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ASIC has imposed additional conditions on the Australian financial services (AFS) licence of SMSF Advisers Network Pty Ltd (SAN).
According to ASIC: "This follows a surveillance which ASIC commenced because of a significant increase in adviser numbers at SAN in a relatively short period of time.
"As part of the surveillance, ASIC reviewed a number of SAN’s client files.
"This review identified concerns including that some of SAN’s advisers had failed to demonstrate compliance with the best interest duty and related obligations.
"ASIC found that the statement of advice (SOA) documents relied heavily on templated wording and many of the client files lacked evidence to support the advisers’ recommendations that clients establish a SMSF."
As a result, ASIC was concerned that SAN had inadequate supervision processes in place. 
The additional licence conditions require:
SAN must engage an independent expert to review and test the compliance of advice provided by SAN’s advisers and to assess whether SAN has appropriate supervision mechanisms in place to ensure that its advisers are meeting the best interest duty and related obligations.
Where shortfalls in supervision arrangements are identified, the independent expert will make recommendations to address the deficiencies.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

ASIC imposes additional licence conditions on SMSF Advisers Network

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Bill Shorten, in his budget reply speech last night, reaffirmed Labor’s commitment to restrict negative gearing to investors who purchased new housing if elected.
He claimed the current system gives investors "loaded dice" putting younger generations at a disadvantage.
It's a “bias” in the tax system that is shutting young people out of the housing market, Mr Shorten said.
“Getting together a 20 per cent deposit plus stamp duty is so much, much harder than it was 20 or 25 years ago,” the opposition leader said.
“It is even more difficult when your government uses your taxpayer money to subsidise the property investors bidding against you.”
Mr Shorten said his negative gearing rule changes were part of Labor’s plan to “stop intergenerational unfairness in our tax system”.
“A government must be brave enough and decent enough to stop the bias against first home buyers and young Australians and we will be that government,” Mr Shorten said.
He added “lectures about cutting back on smashed avo” were patronising to young people.
“You cannot have property investors playing with loaded dice against our young people, Generation Y and the Millennials,” Mr Shorten said.
However, according to recent HIA research, only 34 percent of Australians are aware of the proposed changes and understand it at some level, while others have no understanding.
While 52 percent of people believe rents will rise as a consequence of the changes. 
HIA Managing Director, Graham Wolfe said, "with 92 percent of all renters aspiring to buy their own home, Labor’s proposed changes will weigh heavily on their savings’ plans.“
"If these changes are made, rents will rise as supply dries up due to a lack of investment in new housing. This will make renting a home less affordable."
“If rents rise, renters saving for a deposit for their own home will take a backward step."
“We can’t solve the housing affordability challenge by taxing housing. This policy seeks to do just that,“ he concluded.
But Bill Shorten's 2019-20 Federal Budget reply headlines the overarching support of future housing in the previously announced National Housing Supply Council, national Housing Ministerial and National Housing Strategy, Nicholas Proud, CEO of PowerHousing Australia said.
It represents 32 of Australia’s largest Tier One and scale-growth Community Housing Providers.
Mr Proud said, “The Federal Opposition has shown a real commitment here to seeing the jobs, economic multipliers and adequate supply of housing become a national priority if they come to Government at the next election. 
"A commitment to delivering a massive 250,000 affordable rentals over a 10-year period with 20,000 to be built in the first three years with Community Housing Providers proponents of the task is a challenge CHPs are ready to take on.
“This 10-year subsidy combined with other elements such as build-to-rent, a Housing Minister, National Housing Strategy and reinstatement of a National Housing Supply Council, as promised, will tackle a housing downturn to preserve jobs, support state economies and deliver more dwellings.
“A focus on delivering expediting new NDIS investment is welcomed to capitalise on the recent momentum gained by the Agency if this shadow budget is eventually delivered.
“Whilst there is much to praise, there are tens of thousands of families in non-CHP properties who, over the next five years, are set to see the loss of the NRAS One incentives which started to lapse in December 2018.
"A response to support these non-CHP managed NRAS homes is critical and our CHP members will look to take up this challenge to seek a pragmatic solution here," Mr Proud concluded. 
Mr Shorten’s budget reply speech also mentioned plans to support build-to-rent schemes.
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Bill Shorten reaffirms Labor stance on negative gearing

