<html><body>
New data gathered by tradie jobs website ServiceSeeking.com.au reveals prices can vary significantly depending on your postcode.
Living in some suburbs can drive up the cost of hiring a tradie.
It suggests the diagonal divide between the north-east and south-west of Sydney is clearer than ever.
An excel file of the average hourly rates can be found <a id="LPlnk728416" href="https://serviceseeking2.apms5.com/anywhere/m?s=serviceseeking2&amp;m=s_4607f61d-4040-49b5-a3c8-d97d5c13f33c&amp;u=e1jq4wvfdtfk2hj260rk8d245mukcd1r5mu46da65mw44da65n2kgea38t23eh236n148&amp;r2=d1u78w3k78qjyxvqewq76tbjetmp6tbkcnjppubecwq66vvd5tgqabv2dhqpebv3entq8vvdcnt2yw3jd5hpjvk75nkqaub4cntjyv31ehu6abbcd5q6abbqd1jq4t9df5qqabbcd5v6abb4e9mqctbk5nuq0bb3dxtq8bbfcrppgubjd5q6ebbme9gp8tbkdnjpwbr&amp;n=2" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable">here</a>. 
The website study noted towards the end of last year as tradie prices started to decline, residents of the inner city, eastern suburbs and the north shore were paying up to 140 per cent more for tradies than those living in the south and west.
ServiceSeeking.com.au mapped the average hourly charge-out rates of tradies across seven industries by analyising over 12,000 hourly rate quotes submitted on the site in 2018.
The map displays areas with prices above the average in red and areas below the average in green.
"The closer you get to the inner city and eastern suburbs, the higher the charge out rate," it concluded.
The most expensive suburbs are clustered around the inner city, east and north; most of the south and west (and outer north-west) of the city is the land of "milk and honey" (ie cheap tradie prices).
The geographical divide of the mapped tradie quotes bears a striking resemblance to the so-called "latte line" - north of the line is where the jobs are, while south of the line is where there's greater housing availability.
Jeremy Levitt, CEO of ServiceSeeking.com.au says tradies continue to lift their rates for customers they perceive as being better able to pay higher prices.  Property prices align with this trend too.
"While we've seen a cooling in the levels of demand for tradies, there are some pockets in Sydney where customers will pay significantly more for an hour of a tradies' time," Levitt said. 
"Tradies working in suburbs considered to be more affluent often increase their charge-out rates because they perceive their customers to be more capable of paying higher prices. In addition to this, these suburbs generally have a higher demand for renovation services."
A low supply of tradespeople above the "latte line" is also a factor, he noted.
"A lot of tradies are commuting from the south and west to the north and east for jobs," Levitt said.
Their hourly charge-out rates will incorporate overheads, including the cost of commuting along with insurance, vehicles, staff and tools.
The data also revealed some interesting pockets of low and high prices.
The cheapest prices for tradies are around the Blue Mountains, Milperra and Horsley Park where the average cost of a tradie is below $60 per hour.
There are also pockets of low charge-out rates in the north and east, which Levitt puts down to either "a low demand for renovation services or a perception that residents in these suburbs can't afford higher prices".
The data serves as a reminder to homeowners to shop around, Levitt said. 
"Renovators need to be sure to compare quotes and prices from numerous tradies to make sure they don't end up overpaying."
Click here <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/2/25/Service-seeker.jpg" target="_blank">to enlarge</a>.
<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/2019/2/25/Service-seeker.jpg" alt="">
Source: ServiceSeeking.com.au
The industries included in this analysis were: Source: ServiceSeeking.com.au
<ol>
<li>Handymen</li>
<li>Electrical Services</li>
<li>Plumbing</li>
<li>Carpenters</li>
<li>Painters</li>
<li>Concreters; and</li>
<li>Builders</li>
</ol>
</body></html>

j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Same service, different price: how postcodes affect the cost of hiring tradies 

