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EXPERT OBSERVATION 
The Australian March quarter Consumer Price Index showed flat headline inflation over the quarter and annual inflation falling to 1.3%, missing expectations of a 0.2% quarter on quarter rise.
The bigger downside surprise came from weaker underlying inflation.
Underlying inflation, as measured by the trimmed mean and weighted median, averaged 0.2% over the quarter and 1.4% over the year which missed consensus expectations of 0.4% quarter on quarter and 1.7% year on year.
The RBA uses underlying inflation as the best guide to fundamental price trends in the economy because it excludes volatile price changes.
Inflation continues to track below the RBA’s 2-3% target band (see chart below) and the central bank is likely to revise down its inflation forecasts.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/4/19/abs%20.png" alt="">
Source: ABS, AMP Capital
In the March quarter, the largest price rises came from the usual seasonal sources (education and medical services), a lift in motor vehicle prices and a rise in food prices (particularly vegetables). But these were offset by price falls for fuel (given a sharp decline in petrol prices) and domestic and international holiday travel (a seasonal effect). 
While the petrol price has since bounced back the lack of underlying pricing pressure in the economy is evident in pricing weakness across areas like clothing, rents, household equipment and services and communications. The weakness in underlying inflation shows that businesses are still finding it challenging to lift prices in the face of ongoing spare capacity, intense competition and weak demand.
Other measures of underlying inflation also remain very low. Inflation excluding food and energy, which is the US core measure of inflation, is running at just 1.3% year on year (in the US its running at 2% year on year) and inflation in the private sector of the economy (excluding volatile items) is at 1.4% year on year (as measured by the “market goods and services ex volatiles items” index).
Implications
The weakness in Australian inflation confirms the spare capacity remains significant in the economy. With GDP growth expected to remain low in 2019 – at around 2.3% - spare capacity and weak demand will continue to put downward pressure on prices and wages.
The March quarter inflation data missed the RBA forecasts (see chart below), which continues the trend over the past few years of the RBA overestimating inflation, and means that the central bank is likely to downgrade its inflation forecasts yet again next month. The longer inflation undershoots the 2-3% target, the greater the risk that the target will lose credibility. This in turn will see low inflation expectations become more entrenched making it in turn even harder to get inflation back to target. 
Lowering the target would be a huge mistake and would see inflation targeting lose all credibility and only lock in low inflation (and the risk of deflation) for longer.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/4/19/abs%202.png" alt="">
Source: ABS, AMP Capital
We have been looking for two rate cuts this year since last December and had thought that the RBA would wait till after the election before starting to move. However, with underlying inflation coming in much weaker than expected our base case is now that the first cut will come next month, with the RBA likely to conclude that it’s too risky to wait until unemployment starts to trend up.
Shane Oliver is Head of Investment Strategy and Chief Economist AMP Capital.
Diana Mousina is an Economist at AMP Capital. 
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

RBA rate cuts imminent, probably starting in May: Shane Oliver

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Canberra has experienced the strongest annual growth in rents of all the capital cities and remains the most expensive capital city to rent a house, according to Domain. 
Its 2019 Rental Report said surging rental prices have pushed the rent price gap further ahead of Sydney by $30 a week.
There appears to be no reprieve in sight for tenants given the pace of rent rises is increasing.
Tenants have been faced with three-and-a-half-years of growing rental prices, stretching affordability by outpacing wages growth.
Canberra is the second most expensive capital city to rent a unit.
Tenants have been faced with almost four-years of rising unit rents, however the pace of unit rent growth is now slowing - a counter-intuitive scenario given the fact Canberra has experienced a development boom over recent years.
<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/2019/4/10/canberra%20.jpg" alt="">
Source: Domain 2019 Rental Report
A three bedroom Gungahlin house currently on the rental market is priced at $590 per week (pictured below). 
The house situated at 22 Ayrton Street comes with master suite, two other bedrooms, modern kitchen, outdoor entertaining area and double garage.
It is positioned close to Yerrabi waterfront and the Gungahlin Town Centre.
<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/2019/4/19/gungahlin.jpg" alt="">
A ground floor two bedroom apartment in Kingston is available for lease with a price of $470 per week (pictured below).
Situated in the Chamonix development, the apartment at 24/15 Howitt Street comes with open plan living and dining, two bedrooms, private paved courtyard and single carport.
It is a few minutes walk from shopping and dining precinct, Bus Depot Markets, Kingston Foreshore and Lake Burley Griffin.
<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/2019/4/19/kingston.jpg" alt="">
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Canberra remains the nation's most expensive capital to rent a house: Domain

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Rental prices are steadily rising in the South Australian capital, with unit rents surpassing Perth last quarter for the first time, according to Domain. 
Its 2019 Rental Report said house rents are now at a record high while unit rents held at the record high achieved last quarter.
Adelaide’s vacancy rate indicates that the rental market is tightening, making it the third most competitive capital city for tenants.
Available rental stock has been sliding since mid-2017, and overseas migration edges higher, placing further pressure on rents.
Gross rental yields could attract investor activity, particularly given the lower purchasing cost relative to the eastern seaboard.
Annually house yields nudged marginally higher for the first time in just over five-years, while unit yields have been improving for a year.
The diminished prospect of capital gains and weaker yields in Sydney and Melbourne could see investors seek markets that have avoided the east coast price surge.
<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/2019/4/11/adelaide%20.jpg" alt="">
Source: Domain 2019 Rental Report
A dual level cottage located in the heart of Adelaide's south east corner has been listed for lease with a price of $410 per week (pictured below). 
The cottage at 14A Gladstone Street comprises of two bedrooms upstairs, study, third bedroom or dressing room, living area, country style kitchen, and rear alfresco courtyard/garden.
It is within walking distance from Adelaide's popular Hutt Street Precinct, shops and transport.
<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/2019/4/19/adelaide%201.jpg" alt="">
 A two bedroom apartment in Adelaide has been listed for $312 per week (pictured below).
The modern apartment at 1.3/242 Flinder Street features spacious living rooms, European-style kitchen including dishwasher, and entertainers balcony.
<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/2019/4/19/adelaide%202.jpg" alt="">
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Adelaide house rents reach a record high: Domain

