<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVATION
In the midst of England’s housing crisis, when many young people face <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/aug/09/rents-in-uk-will-rise-for-next-five-years-experts-predict" target="_blank">rising rents</a> in major cities, alternative forms of accommodation have emerged. <a href="https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/plpg.pdf" target="_blank">Property guardianship</a> is one example, where disused buildings are converted into residential quarters, and let out temporarily until the owners make further plans for the buildings.
The arrangement helps keep squatters out, offers young people more affordable rent and allows the owners to <a href="https://liveinguardians.com/owners" target="_blank">avoid paying</a> the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-business-rate-relief/exempted-buildings-and-empty-buildings-relief" target="_blank">higher rates</a> imposed on empty buildings. It might sound like a win-win situation for tenants and building owners, but in a sellers’ market, where tenants are easy to find, landlords can be less concerned with keeping accommodation in good repair.
<a href="https://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/CBP-8185" target="_blank">In response</a> to reports of hazardous conditions the UK government passed <a href="https://theconversation.com/renters-in-england-can-now-sue-landlords-over-mouldy-cold-or-noisy-properties-an-expert-explains-93299" target="_blank">a new law</a> which gives tenants in England and Wales the right to demand a basic standard of accommodation. This builds on tenants’ existing rights, which include <a href="https://www.gov.uk/tenancy-deposit-protection" target="_blank">deposit protection</a> and <a href="http://england.shelter.org.uk/legal/security_of_tenure/notices/notices_assured_shorthold_tenancies/section_21_notices" target="_blank">longer notice periods</a>.
Yet the law for property guardians remains unclear: if they wanted to take their landlord to court to enforce basic repairs under the new law, a judge could rule that they are not tenants at all – merely licensees, which would leave them without legal protection.
This has happened already: while in one 2017 case a property guardian was <a href="https://nearlylegal.co.uk/2017/02/aint-way-property-guardians-licences/" target="_blank">held to be a tenant</a>, in another 2018 case <a href="https://nearlylegal.co.uk/2018/10/property-guardians-licence-not-tenancy-in-office-building/" target="_blank">the guardian was held</a> to be a licensee. In each case, the lower court judges took different positions on how to interpret the law.
If property guardians find themselves needing to appeal a judge’s ruling, in order to secure repairs for their home, they would <a href="https://whaymand.wordpress.com/2019/03/20/article-old-issues-new-incentives-new-approach-property-guardians-and-the-lease-licence-distinction/" target="_blank">have to take the matter</a> to a higher court. This raises two difficult issues: for one thing, should it be the guardians’ job to take an active role in settling the law in the appeal courts, rather than leaving it to parliament – and for another, how should such challenges be funded?
Review overdue
The law is conventionally divided into lawyers’ law (such as contract law) and public interest law (such as family law and criminal law). Unelected appeal judges can legitimately change lawyers’ law, because its subject matter is less politically sensitive. But public interest law is for elected politicians to change.
When guardians try to enforce repairs against landlords, the case will be governed by both models: the judges decide who is a tenant, while parliament decides on what protections tenants are offered. Conventionally, this is considered legitimate, because if parliament does not like a court’s decision, it can change the law afterwards.
Yet the law determining whether a resident is a tenant was settled the 1970s and 1980s, when <a href="https://www.fabians.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Bach-Commission-Appendix-6-F-1.pdf" target="_blank">legal aid was widely available</a>. Back then, tenants also benefited from <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1977/42/part/III" target="_blank">rent control</a> and <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1977/42/part/I" target="_blank">secure tenancies</a>. Now the context has changed, it’s not surprising that the law needs to be reviewed.
The problem is that taking a case to the <a href="https://www.judiciary.uk/you-and-the-judiciary/going-to-court/court-of-appeal-home/" target="_blank">Court of Appeal</a> or the <a href="https://www.supremecourt.uk/" target="_blank">Supreme Court</a> is expensive, and disproportionately so if one case is considered on its own. Depending on its complexity, by the time a case reaches even the county court costs can reach <a href="https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/Misc/2016/B67#para56" target="_blank">many thousands or tens of thousands of pounds</a>. Appeals will cost more still.
Protecting public interest
When guardians take landlords to court over tenants’ rights, they’re not just deciding an individual case – they’re also setting a precedent for future cases, which helps to settle what the law actually means. Because of this, such cases are in the wider public interest. The legal aid system has a facility to provide extra funding for such cases – even to appeal.
If members of the public are to be co-opted in settling the law for the public benefit, they should be funded from the public purse. If funding is denied, it doesn’t just affect those bringing the case – it has an impact on the legal system itself, which becomes paralysed and unable to deal with more modern circumstances. And if the law is uncertain, the wider public are at a disadvantage too, because they will not know their rights.
There are nonetheless barriers to this process. Property guardian companies may prefer to settle, rather than risk getting a firm ruling that their residents are tenants, which may undermine their business model. Tenants might also prefer to avoid the stress of litigation and simply decide to find somewhere else to live. But the biggest barrier is the lack of state funding.
In an age of austerity, which has seen <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/legal-aid-cuts" target="_blank">massive cuts to legal aid</a>, the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/legal-aid-agency" target="_blank">Legal Aid Agency</a> may be unwilling to fund such cases to appeal. But failing to fund public interest litigation because of <a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&amp;q=legal+aid+cuts&amp;sort=relevancy&amp;language=en&amp;date=all&amp;date_from=&amp;date_to=" target="_blank">budgetry concerns</a> is shortsighted and will cost the public in the long run.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/114943/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;">
Derek Whayman, Lecturer in Law, Newcastle 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/property-guardians-live-in-legal-limbo-despite-new-law-to-protect-tenants-from-exploitation-114943" target="_blank">original article</a>.
Main photo: A guardianship property in London. <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sarflondondunc/25962547431/sizes/l" target="_blank">sarflondondunc/Flickr.</a>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">CC BY-NC-ND</a> <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/newcastle-university-906"></a>
</body></html>

