and theft through locking devices, alarms systems and smoke detectors, there is far less focus on protecting homes from water damage.
While all Australian homeowners may experience water leaks, Chubb’s research also revealed that those living in Western Australia and Victoria are particularly susceptible.
In fact, homeowners in these states are 20% more likely to make a water damage claim under their Chubb Masterpiece policy than any other homeowner.
“Protecting your home against water damage is as simple as installing one central system to monitor the flow of water across your home or turning off the main water supply at the shut off valve – especially if you’re away for a week or more,” says O’Dowd.
Chubb is the world's largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company with operations in 54 countries.
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Insurance claims on property water damage increase 72%: Chubb Insurance

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Glen Barra, one of the largest pastoral land holdings in the Tamworth and Armidale region, has been listed for sale.
The 9283 hectare rural holding has been listed by Ruralco.
It is a historic grazing property with a traditionally high carrying capacity and a central location.
Situated on <a href="https://www.commercialrealestate.com.au/property/glen-barra-glen-barra-road-watsons-creek-nsw-2355-2015513373" target="_blank">Glen Barra Road in Watsons Creek</a>, the property is located at the gateway to New England. 
Positioned 74 kilometres north-west of Tamworth, 70 kilometres south-west of Armidale and 37 kilometres east of Manilla, the property consists of granite (approx. 11,000 acres), basalt (approx. 9000 acres) and trap (approx. 3500 acres). 
The timber is comprised of box, kurrajong, iron bark, apple and stringy bark, while the water resources are numerous dams and springs, many recently cleaned out, frontage to New England and Athlone creeks, two electric bores, plus a large feature reconditioned dam behind the homestead. 
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/8/9/Glen%20Barra%201.JPG" alt="">
The four bedroom homestead, originally built in 1870 out of local stone, has been restored over the years to create a comfortable home.
It features high cedar ceilings which compliment the original 40mm thick stringy bark floorboards. 
Other dwellings include a three bedroom managers residence and a two bedroom cottage, both have been recently renovated. 
The listing says the property is for sale because the vendors are looking to retire.
The holding is for sale by expressions of interest closing September 19.
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Glen Barra at Watsons Creek listed for sale

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A fractional property investment platform providing access to US real estate investments, has announced its official global launch.
RealT provides investors, regardless of their location, to become landlords in Detroit.
In the future, RealT plans to include properties from across the United States and the world.
RealT’s platform utilises blockchain technology for property ownership and rental income distribution.
Investors are provided with RealTokens that represent ownership in each property, while rental income is paid daily using USD stablecoins.
Real estate cannot be directly tokenized in the United States, so each of the properties featured on RealT is officially owned by a Series of a Delaware series limited liability corporation (LLC).
RealT issues a specific number of tokens for each Series, which are then made available for purchase by investors.
"Up until now, investing in real estate has been a laborious and expensive process," Rémy Jacobson, CEO of RealT said.
"Entry costs are high, the required documentation is complex and the assets are illiquid.
"The industry is ready for change.
"That’s why we are convinced that now is the time to make it easier for people to invest in US real estate."
Each property has a dedicated property management team that is in charge of the property on behalf of the owners.
Collecting rent, sourcing tenants and managing repairs are all taken care of by the team.
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New investment platform allows Australians to invest in US real estate