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Hamilton's Newnham has been relisted for sale.
The agents are seeking offers above $3.8 million. 
The four-bedroom, three-bathroom grand-old dame of a home at 60 Riverview Terrace was constructed in the early 1900s.
It sits on 1026 square metres.
It was built in 1901 by department store owner William Overell.
In the late 1920s, the front verandas were closed in and arches and Taj Mahal inspired domes were added.
The property had previously been for sale for a year with a price guide in the mid-$3 million range.
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Hamilton's Newnham relisted with $3.8 million plus hopes

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A new Ballarat child care centre, leased to Beginnings Early Learners, has sold for $4.7million, seven days after being listed with Savills Australia. 
CBD &amp; Metropolitan sales agent, Mark Stafford, brokered the off-market deal for 2 Mia Street, Alfredton, following a failed expressions-of-interest campaign with a competitor agency.  
Mr Stafford said the sale price represented a 7.46 per cent yield.
It reflected a rate of $36,154 per place.  
“Savills was able to act swiftly for our vendor, with the property being snapped up by a local investor attracted by the high-growth location, strong rental yield and brand new building,” Stafford said. 
“The deal highlights the strong demand we’re experiencing for income-producing assets with long-term leases.” 
The transaction comes on the back of Savills recent sale of a childcare centre at 17 Station Street, Pakenham, which sold with a six-day settlement.
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Ballarat sale shows childcare centres remain asset of choice for investors across Victoria

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Australia’s headline inflation rate softened to just 0.1 per cent for the March quarter pushing the annual rate down in seasonally adjusted terms to 1.3 percent from 1.8 percent.
Today’s inflation figures for the Q1 showed a bleak picture, with both the headline and core figures missing economist expectations.
With the CPI coming in at zero, the Aussie dollar plunged. The Aussie dollar fell over half a cent against the greenback in quick response.
Interest rate cuts are now surely on the table at the next RBA meeting, economists suggest.
Columnist Pete Wargent described it as an "epic miss."
"The incompetence, ineptitude and policy failure of the RBA is now there for all to see," tweeted Stephen Koukoulas.
"An interest rate cut on 7 May - based on a weak economy - will be hugely interesting during the election campaign," he added.
The core figures matched expectations, keeping the annualized inflation rates below the Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) 2-3 percent target range.
The Commsec economist Craig James noted: "Inflation is clearly not an issue."
"The published rate of inflation didn’t budge in the first three months of the year.
"Strip out volatile items and ‘underlying’ prices advanced around 0.2 per cent.
"In annual terms, annual inflation stands at a 2½-year low.
"Arguably the annual rate of ‘underlying’ inflation is the lowest on record at 1.4 per cent," James said.
James said the door "remains ajar to a rate cut."
"That is, should a rate cut be needed.
"The unemployment rate remains near decade lows – indeed the NSW trend jobless rate is at record lows."
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CPI stays low