j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

UK property guardians live in legal limbo – despite new law to protect tenants from exploitation

<html><body>
An Adelaide Hills home, designed by Melbourne-based architecture firm Woods Bagot, curves into the landscape.
The striking concrete home which cuts across an undulating block at Heathfield comes with 650 square metres of space split into two wings.
The accommodation wing at the eastern end of the curve has five bedrooms, while at the western side is the kitchen with scullery and a home office.
A large living and dining space with two wood-burning fireplaces divides the spaces.
The lower ground floor comprises a home theatre room and a pin code-accessed wine cellar.
Its vendors suggest their house feels like a living sculpture.
It was designed to showcase their art collection in mind, but not in a clinical way.
<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/2019/4/15/heathfield%202.jpg" alt="">
The home, some 18 kilometres south east of Adelaide, is surrounded by tall trees with an elevated swimming pool and tennis court in the 2.6 hectare grounds.
There's a pool house plus entertainment pavilion.
The home comes with fully organic, mature produce garden and orchard, which has quinces, pistachio, apples, pears, citrus, peaches and pomegranates growing.
<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/2019/4/15/heathfield%203.jpg" alt="">
The 2013-built home won the prestigious award from the South Australia Institute of Architects in the New Home category last year.
South Australia Sotheby's agent Grant Giordano is marketing the home with $4.8 million to $5 million price guidance.
It was $5.5 million on its initial listing two years ago.
This article first appeared in The Weekend Australian. 
</body></html>

Striking Adelaide Hills concrete trophy home listed

<html><body>
Belle Property and hockingstuart are to merge into new estate agency.
The hockingstuart estate agents approached following Saturday auctions by Property Observer in Melbourne were not aware of the deal.
But the so-called merged group will be headed by the Sydney based Peter Hanscomb, CEO of Belle Property, who was acknowledging the move on social media on Saturday afternoon.
It is understood the two companies will retain their exisiting name branding, but run as a single entity.
No details have been issued on the finances that secured the merger.
Founded in 2000, Belle Property re-launched in 2007 with a revised franchise model under the new ownership of CEO, Peter Hanscomb.
Having entered the real estate arena in 1982 as a management accountant, Hanscomb founded RE\MAX in 1996 in Australia and worked at McGrath and Ray White.
While the company has 85 offices operating across New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory, the missing presence was Melbourne.
It was January 2017 when Belle Property opened an office in Melbourne.
It was in Docklands with the founder and principal of Verve Real Estate, John Wong who made <a href="/news/belle-property-opens-first-office-in-melbourne">the first move to Belle Property in Victoria</a>.
Then last June sales agent Adam Joske joined Belle Property as Head of Victoria to position the boutique brand to break into the residential real estate market in Victoria.
“Acquiring Adam to the team is one of the biggest acquisitions for Belle Property in recent years. He has an incredible reputation in the industry and with his knowledge, professionalism and drive we knew that he would be the right person to establish Belle Property as a leading force in the Victorian marketplace,” Hanscomb noted at the time.
He was head-hunted having previously worked at Gary Peer &amp; Associates for 22 years.
Belle Property’s leading offices are Bondi Junction and Dee Why. It had 73 offices in mid-2016.
It has a strategic partnership with Bauer Media interiors publication, Belle magazine. 
Hockingstuart was founded in 1985 with some 45 offices across Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsula, Geelong, the Surf Coast and regional Victoria.
It sells around 7,000 homes annually.
It also has over 20,000 properties under management.
In 2016 <a href="/news/hockingstuart-appoint-simon-jovanovic-as-new-ceo">hockingstuart announced the appointment of Simon Jovanovic </a>as its new CEO, but he left the group in February this year for Marshall White. 
Jovanovic's appointment came after hockingstuart's former CEO, Nigel O'Neil, announced his resignation after almost a decade in the top job.
James Atkins had been chairman for six years of the Hockingstuart group until March.
Andrew James has been the interim CEO.
James will relinquish his role to return to running the hockingstuart Armadale office as its principal.
hockingstuart was founded by Greg Hocking and Andrew Stuart, who launched the business in 1985, and sold the company to eight franchisees in 2007.
Hocking has gone on to open his own agency, the eponymous Greg Hocking.
Staff are expected to be told no redundancies are planned under the merger.
</body></html>