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Most new apartments were not designed with families in mind and parents of young children can struggle to make social connections. 
Newer high-rise developments in Australia’s inner-city areas are increasingly home to parents raising young children. In the <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/2071.0%7E2016%7EMain%20Features%7EApartment%20Living%7E20" target="_blank">2016 Census</a>, family households represented nearly half of apartment residents. Close to one in ten children aged 0-4 live in apartments in Australia.
<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1353829218311572?dgcid=author" target="_blank">Our research</a>, recently published in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1353829218311572?dgcid=author" target="_blank">Health and Place</a>, explored parents’ experiences of raising preschool-aged children in newer, private high-rise apartments. The parents experienced a range of barriers to making social connections both within their developments and with the surrounding community.
This reflects the fact that most newer high-rise dwellings in Australia have been developed for residents without children. Several studies indicate that this leads to <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08111146.2012.663729" target="_blank">potential issues</a> for families raising children in high-rise settings, including <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0308518X16645104" target="_blank">social connectedness</a> among older schoolchildren.
Apartment living through parents’ eyes
Our study used <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9158980" target="_blank">Photovoice</a> to explore parents’ experiences of raising children in apartments in the City of Yarra, Melbourne. Apartments represent <a href="https://quickstats.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/census/2016/quickstat/LGA27350" target="_blank">46% of available housing</a>) in this inner-city municipality. Parents took ten photographs of the positive and challenging aspects of apartment living.
We then used these images to guide both individual and group interviews. Parents recognised that the shared experiences of raising a young child in the City of Yarra fostered social connections, particularly at mothers’ groups and local parks. One parent explained: 
"So this is my mothers’ group … It’s such a great community to have. I mean we’re kind of a close group now and we’ve just spent the last year growing our kids together … there was people from all different walks of life … and the only thing connecting us is just that we had a child in Yarra at the same time …"
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285922/original/file-20190728-43149-ts7h0p.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/285922/original/file-20190728-43149-ts7h0p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
The mothers’ group: ‘we’ve just spent the last year growing our kids together’.
But parents felt that space constraints in high-rise developments limited opportunities for play dates between children. The connections parents developed were also lost when other families planned to leave the community, or had already left, in search of larger homes and outdoor space.
The design of developments did not encourage incidental social interaction with neighbours either. One parent captured this in a photograph titled “Hallway of death”.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285923/original/file-20190728-43130-1nyypcn.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/285923/original/file-20190728-43130-1nyypcn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Hallway of death: ‘you cannot stand and have a conversation there’.
"It’s a nothing space, right? … You cannot stand and have a conversation there, you feel weird … cos you’re in the vortex of death … and if it was a nice space we might go out and he could crawl and that might make people stop and maybe we’d get to know the other people living on the floor …"
The closeness of apartments was also problematic. On one hand, parents wanted to connect with their neighbours. On the other hand, they were concerned about overstepping others’ boundaries, particularly when neighbours were often short-term renters without children. One parent’s photograph, “Close proximity but anonymous”, captured this.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285924/original/file-20190728-43153-392znk.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/285924/original/file-20190728-43153-392znk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Close but anonymous: ‘it’s anonymous and there’s a lot of turnover’.
"… despite being so close to each other there is a huge level of anonymity … It would be nice to not feel that we might be being disruptive or people are forming judgments about us based on what they see … And because it’s anonymous and there’s a lot of turnover you never really form relationships with people to know what they’re really thinking, so you second-guess it …
"Everyone wants some privacy and maybe when you’re right on top of each other you feel like you’ve got to guard your privacy, but my preference would be for it to be a little more connected than it is."
Families need social support
Parents of preschool-aged children often experience <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1040260812000512?via%3Dihub" target="_blank">changes in their social networks</a> at the same as they feel an <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08111146.2014.969399" target="_blank">increased need for social support</a>. Connections also need to be <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1068/a41377" target="_blank">closer to home</a>, due to the “place-anchoring” nature of young children and use of local services.
Not having strong social connections with other parents, whether within their own high-rise development and/or the local community, is therefore a problem. It could lead to feelings of loneliness and isolation. These could, in turn, contribute to <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/HCS-11-2013-0021/full/html" target="_blank">psychosocial and health issues for parents</a> and <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1468-2397.2006.00575.x" target="_blank">poorer health, well-being and education outcomes for children</a>.
What could help?
Recent <a href="/news">Victorian apartment design guidelines</a> briefly acknowledge the importance of ensuring accessibility for families with young children. However, much more can be done to support families in inner-city high-rise developments. This includes fostering social connections.
Local governments can provide further social events in their communities, create infrastructure in parks and playgrounds to encourage families to gather for longer, and require developers to <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23748834.2018.1483711" target="_blank">adopt more family-friendly design guidelines</a> than currently apply.
Developers could also provide more favourable communal spaces inside dwellings for interaction to occur. Body corporate organisations could encourage longer-term leases that allow for the extended tenure needed for residents to form stronger connections.
Guidelines, including in regards to noise, could also be made more flexible to accommodate the increasing number of families with young children taking up residence.
The study was carried out with <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/fiona-andrews-525649">Dr Fiona Andrews</a> from the School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/120983/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;">
Elyse Warner, Lecturer in Health and Social Sciences, Deakin 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/apartment-life-for-families-means-living-at-close-quarters-but-often-feeling-isolated-too-120983" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Apartment life for families means living at close quarters, but often feeling isolated too: Elyse Warner