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<h1> </h1>
EXPERT OBSERVATION
The main concern when talking about the liveability of a city like Melbourne should be sustaining the health and well-being of residents.
For seven years, Melbourne boasted the title of “world’s most liveable city”, but <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-14/melbourne-loses-most-liveable-city-title-to-vienna/10117338" target="_blank">recently lost the top spot to Vienna</a>. The Economist Intelligence Unit awards the title each year when it publishes its <a href="http://www.eiu.com/topic/liveability" target="_blank">Global Liveability Index</a>. This ranks 140 cities for their urban quality of life based on assessments of stability, health care, culture and environment, education and infrastructure.
The rankings have their <a href="https://theconversation.com/melbourne-the-worlds-most-liveable-city-not-exactly-17677" target="_blank">limitations</a>, which have been <a href="https://theconversation.com/liveability-prizes-are-nice-but-we-have-to-er-live-here-3194" target="_blank">criticised</a>. To regain top spot, or indeed just to become a <a href="https://theconversation.com/liveability-prizes-are-nice-but-we-have-to-er-live-here-3194" target="_blank">better place for the people who actually live in the city</a>, perhaps Melbourne and other cities like it should go beyond the traditional indicators. This means considering other factors that affect not only liveability but also health and sustainability.
Health and mobility are linked
Urban and transport planning has a large impact on sustainability, liveability and health. <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27346385" target="_blank">A recent study in Barcelona</a> estimated 3,000 people die prematurely each year (20% of total mortality) because of urban and transport planning-related environmental and lifestyle factors. The largest contributor to premature death was lack of physical activity, followed by air pollution, noise, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/feb/21/urban-heat-islands-cooling-things-down-with-trees-green-roads-and-fewer-cars" target="_blank">heat island effects</a> and lack of green space.
A city that makes walking more convenient has many benefits for health and well-being. 
Melbourne is a sprawling city with <a href="https://theconversation.com/city-by-city-analysis-shows-our-capitals-arent-liveable-for-many-residents-85676" target="_blank">not enough public and active transport</a>. The result is a high level of <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27671671" target="_blank">car dependency (85% of trips are by car). </a>
There are <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.springer.com/us/book/9783319749822" target="_blank">direct links between urban and transport planning, level of environmental exposures and physical activity and health and well-being</a>. For example, infrastructure for cars results in higher car use and increases in air pollution, noise, CO2 emissions, stress, mental health problems and heat island effects, and lack of physical activity, green space and social contacts.
On the other hand, an investment in infrastructure for active transport such as cycling and walking leads to reductions in air pollution, noise, CO2 emissions, stress, mental health problems and heat island effects, and increases in physical activity, social contacts and possibly green space.
Climate change is a real threat and motorised traffic is one of the large contributors to CO2 emissions. And motorised traffic takes up a lot of public space in a city – <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27276440" target="_blank">up to 60%-70%</a>. This space could be used in much better ways to make a more pleasant living environment.
A shift from cars to cycling could free up a lot of road and parking space in the city.
Creating a sustainable, liveable and healthy city
So how do we make Melbourne not only more liveable, but also more sustainable and healthy? We urgently need to reduce urban sprawl and car dependency, increase public space for people, increase public and active transport, and increase green space.
Resulting reductions in air pollution, noise and heat island effects and increased physical activity will improve health and well-being. Furthermore, the changes in transport modes and CO2 storage by greening will mitigate climate change effects.
There are no magic bullets to achieve these goals. It requires a package of measures, strong political leadership and large investments.
The following are seven strategies, with examples of specific measures:
1. Put people at the centre of public spaces
<ul>
<li>
change the hierarchy of planning from car/motorbikes, public transport, cycling and pedestrians to pedestrians, cyclists, public transport and car/motorbikes
</li>
<li>
adopt the <a href="https://www.vox.com/2016/8/4/12342806/barcelona-superblocks" target="_blank">Barcelona superblock model</a> for the CBD to start with, to increase public space for people
</li>
<li>
introduce a 30km/h speed limit for neighbourhoods.
</li>
</ul>
2. Increase density and land-use mix
<ul>
<li>
increase urban density (make the city more compact) and reduce sprawl, but do not build high-rises – limit buildings to 5-6 floors
</li>
<li>
increase the mix of housing, places of work or schooling and access to basic services and shopping, and improve walkability to reduce the need for travelling longer distances.
</li>
</ul>
3. Reduce motorised traffic and move towards public and active transport
<ul>
<li>
reduce the number of motorised vehicles circulating (50% reduction by 2030) with an overall aim of a car-free city, starting with making the CBD car-free
</li>
<li>
introduce levies for parking at work in the city (e.g. $500-1,000 per year) that can be used to fund public transport
</li>
<li>
introduce transport planning policies that result in the same travel time for cars and public transport from and to a given destination, by giving priority to public transport
</li>
<li>
make a shared delivery system for shops to reduce the number of vehicles
</li>
<li>
increase the cycling network with a segregated cycling lane on each road and make sure it is well connected
</li>
<li>
encourage and provide financial incentives for electric bicycles for long-distance cycling and/or cycling in hilly areas
</li>
<li>
create policies and infrastructure so all children can get to school by active and public transport.
</li>
</ul>
4. Zero-emission motorised traffic by 2035
<ul>
<li>
make all remaining buses, trucks, cars and motorbikes electric by 2035 – all new motorised vehicles should be electric from 2025 onward
</li>
<li>
use roof tops for a distributed solar power system (with solar panels) to provide renewable energy for electric vehicles and households.
</li>
</ul>
5. Increase green space
<ul>
<li>
create more green space with trees in every street, greening of vacant lots and tunnelling of roads with green space on top (target a green space of 1 hectare within 300 metres of every residence)
</li>
<li>
increase green roofs and walls on buildings
</li>
<li>
green school patios and make these areas accessible to the neighbourhood on weekends and holidays
</li>
<li>
connect existing green infrastructure by creating green corridors that are also suitable for active transport.
</li>
</ul>
6. Control pollution emissions from other sources
<ul>
<li>
stricter control on emissions from the port
</li>
<li>
stricter control on emissions from other sources, such as industry and rubbish
</li>
<li>
better insulation of buildings to reduce energy use for heating and cooling
</li>
<li>
aim for a low-carbon city with zero CO2 emissions by 2035.
</li>
</ul>
7. Improve governance
<ul>
<li>
strong political leadership to make changes
</li>
<li>
provide administrative structure within the metropolitan area that integrates urban and transport planning, environment and public health policies to promote sustainability, health and well-being
</li>
<li>
work more closely with regional authorities and councils on integrating the transport system
</li>
<li>
create genuine participatory processes and involve citizens.
</li>
</ul>
We can make our cities more sustainable, liveable and healthy, but it requires a large joint effort and can only be achieved with a strong vision and commitment. However, the results can be highly rewarding.
Most people nowadays choose cities to live. These currently have detrimental effects on the environment, health and well-being, so let’s create more liveable cities that promote health and well-being.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mark-nieuwenhuijsen-509819" target="_blank">Mark Nieuwenhuijsen</a>, Professorial Fellow, ACU, and Research Professor ISGlobal, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/instituto-de-salud-global-de-barcelona-isglobal-3626" target="_blank">Instituto de Salud Global de Barcelona (ISGlobal)</a>
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/seven-steps-melbourne-can-take-to-regain-its-liveable-city-crown-113726" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Seven steps Melbourne can take to regain its ‘liveable city’ crown: Mark Nieuwenhuijsen