Belle Property and hockingstuart merge into new estate agency

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVATION
Over the next decade up to 40% of jobs could be replaced by automation. That’s according to a forecast from the <a href="https://www.ceda.com.au/News-and-analysis/Media-releases/More-than-five-million-Aussie-jobs-gone-in-10-to-15-years" target="_blank">Committee for the Economic Development of Australia</a>.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/268519/original/file-20190410-2909-q5sxmn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/268519/original/file-20190410-2909-q5sxmn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Risk of job automation by country. In New Zealand, for instance, the median worker has 39% chance of their job being automated. OECD Social, Employment and Migration Working Paper No. 202
Other estimates are less dire. A report from the <a href="https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/employment/automation-skills-use-and-training_2e2f4eea-en" target="_blank">Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development</a> says only 14% of jobs across its member nations are “highly automatable”, though another 32% are likely to change significantly.
Despite this <a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/s/610005/every-study-we-could-find-on-what-automation-will-do-to-jobs-in-one-chart/" target="_blank">uncertainty about the exact number</a> of human jobs that will disappear, it is certain the impacts of automation driven by artificial intelligence (AI) are potentially profound.
If the new jobs that emerge as a result are fewer and less rewarding than those lost, we face a period of social dislocation.
Yet there is little evidence of any strategic planning and forward thinking by Australia’s federal and state governments to minimise the potential downside. The recent federal budget, for example, was silent on this issue.
It is analogous to the lack of a strategic plan on climate change.
Our concern about the policy vacuum is based on an extensive search on government websites, the media and budget speeches, which disturbingly yielded very little.
We think AI should be an election issue, because there is virtually no <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-09/artificial-intelligence-automation-jobs-of-the-future/8786962" target="_blank">job</a> that won’t be affected by AI-driven automation. Being ready for this technological and social revolution should be at the heart of any government’s economic and educational reform agenda.
Workers that never rest
The activities at which AI is <a href="https://arxiv.org/pdf/1705.08807.pdf" target="_blank">expected to outperform</a> humans by 2030 include translating languages, writing high-school essays and driving trucks. By mid-century it is expected AI could be capable of writing a bestselling books or performing surgery.
<a href="https://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/downloads/academic/The_Future_of_Employment.pdf" target="_blank">Researchers believe</a> there is a 50% chance AI will outperform humans in all tasks in 45 years and that almost all current human jobs can be automated in 120 years.
 