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVATION
Governments change priorities all the time. Some argue governments will focus on developing regional areas at one point in time and then refocus on major cities at another.
Our research shows that there are cycles in how much priority governments attach to regional issues. But these fluctuations are overshadowed by a larger, long-term trend towards greater involvement with regional communities.
Our findings show that regional Australia matters more today than it has at any other time since the 1940s.
Cycles of regional commitment
Inattention to particular constituencies can be costly. Victoria’s Kennett government lost office in 1999, when regional communities such as Ballarat and Bendigo became disillusioned with what they saw as a Melbourne-centric government.
This was a time when governments in other states, and nationally, were paying more attention to regional voters, with the Howard Coalition government nervously watching One Nation as a growing political force. In Queensland, the pressure was more acute, with a few regionally focused conservative politicians claiming seats in parliament.
Appointing a minister with regional responsibilities is one clear marker of intent in the government of the day. John Sharp, the Howard government’s first minister for transport and regional development, released a budget statement with 19 major investments in regional areas. These included money for drought assistance, rural roads, and counselling and support services for young people and families.
There are now six ministers and one parliamentary secretary for regional development in Australian parliaments. Bridget McKenzie (federal), Michael McCormack (federal), Tim Whetstone (South Australia), Jaclyn Symes (Victoria), John Barilaro (New South Wales), Alannah MacTiernan (Western Australia) and Mark Shelton (Tasmania) are the most recent expression of a trend that started almost 30 years ago.
<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/2019/2/21/regional%201%20.jpg" alt="">
Our research
We examined all state and Australian government gazettes from 1939 to 2015 to find out how many “regional” ministers were in place over time. Our criteria were for the term “regional” to be in the title and for the representative to have responsibilities associated with improving the well-being of rural and remote communities.
We then used our data to develop an index, in which we gave a score of 1 for each month in the year where an identifiable regional minister held office.
For each jurisdiction the maximum possible score in any year was 12. For Australia, with six states and one federal government, the maximum possible score was 84.
<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/2019/2/21/regional%202.jpg" alt="">
Our results, in the table above, came as a surprise. It is clear that political engagement with the regions has grown rapidly since the late 1980s.
Previous research has suggested the 1940-1960s period was one of strong governmental commitment to the regions. This was reflected in announcements on the need to “decentralise” the population.
But our data suggest the notion of a “golden era” of regional policy and government support prior to the 1970s is misplaced.
Nation-wide policies in support of agriculture, mining or infrastructure development supported regional communities. But the well-being of these places was not the primary goal.
From 1972 to 1975, the Whitlam government was committed to addressing inequalities associated with where people live. This brought fresh enthusiasm for regional portfolios in state governments, but that tide quickly waned as the political climate changed.
Australian governments did not begin to appoint regional ministers as a matter of course until the late 1980s. This was a period linked to the end of old-fashioned, class-based politics and the rise of our more complex political landscape.
The trend has continued since and the presence of the six regional ministers and one parliamentary secretary in the halls of political power means there has never been a better time for regions to lobby governments.
There are now more ministers than ever before ready, able and willing to receive delegations and advocate for country towns, rural industries and remote Australia.
This means regional leaders have an opportunity to be heard in the run-up to the NSW and federal elections. The challenge is to determine the key messages and how they should be delivered.
Andrew Beer, Dean, Research and Innovation, University of South Australia, University of South Australia.
</body></html>

Regional Australia is calling the shots now more than ever: Andrew Beer

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVATION
A “granny flat agreement” is an informal arrangement between a parent and their adult child or children. The parent (often elderly) contributes funds to create granny flat accommodation either by modifying a home or by buying a suitable property in the name of the children. In return they agree to provide the parent with a lifetime right to live in the granny flat, or at least until the parent needs residential care.
Many of these arrangements work out well. The older person then enjoys the love and support of having their family close by as they age.
When an arrangement of this kind goes wrong, however, it can seriously threaten the wealth, autonomy and dignity of the elderly parent. If the relationship between the parent and child, or child’s spouse, breaks down and the parent is asked to leave the property, he or she may be left with nothing.
How does the law treat granny flats?
The parent’s only chance of recovering her contribution is to go to court. These court cases depend on applying a complex set of rules.
The parent must prove the contribution was not a gift but that they supplied funds as part of an arrangement that the parties would live together. Agreements creating interests in land need to be <a href="https://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/#/view/act/1919/6/part4/div1/sec54a" target="_blank">in writing</a>, and usually there is no written agreement.