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GUEST OBSERVATION
The public housing estates built in cities around the world since the <a href="https://www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk/news/heritage/boundary-of-old-nichol-s-vice-filth-death-1-666236" target="_blank">first public housing was built in the 19th-century London</a> have long been home to the very vulnerable, including refugees and immigrants. At the level of their lived experience – home and neighbourhood – the architectural and spatial qualities of public spaces and housing affect refugees’ and migrants’ ability to <a href="http://habitat3.org/wp-content/uploads/Habitat-III-Issue-Paper-2_2_Migration-and-Refugees-in-Urban-Areas-2.0.pdf" target="_blank">integrate into their new home</a>. We can see this in the public housing estates of two cities on opposite sides of the world, Paris and Melbourne.
In their new communities, refugees are also trying to adapt to new cultural norms, language, access to employment and education and even to stigma and blame for their need of public housing.
<a href="https://espace.curtin.edu.au/bitstream/handle/20.500.11937/4568/192969_192969%20Hartley.pdf?sequence=2" target="_blank">Refugees are among those hardest hit by social and economic challenges</a> that are being deepened by <a href="https://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.com/&amp;httpsredir=1&amp;article=1011&amp;context=soci_honors" target="_blank">structural economic changes</a>. This includes <a href="/news">the challenge of finding affordable housing</a>. By 2025 an estimated <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/urbanization/tackling-the-worlds-affordable-housing-challenge" target="_blank">one-third of the world’s city dwellers</a> will struggle to secure decent, affordable housing.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/265501/original/file-20190325-36279-1kbfrcf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;rect=622%2C35%2C6870%2C2932&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="File 20190325 36279 1kbfrcf.jpg?ixlib=rb 1.1">
Public housing in Paris (left) and Melbourne (right) has similar impacts on residents’ integration into the community. Wissem Felah, Sandra Carrasco, Author provided
The HLM of Paris
The French government has been discussing issues related to public housing or habitation à loyer modéré (or HLM, which means “rent-controlled housing”). In 2018, <a href="https://www.lemonde.fr/les-decodeurs/article/2018/04/04/reforme-des-hlm-que-represente-le-logement-social-en-france_5280726_4355770" target="_blank">the government and its Ministry of Territorial Cohesion</a> suggested a plan to generate funds to build and renovate this housing.
Over 20% of immigrants live in the HLM of Paris and the Seine Saint-Denis department. Arab and Sub-Saharan African immigrants experience high levels of ethnic segregation, <a href="https://www.degruyter.com/downloadpdf/j/mgrsd.2013.17.issue-2/v10288-012-0040-3/v10288-012-0040-3.pdf" target="_blank">reaching 30% by the late 1990s</a>. African immigrants and refugees tend to live in clusters <a href="http://ftp.iza.org/dp5456.pdf" target="_blank">in segregated and more disadvantaged neighbourhoods</a> away from the city.
The public still has a negative view of the public housing estates, located in many <a href="https://www.citylab.com/equity/2017/11/the-othered-paris/543597/" target="_blank">banlieues</a>, as declining and segregated “<a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/08/31/the-other-france" target="_blank">immigrant-dominated slums</a>”.
Saint-Denis is a working-class neighbourhood in the northern suburbs of Paris. Despite the positive impact of its shops, bazaars, diverse communities and residents’ recent <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/20180822-france-tourism-sightseeing-paris-suburbs-saint-denis-greeters-local-volunteers" target="_blank">initiatives to boost tourism</a>, it is still struggling with social inequality as one of the most impoverished areas in Paris.
Violence and drug trafficking are two key issues that impact people and their HLM housing. In 2016, an increase in violent crime led the HLM Office, which manages 18,000 social housing estates in Seine-Saint-Denis, to hold the government responsible due to a sharp <a href="http://www.leparisien.fr/villetaneuse-93430/plaine-commune-mine-par-l-insecurite-l-office-hlm-attaque-l-etat-07-11-2016-6300573.php" target="_blank">increase in insecurity</a>.
Many similar issues, and some different ones, affect public housing provision and tenancy in Melbourne. It’s where many refugee arrivals are first housed in Australia. As in Paris, Melbourne’s public housing is associated (fairly or unfairly) with <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/multimillion-dollar-drug-trafficking-ring-run-out-of-fitzroy-public-housing-flat-20150722-gihu4t" target="_blank">crime</a>, <a href="/news">social isolation</a> and <a href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/inner-east/stonnington-council-slams-plan-to-redevelop-prahran-and-south-yarra-estates/news-story/43d3edd0954f94ea1e4c61480bdc9e65" target="_blank">urban blight</a>.
A more pressing problem in Melbourne, however, is the gap between housing supply and demand. Public housing stock across Australia is <a href="https://theconversation.com/australia-needs-to-reboot-affordable-housing-funding-not-scrap-it-72861" target="_blank">declining and ageing</a> while waiting lists grow.
The list is growing by <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-06-06/victorias-public-housing-waiting-list-growing-by-500-a-week/9837934" target="_blank">500 people a month</a> in Victoria. In this state alone, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/jun/06/almost-25000-children-waiting-for-social-housing-in-victoria" target="_blank">nearly 25,000 children are waiting for social housing</a>.
Amid increasing concerns about the affordability and availability of public housing, the sociology, design/architecture and aesthetics of existing estates become even more vital in terms of their effects on social cohesion and well-being. These impacts are critical for those whose first home in Melbourne is a public housing estate.
The disrepair and poor quality of buildings and grounds of many of Melbourne’s older, inner-city estates are obvious. Building materials (like concrete) are degraded. The design of common areas, like foyers and hallways, does not promote social interaction.
The grounds also fall short of what’s needed, despite <a href="http://www.aila.org.au/imis_prod/documents/AILA/VIC/Prahran%20Masterplan_Phase3_Consultation%20report%20executive%20summary_190416%20(003).pdf" target="_blank">the opportunities they offer</a> for varied outdoor activity and social encounters. Public housing estates are often gated, either physically or psychologically, from the surrounding community. This results in enclaves of social disadvantage, often within otherwise wealthy suburbs.
<a href="http://theconversation.com/voices-of-residents-missing-in-a-time-of-crisis-for-public-housing-93655">Many have questioned</a> whether public housing renewal is improving these conditions. The <a href="https://theconversation.com/social-mix-in-housing-one-size-doesnt-fit-all-as-new-projects-show-80956" target="_blank">public-private mix in some new estates has resulted in gated gardens</a> being provided for the exclusive use of the private residents of <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/social-mix-approach-to-public-housing-is-failing-research-finds-20170616-gwsj3m" target="_blank">apartment buildings and not the public tenants</a>.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/260510/original/file-20190223-195876-m6yadu.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/260510/original/file-20190223-195876-m6yadu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt="" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></a>
A public housing estate in North Richmond, Melbourne.
The monumental scale of Melbourne’s largest estates is intimidating for visitors. Finding one’s way to a particular address can be challenging. All buildings take the same form and, lacking individual identity, are recognisable by numbers only.
The scale of the buildings and the dull colours and textures of their facades coupled with the repetitive, gridded network of windows are reminiscent of a Soviet era that never existed in Melbourne. One can see similar layouts, colours and materials on the facades of the HLM of Saint Denis. This speaks to the ubiquity of public housing design.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/260512/original/file-20190223-195864-1cb9r9h.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/260512/original/file-20190223-195864-1cb9r9h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
The intimidating scale and uniformity of public housing can be a problem in Melbourne – this estate is in Carlton – or Paris. Sandra Carrasco, Author provided
How can public housing be made better?
Public housing estates often have a pronounced cultural and social mix, with first-generation migrants and refugees from across the globe living as neighbours. This can have benefits including cultural exchange and mutual understanding but can also trigger <a href="/news">social withdrawal and isolation</a>. The risks are particularly high for people from new cultural groups arriving in neighbourhoods with settled (and culturally different) populations.
Cultural differences certainly affect relationships between individuals, but also apply to the ways people use the private and public spaces of their new homes. What an Australian-born, wealthy white person would expect and need of “open space” is potentially quite different to what a black, Sudanese-born survivor of conflict might expect or need.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/260513/original/file-20190223-39858-niwqxj.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/260513/original/file-20190223-39858-niwqxj.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt="" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"></a>
Inside a Carlton public housing estate. Majdi Faleh, Author provided
Arguably, what is being offered as places for people to connect with their new community in and around public housing meets few people’s needs or expectations. The interior spaces, such as long interior corridors with blank walls, do not provide for comfort, communication and interaction between tenants. The exterior spaces delineate rather than join up the communities of public and private housing.
These dimensions of Melbourne’s public housing may set up a spatial tension that mirrors the occupants’ lives. Yet they could also offer an opportunity to be a canvas for a new interpretation of architecture and urban development, as German sociologist Martina Low notes in her book, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.palgrave.com/us/book/9781137487711" target="_blank">The Sociology of Space: Materiality, Social Structures, and Action</a>.
Low’s principle focuses on the emergence of space as a result of interplay between social structure, the material world of objects and bodies, and the symbolism of the social world. This new interpretation needs to reflect the lives and experiences of refugee migrants making a new home as well as more established members of the community.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/110284/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
Majdi Faleh, Teaching Assistant, University of Melbourne
Andrea Cook, Melbourne Early Career Academic Fellow, Melbourne School of Design, University of Melbourne
Ashleigh Haw, PhD Candidate in Sociology, University of Western Australia, and Research Assistant at RMIT (School of Global, Urban and Social Studies), University of Melbourne
Sandra Carrasco, McKenzie Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Melbourne School of Design, University of Melbourne
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/paris-melbourne-public-housing-doesnt-just-look-the-same-its-part-of-the-challenges-refugees-face-110284" target="_blank">original article</a>.
Main photo: A street view of public housing in Carlton, Victoria. Majdi Faleh, Author provided
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Paris? Melbourne? Public housing doesn’t just look the same, it’s part of the challenges refugees face

