The residential transformation of St Kilda Road is set to continue into with more new apartment plans for the sought-after boulevard.

Wing Tai Asia has lodged plans for a major residential tower at 464-466 St Kilda Road, replacing the former VACC House with an 18-storey mixed-use development designed around a retained heritage podium and a sculpted contemporary tower.

The proposal, prepared under Victoria’s Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway, would deliver 325 apartments and ground-floor retail across the prominent 4,653 sqm boulevard site in Melbourne’s St Kilda Road North Precinct.

The project centres on the adaptive reuse of the site’s heritage-listed VACC Building, an eight-storey office designed by Bernard Evans that has occupied the address for decades. Planning documents state the development would involve “carefully dismantling and conserving off-site the original metal fabric of the podium visible from St Kilda Road,” before reinstating it as the defining frontage of the new scheme.

Above the restored podium, Wing Tai is proposing a curvilinear residential tower. The scheme includes 172 one-bedroom apartments, 63 two-bedroom apartments, 66 three-bedroom apartments, and 24 four-bedroom apartments, alongside two ground-floor food and beverage tenancies fronting St Kilda Road.

The tower has been designed with substantial articulation and variable setbacks to minimise perceived bulk and maintain view corridors along the boulevard. Urbis, which prepared the planning report, said the design “has been significantly articulated through a curvilinear design” with “an interplay with materials, façade expression and depth” to create visual separation and visual interest.

The proposal also includes 254 basement car spaces, landscaped pedestrian links connecting St Kilda Road and Queens Lane, and a biophilic landscape strategy featuring canopy trees, raised planters, cascading greenery and a glass oculus pool overlooking the eastern frontage.

Planning documents confirm the $270.1 million development will contribute 3 per cent of project costs to the Social Housing Growth Fund as part of the application process.

Wing Tai acquired the St Kilda Road property in 2018 alongside Abacus Property Group for $95.38 million, before later consolidating ownership of the site. The property previously served as the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce headquarters for around 60 years.

The transformation of the St Kilda Rd boulevard is already beginning to materialise, with a number of high-profile projects recently completed, launched, or approaching launch as developers continue to back the long-term appeal of the precinct.

Among the most notable recent completions is Louise by Samuel Property Group, just off the strip on Queens Lane, the same pocket Hirsch &amp; Faigen recently launched The Queensbury. Mirvac is too on the same street with The Albertine, which is approaching completion.

Dexus recently secured approval for its slice of St Kilda Road, while Gurner also has approved plans for the precinct.

Joel Robinson

Wing Tai unveils 325-apartment St Kilda Road tower on former VACC House site

Malaysian developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/s-p-setia">SP Setia</a> is the latest to jump into St Leonards booming Transport Oriented Development precinct.

The developer, which has previously delivered Sapphire by the Gardens apartment development in Melbourne, identified the Atchison Street site in 2023. It filed a Scoping Report around 12 months ago, and now has revealed the designs for the new&nbsp;40-storey mixed-use tower.

The State Significant Development Application covers <a href="https://next-portal.urban.com.au/projects/14650/summary">20-22 Atchison Street</a>, a 1,374 sqm site positioned between St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, the project would deliver 181 apartments, above a four-storey commercial podium, five basement levels, and new public domain works along Mitchell Street. The apartment mix comprises 35 one-bedroom apartments, 39 one-bedroom-plus-study apartments, 85 two-bedroom apartments, and 22 three-bedroom residences.

The proposal has been lodged as a shop-top housing development under the NSW Government’s TOD planning pathway, which allows increased density around key transport infrastructure. The site sits within the recently rezoned Crows Nest Accelerated TOD Precinct.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b799673d-48e2-46b0-801a-0e33a9330100" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20site.png?VersionId=dPh0UfwfaHpbFL1R7H1cbZNbIW0CHbCC" />

SP Setia acquired the Atchison Street site as part of its continued expansion into the Australian apartment market. In comments made to City &amp; Country (The Edge Malaysia) in 2023, SP Setia President and CEO Datuk Choong Kai Wai described the acquisition as “a strategic move” aligned with the group’s post-pandemic market recovery strategy.

“Our target for this exceptional development is local and overseas buyers, including first-home buyers, downsizers and investors,” Choong said.

The tower has been designed as a slender vertical form rising from a mixed-use podium, with COX Architecture positioning the development as a response to the evolving St Leonards and Crows Nest skyline.

“The purpose of the project is to facilitate the delivery of high-quality housing at a strategically located site and deliver a built tower outcome that is consistent with the desired future character of St Leonards and aligns with the TOD controls,” the design report stated.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1a85eee-76f7-436c-a6da-73ba827b9b13" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20entry.png?VersionId=dA9jHGPMcm.dDbwk4QfxqWiY5bfh3UVt" />

The podium would incorporate retail uses fronting Atchison Street, commercial tenancies, landscaped communal areas, and pedestrian improvements along Mitchell Street. Vehicle access and loading would be consolidated via Atchison Lane.

Residents would have access to more than 665 sqm of communal indoor and outdoor spaces, while the development proposes 96 parking spaces across five basement levels.

The proposal also includes a commitment for 10 per cent of residential floor space to be allocated toward affordable housing through a monetary contribution.

COX said the tower form responds directly to the emerging high-density character of the precinct while seeking to maximise solar access, cross ventilation, and outlook from apartments.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2163f85c-f63b-4be3-aafa-f8763976cec5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29_5.png?VersionId=WiAmtIKJ6.ZQ41EtYEQ1fol7AeorKBlL" />

“The building is orientated towards north,” the Apartment Design Guide compliance report noted, adding that the tower’s slim form was driven by the constrained inner-urban site dimensions.