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EXPERT OBSERVATION
Our central forecast is for the Australian economy to expand by 2½ per cent this year and 2¾ per cent over 2020.
The growth forecast for this year has been revised down since we met six months ago, but the forecast for next year is unchanged.
The downward revision this year mainly reflects weak consumption growth.
It has become increasingly clear that the extended period of unusually slow growth in household incomes has been weighing on household spending, as has the adjustment in the housing market.
Given this experience, the outlook for consumption continues to be the main domestic source of forecast uncertainty.
Even so, looking ahead, there are signs the economy may have reached a gentle turning point.
Consistent with this, we are expecting the quarterly GDP growth outcomes to strengthen gradually after a run of disappointing numbers.
This outlook is supported by a number of developments including: lower interest rates, the recent tax cuts, a depreciation of the Australian dollar, a brighter outlook for investment in the resources sector, some stabilisation of the housing market and ongoing high levels of investment in infrastructure.
It is reasonable to expect that, together, these factors will see growth in the Australian economy return to around its trend rate next year.
The major uncertainty continues to be the trade and technology disputes between the United States and China. These disputes pose a significant risk to the global economy. Not only are they disrupting trade flows, but they are also generating considerable uncertainty for many businesses around the world.
Worryingly, this uncertainty is leading to investment plans being postponed or reconsidered. It is also now generating volatility in financial markets and has increased the prospects of monetary easing in many countries. This means that we have a lot riding on these disputes being resolved.
Turning now to the Australian labour market, the unemployment rate, at 5.2 per cent, is a little higher than when we met six months ago. This is despite employment growth having been stronger than we had expected. What has happened is that increased demand for labour has been met with more labour supply, especially by women and older Australians.
Reflecting this, a higher share of the Australian adult population is participating in the labour market than ever before. This is good news. But one side-effect of this flexibility of labour supply is that it is harder to generate a tight labour market and so, in turn, it is harder to generate a material lift in aggregate wages growth.
Looking forward, while some slowing in employment growth is expected, the central scenario is for the unemployment rate to move lower to reach 5 per cent again in 2021. If things evolve in line with this central scenario, it is probable that we will still have spare capacity in the labour market for a while yet, especially taking into account underemployment.
This means that the upward pressure on wages growth over the next couple of years is likely to be only quite modest, and less than we were earlier expecting.
Caps on wages growth in public sectors right across the country are another factor contributing to the subdued wage outcomes. At the aggregate level, my view is that a further pick-up in wages growth is both affordable and desirable.
Turning now to inflation, the June quarter outcome was broadly in line with expectations, after a run of lower-than-expected numbers in earlier quarters. Over the year to June, inflation was 1.6 per cent, in both headline and underlying terms, extending the period over which inflation has been below the 2–3 per cent medium-term target range.
The Reserve Bank Board remains committed to having inflation return to this range, but it is taking longer than earlier expected.
There are a few factors that I would highlight as contributing to the low inflation outcome over the past year.
\These are: the slow growth in wages; the ongoing spare capacity in the economy; various government initiatives to address cost-of-living pressures on households; and the adjustment in the housing market, which has contributed to unusually low increases in rents and declines in the price of building a new home in some cities.
Working in the other direction, the drought and the depreciation of the exchange rate have been pushing some prices up.
Looking ahead, inflation is still expected to pick up, but the date at which it is expected to be back at 2 per cent has been pushed out again. Over 2020, inflation is forecast to be a little under 2 per cent and over 2021 it is expected to be a little above 2 per cent.
These comments were made during the <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/speeches/2019/sp-gov-2019-08-09" target="_blank">opening statement</a> to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics.
PHILIP LOWE is the current Governor of the RBA
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Australian economy may have reached a gentle turning point: Philip Lowe