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The NSW Government has launched an expression of interest process to garner interest from theatre operators in reopening Sydney’s Theatre Royal. 
Situated in the heart of the Sydney CBD, the 1,100-seat theatre designed by Harry Seidler has been closed since 2016.
Its reopening will allow NSW to deliver and host more major touring theatre productions.
Local and international theatre operators or owners are being sought to enter a long-term sub-lease to operate the theatre.
Applicants will be asked to identify any auditorium refurbishment requirements to operate the theatre from 2021.
Minister for Arts Don Harwin hopes reopening the historic Theatre Royal will help make Sydney number one again for musical theatre in Australia.
“With our existing lyric theatres booked out for years, reopening the Theatre Royal will reintroduce a vital part of the city’s cultural history, open up new employment opportunities and provide a boost for the NSW night-time economy,” Mr Harwin said.
“The theatre has an incredible history dating back to the 1820s and its reopening is backed by huge public demand. We are committed to finding the right operator with the right experience to continue its legacy and allow NSW to compete on the global musical theatre stage once more.”
NSW has secured 28 musical and theatre productions for Sydney since 2011. 
The EOI will close at <a href="https://tenders.nsw.gov.au" target="_blank">Wednesday 24 April 2019</a> via the eTendering website.
Sydney's Theatre Royal is part of Sydney's MLC Centre.
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Theatre operator sought to re-open Sydney's Theatre Royal

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Penjonan, a Hillsborough farm that has been an operational veal-raising business, has been listed for the first time in four decades.
The 50 hectare property has a 1970s homestead designed by Newcastle architect Steve Busteed.
Situated at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-acreage+semi-rural-nsw-hillsborough-129976326" target="_blank">1405 Maitland Vale Road</a>, it has five bedrooms, a home office and a covered tiled verandah.
Surrounding the home are gardens that feature a swimming pool and tennis court, as well as a brick barbecue and landscaped yard.
The rest of the property has been cleared to shade trees and divided into nine fenced pasture paddocks, including a bull paddock.
River Realty Maitland agent Chris Henry is marketing the property with a guide of $1.7 million to $1.8 million.
 
 
 
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Penjonan, Hillsborough farm listed for the first time in 40 years