The court can apply <a href="https://www.translegal.com/legal-english-dictionary/equitable-principle" target="_blank">equitable principles</a>. A parent who contributed to improving the property ought to have the contributions back, or a proportionate share of the property returned if the arrangement ends prematurely, because it is unjust for children to retain the benefit of the contribution without providing the granny flat.
Where the court finds that the parent relied on a promise by the child that the parent would have an interest in the house, or at least a right to live with the child for life, the child can be required to repay the contribution.
This often means the child must sell their house if they cannot refinance to obtain the money to pay the parent. If the parent is entitled to a share of the property, the house has to be sold to realise the parent’s share.
The problem for parents is that court cases cost money, unless Legal Aid is available, but only parents who are truly destitute qualify for assistance. The parent has to produce evidence of the arrangement or the promise. They often have to recount conversations from many years ago to prove there was an arrangement. The children have to spend money on their own lawyers.
Parents and children very rarely put these agreements in writing and almost never consult a lawyer. Sometimes, to help the child get finance, a parent may have told the lender the contribution was a gift.
All this makes court cases complex, difficult and expensive.
In New South Wales, the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/%7E/view/act/1984/147" target="_blank">Property (Relationships) Act 1984</a> may apply to granny flat disputes, but the parent still has to show how they contributed to the child’s property. Other states and territories – including <a href="http://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/vic/consol_act/ra2008173/" target="_blank">Victoria</a>, <a href="https://www.legislation.sa.gov.au/LZ/C/A/DOMESTIC%20PARTNERS%20PROPERTY%20ACT%201996/CURRENT/1996.51.AUTH.PDF" target="_blank">South Australia</a>, <a href="http://www7.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdb/au/legis/tas/consol_act/ra2003173/" target="_blank">Tasmania</a> and <a href="http://www7.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdb/au/legis/act/consol_act/dra1994253/" target="_blank">ACT</a> – have similar laws for couples, which might apply to family arrangements. However, the NSW legislation is broader, which makes things worse for parents outside NSW.
When a dispute arises, the parties usually want to resolve the matter as quickly and as cheaply as possible. But court cases can take a year or more to get to hearing. Affidavits must be prepared and financial documents reviewed. During this time the parent may be living in emergency housing, often at public expense.
The picture gets worse if the child’s marriage breaks down. The parent’s claim then gets taken into family property proceedings between the child and their spouse in the Family Court or Federal Circuit Court. This can take even longer than going to the Supreme Court.
A better way to resolve disputes
Parties to these disputes need fast access to a system of practical rules for separating the parties’ property interests, and one that offers early mediation. These rules would cover factors such as increases in the value of the property, how long the parties lived together, what benefits they received, and other discretionary considerations. Such rules might provide the basis for a set of statutory guidelines for a tribunal to apply.
Civil and administrative tribunals <a href="http://www.ncat.nsw.gov.au/Pages/going_to_the_tribunal/going_to_the_tribunal.aspx" target="_blank">emphasise informality and conciliation</a>, so giving these tribunals jurisdiction to resolve granny flat disputes according to statutory guidelines would arguably be more efficient than going to the Supreme Court or Family Court.
Parties really should seek legal advice on granny flat arrangements before they commit to the deal. But parents often trust their children and are optimistic that they can live together as a family. If a lawyer provides advice to an elderly parent individually and with an awareness of their client’s possible incapacity or vulnerability to undue influence, that gives all parties a chance to decide what they want to happen if the relationship breaks down.
Centrelink <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/money/how-to-give-property-to-your-kids-and-keep-the-age-pension-20151118-gl1ypg" target="_blank">recognises granny flat arrangements</a>, so parents’ contributions are not automatically <a href="https://www.humanservices.gov.au/individuals/enablers/gifting" target="_blank">treated as a gift</a>. Gifting attracts an asset test under which the parent might be deemed still to have the funds contributed, which could reduce their pension.
The children can also be worse off if the Tax Office considers that the child accepting the contribution made a capital gain because the parents’ contribution increased the value of the home.
Although the Australian Law Reform Commission has <a href="https://www.alrc.gov.au/publications/elder-abuse-report" target="_blank">looked at some aspects of this issue</a>, action is need to reduce the complexity of existing equitable and statutory rules. Elderly parents should not have to take their children to court in expensive legal proceedings to retrieve the contribution that was meant to ensure they had a secure home in their later years.
Patricia Lane, Senior Lecturer, University of Sydney
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/when-granny-flats-go-wrong-perils-for-parents-highlight-need-for-law-reform-103335" target="_blank">original article</a>.
</body></html>