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The NSW Government have shortlisted Multiplex and John Holland for the construction of the new Sydney Football Stadium following a blowout with Lendlease last month.
Lendlease was axed for the reconstruction of the stadium shortly after The Australian revealed that Lendlease was chasing tens of millions of dollars more to finish the project when it told the government it was unable to lower the cost.
However Lendlease will continue to oversee stage one demolition work at Allianz Stadium, which is on track for completion by the end of the year.
Minister for Sport John Sidoti said that the delivery of the new Sydney Football Stadium remains on time and on budget.
Both organisations have been invited to participate in a competitive tender process to deliver stage two of the project.
John Sidoti said, “The winning bidder will be announced later this year, following the receipt of stage two planning approval and completion of the tender evaluation.”
“We know that if we want to continue attracting global events we need our stadiums to be the best in the world but the NSW public expects us to negotiate the best price." 
“The NSW Government’s plan delivers the experience fans deserve. The refurbished Stadium Australia will move 46,000 seats up to 25 metres closer to the action to create more atmosphere,” Mr Sidoti said.
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NSW Government shortlist Mutiplex and John Holland after Lendlease stadium construction reversal

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The COAG meeting of state and territory leaders with the Prime Minister presents a golden opportunity to bring the VET sector back into the frame of Australia’s education system.
Vocational education and trade training must receive the same recognition as other education pathways.
The VET sector has always underpinned the delivery of a skilled trade workforce in Australia.
It is vital for Australia’s residential building industry that governments come together and heed the warnings of industry and business regarding the challenges facing the VET sector, to reach a cooperative agreement on reforming and improving the VET sector.
For too long our VET sector has been regarded by both governments and communities as being inferior to the university sector. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Australia needs both sectors to be strong and efficient. Building a career in a skilled trade is just as important an opportunity as building a career as a doctor or a lawyer.
The building industry offers a range of jobs, onsite and offsite, which rely on training being available through both VET and university education.
As pointed out today by NSW Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, there needs to be a holistic approach to tertiary education. Committing to a policy framework where the VET sector is afforded rightful equal status with the university sector is a crucial early step to achieving success.
Vocational Education and Training is on the COAG agenda tomorrow. The Federal Government brings to the table a starting commitment in the form of its $525bn Skills Package announced in the April budget, while the Joyce Review into the VET sector provides a comprehensive foundation for discussion.
In discussing the challenges facing the VET sector a cooperative strategy and way forward needs to emerge from the COAG meeting. From there government consultation with industry can create a platform for success in co-designing a refreshed VET sector that provides the residential building industry and the broader economy with the skilled workforce required to match the jobs that need to be filled.
KRISTIN BROOKFIELD is the HIA Chief Executive of Industry Policy
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VET agreement essential to renew focus on trade training: HIA's Kristin Brookfield

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A 7-Eleven service station and convenience store in the south-eastern Perth suburb of Gosnells has sold for $5.1 million.
The property at 303 Corfield Street is passed by around 19,000 vehicles each day.
Knight Frank Director of Capital. Markets – WA, Tony Delich, said the 7-Eleven operator had recently signed a new, 15-year lease with fixed 3% annual rent increases, on a current net rental of $322,000 per annum. 
The sale price reflected a yield of 6.3%.
“This property is on the major, four lane district distributor road from Tonkin Highway, near the Albany Highway intersection, and there is a rapidly increasing residential catchment in the area,” Delich said. 
The property has a total land area of 1,945 square metres.
It directly opposite the IGA-anchored Corfield shopping centre and the Corfield Tavern, as well as adjoining a 3.27 hectare site currently poised for a 36-lot residential subdivision.
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Gosnells, Perth 7-Eleven service station sold for $5.1 million 