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Victoria has some of the most <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.pnas.org/content/106/28/11635" target="_blank">carbon-dense native forests</a> in the world. Advocates for logging these forests <a href="http://www.naturallybetter.com.au/carbon-and-environment" target="_blank">often argue</a> that wood products in buildings and furniture become long-term storage for carbon.
However, these claims are misleading. Most native trees cut down in Victoria become woodchips, pulp and pallets, which have short lifespans before going to landfill. In landfill, the wood breaks down and releases carbon back into the atmosphere.
On the other hand, our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/mar/28/common-sense-littleproud-backs-victoria-plan-to-exit-logging-to-earn-carbon-credits" target="_blank">evolving carbon market</a> means Australia’s native forests are extremely valuable as long-term carbon stores. It’s time to recognise logging for short-lived wood products is a poor use of native forests.
The problem with logging native forests
Victoria has about 7.6 million hectares of <a href="http://www.agriculture.gov.au/abares/research-topics/forests/forest-data#australian-forest-and-wood-products-statistics" target="_blank">native forests</a>. The most <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.pnas.org/content/106/28/11635" target="_blank">carbon-dense</a> areas are in ash forests, consisting of mountain ash, alpine ash and shining gum trees.
These forests can store up to 1,140 tonnes of carbon per hectare <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378112704001343" target="_blank">for centuries</a>.
But around 1.82 million hectares of <a href="http://www.gazette.vic.gov.au/gazette/Gazettes2014/GG2014S405.pdf" target="_blank">Victorian native forests</a> are allocated to the government’s logging business, VicForests.
VicForests <a href="http://www.vicforests.com.au/static/uploads/files/report-vicforests-annual-report-2018-wfccxhsjgpfj.pdf" target="_blank">claims</a> logging is the only market for the large area of native forest allocated to it. In other words, its forests are exclusively valued as timber asset, in the same way a wheat crop would be exclusively valued for wheat grain production.
In Victorian native forests, industrial scale clearfell logging removes around <a href="https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1890/ES14-00051.1" target="_blank">40% of the forest biomass</a> for logs fit for sale.
The remaining 60% is debris, which is either burned off or decomposes – becoming a <a href="https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1890/ES14-00051.1" target="_blank">major source</a> of greenhouse gas emission.
Myth one: storing carbon in wood products
The first myth we want to address is logging native forests is beneficial because the carbon is stored in wood products. This argument depends on the proportion of forest biomass ending up in wood products, and how long they last before ending up in landfill.
On average, logs suitable to be sawn into timber make up only an average <a href="http://www.agriculture.gov.au/abares/research-topics/forests/forest-data#australian-forest-and-wood-products-statistics" target="_blank">35% of total logs</a> cut from Victorian native forests.
Of this 35%, sawmills convert <a href="http://www.vafi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/vafi_investment_innovation_report2012.pdf" target="_blank">less than 40%</a> into sawn timber for building and furniture. Offcuts are woodchipped and pulped for paper manufacturing, along with sawdust sold to <a href="https://www.timberbiz.com.au/chickens-in-a-flap-over-heyfield/" target="_blank">chicken broiler sheds</a> for bedding.
Sawn timber equates to 14% of log volume cut from the forest. The remaining 84% of logs cut are used in short-lived and often disposable products like copy paper and pallets.
The lifespan of paper products is assumed to be <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20061019205713/http://www.greenhouse.gov.au/ncas/reports/tech08" target="_blank">three years</a>. Although around <a href="https://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/Government/Victorian-Waste-data-portal/Interactive-waste-data-mapping/Waste-projection-model" target="_blank">75% of paper and cardboard </a>is recovered, recycling is growing more <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/state-government-must-act-to-fix-recycling-crisis-councils-urge-20190222-p50zos" target="_blank">uncertain</a> with recovered paper being sent to landfill.
The maximum lifespan of a timber pallet is <a href="http://vta.com.au/wp-content/files_mf/1505108242PalletSurveyReport2017.pdf" target="_blank">seven years</a>. At the end of their service, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212827115000852" target="_blank">timber pallets</a> are sent to landfill, chipped for particleboard, reused for landscape mulch or burnt for energy generation.
Longer-lived wood products, such as the small proportion of native timber used in building and furniture, have a lifespan of around <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20061019205713/http://www.greenhouse.gov.au/ncas/reports/tech08" target="_blank">90 years</a>. These wood products are used to justify logging native forests.
But at the end of their service life, the majority of these wood products also end up in landfill.
In fact, for the 500,000 tonnes of wood waste generated annually from building, demolition and other related commercial processes in Victoria, over two thirds end up in landfill, according to a Sustainability Victoria <a href="http://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/-/media/resources/documents/publications-and-research/research/market-analysis/market-analysis-timber-sept-2014-pdf.pdf" target="_blank">report</a>.
Myth two: the need to log South East Asian rainforests
A second myth is using logs from Victorian native forests will prevent logging and degradation of rainforests across South East Asia, particularly for <a href="https://www.fwpa.com.au/images/resources/Amended_Final_report_C_native_forests_PNC285-1112.pdf" target="_blank">paper production</a>.
This is patently absurd. The wood from the Victorian plantation sector – essentially timber farms, rather than trees growing “wild” in native forests – could replace native forest logs used for paper manufacturing in Victoria several times over.
In fact, in 2016-17 89% of logs used to make wood pulp (pulplogs) for paper production in Victoria <a href="http://www.agriculture.gov.au/abares/research-topics/forests/forest-data#australian-forest-and-wood-products-statistics" target="_blank">came from plantation trees</a>, with the majority of hardwood logs exported.
And Australia is a <a href="http://www.agriculture.gov.au/SiteCollectionDocuments/abares/afwps-overview-mar-jun-2018.pdf" target="_blank">net exporter</a> by volume of lower-value unprocessed logs and woodchips.
Processing pulplogs from <a href="https://au.fsc.org/en-au" target="_blank">well managed</a> plantations in Victoria instead of exporting them would give a much needed jobs boost for local economies.
With most of these plantations established on previously cleared farmland, they offer one of the most robust ways for the land use sector to <a href="https://publications.csiro.au/rpr/download?pid=csiro:EP113280&amp;dsid=DS6" target="_blank">off-set greenhouse gas emissions</a>.
Next steps
The time is right for Australian governments to develop a long-term carbon storage plan that includes intact native forests.
Logging results in at least 94% of a forest’s stored carbon ending up in the atmosphere. A maximum of 6% of its carbon remains in sawn timber, for up to 90 years (but typically much shorter). This is patently counterproductive from a carbon-storage point of view.
State-owned forest management companies, such as VicForests, can transition away from the timber business and begin managing forests for carbon storage. Such a concept is not new – the federal government has <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2017L01038/Explanatory%20Statement/Text" target="_blank">already approved</a> a way to value the carbon storage of plantations.
The same must now be developed to better protect native forests and the large amounts of carbon they can store.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/115054/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;">
Chris Taylor, Research Fellow, Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University
David Lindenmayer, Professor, The Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University<a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-national-university-877"></a>
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/logged-native-forests-mostly-end-up-in-landfill-not-in-buildings-and-furniture-115054">original article</a>.
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Logged native forests mostly end up in landfill, not in buildings and furniture