When granny flats go wrong – perils for parents highlight need for law reform

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVATION
<a href="http://cur.org.au/project/national-liveability-report/" target="_blank">Recent studies</a> show <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage/hindi/en/article/2018/04/26/revealed-australias-fastest-growing-suburbs" target="_blank">Melbourne’s and Sydney’s fast-growing outer suburbs</a> <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/why-5-million-australians-can-t-get-to-work-home-or-school-on-time-20190215-p50y1x" target="_blank">lag behind other parts of the city</a> in <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/homes-in-new-suburbs-four-years-away-but-services-to-take-much-longer-20190215-p50y46" target="_blank">access to urban design, employment and amenities and services</a> that foster liveability. The National Growth Areas Alliance of local councils launched a national campaign, “<a href="https://ngaa.org.au/catch-up-with-the-outer-suburbs-campaign-launch" target="_blank">Catch up with the outer suburbs</a>”, on Monday. But what is it really like to live in these areas?
<a href="http://cur.org.au/project/living-liveable-the-lived-experiences-of-life-on-the-urban-fringe/" target="_blank">Living Liveable</a> is a short documentary film produced by RMIT University researchers showcasing the lived experiences of residents in Melbourne’s outer suburbs. The film includes interviews with 11 residents that highlight their perceptions and experiences of liveability in their suburbs. This article explores their reasons for living where they do and recounts their experiences of life in the outer suburbs.
<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/315541276" frameborder="0" width="500" height="281"></iframe>
Living Liveable, a documentary produced by RMIT researchers.
Why all the fuss about liveability?
Liveability and its underlying indicators have been the subject of substantial research. Most well-known liveability indices produced by the private sector — such as the <a href="https://mobilityexchange.mercer.com/Insights/quality-of-living-rankings" target="_blank">Mercer Quality of Living Ranking</a> and the <a href="http://www.eiu.com/topic/liveability" target="_blank">Economist Intelligent Unit’s Liveability Index</a> — rank cities against each other. And most Australian capital cities are ranked relatively high in such global liveability indices.
These measures overlook inequities within cities between established inner areas and newer outer suburban areas. Many of these urban fringe suburbs are <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17549175.2017.1363077" target="_blank">experiencing rapid population growth</a>. <a href="http://cur.org.au/project/national-liveability-report/" target="_blank">RMIT researchers</a> have developed spatial liveability indicators, showing that residents in outer suburbs <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/why-5-million-australians-can-t-get-to-work-home-or-school-on-time-20190215-p50y1x">lack access to basic amenities</a> that inner-city residents take for granted.
Yet residents’ perceptions of their neighbourhoods and their lived experiences are often unheard in such measures. The interviews show that a combination of factors shapes decisions to live in an outer suburb. These include perceived affordability, people’s aspirations for a good life, and access to public transport. As one resident said:
"I was looking for an affordable area where I can, you know, buy a decent-size house within a decent budget and all those things. So, this area probably suits me, which is nearest for public transport, but yeah, it’s a bit far from the CBD area, which is alright." – male resident of Wyndham
Access to green spaces and a sense of community were among the things residents loved most about living in their suburb:
"We live opposite a beautiful park … it’s right at our doorstep. We feel very, very lucky to live opposite this beautiful park, it’s very well maintained by the local council and it’s highly utilised. So even just out there walking, I’ve got to know people in my neighbourhood." – female resident of Wyndham
Traffic makes life worse
However, traffic volumes and poor access to daily living destinations and public transport had negative impacts on residents’ lived experiences. While current liveability indices usually consider access to daily living destinations – such as food outlets, schools, hospitals, and public transport – traffic is often overlooked. Yet, 10 out of 11 people mentioned traffic, in 30 separate instances, as something that makes their neighbourhoods less liveable.
A painter living in the City of Casey described how increasing traffic in recent years was forcing him to wake up half an hour earlier and get back home half an hour later in the afternoon:
"I’m a painter, so I work anywhere from here to the city. The Monash [freeway] … I call it my driveway. So I’m on that every day, and it just depends which exit I’m taking for the day.
"So, I get up at the moment at 4.50am. I get up to beat the traffic, which starts at about 5.20, and then I get to the job, and then I might have a bit of a snooze in my car or eat breakfast. And that’s just all just to beat traffic. And I can stay there for an hour before I have to, you know, knock on the client’s door, and say, “Oh I’m here to start.”
"And, yeah, then at the end of the working day, which is 4pm, after I’ve done my eight hours, I just have to grind with the traffic on the way home… I might get home at about 6.10pm." - resident of the City of Casey
For some, the traffic has affected their mental health and increased stress levels.
"We’ve lived in this house for 16 years and just the buildup of traffic … I was used to getting from A to B very quickly. I now have to plan, embed in my day, more time to get from A to B. I think that’s the biggest negative.
"And it’s certainly one that impacts my husband. He doesn’t work locally. He works in the eastern suburbs and he also has to travel around a lot for his work. And that’s becoming a bit of a nightmare for him and actually creating a bit of stress." – female resident of Wyndham
Lack of access to daily living destinations, including employment and supermarkets, means residents depend on their cars. This adds to their cost of living and reduces neighbourhood liveability.
Lack of public transport or infrequent services also has negative impacts on residents’ quality of life and well-being.
"I take my hubby to work in Derrimut and so that normally takes me … about two hours easy; just over two hours. … he doesn’t drive. He can’t use the train simply because the train doesn’t go anywhere near where he works. There’s nothing. No public transport to take my husband to work.
"S0 … we’ve got no choice. So, if something happens to me, uh, we’re in a load of trouble. That’s where it’s difficult. We need more public transport. We really do." – female resident of Wyndham
Planners need to hear what residents say
The film highlights the gaps in current measures of liveability. For example, future liveability indices should consider including traffic and car-dependency indicators. Increasing traffic, the time spent travelling, and the financial burden of car dependency can detract from some of the key reasons residents choose to live in Melbourne’s outer suburbs – namely, affordability and sense of community.
We need to engage with communities and hear from them about their lived experience to better understand and measure their quality of life, their health and their neighbourhoods’ liveability. Objective measures of the quality of access should be accompanied by insights from residents about their lives in the suburbs. The voice of residents needs to be included in the planning of our cities as they grow, as well as the metrics of how successful we are in delivering equitable cities that foster healthy, affordable and prosperous lives for all.
Leila Mahmoudi Farahani, Research Fellow in Urban Studies, RMIT University
Billie Giles-Corti, Director, Urban Futures Enabling Capability Platform and Director, Healthy Liveable Cities Group, RMIT University
Cecily Maller, Vice Chancellor's Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University
Melanie Lowe, Lecturer in Public Health, Australian Catholic 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/living-liveable-this-is-what-residents-have-to-say-about-life-on-the-urban-fringe-111339" target="_blank">original article</a>.
</body></html>

Living ‘liveable’: this is what residents have to say about life on the urban fringe