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The latest wave of food and drink offerings has opened in Darling Square, with the majority of the lifestyle precinct now complete.
The patch that was home to the Sydney Entertainment Centre and its car park has welcomed 29 new retailers to the fold in the past week.
The heart of the lifestyle hub is Japanese architect Kengo Kuma’s new bird’s nest-meets-beehive building, the Exchange.
On the street level is Maker’s Dozen – an industrial-style marketplace with 12 casual outlets and seating for about 350.
The line-up includes Pasta Wafu, Saga Lyte, Tapavino, Hopper Kadé, Fishbowl, Fish and Co, Bau Truong, Mr. Bao, Bubble Nini’s, Bucket Boys bar and bottle shop.
Across thesquare to Electric Treat Street (aka Little Hay Street), you can find milkshakes and shaved ice desserts inspired by old-school Japanese miruku bars at Devon’s latest concept, DOPA Donburi and Milk Bar, as well as Filipino cocktail and dessert combos at Rey Jr, the sibling to Rey’s Placein Darlinghurst.
Outposts of Gelato Messina and Melbourne’s Shortstop Coffee and Donuts are also present. 
Nicolle Walk, a short stroll away, is home to the sequel to Marrickville’s mod-Vietnamese hit Hello Auntie and Hakata-Maru’s tonkotsu ramen flagship.
There are still a handful of spots, including Golden Century spinoff XOPP, set to switch on the lights in the coming months.
 
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29 more venues open for business in Darling Square

The new <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/yarraville-green-42-stephen-street-yarraville-vic-3013">Yarraville Green</a> development in Melbourne's inner west is showing that landscaping can be just as influential as architecture, with buyers responding strongly to the garden-first approach adopted from the outset by developer Excelon Projects and the project's design team.

Excelon appointed Six Degrees Architects and landscape architects SBLA to work collaboratively on the development, with a brief to create "a sustainable, design-led building with a focus on community."

That approach has resonated with buyers. According to Next Chapter Director Tom Hirini, who is leading the sales campaign, the landscaped communal garden has become one of the project's defining features, alongside its boutique scale and European-inspired cluster housing concept.

Local downsizers, right-sizers and established families already living in Yarraville and surrounding suburbs have accounted for the majority of purchasers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297740]

Yarraville Green will comprise 53 homes, including apartments and townhomes, arranged around the shared central garden to maximise connections to the landscaped open space. Parking has been moved underground, allowing the ground plane to be dedicated to greenery, pedestrian movement and communal spaces.

The landscape extends well beyond passive planting. Productive garden beds, a pergola, communal gathering spaces, garden sheds and a pet wash have all been integrated into the masterplan, creating spaces designed to encourage everyday interaction between residents.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297741]

The interiors continue Excelon's focus on craftsmanship, incorporating bespoke elements by Melbourne artisans including leadlight detailing by Adadaz, hand-turned timber hardware by Auburn Woodturning and blown-glass lighting by Ruth Allen.

Sustainability has also been embedded throughout the project, with Yarraville Green targeting an average 7-star NatHERS energy rating through passive design principles, rooftop solar servicing common areas and rainwater harvesting for landscape irrigation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297735]

Construction continues to progress at Yarraville Green, with structural works well underway and framing works approaching completion under builder Balmain &amp; Co. The project remains on track for completion in mid-2027.

Apartments at Yarraville Green are currently priced from $625,000, while townhomes start from $1.4 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=144913]

Joel Robinson

Garden-led design drives buyer demand at Yarraville Green

National diversified developer Fortis has officially launched Crest &amp; Walker, its latest Brisbane apartment development, with construction now underway on the 20-storey Newstead project.

Award-winning builder BINAH has commenced construction on the Bureau^Proberts-designed building, which will deliver a limited collection of 65 two and three-bedroom apartments on Kyabra Street.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373556]

The project marks Fortis' fourth active residential development in Brisbane, following River House, which is nearing completion, alongside projects in New Farm and Hamilton as the national developer continues to expand its South East Queensland pipeline.

Fortis General Manager – Development Queensland Dan Boman said Crest &amp; Walker reflects the developer's long-term commitment to delivering design-led residential projects in Brisbane's established inner-city suburbs.