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Most of us are familiar with cases of data being used in ways that go beyond consumer expectations – just think of the <a href="https://theconversation.com/cambridge-analytica-used-our-secrets-for-profit-the-same-data-could-be-used-for-public-good-98745" target="_blank">Facebook Cambridge Analytica scandal</a>.
However this is also an issue relevant to Australia’s agricultural sector. Modern farms create a huge amount of data, but farmers have very little control over the collection, aggregation and potential distribution of that data.
Agricultural data collected by governments, agribusinesses and banks is regulated in a piecemeal fashion, and ends up beyond the reach of the very farmers who generated the data.
There are signs this may be starting to change.
Privacy and data rights
On April 4, animal activists engaged in <a href="https://theconversation.com/heres-why-well-intentioned-vegan-protesters-are-getting-it-wrong-115224" target="_blank">widespread protests</a> that disrupted Australian cities and farming communities.
The next day Federal Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources David Littleproud took the extraordinary step of including Aussie Farms Incorporated – a self-described animal rights charity that publishes a map of farming and animal processing locations – as an “organisation” under the <a href="https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy-law/" target="_blank">Privacy Act</a>.
Littleproud <a href="https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6008670/questions-over-pms-call-for-class-action-against-vegan-activism/" target="_blank">said</a>: "Federally, we’ve done our bit – we’ve brought Aussie Farms and its attack map for activists under the Privacy Act so that misuse of personal information results in enormous fines."
This is the first time in Australia such collation and publication of farming data has been addressed with a significant legal response.
It comes at a time when the new consumer data right (CDR) is imminent. This right, soon to be enshrined in new rules developed by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), will provide Australians with greater access to and control over their own data.
On April 15, the ACCC released draft CDR rules for consultation. These are in preparation for the implementation of the first phase of the CDR set for July 1, 2019. The <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/Exposure%20draft%20CDR%20rules%2029%20March%202019.pdf" target="_blank">ACCC’s rules</a> set out how the CDR will operate including data sharing and privacy safeguards.
The decision to include Aussie Farms Incorporated under the Privacy Act and the introduction of the CDR feeds into an important conversation about governance and control of Australian agricultural data.
The value of agricultural data
Australian farms generate huge volumes of agricultural data. Examples include the types of crops being grown, crop yields, livestock numbers and locations, types of fertilisers and pesticides being used, soil types, rainfall and more.
This data is typically collected through the use of digital farming machinery and buildings featuring robotics and digital technologies, artificial intelligence, and devices connected to the internet (“internet of things”, or <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-someone-watching-you-online-the-security-risks-of-the-internet-of-things-55701" target="_blank">IoT</a>).
Big data, data analytics and machine learning are incorporated into agriculture through electronic livestock tracing systems, electronic weather data, smartphone mapping and other remote sensing applications.
Over the past five years, <a href="https://www.crdc.com.au/precision-to-decision" target="_blank">numerous reports</a> have <a href="https://www.ey.com/gl/en/industries/consumer-products/ey-digital-agriculture-trends-opportunities" target="_blank">highlighted</a> the myriad benefits a data revolution can <a href="https://assets.kpmg/content/dam/kpmg/au/pdf/2018/talking-2030-growing-australian-agriculture.pdf" target="_blank">bring to agriculture</a>.
Many think this data revolution will provide an opportunity for farmers to get closer to the consumer, make farms and farmers more efficient, and provide a way for farmers to show banks how sustainable practices lower long-term risk of things like droughts and pests.
Indeed, big data in agriculture is <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://www.triplepundit.com/story/2014/6-ways-big-data-helps-improve-global-water-and-food-security/39791" target="_blank">often seen</a> as the solution to the world’s impending food security crisis.
Piecemeal regulation
But a recent <a href="/news">review</a> from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics highlights the patchy and fragmented nature of existing government and industry approaches to agricultural data. What that means is Australian farmers are currently not adequately protected from their farm data being collected and used without their knowledge or consent.
Perhaps not surprisingly then, <a href="https://www.crdc.com.au/sites/default/files/P2D%20producer%20survey%20-%20CSIRO%20Final%20Report.pdf" target="_blank">recent research</a> into farmers’ attitudes about sharing their farm data reveals their level of mistrust about the way in which that data may be used or misused. More than 60% of farmers surveyed indicated they had little to no trust in technology providers to maintain their privacy and not engage in unauthorised use of their data.
A strong future for digitally-enabled Australian agriculture needs a data governance framework. Such guidelines must encompass the legal, social and ethical rules we need to protect the agricultural sector, the interests of farmers and farmer privacy.
This latter point is key, as agricultural data is often connected to farmers’ personal information. For example, the location of the farms, or the location of GPS-enabled farming equipment, may be digitally linked to farmer names and financial information.
Within industries, anecdotal stories abound about banks and insurance companies knowing more about the incomes and businesses of farms than the individual farmers themselves.
Towards a solution
Farmers are aware of the changing data landscape, with proposed federal government legislation on <a href="https://dataavailability.pmc.gov.au/" target="_blank">data availability and use</a>, and the <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/focus-areas/consumer-data-right-cdr-0" target="_blank">consumer data right</a> being rolled out across industry sectors. As Shadow Minister for Agriculture Joel Fitzgibbon <a href="http://www.joelfitzgibbon.com/speech_rabobank_farm2fork_summit_doing_more_with_less_innovation_sustainable_agriculture_thursday_28_march_2019" target="_blank">recently observed</a>: "If given the opportunity, a Labor government will reform the research system and improve data availability. If we want to develop good evidenced-based policy we need more and better data."
Yet the problem is that many farmers don’t know if, and under what circumstances, they should share their agricultural data.
We argue that Australian agricultural industries need to urgently address issues such as data sharing protocols and governance arrangements. Perhaps the group best placed to coordinate such activities is the National Farmers’ Federation (<a href="https://www.nff.org.au/" target="_blank">NFF</a>).
What should those rules look like?
We have seen attempts to improve the position of farmers against anti-competitive practices of supermarkets through the recent re-appointment of <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/focus-areas/agriculture" target="_blank">Mick Keogh as Agricultural Commissioner</a> to Australia’s competition watchdog, the ACCC.
In other countries, attempts to improve agricultural data management practices have been administered through the introduction of voluntary agricultural data codes of practice in the <a href="https://www.fb.org/issues/technology/data-privacy/privacy-and-security-principles-for-farm-data" target="_blank">US</a>, <a href="http://www.farmdatacode.org.nz/" target="_blank">NZ</a> and now the <a href="https://www.ecpa.eu/news/code-conduct-agricultural-data-sharing-signing" target="_blank">EU</a>.
Australia’s <a href="https://www.nff.org.au/" target="_blank">NFF</a> is currently <a href="https://www.nff.org.au/read/5873/budget-roadmap-charts-course-for-100" target="_blank">considering</a> developing an agricultural data code for Australia as well.
But an agricultural data code of practice is just one piece of the large puzzle of how best to protect farmers and their data while maximising the potential for agriculture.
Providing guidance around agricultural data is not just about privacy, but also productivity.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/115228/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;">
Leanne Wiseman, Associate Professor, Griffith Law School, Assoc Director Australian Centre for Intellectual Property in Agriculture (ACIPA), Griffith University
Jay Sanderson, Professor, Head of USC Law School, University of the Sunshine Coast
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/farms-create-lots-of-data-but-farmers-dont-control-where-it-ends-up-and-who-can-use-it-115228" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Farms create lots of data, but farmers don’t control where it ends up and who can use it