The design also incorporates landscaped setbacks and communal open space at podium level, intended to soften the interface with surrounding streets and improve pedestrian amenity.

The project adds to a growing wave of redevelopment proposals reshaping St Leonards and Crows Nest following the opening of the Sydney Metro City line and the NSW Government’s push for higher-density housing around major transport nodes.

Last week Stockland filed plans just down the road. They want to build a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/601-pacific-highway-st-leonards-nsw-2065">52-storey tower on Pacific Highway</a>.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">First look: Stockland plans 52-storey, 538-apartment St Leonards tower&nbsp;</a>

First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> has revealed plans for a new mixed-use tower at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham, advancing a proposal that would reshape the southern gateway to Newcastle’s city centre with one of the city’s tallest residential buildings.

The State Significant Development proposal, now on exhibition, seeks approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/bowline-10-dangar-street-wickham-nsw-2293">43-storey tower</a> immediately adjacent to the Newcastle Interchange. The project would deliver around 200 apartments, including 42 affordable housing dwellings, alongside 99 co-living units, a 171-room hotel, retail space, and new public domain integrated through the site.

The scheme marks a significant escalation of plans previously approved for the site. Urban Property Group took over the prominent 2,904 sqm parcel, where excavation and demolition had already commenced under an earlier consent for a 14-storey mixed-use development.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="58a96dd9-407f-4d20-86b4-94e4bfeef74b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20podium.png?VersionId=LGlf08pdFGAZDzvx_CXC4XakHNZRuEE0" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, the tower has been conceived as a landmark transit-oriented development anchored to the Newcastle Interchange precinct. The proposal includes 245 build-to-sell apartments across a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom residences, as well as two penthouses. Fifteen apartments and one operational unit are earmarked for NDIS housing. The co-living component would add a further 99 units, while the podium would accommodate retail uses and hotel facilities.

SJB said the site presents “a valuable opportunity to anchor the precinct by setting the standard for design, active ground planes and character at the key southern gateway.”

The architecture responds directly to the site’s position beside major transport infrastructure and within one of Newcastle’s fastest-evolving urban renewal precincts. The tower form sits above a sculpted podium designed to frame new public spaces, including a through-site pedestrian link connecting Station Street to Hannell Street, landscaped plazas, and activated retail edges.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a7bd6ff0-f7db-4ce8-a6dc-ea56e72c6149" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20lanne.png?VersionId=xzf39VADyhj7zBQY2I9fx9vI62u2tuSb" />

The design report describes the project as part of the broader transition of Wickham into “a vibrant, high-quality mixed-use urban precinct” that leverages proximity to the station, open space, and regional connectivity.

A detailed public art strategy has also been prepared for the development. The strategy positions the project as “a transit-oriented development of state significance at the gateway to Newcastle’s city centre” and outlines a series of integrated artworks responding to Newcastle’s industrial and transport heritage.

Creative Road’s curatorial framework for the project, titled Unveil, draws on “stratified surfaces, carved volumes, and light-filled apertures” while referencing Newcastle’s transformation from an industrial city into a contemporary education and technology hub.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="77a882bb-14b1-4d28-99ff-9438e39508c0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20site.png?VersionId=cevgo_vN0eKPK78P8YcEu3mKPLkpFqE7" />

The proposal is being advanced through the NSW Housing Delivery Authority pathway after being declared State Significant Development in June 2025. The accompanying scoping report states the development aims to “maximise the site’s proximity to the Newcastle Interchange by delivering transit-oriented development” while increasing housing supply and affordable housing provision within the Newcastle LGA.

Urban Property Group’s plans align with the long-term strategic vision established under the Wickham Master Plan, which identified the interchange precinct as suitable for substantial uplift in height and density. The current proposal would significantly intensify that vision, positioning the tower among the tallest developments proposed for Newcastle.

The site sits immediately north of the Newcastle Interchange, bounded by Dangar Street, Hannell Street, and Charles Street. It is surrounded by a rapidly growing cluster of residential towers and mixed-use projects that have emerged following the completion of the light rail and transport interchange.

First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s latest tower at Wickham interchange

Bottega House has completed settlement of a landmark riverfront site in Macquarie Street, St Lucia, representing its first major Brisbane development.&nbsp;

Positioned on the banks of the Brisbane River, the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/180-macquarie-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">premium site at 180 Macquarie Street</a> features uninterrupted river frontage in one of Brisbane’s most tightly held residential precincts.&nbsp;

The proposed development, currently under assessment with Brisbane City Council, has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/plus-studio">Plus Studio</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/mim-design">Mim Design</a> and will deliver a boutique collection of premium residences positioned specifically for owner occupiers and downsizers.&nbsp;

The residences are set to redefine luxury apartment living in the area, with a focus on architectural quality, refined finishes, landscape integration and elevated amenities including curated wellness facilities, resort-style pools and recreation spaces rarely seen in the local market.&nbsp;

Exclusive sales for the project will be led by Keenan &amp; Byrne, ahead of an anticipated launch later this year.&nbsp;

Bottega House Managing Director Nick Malloch said the project reflects the group’s ambition to deliver a highly curated residential offering within one of Brisbane’s most tightly held precincts.&nbsp;

“This is an incredibly rare riverfront opportunity and one we have approached with a long-term perspective,” Malloch said.&nbsp;

“Our vision from the outset was to create a boutique collection of residences that feel more like private homes than traditional apartments, with generous proportions, refined finishes and exceptional amenity throughout."