"We're proud to be strengthening our presence in Brisbane with Crest &amp; Walker, particularly in such a sought-after lifestyle destination as Newstead," Boman said.

"Every Fortis project is shaped by its context, and we approach each one with the respect and care it deserves.

"Our focus is always on creating places that feel connected to their neighbourhood and elevate the everyday experience for residents. Newstead continues to evolve as one of Brisbane's most sought-after urban communities, and Crest &amp; Walker reflects our ambition to contribute meaningfully to that story."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373559]

Positioned between Gasworks Plaza and James Street, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/crest-walker-newstead-12-kyabra-street-newstead-qld-4006">Crest &amp; Walker</a> has been designed as a boutique residential address offering privacy and generous living spaces within one of Brisbane's most established lifestyle precincts.

The building features a contemporary brick podium softened by integrated landscaping, while the upper levels are characterised by restrained architecture and enduring materiality. Interiors have been designed to maximise natural light, acoustic performance and long-term liveability.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373583]

Residences comprise spacious two and three-bedroom floorplans, with two-bedroom apartments priced from $1.55 million and three-bedroom, half-floor residences from $3.95 million.

Residents will have access to a wellness-focused rooftop featuring a swimming pool, sauna, steam room, landscaped dining spaces and outdoor lounge areas overlooking Newstead and the Brisbane CBD.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373571]

Sales are being managed by Slaite Projects, with Fortis expecting strong demand from owner-occupiers seeking a high-quality, design-focused apartment in one of Brisbane's most tightly held inner-city suburbs.

Completion of Crest &amp; Walker is slated for late 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145922]

Fortis expands Brisbane pipeline with launch of Crest & Walker in Newstead

The enormity of delivering a true skyscraper in Australia's new development market is often overlooked.

It has taken the best part of a decade since plans for Chevron One were first unveiled, but the 41-storey tower is now complete, with residents collecting their keys and moving into what has become one of the Gold Coast's most recognisable new landmarks.

Rising 127 metres above Chevron Island, Chevron One stands almost twice as high as any other building on the island. Its scale places it alongside the trio of towers at Jewel, arguably the last truly significant addition to the central Gold Coast skyline when they were completed around six years ago.

While there are several developments underway around a similar height to Chevron One, they are more concentrated within clusters of the highest towers in the city. The fact Chevron One sits within a developing precinct, looking back at the other high-rise developments in Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach, makes it a different proposition altogether. It will certainly become a reference point on the Gold Coast skyline.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68833]

Developer Bensons Property Group is behind the 41-storey tower, which has 229 apartments, along with an exhaustive list of resident amenity spread across what is the largest development site ever assembled on Chevron Island.

The tower has been the talk of the town for years, says Ray White Projects Gold Coast agent Caitlin Rosenboom, who is selling the remaining apartments.

"People have been watching Chevron One go up for years," Rosenboom says, adding that many prospective buyers have been surprised by the scale of the views once they step inside.

"It's only when they walk through a completed apartment that they truly understand the position of the building," Rosenboom says.

"The views are jaw-dropping. Whether you're looking east over the ocean, across Surfers Paradise, along the river systems or out to the hinterland, every level offers something different but equally impressive."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=360215]

One of Chevron One's defining advantages is its location on the eastern side of Chevron Island on Stanhill Drive, a position which protects the views forever.

"There's only one row of houses between Chevron One and the water, and the height restrictions along the river means views from Chevron One can never be built out,"&nbsp;Rosenboom says.

While new apartment developments continue to emerge across the Gold Coast, Rosenboom says opportunities to secure a completed apartment with this level of outlook are becoming increasingly rare.

"The size of the site is something that would be incredibly difficult to replicate today," she says.

"That's allowed Chevron One to deliver the sort of amenity, open space and resident facilities that very few projects can offer. There are not many completed apartment buildings on the Gold Coast right now that can compete with the combination of scale, quality and amenity."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68839]

There's around 2,000 sqm of amenity solely for the use of residents of Chevron One. Club One features a uniquely shaped swimming pool that mirrors the footprint of the building itself, set within a extensively landscaped gardens. There's also an indoor pool and spa, a fully equipped gym with a Pilates room, a yoga garden, a bookable private dining area and lounge that can host up to 30 people, and a 24-hour concierge service.