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A riverfront Noosa Heads French-style home has been sold for $5.67 million under the hammer.
It was sold by Eric Seetoo from Tom Offermann Real Estate Noosa Heads Easter eve by its Melbourne based vendors.
Occupying a riverfront location near Hastings Street, <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-noosa+heads-130031950" target="_blank">49 Witta Circle</a> comes with open plan living and dining areas, stainless stell kitchen, guest master suite, main master suite and two other bedrooms.
<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/2019/4/19/noosa%20heads%201.jpg" alt="">
Other features include sun lounge, white cobble stone-like courtyard, pool, cathedral ceilings, wide-plank timber floors, entertaining deck and bar.
It is just 10 minutes away from Noosa National Park's World Surfing Reserve.
<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/2019/4/19/noosa%20heads%202.jpg" alt="">
Seetoo said the address could be the highest Queensland house sale under the hammer so far in 2019.
It had last traded at $4.2 million in 2014.
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Riverfront Noosa Heads trophy home sells for $5.67 million 

For most new apartment buildings, the Owners Corporation starts life with little more than a bank account and the first quarterly strata levies.

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/9-gay-street-castle-hill-9-gay-street-castle-hill-nsw-2154">9 Gay Street</a> in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/castle-hill-nsw-2154">Castle Hill</a>, it starts with around $7 million in reserve.

It's an unusual legacy of what was once one of Sydney's highest-profile apartment remediation projects. When the development, originally known as Skyview and built by disgraced developer Top Place, came under scrutiny by then NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler, an $11 million remediation bond was negotiated to ensure any building defects could be fully rectified.

The building underwent an 18-month remediation program, during which around $4 million of that bond was spent bringing the building up to the standard it should have been in from the outset.

After extensive inspections, all active rectification orders have been lifted. What's more, around $7.2 million remains secured for the Owners Corporation for the next 15 years.

In a twist few would have predicted, what began as a significant concern for purchasers has left the building with something almost unheard of in the apartment market: a multi-million-dollar financial reserve from day one.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=147685 project_image_fid=359136]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/equitifund-group">Equitifund</a> Executive Chairman Greg Huxley said the structure offers buyers a level of certainty that is difficult to replicate.

"The $11 million bond established for the Skyview Castle Hill development represents exceptional value, providing genuine financial security for purchasers," Huxley said.

"Unlike a standard insurance policy, this bond consists of real funds held in trust for the Owners Corporation, offering a tangible layer of protection and added peace of mind."

The apartments themselves have been designed with a focus on practical, contemporary living. Interiors feature Smeg appliances, stone benchtops, tiled living areas, carpeted bedrooms, 2.7-metre ceilings, floor-to-ceiling glazing, and ducted heating and cooling throughout.

Residents also have access to a range of shared amenities, including two rooftop barbecue areas, a swimming pool, children's playgrounds, secure building access, storage cages, and visitor parking.

The location continues to be one of the project's strongest drawcards. Castle Hill Metro Station sits virtually on the doorstep, providing direct connections across Sydney's expanding Metro network, while Castle Towers offers extensive retail, dining, entertainment, and service amenities within walking distance.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=147685 project_image_fid=359127]

The building, now named after its location at 9 Gay Street, comprises a diverse mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments starting from just under $600,000.

Equitifund National Sales Director Ben Hamblett said demand in the Hills District continues to be driven by buyers seeking convenience and connectivity.

"Interest from both owner-occupiers and investors in Castle Hill remains exceptionally strong, with buyers consistently prioritising developments in close proximity to the Metro station and Castle Towers Shopping Centre," Hamblett said.

"There is a clear trend in the market, with purchasers seeking convenient access to transport and lifestyle amenities that support a seamless, low-maintenance way of living."

On top of the long-term protection afforded by the remaining $7.2 million bond, Equitifund is offering a limited-time stamp duty rebate on selected apartments.