Malloch says there is a&nbsp;lack of premium owner-occupier stock of this quality in the market, particularly for downsizers wanting space, privacy and a true lifestyle offering without compromise.&nbsp;

"Demand is expected to be strong given the scarcity of premium riverfront opportunities of this nature within Brisbane’s inner-west."&nbsp;

Bottega House secures landmark riverfront site in St Lucia 

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<section data-scroll-anchor="false" data-testid="conversation-turn-2" data-turn="assistant" data-turn-id="request-WEB:5a5ab36c-8dd3-454c-b456-c501f22f0eb4-0" data-turn-id-container="request-WEB:5a5ab36c-8dd3-454c-b456-c501f22f0eb4-0" dir="auto">
The arrival of the first piling rig officially marks the commencement of construction at SIERA’s new beachside apartment development, Exhale, in Northcliffe.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/exhale-surfers-paradise-8-enderley-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Exhale</a>, a glass-encased tower featuring 54 large-scale apartments at 8 Enderley Avenue, is SIERA’s third Gold Coast development. It follows the recently completed PIPIS Bilinga beachfront project, which achieved suburb-record prices, and the soon-to-be-completed Chevron Island development, Tapestry.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359603]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/siera">SIERA</a> Founder and Managing Director Brent Thompson said the arrival of the piling rig represented a significant milestone for the development, which is scheduled for completion in late 2028.

Over the next month, around 260 piles are expected to be installed as work progresses on the basement structure. The building is anticipated to rise above ground level early next year, before unveiling its sculptural glass curtain wall, developed in collaboration with specialist façade engineers.

“The façade was designed to maximise panoramic coastal views while creating a distinctive architectural identity,” Thompson said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=355935]

Designed by BDA Architecture, Exhale will comprise just 54 two- and three-bedroom residences across 26 levels, a level of low-density living rarely delivered in this beachside pocket between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.

The project has been conceived as a resident-only building, with no short-stay accommodation permitted. SIERA says the model is intended to appeal to long-term owner-occupiers rather than transient holiday demand.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=361052]

Residences have been designed with large-format layouts and expansive glazing, with most apartments featuring more than 30 metres of glass frontage to maximise natural light and ocean views.

The amenity offering spans two levels and centres on wellness and lifestyle, including a heated magnesium pool, sauna, yoga and Pilates studio, gymnasium, private dining facilities, cinema lounge, and dedicated surfcraft storage.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359607]

More than half of the apartments have already sold. SIERA has also opened a sales gallery for Exhale at its Chevron Island commercial premises, near its Tapestry tower and the site of its second Chevron Island apartment development, which is slated to launch in early 2027.
</section>
</section>

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112661]

SIERA kicks off construction at Northcliffe tower Exhale

National Australia Bank (NAB) has brought forward the timing of the first RBA cash rate cut by three months.

NAB is now expecting a cut in February, in line with ANZ and Westpac, having initially thought a cut wouldn't come until May.

Commonwealth Bank, the nation's largest lender, still thinks the first cut will come in December.

NAB changed its call following the August monthly inflation figures that were released at the end of September, showing it had dropped to 2.7 per cent.

"The risk has been skewed to a first cut earlier in 2025, and today’s change acknowledges the balance of risks has likely shifted sufficiently for the RBA to feel comfortable cutting a little sooner than we earlier expected," NAB noted in its latest update.

They added that the cadence of the cuts may be faster than its central profile.

"Domestic inflation pressures are cooling, but only gradually, and we continue to expect the conditions for a cut will not be in place this year.

NAB believes the easing cycle will end at 3.1 per cent by early 2026, which is five cuts from the current 4.35 per cent cash rate.&nbsp;

CBA also thinks 3.1 per cent will mark the end of the cutting cycle, while Westpac is forecasting 3.35 per cent, and ANZ is the most pessimistic at 3.6 per cent, which would be just three interest rate cuts.

<h2>What would a rate cut in February look like for borrowers?</h2>

According to&nbsp;<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn%3Du001.IVvjJ-2BPT0A8C3VxtqKc6e3bj5hBuw27WFEYqovsYs7kPsgFulYrdOzeP8gI7CybJOya3_RgrM7qq-2BfK-2FtAHeRBLv5Qrb-2Bii5fzjLeKcP4w-2FkNgJPXygpiRhVUan3WV3QEggcf617UC8Z60RjQJZAqx7PiO7FtVJQSn0D46Zc3iTVP0kAhTTzG51cPpa5hrqz1OkSA-2BiXAxUajQ686MTtiseWBIdMdknd83aB7cOVgXlVTeHCGf3-2BcMHwfvI8TYlkUovqEhn4dj0KXf2eJGpb9-2BBv20hPXdLlPP9yD7DvFFDBM5yrTqxvcCiMfAsW1onD-2FcriL628eYdhNQE7bwzYrxcOYnmaYfRhGl-2FEHQ6eK2uQcLxs6Cbu6Dx0bYvpi5A6enmxMWU5TkcRYrP6Z8GbXZYtc5qSoKu6eWFBQR9K7fsjXwHMmby3D3X6Yx-2BxcDcdRruTG&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1727774368149000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2vK2ujS77CHs9VRvSSXzLC" href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.IVvjJ-2BPT0A8C3VxtqKc6e3bj5hBuw27WFEYqovsYs7kPsgFulYrdOzeP8gI7CybJOya3_RgrM7qq-2BfK-2FtAHeRBLv5Qrb-2Bii5fzjLeKcP4w-2FkNgJPXygpiRhVUan3WV3QEggcf617UC8Z60RjQJZAqx7PiO7FtVJQSn0D46Zc3iTVP0kAhTTzG51cPpa5hrqz1OkSA-2BiXAxUajQ686MTtiseWBIdMdknd83aB7cOVgXlVTeHCGf3-2BcMHwfvI8TYlkUovqEhn4dj0KXf2eJGpb9-2BBv20hPXdLlPP9yD7DvFFDBM5yrTqxvcCiMfAsW1onD-2FcriL628eYdhNQE7bwzYrxcOYnmaYfRhGl-2FEHQ6eK2uQcLxs6Cbu6Dx0bYvpi5A6enmxMWU5TkcRYrP6Z8GbXZYtc5qSoKu6eWFBQR9K7fsjXwHMmby3D3X6Yx-2BxcDcdRruTG" target="_blank">Canstar</a>, if there is a cut in February, a borrower with a $600,000 loan today and 25 years remaining would see their monthly repayments drop by $92.&nbsp;