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The Melbourne suburb of Bentleigh East is host to the highest volume of auctions this weekend, with 18 homes set to go under the hammer, according to CoreLogic.
Next busiest are Cheltenham, Kew, Mount Waverley, Reservoir and Yarraville, all in Melbourne, which are expecting 12 auctions each this week, along with Mosman in Sydney.
Last week saw 2,164 homes taken to auction across the combined capital cities, returning a final auction clearance rate of 50.9%, unchanged from the previous week when 1,667 auctions were held.
Over the same week last year just 670 auctions were held due to the Easter weekend, returning a clearance rate of 64.8%.
In Melbourne, Australia’s largest auction market, the number of scheduled auctions has fallen week-on-week with 840 homes set to go under the hammer across the city, down from 978 last week.
Over the same week last year, 723 auctions were held.
Sydney is expecting to see fewer properties taken to auction this week with 700 homes currently scheduled to go under the hammer across the city, down from 801 last week and 795 last year.
Across the smaller auction markets, Canberra, Perth and Tasmania are expecting to see an increase in auction volumes week-on-week, while activity is set to be lower in Adelaide and Brisbane.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/4/4/Clearance%204-04-2019.JPG" alt="">
The busy auction weekend in Bentleigh East sees <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-bentleigh+east-130718914" target="_blank">18 Millard Street</a> (pictured above) offered.
The property going under the hammer is a three bedroom one bathroom house.
It comes with a price guide of $810,000 - $890,000.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/4/4/Bentleigh%20East%202.JPG" alt="">
Another example of the breadth of auctions taking place in Bentleigh East is <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-villa-vic-bentleigh+east-130726274" target="_blank">3/27 May Street</a> (pictured above).
The property going under the hammer is a two bedroom one bathroom circa 60's Villa.
It comes with a price guide of $550,000 - $600,000.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/4/4/Bentleigh%20East%203.JPG" alt="">
A third property going to auction in Bentleigh East this week is <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-townhouse-vic-bentleigh+east-130729270">47 Gladwyn Avenue</a> (pictured above).
The property going under the hammer is a four bedroom three bathroom house.
It comes with a price guide of $1,120,000 - $1,170,000.
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Bentleigh East set to be busiest weekend auction hotspot

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Declining union membership is unlikely to be responsible for low wage growth, a research discussion paper from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has suggested.
The report, entitled Is Declining Union Membership Contributing to Low Wages Growth?, was authored by RBA economists James Bishop and Iris Chan looked at micro data, covering all enterprise agreements federally registered between 1991 and 2017.
It set out to test whether the hypothesis that the decline in union membership since the 1950s caused a fall in the bargaining power of workers, which in turn has contributed to low wages growth in recent years.
However, the report found that is unlikely that recent low wages growth is a result of changing unionisation patterns.
“First, there has been no decline in the share of employees covered by enterprise agreements negotiated with union involvement even as union membership has declined,” the report stated.
“Second, the ‘union wage growth premium’ in the private sector has been stable over time.
“Third, spillover effects from union involvement in enterprise agreement negotiations onto wage outcomes in other enterprise agreements exist, but have not changed materially over time.”
The full report is available to read <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/rdp/2019/pdf/rdp2019-02.pdf">here</a>.
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Declining union membership not the cause of low wages growth: RBA