As for the buyers, Rosenboom is fielding enquiry from everywhere: Sydneysiders and Melburnians looking at the new and off-the-plan market following the changes in the Federal Budget, as well as those looking to relocate, through to South East Queenslanders seeking either a permanent home or a weekender bolthole.

"The Gold Coast lifestyle continues to resonate with people relocating from the southern states, and when they see the views and the quality of what's been delivered at Chevron One, it becomes very easy for them to understand the appeal," Rosenboom says.

A diverse mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments remain available, with each offering "something a little different", be it the orientation and views, configuration, or level, to suit a wide variety of buyers.

The remaining apartments are ready to inspect in person, by appointment.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=6515]

A decade in the making: Residents to move into Chevron One as construction wraps up

A general rule of thumb in new apartment developments is that the penthouses get the rooftop.

It's a formula that's become commonplace across Australia's apartment market. Residents might have access to a pool, gym or barbecue facilities on a dedicated lower level, but the most desirable outdoor spaces are typically reserved for the highest-priced homes at the top of the building.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sherpa-property-group">Sherpa Property Group</a> has taken the opposite approach.

Rather than dedicating the rooftop to a handful of buyers, the Gold Coast developer has made it the centrepiece of its Flourish collection, creating expansive shared spaces from the best vantage point in the building.

The philosophy has reached its most ambitious expression at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-soleira-palm-beach-1150-1160-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Soleira</a> in Palm Beach, where two rooftop precincts connected by a skybridge will deliver one of the most extensive lifestyle offerings seen in a residential apartment project on the Gold Coast.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374053]

"We're seeing a clear move toward developments that offer more than just an apartment," Sherpa Group founder Christie Leet said.

"People want spaces that support how they actually live, whether that's working from home, staying active, or spending time with family and friends.

"That's where amenity becomes critical. It's not just about what's included, but how those spaces are designed to be used every day."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374052]

The breadth of amenity has already attracted buyers across multiple demographics. Younger first home buyers have been drawn to Soleira's one-bedroom apartments, a product rarely delivered in Palm Beach, while families have responded to practical inclusions such as the shallow children's pool adjoining the main lap pool and the extensive communal recreation areas.

Instead of a single rooftop, Soleira delivers two distinct lifestyle zones.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=372547]

The southern rooftop has been dedicated to wellness, featuring a gym, yoga and Pilates studio, work-from-home facilities, a wellness centre, spa, and hot and cold plunge pools.

The northern rooftop focuses on recreation and entertaining, incorporating a heated resort-style pool, private dining rooms, pizza ovens, barbecues, a golf simulator, children's recreation areas, and what is expected to be the Gold Coast's first rooftop basketball court, which will also double as a squash court.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374054]

Beyond the rooftops, Soleira will introduce 1,500 sqm of curated retail beneath the towers, creating one of Palm Beach's first genuinely mixed-use lifestyle precincts where cafés, restaurants and convenience retail become part of residents' everyday lives.

Sherpa has also retained management rights across the development, allowing it to oversee the long-term operation of the building through a 24-hour concierge model. The developer is also exploring additional revenue streams within the precinct aimed at helping offset ongoing body corporate costs for residents.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=370962]

While Soleira is the largest project Sherpa has delivered, the rooftop-first philosophy has been evolving for several years.

It began with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/amargo-6-12-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Amargo</a>, the first project released under the Flourish brand. Rather than competing at the ultra-luxury end of the market with oversized half-floor and full-floor residences, Sherpa focused on creating lifestyle-driven apartments supported by resort-style shared spaces.

Amargo introduced more than 800 sqm of rooftop amenity, combining wellness facilities, heated pools, entertaining areas, cabanas, pizza ovens and private dining spaces into what was designed as an extension of residents' homes rather than a facility used only occasionally.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146527 project_image_fid=366550]

That approach continued with Flourish Oasis, where the same amenity-led philosophy was refined into a more boutique development. Strong demand from Sherpa's growing VIP database saw much of the project sold before it reached the broader market, reinforcing buyer appetite for apartment communities centred around shared lifestyle experiences.