<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td colspan="3">
			Impact of 0.25% pt cut in February 2025
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
			Current loan size
			</td>
			<td>
			Drop in monthly repayment
			</td>
			<td>
			New monthly repayment
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
			$600,000
			</td>
			<td>
			-$92
			</td>
			<td>
			$3,907
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
			$750,000
			</td>
			<td>
			-$114
			</td>
			<td>
			$4,884
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>
			$1M
			</td>
			<td>
			-$153
			</td>
			<td>
			$6,512
			</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td colspan="3">
			Source:&nbsp;<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn%3Du001.xWMOP9hChsvn-2BC9O-2FebBihXIZ4cEzbiuENdxm-2Bx3-2FYEEgYMhZlKWNj5Zzy1YZ56RuASD_RgrM7qq-2BfK-2FtAHeRBLv5Qrb-2Bii5fzjLeKcP4w-2FkNgJPXygpiRhVUan3WV3QEggcf617UC8Z60RjQJZAqx7PiO7FtVJQSn0D46Zc3iTVP0kAhTTzG51cPpa5hrqz1OkSA-2BiXAxUajQ686MTtiseWBIdMdknd83aB7cOVgXlVTeHCGf3-2BcMHwfvI8TYlkUovqEhn4dj0KXf2eJGpb9-2BBv20v2akwr6-2BqLyRrlEgkJ4J-2BCCyY0x189xEHZA4Ylf8c7ChBqNIkhmftZzoFuZKFn43pw3oJVg2o1gumrpdA-2B7MB-2FBtmL2rFCI-2FXORATQHySCLVOMg7Vywv-2BqnnQUAtDz6XkvpwxdHFXh70VwKazzhJsICilEYOvP4ju0sIfi5g6TL&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1727774368149000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2qVnp6oqATgqDUi2Frm22q" href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.xWMOP9hChsvn-2BC9O-2FebBihXIZ4cEzbiuENdxm-2Bx3-2FYEEgYMhZlKWNj5Zzy1YZ56RuASD_RgrM7qq-2BfK-2FtAHeRBLv5Qrb-2Bii5fzjLeKcP4w-2FkNgJPXygpiRhVUan3WV3QEggcf617UC8Z60RjQJZAqx7PiO7FtVJQSn0D46Zc3iTVP0kAhTTzG51cPpa5hrqz1OkSA-2BiXAxUajQ686MTtiseWBIdMdknd83aB7cOVgXlVTeHCGf3-2BcMHwfvI8TYlkUovqEhn4dj0KXf2eJGpb9-2BBv20v2akwr6-2BqLyRrlEgkJ4J-2BCCyY0x189xEHZA4Ylf8c7ChBqNIkhmftZzoFuZKFn43pw3oJVg2o1gumrpdA-2B7MB-2FBtmL2rFCI-2FXORATQHySCLVOMg7Vywv-2BqnnQUAtDz6XkvpwxdHFXh70VwKazzhJsICilEYOvP4ju0sIfi5g6TL" target="_blank">www.canstar.com.au</a>. Starting rate is the RBA existing average owner-occupier variable rate of 6.36%. Assumes banks pass the cash rate cut on in full the month after the meeting.
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

Canstar Data Insights Director, Sally Tindall, says if core inflation continues to track in the right direction, or unemployment starts to accelerate significantly, we could well see a cash rate cut as early as February of next year.

“All four big banks now believe the RBA will be ready to cut the cash rate in just over four months’ time, if not before, in the case of CBA.

“However, the outlook for both inflation and unemployment is still highly uncertain. A couple of wobbly sets of inflation data could see the RBA holding for longer, particularly if unemployment remains relatively steady."

&nbsp;

Commonwealth Bank, the nation's largest lender, still thinks the first cut will come in December.