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GUEST OBSERVATION
E-scooter mania is sweeping cities around the world. Fun, accessible and cheap to rent, shared electric scooters are one of the biggest technology stories this year.
Their main appeal is that they are so easy to ride. A <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2018/12/23/the-electric-scooter-wars-of-2018/" target="_blank">flood of startups</a> offer on-demand services. Simply download an app, scan the barcode, ride and drop at your destination.
While this is a simple idea, it has caused a few problems.
When they reach their destinations, riders leave them and walk away. The scooters, <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-e-scooters-solve-the-last-mile-problem-theyll-need-to-avoid-the-fate-of-dockless-bikes-102633" target="_blank">like dockless share bikes before them</a>, end up cluttering pavements, cause friction with pedestrians and provoke <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIEKWxYp240" target="_blank">controversy</a> and debate.
E-scooters are the future of city transport and will reduce private car use, say the enthusiasts. They will ease congestion and help cities achieve their environmental and road safety targets, according to the optimists.
But for every supporter of these e-boosted contraptions, a dissenting voice says they are annoying and dangerous. Critics argue that e-scooters litter our footpaths, menace pedestrians and cause <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/01/25/electric-scooters-send-more-people-hospital-than-bicycles-walking-new-study-finds/?noredirect=on&amp;utm_term=.df3477b2b7ae" target="_blank">crashes and injuries</a>. One group in San Diego has even <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/03/04/698768297/disability-rights-group-sues-san-diego-over-scooters-on-sidewalks" target="_blank">filed a law suit</a> claiming that scooters discriminate against people with disabilities.
Some <a href="https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2018/9/10/17631318/electric-scooters-bird-city-regulations-sustainability" target="_blank">cities have banned</a> e-scooters. In Australia, Brisbane City Council, while extending a <a href="https://theconversation.com/limes-not-lemons-lessons-from-australias-first-e-scooter-sharing-trial-108924" target="_blank">trial of e-scooters operated by Lime</a>, has <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-30/electric-scooters-riders-fined-safety-breaches-brisbane-qld/10956110" target="_blank">warned safety must be improved</a> before a permanent permit is granted.
Tiny vehicles, big impacts
The emergence of “tiny vehicles” includes not only e-scooters, but also e-bikes and other electric, low-speed, micromobility solutions.
If we take them seriously, these could be a huge deal for our cities. These emerging modes of transport can be quite effective for “first and last kilometre” travel (e.g. between home and your nearest train station). They can also help with short commuting distances less than 10 kilometres. An <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/2071.0.55.001%7E2016%7EMain%20Features%7ECommuting%20Distance%20for%20Australia%7E1" target="_blank">estimated 20% of trips</a> from home to work in capital cities are 5-10km long.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/264254/original/file-20190317-28487-12hrqvi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
E-scooters could be “<a href="https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2019/02/23/electronic-scooters-safety/" target="_blank">disruptive</a>” in that they would cut the number of short trips taken by private vehicles today.
In Sydney, around <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/2071.0.55.001%7E2016%7EMain%20Features%7EFeature%20Article:%20Journey%20to%20Work%20in%20Australia%7E40" target="_blank">67% of these short commuting trips</a> (on average) involve private vehicles. The proportions are even higher in Melbourne (76%), Brisbane and Darwin (both 80%), Canberra and Perth (both 83%), and Adelaide and Hobart (both 84%). Across the nation, more than 85% of drivers who commute by private car don’t share with other commuters.
Shifting even a small percentage of these trips would help reduce reliance on cars, ease congestion and improve amenity.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/264255/original/file-20190317-28505-7gfu51.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Most commuters do not carry much on their journey to work – a purse, a backpack or similar. That makes tiny vehicles more appealing for the short commute because they do just the one thing: <a href="https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2018/06/welcome-to-the-tiny-vehicle-age/563342/" target="_blank">provide personal mobility</a> from A to B. Leather seats and posh interiors are not an option!
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/264190/original/file-20190316-28505-q6t0ma.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
E-scooters can help with first and last kilometre travel and short commuting trips. Volkswagen
Clearly, we are nowhere near mass adoption. That would require more <a href="https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2018/06/welcome-to-the-tiny-vehicle-age/563342/" target="_blank">variety of tiny vehicles</a> to suit all types of people, trips and weather conditions.
Nevertheless, there is no shortage of <a href="https://www.greencarcongress.com/2019/03/20190305-vwmicro" target="_blank">ideas</a> to solve these challenges. Many <a href="https://lastmile.zone/en/vehicles/streetscooter-and-vw-launch-their-own-cargo-e-bikes" target="_blank">solutions</a> will undoubtedly be imagined. Some might actually work!
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/i3q44cnSFoI?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" width="440" height="260"></iframe>
 Startups are working on a variety of tiny vehicle solutions for different uses.
A regulatory sandbox approach
Regulation remains a major hurdle. Policymakers recognise that micromobility could be a driving force of change for our cities, but safety cannot be an afterthought. Instead of banning the emerging technology, many cities are adapting their approaches to handle it.
Rather than making up new rules without evidence, policymakers are using a <a href="http://www.govtech.com/opinion/E-Scooter-Bans-Show-Cities-Are-Hesitant-to-Embrace-Innovation" target="_blank">regulatory sandbox</a> approach. Borrowed from <a href="https://asic.gov.au/for-business/your-business/innovation-hub/regulatory-sandbox/" target="_blank">fintech regulation</a>, this approach allows startups to test new technologies for a specified period.
Businesses can learn quickly and respond to problems as they arise. Regulators can collect data to make informed decisions and prioritise interventions.
We already have examples of these partnerships.
<a href="https://www.recode.net/2018/6/26/17490378/scooter-sharing-companies-san-francisco-legal-permits" target="_blank">Companies are offering to pay cities a fee per scooter</a> to build protected scooter and bike infrastructure. Others have committed to providing <a href="https://sf.streetsblog.org/2018/09/21/return-of-the-scooter/" target="_blank">financial incentives</a> to encourage riders to park scooters properly. One company is offering a free ride to customers who park their scooters well ten times in a row.
To keep footpaths safe, businesses are also working with local governments to test ideas such as <a href="https://youtu.be/BmkRjtdtygk" target="_blank">retractable locks</a>, <a href="https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2019/03/electric-scooters-parking-charging-docks-lime-bird-lyft-spin/584332/" target="_blank">solar-powered parking</a>, <a href="https://www.recode.net/2018/6/26/17490378/scooter-sharing-companies-san-francisco-legal-permits" target="_blank">designated on-street drop-off zones</a> – even a <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/90316775/is-it-time-for-scooters-to-be-put-in-their-place" target="_blank">“dock for dockless”</a> solution!
What’s next for the e-scooter market?
These products are not toys and investors know it. Venture capitalists are riding a wave of public acceptance and adoption.
E-scooter growth, in particular, has <a href="https://www.curbed.com/2018/7/24/17607698/electric-scooter-bird-lime-spin-adoption-transit" target="_blank">exceeded first-year adoption rates</a> for similar services such as bike-sharing and ride-hailing. In <a href="https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/article226640274" target="_blank">Sacramento</a>, where the same company offers both bike and car services, the use of shared e-bikes exceeded ride-hailing rentals by a 53-47% margin.
Businesses are betting that shared e-scooters will do to short-distance travel what ride-hailing did to the taxi industry. Globally, investors have <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/automotive-and-assembly/our-insights/micromobilitys-15000-mile-checkup" target="_blank">poured more than US$5.7 billion</a> into micromobility startups since 2015. New business models are emerging, with some companies considering annual memberships that include free ride time per day.
As with other fast-moving innovations, policymakers need to adapt their approaches. They also need to rethink bans and regulations that undermine the viability of e-scooters.
Tech companies need to prioritise rider safety over growth. They need to work with governments to preserve the sanctity of the footpath as a safe public space.
Without this, our cities will miss out on the potential of tiny vehicles and the opportunities they offer to reduce private car use.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/113111/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;">
Hussein Dia, Chair, Department of Civil and Construction Engineering, Swinburne 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/banning-tiny-vehicles-would-deny-us-smarter-ways-to-get-around-our-cities-113111" target="_blank">original article</a>.
Main photo: Conceptual design of a vehicle parking bay as a designated drop-off zone for tiny vehicles. Lyft
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Banning ‘tiny vehicles’ would deny us smarter ways to get around our cities