The World Economic Forum may argue that AI and automation “<a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/06/the-fourth-industrial-revolution-is-about-people-not-just-machines" target="_blank">is about empowering people, not the rise of the machines</a>” but there are good reasons to think some people will lose out.
Machines have many attractions to employers. They do not need rest, holidays or take sick leave. They will never complain about overtime or join a union.
A <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/future-of-work/australias-automation-opportunity-reigniting-productivity-and-inclusive-income-growth" target="_blank">report published last month</a> by management consultancy McKinsey Australia suggests, if proactive measures are not taken, the unemployment rate could increase by 2.5 percentage points, based on up to 46% of jobs being automated by 2030.
<hr>
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/268511/original/file-20190410-2924-1qp6zpw.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/268511/original/file-20190410-2924-1qp6zpw.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
The industries likely to experience the greatest disruption are retail, administration and government, health and social assistance, construction, manufacturing, and accommodation and food services. Australia Statistics, McKinsey Global Institute (MGI), ONED, BLS, Oxford Economics
<hr>
Inequality will also increase, the report says. To what extent depends on “how much Australia steps up its efforts to retrain and redeploy its surplus service, administrative and manual workers”. Without large-scale retraining, Australia’s Gini coefficient (the standard measure of income inequality) could increase from 0.32 to 0.41.
Questions for policymakers
The stakes are high. Employment is so much more than just an income. A decent job provides <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057/9781137437853_1" target="_blank">purpose and dignity</a>. It enables security, health and well-being. Joblessness hurts the individual, families and the wider community. If fewer people have work, and more people get paid less, the federal government will have to contend with falling income-tax revenue and rising welfare spending.
With intensifying global competition and rapid technological change, all governments need to be strategic. They need long-term policies to help business and workers gain the knowledge, skills and abilities needed to seize the opportunities and mitigate the threats.
There are three key questions for policy makers:
<ul>
<li>
To what extent will AI-driven automation increase unemployment and underemployment?
</li>
<li>
How can governments and employers take advantage of AI and create the jobs of the future?
</li>
<li>
How can government, employers and educators equip employees and graduates with the skills to have jobs alongside robots, instead of competing with them?
</li>
</ul>
The growth in AI and machine learning need not pose a threat to jobs and our standard of living, but without a strategic and shared effort, we will repeat the mistakes of previous technological revolutions, which imposed a terrible price on some in the name of progress.
<hr>
The authors of this article are working towards a book, The Fourth Industrial Revolution: Implications for Managers in the Asia Pacific, due to be published in September. It will include chapters from colleagues in Taiwan, China, India, Mauritius, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia. For the Australian chapter we need more information from leaders and managers in industry about the impact of AI and the preparation and planning that is, or is not, occurring. We invite you to complete a short survey as part of this study. You can do so confidentially <a href="https://rmit.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2ab546uXrDaSARf" target="_blank">here</a>.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/103764/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;">
Alan Montague, Senior Lecturer/Program Director, masters program in human resources management, RMIT University
Alan Nankervis, Adjunct Professor of Management, RMIT University
John Burgess, Professor of Human Resource Management, RMIT University
Nuttawuth Muenjohn, Senior Lecturer, Business, RMIT University
Ros Cameron, Head of Discipline, Human Resources Management, Australian Institute of Business
Timothy Bartram, Professor, Management, RMIT University
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/artificial-intelligence-may-take-your-job-so-political-leaders-need-to-start-doing-theirs-103764">original article</a>.
</body></html>

Artificial intelligence may take your job, so political leaders need to start doing theirs