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVATION
The supermarket giant Woolworths this week broke ranks and announced it was going to stop selling A$1 per litre milk. It will now charge A$1.10, or <a href="https://www.woolworthsgroup.com.au/page/media/Press_Releases/woolworths-to-transition-out-of-1-per-litre-fresh-milk-in-support-of-a-more-sustainable-australian-dairy-industry/" target="_blank">A$2.20 for two litres</a>.
Chief executive Brad Banducci made it clear that there was <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2019-02-18/woolworths-will-stop-selling-%241-per-litre-milk/10820954" target="_blank">more to the decision</a> than straightforward economics:
"We’ve heard the outlook will continue to be extremely tough for dairy farmers… This is affecting milk production and farm viability, which is devastating for farmers and the regional communities in which they live."
The Labor Party has been threatening to impose <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2019-02-20/labor-to-set-milk-floor-price-if-elected-in-2019/10827322" target="_blank">a minimum farm-gate price</a>.
Will what Woolworths is doing help farmers? Only a bit.
Milk prices are internationally set
The so-called “milk wars” began on Australia Day 2011 when Coles announced it was <a href="https://theconversation.com/milk-wars-pointing-the-finger-at-coles-and-woolworths-529" target="_blank">cutting milk prices to A$1 a litre</a>.
Woolworths and Aldi followed suit.
The milk market does not just consist of dairy farmers, supermarkets and customers. There are also the processors – companies such as the ASX-listed Murray Goulburn, Parmalat, Lion and Fonterra – that stand between farmers and supermarkets. Then there is the international market for dairy products like butter, cheese and milk powder.
The biggest determinant of farm gate prices in Australia is not what the major supermarkets do, but world dairy prices.
The <a href="http://www.agriculture.gov.au/ag-farm-food/meat-wool-dairy/dairy#the-dairy-levy" target="_blank">Department of Agriculture</a> says 37% of Australian milk production is exported.
Add to that the roughly 35% that goes into locally consumed butter, cheese and milk powder that is subject to competition from imports. You can quickly see the prices of nearly three-quarters of the milk produced in Australia are set globally.
<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com.au/milk-price-debate-australia-2016-5" target="_blank">Dairy Australia</a> has a higher estimate. Because even fresh milk is subject to foreign competition, it believes 90% of the annual movement in farm-gate prices comes from changes in international prices.
Those changes are beyond the effective control of Australian farmers and regulators.
Many of them are the result of changes in the exchange rate.
International prices are generally set in US dollars. That means a rising Australian dollar can cut the return to Australian farmers, while a falling Australian dollar can enhance it.
Processors get the cream
It is tempting to think an increase in retail prices, like the Woolworths 10 cents, would help farmers. But it normally wouldn’t, much.
Someone between the cow and the customer would get the 10 cents, but not necessarily the farmer.
When the <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/system/files/1395_Dairy%20inquiry%20final%20report.pdf" target="_blank">Australian Competition and Consumer Commission</a> examined the dairy industry last year it:
<ul>
<li>did not obtain any evidence that supermarket pricing, including $1 per litre milk, has a direct impact on farm-gate prices</li>
<li>Further, farmers’ lack of bargaining power means they are unlikely to benefit from an increase in the retail (or wholesale) prices of private label milk or other dairy products</li>
<li>Even if processors were to receive higher wholesale prices from sales to supermarkets, this does not mean the processors will pay farmers any more than they have to.</li>
</ul>
This time it will be different. Woolworths says “every cent of the increase will end up with Australian dairy farmers”. The processors <a href="https://www.woolworthsgroup.com.au/page/media/Press_Releases/woolworths-to-transition-out-of-1-per-litre-fresh-milk-in-support-of-a-more-sustainable-australian-dairy-industry/" target="_blank">have guaranteed it</a>.
Normally there would be no guarantee that an increase in the wholesale price would flow through to farmers. The processors could pocket it, and the inefficient ones could use it to stay in business, to the long-term detriment of customers.
Consumers are at one end of the line…
Banducci said Woolworths was “acutely aware of the budgetary pressures facing many of our customers and have not taken this decision lightly”.
He is right to recognise it will hurt customers.
It won’t, mind you, hurt customers who buy branded milk like a2 – <a href="https://a2milk.com.au/our-farms/?gclid=CjwKCAiAkrTjBRAoEiwAXpf9CcIT_IidGCd1H_yQd3TGWwoUIFISo770LtzmvP_EZ7Nw_NN0APGSMRoCzbsQAvD_BwE" target="_blank">whose marketing success under chief executive Jayne Hrdlicka</a> has pushed the value of the company to <a href="https://www.afr.com/business/retail/fmcg/a2-milk-posts-record-firsthalf-results-upgrades-guidance-20190219-h1bh1g" target="_blank">A$10 billion</a>, making it bigger than Lendlease, Medibank Private, the AMP and Coca-Cola Amatil. Not bad for a company that didn’t exist at the turn of the century.
Instead it will hurt customers who can afford it the least. For a typical family of four with <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/4364.0.55.012%7E2011-12%7EMain%20Features%7EMilk,%20yoghurt,%20cheese%20and%20alternatives%7E17" target="_blank">average milk consumption</a>, the extra 10 cents a litre works out at about A$40 a year.
…and farmers at the other
Dairy farming is difficult, and much of Australia is less than ideally suited to it. Farmers have to contend with volatile prices, drought and isolation.
They are the least powerful players in the “value chain” that runs from cows to customers via importers, processors and supermarkets.
Neither government intervention nor higher retail prices can do much to help them.
Richard Holden, Professor of Economics, UNSW
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/vital-signs-why-more-expensive-milk-wont-help-farmers-much-112145" target="_blank">original article</a>.
</body></html>