NAB bring forward first RBA cut to February 2025

<html><body>
Westpac has follow NAB to pass on the full May 2016 rate cut.
National Australia Bank was first to cut the interest rate on its standard variable home loan rate by 25 basis points this afternoon.
It is the full amount of the RBA's cut.
This announcement means NAB’s Variable Rate for Home Loans (Standard Variable Rate) will reduce from 5.60 percent p.a. to 5.35 percent p.a.
NAB customers with a Standard Variable Rate home loan will save an average of $47-a-month on their monthly home loan principal and interest repayments based on a $300,000 loan over a 30-year term.
NAB Group Executive Personal Banking Gavin Slater said in making the decision to change interest rates, the bank considers a range of factors.
“The circumstances of each decision will always vary and we must take into account factors such as competition, regulatory capital requirements and funding costs,” Mr Slater said. 
“Today’s decision balances the needs of our home loan customers with our shareholders.” 
Today’s change applies to Owner Occupier and Residential Investment variable rate home loans.
·         For owner occupiers with NAB’s Variable Rate for Home Loans (Standard Variable Rate) the rate will reduce from 5.60 percent p.a. to 5.35 percent p.a.
·         For residential investors with NAB’s Variable Rate for Residential Investment Home Loans the rate will reduce from 5.75 percent p.a. to 5.50 percent p.a.
NAB will also reduce its rate on standard variable business rate lending products by 0.25 percent p.a. 
The new rates will be effective from Monday 16 May 2016.
</body></html>

jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Westpac follow NAB with full May 2016 rate cut

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVER
The RBA cut its cash rate by 25bps to a new record low of 1.75 percent, as we expected. 
Market pricing was 45:55 just prior to the meeting and 12 of 27 economists in the Bloomberg survey expected a cut. The motivation for the cut was the sharply lower than expected Q1 CPI print.
The RBA remained generally upbeat about the rebalancing of the economy, although they suggested that growth would probably run at a 'more moderate pace' this year. In short, although growth is solid, it has been insufficient to keep inflation on target. Continued low global inflation and rates also contributed to today's decision to cut. Given the extent of the downside surprise on Q1 CPI inflation we expect that the RBA will need to follow up with a further cut (pencilled in for Q3). Importantly, today's cut is likely to make any further monetary policy moves unlikely before the 2 July election.
Facts
The RBA cut its cash rate by 25bps to 1.75 percent, as expected by 12 of 27 economists in the Bloomberg survey (including HSBC). Immediately prior to the announcement the market was pricing in a 45 percent chance of a cut.
Implications
The RBA has, for some time now, been reluctant to consider cutting its cash rate further. But last week's sharply weaker than expected Q1 CPI print clearly changed that view. Today's cut reflects that inflationary pressures are materially weaker than expected.
Although growth remains solid, which has supported business conditions and seen the unemployment rate edge lower, it has been insufficient to lift inflation. This partly reflects that the rebalancing of growth following the mining investment boom has seen growth run at a below trend pace for three years so far. Today's statement also suggested that the RBA sees growth moderating a little in 2016. As the central bank noted in today’s statement, growth ‘is continuing in 2016, though probably at a more moderate pace’. And despite the lower unemployment rate, ‘labour market indicators have been more mixed of late.’ This may reflect the fact that the most recent declines in unemployment have had as much to do with lower participation as job gains.
The RBA also noted that risks from the housing market have abated over the past year. In our view, the booming housing market was a factor that contributed to keeping the RBA on hold late last year, even though the Q3 CPI print was also on the low side. Tightened lending standards and slower house price inflation have helped to allow the RBA room to lower rates further, without the risk of overinflating the housing market.
Low global inflation and interest rates were also a contributor to today's decision to cut. Last week's very low Q1 CPI print provides some evidence that Australia is finally being sucked into the centre of gravity of the low global rates and inflation environment. With this in mind, today's cut was needed to ensure that the AUD did not rise significantly from here, which could have weighed further on growth and inflation.
Cutting today, rather than waiting, also has the added advantage that a further RBA move prior to or just after the 2 July election is now unlikely, which helps to keep the central bank out of the way of the political process.
Nonetheless, given the scale of the downside surprise to Q1 inflation, and the continued low global inflation environment, we doubt that today's rate cut will be enough to get underlying inflation back on track. We expect the RBA may need to deliver a further 25bp cut in Q3, probably in August, following the Q2 CPI print.
Paul Bloxham is chief economist (ANZ) for HSBC. Daniel Smith is economist. They can be contacted <a href="https://www.about.hsbc.com.au/hsbc-in-australia/management-team" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Interest rate cut delivered, expect another in Q3: HSBC's Paul Bloxham