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EXPERT OBSERVATION
White collar has driven employment gains but the surge in construction broke a 20yr downtrend for metal manufacturing employment.
<ul>
<li>In the year to February 2019, total employment grew 284k or 2.3% which is explained by the expansion of white collar employment and the lion share of this occurred in NSW and Victoria. Of the remaining sectors, the loss of employment in construction and manufacturing sectors was offset by modest gains in leisure &amp; hospitality with some help from smaller gains in retail, education and health.</li>
<li>White collar employment was boosted by solid gains in public administration &amp; safety (118.2k) and professional, scientific &amp; technical services (93.4k). The gains in leisure &amp; hospitality sectors was split between accommodation &amp; food services (+29.7k) and other household services (+43k).</li>
<li>Flat employment in education &amp; health hides losses of –36k in NSW and –31.5k in WA which were offset by growth in Victoria (44.5k) and Queensland (30.9k).</li>
<li>Goods production sector employment declined 41.6k due to a collapse in manufacturing employment (-63.7k) only partly offset by gains in mining (+16.7k) and agriculture (+10.5k).  </li>
<li>Construction had been a significant positive for employment with its share of total employment hitting a record high of 9.6% in 2018 Q1. But through the year it eased to 9.0% with the decline in construction employment making a –0.4ppt drag on annual total employment growth (total ex-construction was +2.7ppt contribution/total 2.3%yr).</li>
<li>The correction in construction has been focused in NSW and WA with most job losses occurring in construction services. At this stage, building and heavy engineering appear to be peaking, rather than correcting, but these sectors tend to lag the services involved with establishing a construction project.</li>
<li>Manufacturing dependent on construction expanded employment in 2018, breaking a longer-term down trend. While public infrastructure should support steel demand, at least for the near term, growth is likely to be somewhat less than it has been.</li>
</ul>
In the year to February, white collar employment explained just about all of the 282k growth in employment. We define white collar employment as those employees in finance, real estate &amp; hiring services, professional, scientific &amp; technical services, other business services and government services.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/4/3/WESTPAC%201.jpg">Click here </a>to enlarge:
<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/2019/4/3/WESTPAC%201.jpg" alt="">
Source: Westpac
Household services (accommodation &amp; food services, education &amp; training, health care &amp; social assistance and arts &amp; recreation) has been the powerhouse of employment growth for some time (see chart over) but in the last year there has been a shift of focus with households services employment slowing to 1.7%yr contributing just 0.6ppt to the annual pace of total employment growth.
Meanwhile, business services (information, media and telecommunications, finance &amp; insurance services, rental, hiring &amp; real estate, professional, scientific &amp; technical and administrative support services) employment growth accelerated to 5.2%yr contributing 1.0ppt to annual total employment growth but the big surge came from the 23.5%yr lift in government employment contributing 1.3ppt to the 2.3%yr pace in total employment.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/4/3/WESTPAC%202.jpg" target="_blank">Click here</a> to enlarge:
<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/2019/4/3/WESTPAC%202.jpg" alt="">
Source: Westpac 
Looking at the state data highlights where the big swings have occurred. In NSW employment gains were driven by leisure &amp; hospitality and white collar while education &amp; health plus construction were the main drags on employment. There was surge in employment from public administration &amp; safety (+83.5k in the year) and professional, scientific &amp; technical services added 58.9k; both of these are white collar and business services sectors.
Accommodation &amp; food services (household services) added a healthy 40.6k but from there it was a drop to +26.7k from agriculture, forestry &amp; fishing (production sector). Leading the decline in NSW employment was –33.5k from construction (production sector) and education &amp; training surprised with a 30.4k decline (household services) and manufacturing shed 19.9k (production sector).
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/4/3/WESTPAC%203.jpg">Click here</a> to enlarge:
<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/2019/4/3/WESTPAC%203.jpg" alt="">
 