Why more expensive milk won’t help farmers much: Richard Holden

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVATION
Total employment lifted a very solid 39.1k in January well clear of the market median of 15k and a market forecast high of 27k. The year has started with a solid trend pace of employment growth with a three month average gain of 31.9k. In the year to December total employment grew 268.5k, or 2.2%yr, with a solid momentum into year end with a six month annualised pace of 2.2%yr. While it is just one month into the year, employment grew 271k in the year to January (2.2%yr) with a very solid 2.9%yr six month annualised pace.
There is, however, an important caveat for the January Labour Force Survey – January is the peak holiday month in Australia as Christmas, New Year and school summer vacation all come together. As such it is the month where little happens in Australia and economic activity stalls. In original terms total employment fell –234.5k in January (an average of –263.9k in the previous three years) so we are always cautious about reading too much into a January print.
The mix of employment gains also painted a very solid picture with a +65.4k gain in full-time employment only partially offset by a –26.3k loss in part-time employment. In the month total hours worked rose 0.4% (total employment rose 0.3%) as hours worked per person gained 0.1%. In the year to January total hours worked has lifted 3.2%yr which is a robust pace compared to the 2.2%yr pace for employment.
Despite the strong gain in employment, the unemployment rate was flat at 5.0% (market median was for 5.0%) as a 0.1ppt lift in the participation rate to 65.7% (65.72% at two decimal places) boosted the gain in the labour force to 45.7k.
 <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/2019/2/21/unemployment%201%20.jpg" alt="">
Source: Westpac
As 2019 starts, NSW picks up the mantle as the state with the strongest labour market. In the month, employment lifted 47.2k (161.6k in the year), unemployment fell to 3.9% (a new record low) and confirming this is a strong print (rather than a soft unemployment rate due to declining participation) NSW employment to population ratio has also hit a new record high of 62.6%.
 <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/2019/2/21/state%20employment%20.jpg" alt="">
Source: Westpac
In January Victoria continued to make gains (2.2k/114.2k in the year) but it was a different story in the other states. Queensland employment pulled back (–19.9k/5.6k in the year) while employment was flat in WA (0.8k/0.9k in the year) and fell in SA (–4.5k/1.6k in the year).
Victorian unemployment did lift in the month (4.5% from 4.2%) allowing NSW to clearly reclaim the mantle of having the lowest unemployment rate.
<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/2019/2/21/unemployment%202.jpg" alt="">
Source: Westpac 
Victoria was the state showing the greatest improvement through 2018 with the unemployment rate down almost 2ppts to 4.2% in December while in NSW unemployment fell just –0.5ppts to 4.3%. The Qld labour market appears to have stalled with the unemployment rate lifting 0.1ppt to 6.1% while it has been flat in SA at 5.9% and lifted in WA from 5.8% to 6.4%.
<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/2019/2/21/unemployment%203.jpg" alt="">
Source: Westpac 
We are closely watching how these trends continue through 2019 – NSW has surprised us by dipping below 4% while Victoria’s improvement looks to have stalled. Will this shift through the first half of 2019? How will these labour markets respond to falling house prices, a contraction in construction activity and weak retail sales. Our expectation is for the unemployment rate to rise in NSW and Victoria. 
It is also worth noting that 2018 produced a –0.2ppt decline in the underemployment rate from Q1 to Q4. In January there was a further improvement in underemployment to 8.2% (from 8.3%) the lowest print in underemployment since March 2015. Again we would caution that this is a January print so would not project that this improvement can be sustained but nevertheless, it is another indicator of just how robust the labour market was at the end of 2018.
For 2019 we are looking for a pause in the pace in employment growth due to the economic uncertainties surrounding the Federal Election at the same time as we expect to see a moderation in momentum in NSW and Victoria on the back of a moderation in housing activity. With reasonable estimates for the participation rate, our weaker jobs growth profile has the unemployment rate lifting to 5.5% in the second half of 2019 and further by end 2020.
Justin Smirk is ‎senior economist, Westpac Group and can be contacted <a href="https://www.westpac.com.au/about-westpac/westpac-group/" target="_blank">here</a>.
</body></html>

Solid momentum behind Australian employment: Westpac's Justin Smirk

<html><body>
Land Services SA has unveiled its upgraded digital land titles platform, designed to deliver better knowledge of the South Australian property market.
The revamp includes a new web portal, www.landservices.com.au, through which South Australians can research and access land transaction services.
There's been a rebranding including a new logo, and a refresh of the South Australian Integrated Land Information System (SAILIS). 
Land Services SA CEO Brenton Pike said the revamp illustrated the company investing and innovating since its commercialisation in October 2017. 
Land Services SA has also launched its SA Property Landscape Report in partnership with professional services firm BDO, revealing a snapshot of the wealth of historic property data.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/2/21/SA%20data%201.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/2019/2/21/SA%20data%201.jpg" alt="">
Source: Land Services
“While our roots are in processing and recording property transactions and the provision of valuation services, we can add significant value by improving the accessibility and availability of property data to South Australia’s thriving start up and entrepreneurial ecosystem,” Pike said.
“Our investment in system upgrades, innovative solutions for the land services industry, and support for the innovation hub in Adelaide to foster local digital start-up ventures together with the South Australian Government, is creating value for our communities.” 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/2/21/SA%20data%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/2019/2/21/SA%20data%202.jpg" alt="">
Source: Land Services 
Land Services SA has also partnered with South Australian AI start-up Daitum, which is part of the Lot Fourteen innovation hub located at the old Royal Adelaide Hospital site, to unlock the potential value in its property data, and understand how it can be more effectively utilised.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/2/21/SA%20data%203.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/2019/2/21/SA%20data%203.jpg" alt="">
Source: Land Services 
The findings of the Land Services SA and Daitum initiative will be presented at the Lot Fourteen innovation hub to further promote collaborative innovation and testing. 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2019/2/21/SA%20data.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/2019/2/21/SA%20data.jpg" alt="">
Source: Land Services
</body></html>