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GUEST OBSERVER
In a decision that surprised Westpac the Reserve Bank Board decided to lower the cash rate by 25bps to 1.75 percent.
However it has not retained its easing bias choosing to end the Governor’s statement with: “Taking all these considerations into account, the Board judged that prospects for sustainable growth in the economy, with inflation returning to target over time, would be improved by easing monetary policy at this meeting”.
We do not consider that to be particularly significant. After most decisions to move the rate the Board does revert back to a neutral stance. For example we saw that in February last year but that did not preclude a further cut in May. Indeed it is our view that this decision is so significant that it would not be taken without a realistic expectation that a further cut is likely.
We expect that cut will be delivered in August following the release of the June quarter inflation report. Inflation has become the most important policy driver as a result of this decision and we do not expect that the June quarter report will provide the Bank with sufficient comfort around the inflation outlook.
The best guide on this inflation approach will be provided in the forecasts in the next Statement on Monetary Policy to be released at 11.30am on May 6. In our preview to this decision we expected that the staff would advise the Board that on a ‘no policy change’ basis underlying inflation would remain below the 2–3 percent range in 2016 but drift back to around 2¼ percent in 2017.
The forecasts on Friday will entail “market pricing” which envisages a second rate cut by early next year. With two rate cuts relative to  the Bank is likely to indicate a return to the bottom of the 2-3 percent range but is also likely to put a fairly wide confidence interval around that forecast. By relying upon another rate cut to achieve the target we think it is reasonable to expect that the second rate cut will be delivered by August.
The significance of the inflation report in shaping this decision is really highlighted by the Governor’s decision to include “This follows information showing inflationary pressures are lower than expected” in the introductory paragraph. Our check of statements associated with rate moves shows that the last time a reason was highlighted in this way was May 2012, citing weak growth and inflation, and you have to go all the way back to November 2006 to see another example where upward inflation pressures were emphasised.
Further, in the Governor’s statement the recent data is described as “unexpectedly low” along with “very subdued growth in labour costs and very low cost pressures elsewhere in the world”. Given this high degree of sensitivity to the recent change in the inflation environment it is hard to believe that the Bank would not take the opportunity to cut rates further following the next inflation report.
There were some other surprising qualifications around the state of demand in the economy. We thought that the Bank was encouraged by the recent fall in the unemployment rate to 5.7 percent but the statement says: “Labour market indicators have been more mixed of late”.
We also thought that the Bank had been encouraged by the 3% growth print for 2015 but growth in 2016 is now being described as: “continuing … though probably at a more moderate pace”.
Our read of the Banks’ assessment of the household balance sheet suggested that it was concerned about the ongoing high level of household debt but the statement explicitly notes that risks of lower interest rates in the housing market have lessened.
Finally, despite the fact that the trade weighted index has actually fallen modestly since the April Board meeting, concerns around the appreciating exchange rate were once again raised. We believe that the Bank had been expecting the US Federal Reserve to resume raising rates in June. However now with the US data, outside the labour market, slowing and markets giving virtually no chance to a June move the Board is probably now formulating its decisions around a delayed rate hike from the US Federal Reserve. Without interest rate relief in Australia this environment could reasonably be expected to exacerbate concerns around the exchange rate.
We have also revised our own view that the FED will delay its decision to resume raising rates until September from the current forecast of June. While a respectable case remains for June there does not appear to be sufficient urgency from the Federal Reserve to move by June.  From there we expect that the FED will resume its six month timetable with the next move timed for March rather than December.
On the global front the Governor notes that growth forecasts have recently been revised down further and he specifically notes that recent data in China has improved but attributes that to recent actions by policymakers and emphasises that this action may only support the “near term outlook”. We certainly agree with that assessment given the emergence of a substantial property bubble in the ‘Tier 1’ cities.
Conclusion
We have been surprised by the strength of the response of the Bank to the March quarter inflation report. Having once again reverted to lower rates despite much questioning of the effectiveness of monetary policy the Governor has revealed an inclination to continue to use monetary policy in pursuit of his inflation target. With the risks around weak wages growth, global disinflation and potentially slowing demand it seems highly likely that he will choose to cut rates further with the next move timed for August.
That is likely to be the last policy move from this Governor who is scheduled to retire in September.
Bill Evans is chief economist of <a href="https://www.westpac.com.au/" target="_blank">Westpac</a>.
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mick.cee-iDmgDDAmu8

RBA reacts strongly to March inflation report: Westpac's Bill Evans

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GUEST OBSERVER
Mozo’s Kirsty Lamont shares the five-need-to know numbers
A year on since its last record low rate cut, the Reserve Bank has again slashed the cash rate to a new historical low 1.75 percent. Here's the five numbers you need to know: 
36 percent
Just 36 percent of lenders passed on the full rate cut last time the RBA slashed the cash rate.
$8.88 million
This is how much lenders stand to profit in additional interest each day if they play scrooge and hold onto a potential 25 bps rate cut.  In fact, three out of the Big 4 banks raked in a collective $386.7 million from failing to pass on the last RBA rate cut in full last May. 
1.18 percent
Even if lenders pass on a rate discount, home borrowers still have good reason to refinance onto a better deal with the average Big 4 variable rate 1.18 percent higher than the lowest variable rate on the market right now.
$43
This is how much an average borrower could save in monthly repayments if their lender passed on the full rate cut. Alternatively, if you ignore a 0.25 percent discount and keep your repayments the same, you could save more than $20,000 in interest over the life of the loan.   
3.60 percent
Savers can be rewarded with interest rates up to 3.60 percent despite a record low cash rate. This special rate is on ME’s Online Savings Account to customers prepared to make a weekly Tap &amp; Go purchase with their linked Debit MasterCard.
Kirsty Lamont is marketing director of <a href="https://mozo.com.au/" target="_blank">Mozo</a>.
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RBA rate cut: Mozo's five need to know numbers

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The Reserve Bank's interest rate cut of 0.25 basis points could have further impact on the residential property market according to the Australian Property Institute.
API chief executive Mike Zissler said the record low rate is a double jeopardy play by the Reserve Bank as it will also push housing out of reach of many low income families as housing affordability becomes an even greater percentage of people’s incomes.
“There is little doubt it will have a positive impact on the housing and associated sectors," he said.
"The latest cut will, however, upwardly impact upon property values.
"If the intention is to stimulate the economy it is essential that banks pass the cut on and do so quickly."
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po-LsXgBTHBmX

Reserve Bank plays double jeopardy with housing market: API

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GUEST OBSERVER
The Reserve Bank has cut the cash rate from 2.00 percent to a record low of 1.75 percent.
The Reserve Bank has now adopted a “neutral stance” – suggesting that interest rates are on hold until at least the next reading of inflation (the next three months).
What does it all mean?
When the Reserve Bank cut the cash rate to 2.00 per cent in May last year, banks cut variable housing rates from 5.65 per cent to 5.45 per cent. In the period since banks were forced to lift housing rates to partially fund the cost of higher bank capital ratios. The average bank variable rate was back at 5.65 per cent before today’s decision.
 