Eligible purchasers can also secure finance options, including a 3.99 per cent two-year variable rate, loan-to-value ratios of up to 90 per cent, and interest-only lending options through EquitiCredit.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=147685]

Joel Robinson

Why this Castle Hill apartment building starts with a $7 million advantage

For much of the past few years, conversations about Australia's property market have centred on the rapid growth seen in Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast, and Perth. <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/melbourne-vic-3004">Melbourne</a> has followed a different trajectory.

That relative underperformance is now encouraging some buyers to reassess the city, particularly those willing to look beyond short-term market movements and focus on quality property in established locations, along with the long-term growth prospects of a city expected to overtake Sydney as Australia’s most populous.

John Bekiaris, Research &amp; Market Insights at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/equitifund-group">Projects by Equitifund</a>, said Melbourne's current position is attracting increasingly sophisticated purchasers.

"Melbourne continues to present one of Australia's strongest long-term investment stories," Bekiaris says.

"While other capital cities have experienced stronger recent growth, that relative underperformance is exactly what's attracting sophisticated counter-cyclical investors."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=1979 project_image_fid=363268]

Equitifund isn't just commenting on Melbourne's property market, it's investing in it.

The Sydney-headquartered capital partner has taken over the remaining apartments at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/victoriana-melbourne-20-queens-road-melbourne-vic-3004">Victoriana</a>, the recently completed glass-encased development opposite Albert Park Lake in Melbourne's tightly held St Kilda Road precinct.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a> and built by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/hickory">Hickory</a>, Victoriana places residents between one of Melbourne's most recognised parklands and the CBD, offering oversized two and three-bedroom apartments aimed at owner-occupiers seeking a genuine alternative to a traditional family home.

The development comprises 232 completed residences alongside a suite of resident amenities, including a 25-metre indoor swimming pool, gymnasium, landscaped entertaining areas, resident lounges, EV charging, secure basement parking and a concierge-style arrival experience.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=1979 project_image_fid=363229]

The apartments have been designed with owner-occupiers firmly in mind.&nbsp;Open-plan living and dining areas flow onto generous balconies framing views across Albert Park Lake, Fawkner Park, the Royal Botanic Gardens and the Melbourne skyline.

Kitchens feature Gaggenau appliances, stone benchtops and generous preparation space. Bedrooms include built-in robes, while bathrooms feature full-height textured tiling. Hardwood flooring and ducted air conditioning complete residences designed for long-term living.

Rothelowman's architecture takes its cues from the landscape opposite the site. Sweeping horizontal glazing references the movement of Albert Park Lake, while generous balconies and expansive glazing strengthen the connection between the apartments and the surrounding parklands. The result is a building designed to deliver the scale and amenity expected of luxury apartment living, while offering the larger floorplans increasingly sought by owner-occupiers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=1979 project_image_fid=363284]

The location is one of Victoriana's defining characteristics. Positioned on Queens Road, residents are directly opposite Albert Park Lake and within easy reach of Fawkner Park, the Royal Botanic Gardens, South Melbourne, St Kilda Road and the CBD. With few comparable development opportunities remaining in the precinct, buyers are increasingly placing value on outlooks that are unlikely to be interrupted by future construction.

Greg Huxley, Founder of Equitifund, believes those qualities become even more valuable over time.

"Premium real estate has always rewarded buyers who take a long-term view," Huxley said.

"Victoriana represents the kind of asset that's increasingly difficult to recreate today, particularly in an established location like Queens Road."

He said rising construction costs are also changing the way buyers assess completed developments.

"When you combine an irreplaceable location with thoughtful architecture and premium finishes, you create something that becomes increasingly difficult to reproduce as construction costs continue to rise."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=1979 project_image_fid=363228]

According to National Sales Director Ben Hamblett, enquiry has been driven largely by Melbourne downsizers and buyers upgrading from smaller apartments.

"Interest in Victoriana continues to build, with strong buyer focus on the larger owner-occupier residences within the development," Hamblett says.

"Enquiry is increasingly driven by local buyers who recognise the rarity of what's on offer: park-facing apartments in an established neighbourhood where new development opportunities are becoming increasingly scarce. At Victoriana, the view is not just a feature; it's an appreciating asset in its own right."

He said interstate enquiry has also strengthened as buyers reassess Melbourne's position within the national property cycle.

"Melbourne currently stands as the most compelling entry point of any major Australian capital, and discerning buyers are beginning to recognise what those who move early always understand: the best opportunities are taken before the price rise confirms them."

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=1979]

Why now is the time to buy in Melbourne's premium apartment market

Developers and apartment buyers have a narrowing window of opportunity before Brisbane's Olympic infrastructure pipeline begins competing directly with residential construction, pushing up costs, tightening labour supply and making new projects increasingly difficult to deliver.

While Brisbane's apartment market continues to benefit from strong population growth and limited housing supply, industry research suggests the years leading up to 2027 could prove to be the most important period for developers looking to secure builders and buyers hoping to purchase before the next wave of price increases.

A new Colliers report, Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games: Creating Solutions, highlights the scale of the challenge. While thousands of new homes are planned across South East Queensland, the Brisbane Olympic Athletes Village alone will deliver more than 10,500 beds during the Games before being converted into around 1,750 to 2,000 apartments. Equivalent to almost two years of typical inner-city apartment supply, the project will also absorb a significant share of the construction workforce and building materials.

The broader construction pipeline paints an even clearer picture.

Construction Skills Queensland's Horizon 2032 report forecasts Queensland's annual construction pipeline will average $69 billion over the coming years before peaking at $75 billion in 2027-28. Demand for construction workers is expected to increase by 17 per cent to almost 150,000 people, with the industry facing an annual shortfall of around 19,000 workers that could blow out to as many as 35,000 during the peak construction period.

The Olympic venues, athletes village and supporting infrastructure will account for billions of dollars worth of work across South East Queensland through to 2032, creating intense competition for labour at a time when Australia's residential construction sector is already under pressure.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150489 project_image_fid=373834]

Colliers Queensland Residential Director Andrew Scriven said the convergence of these projects is creating a clear window of opportunity for both developers and buyers.

"From 2027 onwards, the market will shift dramatically," Scriven said.

"Labour will increasingly be locked into government-led infrastructure and Olympic projects, which means private residential developments will face higher costs and tighter margins. The developers who move now are the ones most likely to get projects off the ground."

Scriven said the same dynamic would also affect buyers, with fewer apartment projects expected to launch once construction capacity tightens.