Land Services SA reveals historic data on state's property market

<html><body>
The NSW Government has acquired the heritage listed Hadley Park Estate to ensure an important part of Western Sydney history will be protected, preserved and eventually opened up to the public.  

Minister for Planning and Housing, Anthony Roberts, said the Government had acquired the property from the Penrith Lakes Development Corporation. 

“Getting this property into public ownership has taken considerable effort, and it’s important we make sure the restoration work is done, and the needs of the community accounted for, before it is opened up to the general public. 

“Department of Planning and Environment will consult with the community to develop a management plan for the long-term future management of the estate."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5910]

Roberts told the 2Gb broadcaster Ray Hadley, whose family once owned the colonial estate, that the department was investigating options with the NSW Department of Industry on a training program for young apprentices and students to participate in the restoration work. 

Hadley Park was one of the oldest farming estates in Australia (above photo credit department of environment and planning).

<img alt="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/2/22/Hadley2.jpg"> 
Source: Penrith City Library.

The land comprises a farm house, a collection of farm buildings, a garden and a part man-made lake on the Nepean River floodplain.

Local member and the Minister for Western Sydney and Member for Penrith, Stuart Ayres,noted the property was once home to Charles Hadley, a pardoned convict who settled in the Castlereagh area and began building his estate within 20 years of the first fleet arriving.  

The New South Wales Government heritage listed Hadley House at Castlereagh last June.

The homestead’s significance is one of Australia’s oldest farming estates.

But keeping it on the map for future generations has been a struggle.

The Castlereagh property has a special meaning for <a href="https://www.2gb.com/government-officially-signs-off-on-hadley-house-heritage-listing/" target="_blank">2GB broadcaster Ray Hadley</a>, belonging to his fourth great-grandfather Charles Hadley in the 18th century.

In February last year, the Penrith Lakes Development Corporation assured Ray that Hadley Park would be protected only to go back on its word.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=8590]

Ray has previously thanked the Minister and the government for preserving the historic location.

“I think it’s very important, from my point of view, that we leave some sort of legacy into the future, where our children… can go and look at places and have a look and feel what it was like back then.”

NSW Heritage says it is difficult to overestimate the significance of this complex, "still extant in its original 1803 grant, and still in a remarkably unaltered condition".

Ray Hadley suggest the two storey building might be Australia's oldest two storey building, from 1806, and <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.flickr.com/photos/nikabuz/37058129814" target="_blank">maybe the oldest timber cottage known to survive in Australia</a>.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5897]

The area is now owned by the Penrith Lakes Development Corporation (PLDC) and is off-limits to the public.

The main farmhouse is an extremely rare surviving example of a jerkin head roof structure embodying a most unique and unusual timber structure and clad externally with brickwork.

The technical excellence of the timber roof structure is paralleled by Elizabeth Farm, Parramatta, Old Government House, Parramatta and St. Mathgew's Anglican Church, Windsor and because of this technical excellence the building cannot be described as vernacular.
</body></html>

NSW Government secures Hadley House at Castlereagh for public admiration

<html><body>
McGrath Estate Agents has recruited the Brisbane agent Roxanne Liu as it continues to bolster its Brisbane inner city team.
Kon Stathopoulos, head of sales for McGrath’s company owned offices, said she will join the existing team of 20 agents in the Paddington office.
He suggested it was "one of the most exciting property markets in the country".
“This is in line with our plan to restock our agent pool.”
Liu embarked on her real estate career in 2006, and within the first year proved to be the rising star at LJ Hooker Sunnybank Hills.
From 2008 to 2015, Roxanne’s sales performance saw her join its Multi-Million Dollar Chapter.
In 2016, she achieved its highest accolade, Gold Medalist and 2nd Highest Achiever in Sales for LJ Hooker internationally.
Liu said that after 10 years working six days a week, she decided to take a gap year, reassess her career path and also focus on her teenage daughter.
She moved to Paddington to be closer to her daughter’s high school.
"For the past five years we have immersed ourselves in the lifestyle that Paddington offers and love its inner city sophistication," adding she was seeing an emerging trend of local Chinese families relocating to inner city areas of Brisbane.
"Inner city prestige property is very attractive to my Chinese clients and I see this as a great opportunity for vendors wishing to sell their home," she said.
"Naturally I will market to those on the south side of Brisbane who wish to relocate."
Liu will focus on servicing core suburbs of Paddington, Red Hill, and Kelvin Grove.
In the five years before her hiatus period, Roxanne Liu sold between $30 to $45 million in residential sales per year.
Charles Higgins, at McGrath Brisbane had worked previously with Roxanne Liu, at LJ Hooker Sunnybank Hills. 
The McGrath Report 2019 labelled Brisbane: "as one of the world’s great cities. Liveability, affordability, scale and future economic prospects all suggest that Brisbanke is a market in which you can confidentally invest. The value gap between the East Coast capitals is compelling..."
</body></html>