Flourish Amargo is slated for completion mid-way-through next year, with Oasis to be delivered by late 2027. Flourish Soleira is expected to complete in 2030.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150017]

Sherpa takes amenity to the sky as Flourish Soleira captures booming Palm Beach demand

As apartment living continues to evolve across Sydney's growth corridors, the quality and distribution of shared spaces is increasingly shaping how residents experience home. Rather than functioning as add-ons, amenities are being embedded into the daily rhythm of a building, supporting everything from quiet retreat to social interaction, often within a single vertical community.

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/aeris-melrose-park-nursery-street-melrose-park-nsw-2114">Aeris</a> in Melrose Park, this approach is resolved through a layered amenity offering that unfolds from ground level through to its upper podium. Developed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sekisui-house-australia">Sekisui House Australia</a> in partnership with Hankyu Hanshin Properties, the project introduces 468 apartments across two towers and a mid-rise building, positioned at the highest point of the broader masterplan.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=359199]

The amenity experience begins at street level, where two courtyards sit within a landscaped setting that connects residents to the wider network of parks and green spaces. These green spaces are not isolated pockets but part of a wider pedestrian network that links Aeris to the surrounding <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/melrose-park-nsw-2114">Melrose Park</a> precinct, including Central Park, future schools, and the Town Centre opening in July 2026. The result is a transition that moves from public to private without abrupt boundaries, allowing residents to pass through shaded, tree-lined environments before reaching the building itself.

Moving upward, the focus shifts to the level five podium, where the primary communal facilities are concentrated. This space brings together a 16-metre swimming pool, outdoor seating areas, and a communal BBQ zone arranged to take advantage of elevated outlooks. Seating is positioned beneath pergolas, creating pockets of shade that extend the usability of the space throughout the day. The pool edge aligns with views toward the wider district, reinforcing the sense of elevation that defines the project’s positioning.

In the adjacent building, this is complemented by quieter, more contemplative spaces, including an outdoor cinema set within the same level. Positioned to operate primarily in the evening, it introduces a different tempo to the shared environment, shifting from daytime activity to after-hours use without requiring separate zones.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=360299]

The podium also accommodates an intimate private resident gym. Located on the lower levels, it gives residents convenient access to fitness facilities without leaving the building.

Above, the elevated podium sky deck extends the amenity offering, providing additional open-air spaces with elevated outlooks across the surrounding landscape. While more restrained in program, this upper level reinforces the project’s vertical progression, from ground-level greenery to elevated outlook, allowing residents to move between distinct spatial conditions within a single address.

This distribution of amenities reflects a deliberate response to how residents use space across the day. Sekisui House Australia Sales and Marketing Director Peter Kalaf points to the role these shared areas play in shaping buyer demand. Aeris has been conceived as more than a collection of apartments, with the podium pool, gym and outdoor cinema forming part of a broader lifestyle offering that extends the home beyond each individual residence.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=360300]

What distinguishes Aeris is not the inclusion of these elements individually, but how they are arranged in relation to one another. Active, social, and passive spaces are layered vertically rather than separated, allowing residents to choose between them without leaving the building or moving far from their apartment. This proximity supports both routine use, such as a morning swim or evening workout, and more occasional gatherings, whether around the BBQ area or within the cinema setting.

The amenity design also sits within a broader framework of connectivity across Melrose Park. The Melrose Park Town Centre, anchored by Coles and Dan Murphys, features a mix of retail, dining, health and lifestyle offerings, bringing everyday convenience closer to residents. By the end of the year, more than five hectares of parks and open space, equivalent to around seven football fields of green space on residents' doorstep, will further enhance the precinct, allowing the internal facilities at Aeris to operate as an extension of the wider neighbourhood rather than a substitute for it.

Construction at Aeris continues to gather momentum, with ground floor slabs expected to be completed in late 2026 before the first sections of the buildings begin to rise above ground.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=426]

Staff reporter

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