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVATION
We have access to plenty of technology that can serve us by automating more of our daily lives, doing everything from <a href="https://www.safety.com/thermostats/" target="_blank">adjusting the temperature</a> of our homes to (eventually) <a href="https://money.cnn.com/2017/09/22/technology/future/walmart-home-delivery-groceries/index" target="_blank">putting groceries in our fridges</a>.
But do we want these advancements? And – importantly – do we trust them?
Our research, published earlier this year in the <a href="https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/full/10.1108/EJM-10-2017-0759" target="_blank" title="Rules of (household) engagement: technology as manager, assistant and intern">European Journal of Marketing</a>, looked at the roles technology plays in Australian homes. We found three main ways people assign control to, and trust in, their technology.
Most people still want some level of control. That’s an important message to developers if they want to keep increasing the uptake of smart home technology, <a href="https://www.statista.com/outlook/279/100/smart-home/worldwide" target="_blank">yet to reach 25%</a> penetration in Australia.
How smart do we want a home?
<a href="https://research.qut.edu.au/servicesocialmarketing/tools-techniques/smart-home-technologies/" target="_blank">Smart homes</a> are modern homes that have appliances or electronic devices that can be controlled remotely by the owner. Examples include lights controlled via apps, smart locks and security systems, and even smart coffee machines that remember your brew of choice and waking time.
But we still don’t understand consumer interactions with these technologies, and to speed up their adoption we need to know they type of value they can offer.
We conducted a set of studies in conjunction with <a href="https://www.citysmart.com.au/" target="_blank">CitySmart</a> and a group of distributors, and we asked people about their smart technology preferences in the context of electricity management (managing appliances and utility plans).
We conducted 45 household interviews involving 116 people across Queensland, New South Wales, Western Australia, and Tasmania. Then we surveyed 1,345 Australian households. The interviews uncovered and explored the social roles assigned to technologies, while the survey allowed us to collect additional information and find out how the broader Australian population felt about these technology types.
We found households attribute social roles and rules to smart home technologies. This makes sense: the study of anthropomorphism tells us <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/51e3f4ede4b053e5f0062efd/t/51f7e1c7e4b06892daa73fe5/1375199687213/making-sense-by-making-sentient.pdf" target="_blank">we tend to humanise things we want to understand</a>. We humanise in order to trust (remember <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2019/3/22/18276923/microsoft-clippy-microsoft-teams-stickers-removal" target="_blank">Clippy</a>, the Microsoft paperclip with whom we all had a <a href="https://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/design/microsofts-clippy-was-one-of-the-most-hated-features-ever-but-distance-makes-the-heart-grow-fonder/news-story/772605472436e0f6860fd04e4cf1b6dd" target="_blank">love-hate relationship</a>?).
These social roles and rules determine whether (or how) households will adopt the technologies.
Tech plays three roles
Most people want technology to serve them (95.6% of interviewees, about 19 out of 20). Those who didn’t want any technology were classified as “resisters” and made up less than 5% of the respondents.
We found the role that technology can play in households tended to fall into one of three categories, the intern, the assistant and the manager:
<ul>
<li>
the intern (passive technology) Technology exists to bring me information, but shouldn’t be making any decisions on its own. Real-life example: <a href="https://www.switchyourthinking.com/our-projects/energy-efficiency-tips/" target="_blank">Switch your Thinking</a> provides an SMS-based tip service. This mode of use was preferred in 22-35% of households.
</li>
<li>
the assistant (interactive technology) Technology should not only bring me information, but add value by helping me make decisions or interact. Real-life example: <a href="https://www.ergon.com.au/retail/residential/account-options/homesmart" target="_blank">Homesmart from Ergon</a> provides useful data to support consumers in their decisions; including remotely controlling appliances or monitoring electricity budget. This mode of use was preferred in 41-51% of households.
</li>
<li>
the manager (proactive technology) Technology should analyse information and make decisions itself, in order to make my life more efficient. Real-life example: <a href="https://international.tibber.com/?dialog=smart-analyses" target="_blank">Tibber</a>, which learns your home’s electricity-usage pattern and helps you make adjustments. This mode of use was preferred in 22-24% of households.
</li>
</ul>
Who’s the boss?
According to our study, while smart technology roles can change, the customer always remains the CEO. As CEO, they determine whether full control is retained or delegated to the technology.
For example, while two consumers might install a set of smart lights, one may engage by directly controlling lights via the app, while the other delegates this to the app – allowing it to choose based on sunset times when lights should be on.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/267222/original/file-20190402-177167-1su1agi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Roles for consumer and smart technology - the consumer always remains the CEO, but technology can be viewed as an intern, assistant, or manager. Natalie Sketcher, Visual Designer
Notably, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/life/are-we-really-that-busy-time-poor/10231066">time pressure</a> was evident as justification for each of the three options. Passive technology saved time by not wasting it on fiddling with smart tech. Interactive technology gave information and controlled interactions for busy families. Proactive technology relieved overwhelmed households from managing their own electricity.
All households had clear motivation for their choices.
Households that chose passive technology were motivated by simplicity, cost-effectiveness and privacy concerns. One study participant in this group said: "Less hassle. Don’t like tech controlling my life."
Households prioritising interactive technology were looking for a balance of convenience and control, technology that provides: "A good support but allows me to maintain overall control and decision-making."
Households keen on proactive technology wanted set and forget abilities to allow the household to focus on the more important things in life. They sought: "Having the process looked after and managed for us as we don’t have the time to do it ourselves."
This raises the question: why did we see such differences in household preference?
Trust in tech
According to our research, this comes down to the relationship between trust, risk, and the <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007%2F978-3-319-47437-3_95" target="_blank" title="Let the User Decide! User Preferences Regarding Functions, Apps, and Interfaces of a Smart Home and a Service Robot">need for control</a>. It’s just that these motivations that are expressed differently in different households.
While one household sees delegating their choices as a safe bet (that is, trusting the technology to save them from the risk of electricity over-spend), another would see retaining all choices as the true expression of being in control (that is, believing humans should be trusted with decisions, with technology providing input only when asked).
This is not unusual, nor is this the first study to find the importance of <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1094670512474841" target="_blank" title="The Impact of Endogenous Motivations on Adoption of IT-Enabled Services: The Case of Transformative Services in the Energy Sector">our sense of trust and risk</a> in making technology decisions.
It’s not that consumers don’t want advancements to serve them - they do - but this working relationship requires clear roles and ground rules. Only then can there be trust.
For smart home technology developers, the message is clear: households will continue to expect control and customisation features so that the technology serves them – either as an intern, an assistant, or a manager – while they remain the CEO.
If you’re interested to discover your working relationship with technology, complete this three-question <a href="https://www.onlineassessmenttool.com/what-s-your-relationship-with-technology/assessment-80899" target="_blank">online quiz</a>.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/114510/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;">
Kate Letheren, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Queensland University of Technology
Rebekah Russell-Bennett, Social Marketing Professor, School of Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations, Queensland University of Technology
Rory Mulcahy, Lecturer of Marketing, University of the Sunshine Coast
Ryan McAndrew, Social Marketer &amp; Market Researcher, Queensland University of Technology
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/control-cost-and-convenience-determine-how-australians-use-the-technology-in-their-homes-114510" target="_blank">original article</a>.
</body></html>