Source: Westpac
Contrast this with Victoria where education &amp; health plus white collar employment drove the gains. In the year to February total employment grew more in Victoria than NSW (132.7k vs. 120.3k in the year) and at the same time the distribution amongst the sectors was a bit more even. Public administration &amp; safety led the charge in Victoria but the 39.7k gain was somewhat smaller than the gain by this sector in NSW (+83.5k).
Victorian healthcare &amp; social assistance (household sector) added 35k employees where as it contracted –4.2k in NSW, professional, scientific &amp; technical employment lifted 23.1k in Victoria and while public administration surged in NSW it grew a more modest 21.8k in Victoria.
Leading the decline in Victoria was the –23.0k in accommodation &amp; food services employment while manufacturing shed 14.3k employees and retail trade (household sector) was not much better at –12.7k. Victorian construction employment was a bit better than NSW at –9.2k (vs. –33.5k in NSW) full-time construction employment rose 6.4k in Victoria compared to –31.8k in NSW suggesting NSW appears to have entered a more protracted construction downturn as hours worked there appear to be more tightly managed.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/4/3/WESTPAC%204.jpg" target="_blank">Click here </a>to enlarge:
<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/2019/4/3/WESTPAC%204.jpg" alt="">
Source: Westpac
For Queensland, just about all of the gains in employment can be put down to household services and, in particular, government employment or sectors funded by governments. Education &amp; training made the largest contribution (+17.6k) but public administration &amp; safety almost matched its contribution (+17.2k) while healthcare &amp; social assistance was not far behind (+14.7k) and information, media &amp; telecommunications made a healthy contribution (12.8k). The key drag in the year was manufacturing (–35.0k), retail trade (–23.3k) and administration &amp; support services (–12.9k). All up white collar employment was positive (+19.5k) adding to the 30.9k gain in education &amp; health and a sound 17.4k contribution from leisure &amp; hospitality more than offsetting the contraction in production employment (–25.7k) and retail &amp; distribution (–26.8k).
WA saw a mix in the sectors driving employment with retail &amp; wholesale gaining 30.8k while white collar employment lifted 29.5k in the year (+16.9k professional, scientific &amp; technology, +15.3 public administration &amp; safety and +9.5k other services more than offsetting the 12.6k loss in arts &amp; recreation and –4.9k in financial services). Mining was also positive (+8.1k) but declines in manufacturing and agriculture (–1.8k and –7.7k respectively) led to a small decline in production manufacturing. In the year to February, education &amp; health swung to being a significant drag in WA shedding 31.5k employees while construction shed 18.2k workers over the same period of time. Manufacturing was basically flat printing +1.8k.
Looking deeper into the sectors sheds some light onto what has been driving employment growth and where the risk to the employment outlook lies.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/4/3/WESTPAC%205.jpg" target="_blank">Click here</a> to enlarge: 
<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/2019/4/3/WESTPAC%205.jpg" alt="">
Source: Westpac 
Construction was an important driver of employment through 2017 with gains peaking at +103.8k /9.8%yr in the year to November 2017. This represented a 0.9ppt contribution to the 3.3%yr pace in total employment growth at that time. Construction's share of total employment peaked a quarter later at 9.5% in February 2018 which was a record high for this series going back to the start of the data in late 1984.
Since then construction employment has fallen 49.2k in the year to February 2019 representing a drag of –0.4ppt on total employment growth (which printed 2.3%yr). The last time construction employment represented a meaningful drag on employment growth was back in 2012 when it contracted –61.6k in the year to August 2012 generating a drag of –0.6ppt on total employment (which printed 1.2%yr).
Given that the starting point of construction's share of total employment is now larger than it was in 2012 (the peak back then was 9.1% in August 2011) construction has the potential to have a larger drag on employment this time should the construction downturn continue to deepen and broaden out of NSW and WA where it is currently focused.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/4/3/WESTPAC%206.jpg" target="_blank">Click here </a>to enlarge: 
<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/2019/4/3/WESTPAC%206.jpg" alt="">
Source: Westpac 
Looking at the breakdown of the sub-sectors behind the correction in construction employment suggests the current correction could have further to run. In the year to February 2019, all of the decline in construction employment can be explained by the –66k decline in construction services. The level of employment in this sector peaked at +777.6k in February 2018 having grown 86.1k, or 12.5%, in the previous two years.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/4/3/WESTPAC%207.jpg" target="_blank">Click here </a>to enlarge: 
<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/2019/4/3/WESTPAC%207.jpg" alt="">
Source: Westpac
Construction services includes land development &amp; site preparation services, building structure services, building installation services, building completion services and other construction services (which we suspect includes construction contractors). A fair proportion of these services are involved with project and site preparation before construction activity starts. We would expect to see some lift from heavy, civil engineering as public works projects continue but the down turn in dwelling construction activity is going to weigh on building construction employment through 2019 and it is likely to be sometime before construction services find a base to grow from.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/4/3/WESTPAC%208.jpg" target="_blank">Click here</a> to enlarge: 
<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/2019/4/3/WESTPAC%208.jpg" alt="">
Source: Westpac
The impact of construction activity on employment is broader than direct construction employment. Westpac has long compiled an aggregate of sectors in manufacturing that would have a strong linkage with construction – wood products, non-metallic minerals, metal products and furniture – which represents a bit more than 30% of manufacturing employment.
Employment in these sectors had been in a trend decline since the late 1990s, as are most manufacturing sectors. During the downtrend there have been some short-run up cycles but from the August 2016 low in employment these sectors grew 29.9k to February 2019, the first sustained uptrend in employment in almost two decades. November 2016 was the recent low in construction employment share of total employment which then rose to a peak in February 2018. Manufacturing employment linked to construction activity peaked in November 2018.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/4/3/WESTPAC%209.jpg" target="_blank">Click here</a> to enlarge: 
<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/2019/4/3/WESTPAC%209.jpg" alt="">
Source: Westpac
In the last year all of the gains in manufacturing employment has been from metal products (+19.1k); all the other sectors were either flat or declining. Employment metal productions totalled 172.1k in February and if you exclude the recent run-up, employment in metal products is back to a level not seen since early 2014. Not even the mining investment boom produced a comparable lift in steel manufacturing employment indicative of just how significant the recent lift in construction activity has been for broader employment gains. By contrast transport &amp; machinery equipment employment declined 24.9k in the year to February while petroleum, chemical &amp; coal shed 21.0k workers and food, beverage &amp; tobacco has retrenched 16.7k.
Looking forward we don't expect public construction activity to peak until well into 2020 but nevertheless the pace of growth will be somewhat less than it has been. As such steel manufacturing employment should be supported but is very unlikely to be a significant contributor to employment growth going forward and as we head into 2020, it is likely to become a drag on employment.
Looking at the states, Queensland saw the biggest decline in manufacturing employment losing –18.8k employees in the year while NSW shed –7.2k, Vic lost –5.0k and WA lost –2.2k. SA added 9.6k and Tasmania gained 16.6k.
JUSTIN SMIRK is a ‎senior economist for Westpac Group
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Australian employment gains have been in white collar industries: Justin Smirk