<a href="/images/2016/05/03/Screen%20Shot%202016-05-03%20at%203.50.50%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/05/03/Screen%20Shot%202016-05-03%20at%203.50.50%20PM.png" alt="">
At the same time, the Aussie dollar had fallen from US78 cents over the past year to US76-77 cents and the oil price has fallen from US$60 to US$45 a barrel. So monetary policy settings were only a little more accommodative before today’s rate decision.
It may sound like a broken record, but the Reserve Bank has to be forward-looking in setting interest rates. And in so doing, today it saw little risk in cutting rates further. It would have been a different situation if the global economy was going gangbusters and if there wasn’t a structural global trend to lower inflation. 
In short, consumers can buy goods wherever and whenever they want to and this is causing businesses across the world to keep prices low.
It is important to note that the Reserve Bank is cutting from a position of strength rather than weakness. The economy is growing at a 3 per cent annual rate, unemployment is at 5.7 per cent and underlying inflation is below 2 per cent. So there is firm growth and low inflation. The Reserve Bank believes that the economy can do even better. And that is something that should inspire confidence across the economy.
The Reserve Bank has made no secret of its desire for a lower Aussie dollar, saying it “may complicate” the adjustment process for the economy. Clearly, if the Aussie dollar was a lot lower it would be providing more stimulus to the economy and helping to do some of the “heavy lifting” done by monetary policy. The good news is that the Aussie fell from US77.2 cents to US75.55 cents after the rates decision.
Perspectives on interest rates
The Reserve Bank cut the cash rate by 25 basis points (quarter of a percent) to 1.75 per cent. The previous rate cut was in May 2015 (25 basis points), taking the cash rate to a record low of 2.00 per cent.
There have now been 11 rate cuts since November 2011.
The Reserve Bank had previously lifted rates seven times from October 2009 to November 2010 – a total of 1.75 percentage points, from 3.00 per cent to 4.75 per cent.
What are the implications of today’s decision?
The Reserve Bank will update forecasts for economic growth and inflation on Friday. The growth forecasts may be revised up a touch; inflation, revised down a touch. The Reserve Bank will now stay on the monetary policy sidelines until the next inflation data.
If inflation continues to undershoot the 2-3 per cent target band, the Reserve Bank will keep interest rate cuts on the table. If the RBA feels that low inflation is a global, structural issue rather than driven by short-term economics, then there are fewer risks in cutting interest rates.
The big question is whether the economy still responds in the same way to rate cuts – that is, with rates so low – at generational lows. That is the $64 question.
The following table shows current monthly repayments on a range of mortgages and projections if rates are cut by major lenders in response to the lower cash rate.
<a href="/images/2016/05/03/Screen%20Shot%202016-05-03%20at%203.49.02%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/05/03/Screen%20Shot%202016-05-03%20at%203.49.02%20PM.png" alt="">
 Craig James is the chief economist at <a href="https://www.comsec.com.au/default.aspx" target="_blank">CommSec</a>.
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cjames-5S2v74qSNK

Reserve Bank goes for growth: CommSec's Craig James

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National Australia Bank has cut the interest rate on its standard variable home loan rate by 25 basis points.
It is the full amount of the RBA's cut.
This announcement means NAB’s Variable Rate for Home Loans (Standard Variable Rate) will reduce from 5.60 percent p.a. to 5.35 percent p.a.
NAB customers with a Standard Variable Rate home loan will save an average of $47-a-month on their monthly home loan principal and interest repayments based on a $300,000 loan over a 30-year term.
NAB Group Executive Personal Banking Gavin Slater said in making the decision to change interest rates, the bank considers a range of factors.
“The circumstances of each decision will always vary and we must take into account factors such as competition, regulatory capital requirements and funding costs,” Mr Slater said. 
“Today’s decision balances the needs of our home loan customers with our shareholders.” 
Today’s change applies to Owner Occupier and Residential Investment variable rate home loans.
·         For owner occupiers with NAB’s Variable Rate for Home Loans (Standard Variable Rate) the rate will reduce from 5.60 percent p.a. to 5.35 percent p.a.
·         For residential investors with NAB’s Variable Rate for Residential Investment Home Loans the rate will reduce from 5.75 percent p.a. to 5.50 percent p.a.
NAB will also reduce its rate on standard variable business rate lending products by 0.25 percent p.a. 
The new rates will be effective from Monday 16 May 2016.
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NAB passes on full May 2016 rate cut to home borrowers