Control, cost and convenience determine how Australians use the technology in their homes

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVATION
The phrase “urban jungle” gets thrown around a lot, but we don’t usually think of cities as places where rare or threatened species live.
Our research, published today in <a href="https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/fee.2032" target="_blank">Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment</a>, shows some of Australia’s most endangered plants and animals live entirely within cities and towns.
Stuck in the city with you
Australia is home to 39 urban-restricted threatened species, from giant gum trees, to ornate orchids, wonderful wattles, and even a tortoise. Many of these species are critically endangered, right on the brink of extinction. And cities are our last chance to preserve them within their natural range.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/267002/original/file-20190402-177190-74ng2d.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/267002/original/file-20190402-177190-74ng2d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Credit: Elia Purtle
Urban environments offer a golden opportunity to preserve species under threat and engage people with nature. But that means we might need to think a little differently about how and where we do conservation, embrace the weird and wonderful spaces that these species call home, and involve urban communities in the process.
Roads to the left of them, houses to the right
When you picture city animals you might think of pigeons, sparrows or rats that like to hang out with humans, or the flying foxes and parrots that are attracted to our flowering gardens.
But that’s not the case here. The threatened species identified in our research didn’t choose the city life, the city life chose them. They’re living where they’ve always lived. As urban areas expand, it just so happens that we now live there too.
The first hurdle that springs to mind when it comes to keeping nature in cities is space: there’s not a lot of it, and it’s quickly disappearing. For example, the magnificent Caley’s Grevillea has lost more than 85% of its habitat in Sydney to urban growth, and many of its remaining haunts are earmarked for future development. Around half of the urban-restricted species on our list are in the same predicament.
It’s especially tough to protect land for conservation in urban environments, where development potential means high competition for valuable land. So when protected land is a luxury that few species can afford, we need to work out other ways to look after species in the city.
Not living where you’d expect
Precious endangered species aren’t all tucked away in national parks and conservation reserves. These little battlers are more often found hiding in plain sight, amid the urban hustle and bustle.
Our research found them living along railway lines and roadsides, sewerage treatment plants and cemeteries, schools, airports, and even a hospital garden. While these aren’t the typical places you’d expect to find threatened species, they’re fantastic opportunities for conservation.
The spiked rice flower is a great example. Its largest population is on a golf course in New South Wales, where local managers work to enhance its habitat between the greens, and raise awareness among residents and local golfers. These kinds of good partnerships between local landowners and conservation can find “win-win” situations that benefit people and nature.
A series of unfortunate events
It’s no secret that living in the ‘burbs can be risky: a fact best illustrated in the cautionary tale of a roadside population of the endangered Angus’s onion orchid. Construction workers once unwittingly dumped ten tonnes of sand over the patch in the late 1980s, then quickly attempted to fix the problem using a bulldozer and a high-pressure hose. Later, a portaloo was plonked on top of it.
Examples like this show just how important it is for policy makers, land managers and the community to know that these species are there in the first place, and are aware that even scrappy-looking habitats can be important to their survival. Otherwise, species are just one stroke of bad luck away from extinction.
People power
It’s common to think if you want to conserve nature, you need to get as far away from people as you can. After all, we can be a dangerous lot (just ask Angus’s onion orchid). But we also have extraordinary potential to create positive change – and it’s much easier for us to do this if we only have to travel as far as our backyard or a local park.
Many urban-restricted species get support by their local communities. Examples from our research showed communities across Melbourne raising <a href="http://www.starweekly.com.au/news/save-the-sexy-scented-orchid/" target="_blank">thousands of dollars in conservation crowdfunding</a>, dedicating countless volunteer hours to caring for local habitats, and even setting up neighbourhood watches to combat vandals. This shows a huge opportunity for urban residents to be on the conservation frontline.
Our research focused on 39 species that are restricted to Australian cities and towns today. But that’s not where the opportunity for urban conservation ends.
There are about another <a href="https://theconversation.com/just-ten-mps-represent-more-than-600-threatened-species-in-their-electorates-83500" target="_blank">370 threatened species</a> that share their range with urban areas across Australia, as well as countless “common” native species that call cities home. And as cities continue to expand, many other threatened species stand to become urban dwellers. It’s clear that if we only focus conservation efforts in areas far from humans, species like these will be lost forever.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/114741/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;">
Kylie Soanes, Postdoctoral fellow, University of Melbourne
Pia Lentini, Research Fellow, The 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/the-39-endangered-species-in-melbourne-sydney-adelaide-and-other-australian-cities-114741" target="_blank">original article</a>.
Main photo: Caley’s grevillea has lost 85% of its habitat as Sydney has expanded. Isaac Mammott
</body></html>