"If you're looking to change your lifestyle over the next five years, now is your window of opportunity to buy."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150713 project_image_fid=373827]

Developers are already positioning themselves ahead of that window.

Following the success of Monarch at Toowong, Consolidated Properties is preparing to launch two new Brisbane apartment projects in the second half of 2026. They include <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/gloriette-30-bedivere-street-yeerongpilly-qld-4105">Gloriette</a> at Yeerongpilly Green, a 25-storey tower within one of Brisbane's key Olympic precincts, and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/castile-47-skyring-terrace-newstead-qld-4006">Castile</a>, a recently approved 25-storey riverfront development at 47 Skyring Terrace in Newstead.

Hutchinson Builders will deliver both projects, with early works already underway at Yeerongpilly and Newstead expected to commence later this year.

The timing comes as Brisbane's fundamentals continue to strengthen, with strong interstate migration, population growth and vacancy rates remaining below 1.5 per cent.

Colliers Queensland researcher Pragya Sharma said Greater Brisbane is forecast to require around 40,000 new apartments between 2021 and 2031.

"There's a real mismatch emerging between when housing is needed and when it will be feasible to build," Sharma said.

"As a result, the period leading up to 2027 presents a key window of opportunity for developers to secure approvals, funding and construction capacity, while buyers will have greater choice before supply constraints intensify."

Colliers research outlines a critical pre-2027 window to start residential projects before labour squeeze: now is the time to buy

Developers, buyers on watch in South East Queensland ahead of construction crunch: Colliers

It's taken less than nine months for developer Sherpa Property Group to sell out all 51 apartments in its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-oasis-palm-beach-7-9-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Oasis</a> development in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/palm-beach-qld-4221">Palm Beach</a>, over a year before its anticipated completion.

&nbsp;

Located at 7-9 Sixth Avenue, the $67 million development has resonated strongly with both local owner-occupiers and downsizers seeking high-quality apartments within walking distance of the beach, dining precincts and everyday amenities.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151449 project_image_fid=357458]

Christie Leet, Founder of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sherpa-property-group">Sherpa Group</a>, said the sell-out reflected both the strength of the Palm Beach market and the success of Sherpa's community-first approach to development.

"The sell-out of Oasis is a fantastic outcome and reinforces the strong demand we're seeing for thoughtfully designed apartments in lifestyle locations," Leet said.

"From the outset, our vision was to create a development that genuinely enhanced the Palm Beach community while providing residents with exceptional homes and wellness-focused amenities.

"We've been incredibly encouraged by the level of local support throughout the campaign, 72.5 per cent of buyers are locals, with a significant proportion of purchasers choosing Oasis as their future home rather than an investment."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151449 project_image_fid=357463]

Construction is now progressing following development approval, with trusted builder LPS Group delivering the project and completion anticipated in Q3 2027.

Oasis forms part of Sherpa Group's successful Flourish collection, which has become recognised for its focus on wellness, community and elevated coastal living.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151449 project_image_fid=357469]

Residents will have private access to a rooftop amenity space featuring a pool, gym, sauna, steam room, hot and cold plunge pools, spa and barbecue facilities.

"The success of Oasis demonstrates that buyers continue to prioritise quality, location and lifestyle," Leet said.

"We are proud to have delivered a project that has resonated so strongly with the market and look forward to bringing Oasis to life for our future residents."

Sherpa recently launched <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>, its third instalment of the Flourish brand in Palm Beach following Flourish Oasis and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/amargo-6-12-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Amargo</a>.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=151449]

Sherpa sells out Flourish Oasis in booming Palm Beach

Urban Property Group's <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/la-vera-macquarie-park-94-talavera-road-macquarie-park-nsw-2113">La Vera</a> is leading the next phase of Macquarie Park's residential evolution, with the new apartment development set to become the first of several new apartment projects in the precinct to complete.

The 169-apartment building has now topped out ahead of its scheduled completion in the third quarter of 2026, as new residential investment continues to reshape one of Sydney's largest employment hubs into a true mixed-use precinct.

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Cox Architecture has designed La Vera to capture the best of its unique positioning on Talavera Road, orienting the building towards Lane Cove National Park.&nbsp;The building features a sculpted northern façade with flowing curves inspired by the surrounding landscape, while its city-facing elevation adopts a more structured architectural expression to maximise skyline views.

"The vision for the project was to conceive a building that adopted an organic and curvilinear form to the northern portion that faces the Lane Cove National Park," <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">Cox Architecture</a> Director Felipe Miranda said.

"The residents that reside in the northern portion of the building benefit by having beautifully crafted curved balconies that speak to the natural context and heighten the relationship of their internal living spaces to the external balconies."

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La Vera offers a diverse mix of one, two, three, and four-bedroom configurations, with prices currently starting from $740,000. Buyers so far have been a mix of Sydney-based investors,&nbsp;metro commuters, owner-occupiers and downsizers from surrounding North Shore suburbs.

Both investors and owner-occupiers have been drawn to La Vera's proximity to Macquarie University, Macquarie University Hospital, Macquarie Centre and the Sydney Metro, infrastructure that supports both strong rental demand and a convenient lifestyle for residents.

The apartments feature full-height glazing, timber flooring throughout living areas, stone kitchen benchtops, SMEG appliances, floor-to-ceiling bathroom tiling and ducted air conditioning.

Residents will have access to a rooftop recreation level featuring a swimming pool, sauna, barbecue facilities and landscaped relaxation areas, complemented by additional communal space at ground level. Many apartments enjoy uninterrupted views across Lane Cove National Park, reinforcing the project's connection to its natural setting.

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<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a>, a family-owned developer and builder with nearly four decades of experience, holds a 4.5-star iCIRT rating and was Australia's first developer to introduce 10-Year Latent Defects Insurance (LDI). La Vera is the first apartment development in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/macquarie-park-nsw-2113">Macquarie Park</a> approved to offer the additional insurance protection, alongside a five-year warranty on SMEG appliances.

Urban Property Group CEO Patrick Elias said the additional protection reflects changing buyer expectations in the off the plan market.

"Consumers are a lot more weary and a lot more concerned in buying off the plan than they ever have been. Having LDI is a tool to portray the confidence that we have in our product, and a confidence we want buyers to share," Elias said.

Following completion of the building later this year, buyers will move into their apartments well before Christmas.

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