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The Australian dollar fell on news the May RBA meeting cut the cash rate.
CoreLogic RP Data's head of research Tim Lawless said the RBA decision to cut the cash rate to a new historic low today of 1.75 percent was likely to have been hotly debated at the board meeting. 
He said on one hand we have economic growth tracking at 3% per annum, a housing market where the pace of capital gains was moderating in a controlled fashion and relatively strong labour market conditions. 
"Balance this with negative quarterly inflation and a high Australian dollar and it becomes clear that this decision probably could have gone either way," he said.
"The big question relevant to the housing market is how much of the lower cash rate will be passed on to mortgage rates. The spread between the cash rate and standard discounted mortgage rate has been widening since 2008 when there was 1.8 percentage points difference between the two rates. 
"By the April 2016 the spread has doubled to be 3.65 percentage points and is likely to widen further if the full rate cut isn’t passed on by lenders to mortgage rates.  With home values still showing some upwards momentum, lower mortgage rates are likely to provide some further stimulus to the housing market, which the Reserve Bank will be monitoring closely.
"The last thing they would like to see is a rebound in the rate of capital gain, particularly in Sydney and Melbourne where dwelling values have already risen 50 percent and 31 percent respectively since the rate cutting cycle began in November 2011.
The shadow treasurer Chris Bowen has blamed the cash rate cut on the government's "incredibly poor economic management".
In a statement on Tuesday Mr Bowen said the decision reflected a weaker economic outlook, with the RBA expecting growth to moderate this year.
"In addition, incomes are falling, living standards are stagnating and home ownership is out of reach for so many Australians – facts the Government will be hiding from tonight.
"While our resilient economy is a testament to the efforts of hard working Australians, these are worrying trends we can't ignore." 
According to finder.com.au's resident money expert Bessie Hassan borrowers are being warned to keep a close eye on rate cuts that are set to filter the market as a result of the Reserve Bank’s surprise decision to slash the cash rate to a new historical low of 1.75 percent.
She said the move follows days of speculation regarding a rate cut, fuelled by the release of inflation data last week, which revealed that Australia’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) has dramatically slowed.
"The outcome was in contrast to the forecast of 96% of the economists and experts in the finder.com.au RBA survey, who predicted no change, citing a strong labour market, recovering Australian dollar and a ‘wait and see’ approach to the Federal Budget," she said.
"Only one economist, Savanth Sebastian of CommSec, correctly predicted the rate cut, with low inflation a likely key factor influencing the decision, he said.
"The finder.com.au RBA Survey closed on 27 April 2016 – the same day the new inflation data was released. More than half (55 percent) of the 22 experts who weighed in to prospects of a rate movement correctly tipped a rate cut was in store in 2016. However today’s cut has come somewhat earlier than expected, with the majority of experts tipping August or November as the most likely month this would happen.
"Thirty-eight percent of experts surveyed on the rate cycle predicted a drop to 1.75 percent before a rise, while 13 percent are forecasting one further drop to 1.5 percent before the cash rate starts to rise.  Our new cash rate of 1.75 percent is remarkable – it is the lowest it’s ever been and a far cry from the pre-GFC days of circa 7 percent."
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RBA cuts cash rate at May 2016 meeting

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STATEMENT BY GLENN STEVENS, RBA GOVERNOR: MONETARY POLICY DECISION
<div>
<div class="rss-mr-content">
At its meeting today, the Board decided to lower the cash rate by 25 basis points to 1.75 per cent, effective 4 May 2016. This follows information showing inflationary pressures are lower than expected.
The global economy is continuing to grow, though at a slightly lower pace than earlier expected, with forecasts having been revised down a little further recently. While several advanced economies have recorded improved conditions over the past year, conditions have become more difficult for a number of emerging market economies. China's growth rate moderated further in the first part of the year, though recent actions by Chinese policymakers are supporting the near-term outlook.
Commodity prices have firmed noticeably from recent lows, but this follows very substantial declines over the past couple of years. Australia's terms of trade remain much lower than they had been in recent years.
Sentiment in financial markets has improved, after a period of heightened volatility early in the year. However, uncertainty about the global economic outlook and policy settings among the major jurisdictions continues. Funding costs for high-quality borrowers remain very low and, globally, monetary policy remains remarkably accommodative.
In Australia, the available information suggests that the economy is continuing to rebalance following the mining investment boom. GDP growth picked up over 2015, particularly in the second half of the year, and the labour market improved. Indications are that growth is continuing in 2016, though probably at a more moderate pace. Labour market indicators have been more mixed of late.
Inflation has been quite low for some time and recent data were unexpectedly low. While the quarterly data contain some temporary factors, these results, together with ongoing very subdued growth in labour costs and very low cost pressures elsewhere in the world, point to a lower outlook for inflation than previously forecast.
Monetary policy has been accommodative for quite some time. Low interest rates have been supporting demand and the lower exchange rate overall has helped the traded sector. Credit growth to households continues at a moderate pace, while that to businesses has picked up over the past year or so. These factors are all assisting the economy to make the necessary economic adjustments, though an appreciating exchange rate could complicate this.
In reaching today's decision, the Board took careful note of developments in the housing market, where indications are that the effects of supervisory measures are strengthening lending standards and that price pressures have tended to abate. At present, the potential risks of lower interest rates in this area are less than they were a year ago.
Taking all these considerations into account, the Board judged that prospects for sustainable growth in the economy, with inflation returning to target over time, would be improved by easing monetary policy at this meeting.
</div>
</div>
<div class="box-enquiries"> </div>
 
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May meeting: RBA Governor statement on rate cut

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Mozo has suggested borrowers can give themselves a rate cut by refinancing to a better deal.
Mozo's database shows that the average rate is currently 4.73 percent, whereas the lowest rate in our database is just 3.86 percent. 
Rebeccah Elley, Mozo’s money editor took a look to see just how much a homeowner with a $600,000 mortgage would save by giving themselves a rate cut:
<table><tbody>
<tr>
<td> </td>
<td>
Average mortgage rate – 4.73%
</td>
<td>Average mortgage rate after 25 basis point rate cut – 4.48%</td>
<td>
Lowest rate in our database – 3.86%
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Monthly repayments</td>
<td>$3,414</td>
<td>$3,328</td>
<td>$3,121</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Interest paid over 25 years</td>
<td>$424,142</td>
<td>$398,456</td>
<td>$336,247</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
 
"Even if your provider gives you a rate cut, the savings made on an average home loan won’t be anywhere near what you could get by switching to one of the best deals in the market."
If you would like to see how much you could save by refinancing, punch in your details into the <a href="https://mozo.com.au/home-loans/switch-and-save" target="_blank">Switch &amp; Save Calculator</a>, which will pull some of the cheapest mortgage deals available for your situation.
 
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