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Following the recent reinstatement of Commonwealth Bank, LandMark White has now secured Westpac as resuming its valuation workflow.
LMW told its shareholders that still requires reinstatement from a majority of our remaining banking clients before LMW can provide reasonable financial projections.
It remains suspended from the ASX.
It was February 19 when Westpac Group moved to protect the personal information and privacy of its borrowers after the recent data breach involving LandMark White Limited.
"We are investigating this matter and it is our immediate priority to contact and support any Westpac, St.George, Bank of Melbourne, BankSA or RAMS customers who may be affected," it advised.
Westpac believed only a small number of individuals are potentially impacted.
The data disclosed includes property valuation details and some contact details (such as names, addresses and email addresses) of the various parties involved in the property valuation process.
No loan application details, such as financial and identification documents, were disclosed.
LMW also told its shareholders today that an advertisement in today’s Australian Financial Review seeking Expressions of Interest for a “Property Services Business” did not relate to LMW.
Last month LandMark White was reinstated by Commonwealth Bank to its panel for residential valuations.
Marking a significant step for the company after the <a href="/news/landmark-white-limited-reports-property-valuations-data-breach">recent cyber-attack</a>, Keith Perrett, Chairman of LandMark White, said the decision made by Commonwealth Bank is an endorsement of the actions taken by the company in response to the incident.
"We’re pleased a number of financial institutions have reinstated LMW to its panel of valuation providers, including one of Australia’s major lenders.
"Commonwealth Bank recognised the risk to our company, our staff and shareholders, and reviewed the enhancements to our systems and networks in an efficient manner while also ensuring its affected customers were supported,” Mr Perrett said.
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The company has been working closely with financial institutions throughout the last few weeks – including all of Australia’s major lenders – to ensure its systems and networks are now subject to the highest level of security and monitoring.
Commonwealth Bank, as well as NAB and ANZ, <a href="/news/banks-drop-landmark-white-valuations-after-data-breach">dropped LandMark White</a> following the attack.
LMW liaised with Commonwealth Bank’s Data Protect Group to assess and improve its datasecurity environment, while the company has also committed to a framework for robust risk management and continuous improvement.
"We’re pleased a number of financial institutions have reinstated LMW to its panel of valuation providers, including one of Australia’s major lenders. 
“It’s a great sign of faith in our company and our people, and I thank the Commonwealth Bank for the support they have shown LMW in the last few weeks. We are confident we now have one of the most secure systems and networks for a property valuation company in Australia.”
“We have been a trusted member of the industry for nearly 40 years and with the support ofall the major banks, we’re confident we’ll be here for another 40 years and longer.”
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LandMark White see Westpac return after dark web data privacy breach 

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.

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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."

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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.

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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>.

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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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