McGrath adds Roxanne Liu to its Paddington, Brisbane sales team 

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVATION
The Hayne Royal Commission began and ended with strident criticism of the mortgage broking industry.
It recommended brokers be required to act in the “best interests” of intending borrowers, and that intending borrowers, rather than the successful lender, pay the broker’s fee.
So-called “trailing” annual payments from lenders would be outlawed as soon as possible and upfront commissions outlawed after two or three years.
It’s the only set of recommendations the government has been lukewarm about adopting, announcing instead that while brokers will be required to act in the best interests of borrowers and from July 1 2020 will no longer be able to accept new trailing commissions, decisions about upfront commissions will be delayed until a further review, to take place “in three years time”.
The government is right to be cautious.
What’s the problem with commissions?
Both the royal commission and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission are concerned commissions:
<ul>
<li>encourage brokers to recommend mortgages that borrowers cannot plausibly afford</li>
<li>cause the broker to recommend higher paying products over lower paying products, potentially to the detriment of borrowers.</li>
</ul>
So what’s the go with brokers?
Typically a borrower approaches a broker who works with banks to secure a loan.
According to ASIC, the method of payment is fairly standard:
<ul>
<li>the broker receives a commission from banks for each successful home loan. The commission is often divided into an upfront payment and a trailing commission, which is paid over time</li>
<li>the lender benefits because it can spread its commission expenses over time and can also terminate commissions if it believes a broker has behaved badly</li>
<li>the commission rates are relatively similar across lenders, with upfront commissions typically ranging from 0.46% to 0.65% of the loan amount, about $3,000 on a $500,000 loan. Trailing commissions typically range from 0.1% to 0.35% of the ongoing loan, about $1,000 per year on a $500,000 loan</li>
<li>lenders can also offer bonus payments, loyalty payments and “soft dollar commissions” which take many forms, including overseas conferences and holidays, shopping vouchers and tickets to sporting events</li>
<li>loan aggregators can also play a role. They provide back-office support and ancillary services to brokers. Some are partly owned by banks. These banks receive a slightly larger share of loans from brokers who deal with these aggregators than from brokers that don’t.</li>
</ul>
In practice brokers often provide good service
ASIC research finds that regardless of the conflicted remuneration structure the interest rates brokers obtain for clients are not significantly worse (or better) than those obtained by borrowers who deal with banks direct.
Their clients are slightly different, on average two years younger than bank clients and with incomes about A$6,000 lower. Brokers’ clients borrow slightly more than direct bank clients and their loans are more likely to be interest only.
Although until now legislation has not compelled brokers to act in clients’ best interests, other professional standards often do so.
And brokers are keen to get referrals and repeat business, which relies on brokers providing good service in the first place.
They’ve little incentive to push bad loans
Because banks compete for business, they tend to pay similar commissions, in much the same way as they tend to charge similar interest rates. It means that in practice there is isn’t much incentive for a broker to recommend one lender over another. This is especially so when you factor in the desire to get repeat business, and referrals, which they would lose if they pushed poor products.
And it is hard to recommend unnecessary loans. Borrowers usually come to brokers to arrange loans for homes they are already planning to buy. There aren’t that many extra dollars in recommending clients borrow more, and even if brokers did recommend higher loans they would still be subject to banks’ serviceability and equity checks.
At the moment banks are highly reluctant to lend large sums at high loan-to-valuation ratios.
All this means that commissions have a muted effect on brokers’ lending recommendations, with conflicts being ameliorated by the practical reality of commission homogenisation and the desire for repeat business and referrals.
And if commissions went…
If commissions went, brokers would have to be paid by borrowers.
Many borrowers would baulk at the fees, and would go to banks instead. This would increase banks’ costs, which could be passed on through additional borrowing fees. It would also increase the time borrowers must devote to sorting through potential lenders.
Some borrowers who lack financial expertise would then have to rely on banks’ advice, rather than brokers’; and, banks are hardly less independent about their products than are brokers.
It would be the smaller brokers that would suffer the most, some going out of business. Larger brokers would also be affected, but less so, due to economies of scale. The end result would be fewer brokers and less access to advice.
It’d be an unintended consequence of what Hayne recommended, and perhaps an unnecessary one.
While there are always bad apples in every industry, removing commissions would be a blunt – and potentially unnecessary – instrument with plenty of downsides. <img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/111631/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;">
Mark Humphery-Jenner, Associate Professor of Finance, UNSW
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/honest-brokers-why-mortgage-broker-commissions-arent-the-problem-111631" target="_blank">original article</a>.
</body></html>

Why mortgage broker commissions aren’t the problem: Mark Humphery-Jenner

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