The 39 endangered species living in our cities

<html><body>
Perth’s residential market is now at a turning point, according to a new report.
Vacancy is below the supply equilibrium at 3% and several market drivers - including a growing population, an improving WA economy on the back of a resurgent mining sector, and first home owner grants - are likely to underpin further demand, according to independent valuer and advisor m3property. 
Commenting following the release of its latest National Residential Development 2019 report, m3property national director residential development, Luana Kenny, said the Perth market was no longer considered to be oversupplied. 
"After peaking at 7.3% in June 2017, Perth dwelling vacancy fell to 2.8% in December 2018 which is below the supply equilibrium (according to REIWA)," said Kenny.
"While pockets of oversupply remain, Perth looks to have turned the corner. 
"With the population growing at an average 32,000 people per annum and the potential for additional growth as a result of potential changes to Federal immigration policy and growth in the mining sector, the five year outlook is looking decidedly positive. 
"We have already seen significant growth in lot prices since mid-2018 and that will ultimately drive up dwelling values."
She said house prices were expected to rise by 1% to 3% in 2019 and increase by 2% to 6% over the next five years, however new apartment supply, including the revitalisation of Elizabeth Quay, may result in an oversupply of apartments and a fall in prices in that sector over the medium-term. 
According to the report population growth is expected to increase by 1% to 1.8% per annum until 2027 (22,800-42,700 people per annum), while changes to immigration policy designed to push new migrants out of Sydney and Melbourne may result in further increases keeping vacancy fairly stable over the next five 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/2019/4/11/perth%20.jpg" alt=""> 
M3property national director research, Jennifer Williams, said Perth could well see more growth in land values driven by the WA Government’s focus on in-fill development sites. 
"We have seen double digit growth in land values in the six months to December 2018, and with the State Government focused on infill development, which is expected to limit the release of greenfield sites, we may see further upward pressure on land values over the next five years," Williams said. 
She said demand for infill land is expected to account for around 45% of new sites by 2023 according to the WA government. 
"Higher price points are likely to make infill developments more attractive to developers and authorities looking to capitalise on existing infrastructure and that should result in upward pressure on dwelling values," Ms Williams said.
Williams said the First Home Owners (FHO) Grant was still available in WA.
As of November 2018, first home buyers accounted for 25% of dwelling finance according to the ABS, and was expected to continue to rise as a percentage of total buyers in Perth, accounting for 27% of all dwelling finance approvals by late 2019. 
"The FHO grant will be another factor that will help to drive price growth in 2019 as buyers seek to take advantage of a greater level of affordability in the market," Williams said.
</body></html>

Perth at a turning point as vacancy dips

<html><body>
Castle Hill RSL Group, owner of the Parramatta RSL Club, is selling a car park site in Parramatta CBD’s commercial precinct. 
The 1874 sqm development site is zoned B4 Mixed-Use – the most flexible zoning available in Parramatta CBD.  
Future developments have the capacity to yield circa 100 apartments up to 54 m tall, subject to council approval, and to reach over 11,200 sqm with the potential for this to increase through Design Excellence. 
CBRE’s Frank Oliveri, Peter Vines and Victor Sheu have been appointed to market the site at 7 Macquarie Street.  
“In recent years, it has been difficult for investors and developers to secure B4 zoned sites in Parramatta CBD due to the lack of quality stock, let alone the opportunity to secure a site overlooking the vast greenery Parramatta Park on a delayed settlement,” Mr Sheu added.  
Mr Sheu said the site would suit a range of permitted uses, with consent ranging from residential, commercial, community, educational, hotel or motel accommodation, seniors living and more. 
“With a wide range of potential uses and scarcity of space in the burgeoning business district, the property is expected to attract an array of potential developers,” Mr Sheuconcluded.
The Expressions of Interest campaign closes May 8 2019.
The site has been on market since March in 2017, over two years.
</body></html>

Parramatta RSL to sell car park site

<html><body>
The Walker Corporation has won a tender to lease up to 43,800 square metres of A Grade office space in their Parramatta Square development to the NSW Government in 2021.
Construction of the four tower $3.2 billion Parramatta Square precinct underway, with the first tower (Tower 4) expected to be completed in November 2019 and the whole project due for completion in 2022.
The NSW Government has agreed to a 12 year lease, with two further five year options, for the space in 6 Parramatta Square, which was granted development approval last year along with 8 Parramatta Square.
Walker originally planned to build a 70-storey apartment project in it's place but oversupply concerns has prompted him to ditch his proposal.
The two towers combined will provide up to 125,000 square metres of space, with an end value of $1.7 billion.
Towers 3 and 4 fully pre-committed, with lessees including National Australia Bank and the NSW Government – secured in an earlier tender.
Mr Lang Walker, chairman of Walker Corporation said “Parramatta Square is taking shape quickly and the total project is now 75 per cent pre-leased with over 170,000 square metres of high quality office space committed."
“We expect to experience a strong flow of pre-leases off the back of the two anchor tenants signing long term leases in the project, which is one of the largest urban renewal projects in the country and will see Parramatta city rival Sydney’s CBD in terms of amenity and high quality commercial space”, he added.
The mixed-use development will accommodate the four commercial buildings – incorporating a food and beverage precinct offering a variety of retail, cafes’, and restaurants.
The precinct features the University of Western Sydney Campus, community facilities, a civic building, community centre, and library.
Walker's plans in Brisbane's Fortitude Valley<a href="/news/timber-lang-walker-scraps-aspire-tower-sydneys-tallest-apartment-proposal-at-parramatta"> </a><a href="/news/timber-lang-walker-scraps-aspire-tower-sydneys-tallest-apartment-proposal-at-parramatta">for a residential tower</a><a href="/news/timber-lang-walker-scraps-aspire-tower-sydneys-tallest-apartment-proposal-at-parramatta"></a> were recently scrapped. Plans for the building to become two commercial towers were later also scrapped.
</body></html>

Walker Corporation's Parramatta Square gain NSW Government tenancy

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVATION
Suncorp Bank is now offering fixed home loans with some of the lowest advertised interest rates on the market.
The Brisbane-based bank’s packaged home loans for both owner-occupiers and investors have three-year fixed rates that rival most variable-rate products.
From today, the Home Package Plus Special Offer home loans offer interest rates of:
<ul type="disc">
<li>3.49% p.a. (4.24% comparison rate) for owner occupier, principal and interest borrowers</li>
<li>3.69% (4.50% comparison rate) for investment, principal and interest or interest-only borrowers</li>
</ul>
Both of these new interest rates are available for loan-to-value ratios (LVR) of up to 90% – that’s a minimum deposit of 10%.
In addition, owner occupier and investment customers can get rates as low as 3.44% and 3.64% respectively if they use Suncorp’s fast refinance (owner-occupied refinancers can also get $1,500 cashback with Suncorp).
It should be noted these are packaged home loan products, meaning borrowers would need to combine the loan with a Suncorp bank account to be eligible for the rate.
This means they come with a higher comparison rate compared to other non-packaged products, which reflects higher fees.
Suncorp’s packaged products come with a $375 package fee, but the comparison rate on the special offer products are still much lower than its non-packaged products.
Suncorp’s standard fixed owner-occupier loan, for example, has an advertised rate of 3.94% and a comparison rate of 5.43%.
On its website, Suncorp promises to waive this $375 fee in the first year.
How do these new rates compare?
These new interest rates are among the lowest on the market at the time of writing, and are a testament to the sheer number of rate drops there have been lately, particularly when it comes to fixed rates.
Big four banks Westpac and the Commonwealth Bank also began offering lower fixed home loan interest rates this week, but their new rates pale in comparison to Suncorp’s latest rates.
Commbank’s new three-year fixed package home loan for owner-occupiers offers a rate of 3.79% (4.98% comparison rate) while Westpac is offering 3.89% (4.92% comparison rate) on its three-year fixed package.
These rate cuts follow a similar move in late March, where Suncorp cut some of its other fixed-rate home loans by as much as 70 basis points.
This article was originally published on <a id="LPlnk675834" href="https://www.savings.com.au/home-loans/suncorps-new-fixed-home-loan-rates-among-the-lowest-on-the-market/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable">Savings.com.au</a>.
</body></html>

Suncorp’s new fixed home loan rates among the lowest on the market

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=368645]

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."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=358802]

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=364551]

<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.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134951]

Staff reporter

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News