Apartment buyers in New South Wales are set to gain a decade of insurance-backed protection against major building defects, after the NSW Parliament passed the Fair Trading and Building Legislation Amendment Bill 2026.&nbsp;

The Bill establishes decennial defect insurance, known in the market as Latent Defects Insurance (LDI), as an alternative to the existing two-year strata building bond. It cleared the Legislative Council with amendments on Tuesday evening (August 4, 2026), with the Legislative Assembly agreeing to those amendments shortly after.

Under the reform, eligible developers can satisfy their statutory bond obligation by taking out an approved decennial-style policy that gives owners 10 years of cover for major structural defects from completion, claimable directly, without first having to pursue developers or builders through costly legal action.&nbsp;

The change forms the final tranche of amendments arising from the 2021 statutory review of the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 and related legislation.

Resilience Insurance, which originated the cover in Australia and has delivered it in NSW since 2022, welcomed the passage and credited the NSW Government for delivering it.

“This is protection apartment buyers have needed for a long time, and the credit for delivering it belongs to the NSW Government,”&nbsp;said Corey Nugent, CEO of Resilience Insurance.

“Minister Chanthivong and his team have shown real leadership in replacing an outdated two-year bond with cover that matches the lifespan of the buildings people are buying into. Reform like this is what good, evidence-based regulation looks like.”

Resilience has delivered LDI in NSW since 2022, protecting thousands of apartments, giving the State, and now the country, real-world evidence of how decade-long, no-fault protection works in practice.

The reform also places NSW within a wider national shift.

NSW is the third jurisdiction to put decennial cover into law. The ACT legislated for it in 2024, with the scheme taking effect in late 2025, and Victoria passed its own framework on 17 June. Between them, the three cover the majority of Australia's apartment market.

The reform commences once the legislation is proclaimed, which is expected in the coming weeks. From that point, developers of Class 2 residential apartment buildings can meet their statutory obligation with an approved decennial policy in place of the bond.

Buyers who purchased into projects that took out the cover early are among the first in the country to take keys to apartments carrying decade-long structural protection.

“With the legislation passed, the focus now turns to making it work for buyers,”&nbsp;Nugent said.

“There are already thousands of apartments in NSW covered by this insurance, bought by developers who moved early. The question every buyer should be asking in a display suite is a simple one: does this building come with 10-year defect cover, and who stands behind it?&nbsp;

“We look forward to working with the Government and the Building Commission in coming weeks as the framework moves to implementation, and to sharing what we have learned over the past four years so the protection reaches owners as smoothly and quickly as possible.”

Other states are working through their own reform programs. Western Australia has indicated that decennial cover is within consideration a later stage of its reform sequence, and Queensland has been examining the settings as it looks at the development pipeline ahead of the 2032 Olympics.

Resilience Insurance acknowledges the NSW Government’s continued focus on strengthening consumer protection while supporting housing delivery across the State.

Fast Facts: What the reform means

<ul style="color:#222222; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:small; font-style:normal; font-variant-ligatures:normal; font-weight:400; text-align:start; white-space:normal; background-color:#ffffff; text-decoration-thickness:initial; text-decoration-style:initial; text-decoration-color:initial">
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Proven at scale:&nbsp;Decennial cover has operated in NSW since 2022, protecting thousand of apartments.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">10 years of cover:&nbsp;Protection for major structural defects runs for a decade from completion, claimable directly and with no legal action required.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">An alternative to the bond:&nbsp;Eligible developers can meet their statutory obligation with an approved decennial-style policy in place of the 2% strata building bond.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Part of a national shift:&nbsp;The ACT has had decennial provisions in force since 2025 and Victoria passed its framework in June. NSW now joins them.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">No-fault, first resort:&nbsp;Owners corporations claim directly from the insurer without first having to establish who is liable for the defect.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Cost-competitive:&nbsp;At approximately 1.8% of build cost, LDI is typically priced below the 2% bond while offering broader, longer protection.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Market position:&nbsp;Resilience originated LDI in Australia and has delivered it in NSW since 2022.</li>
</ul>

Fast Facts: What is Resilience LDI?

<ul style="color:#222222; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:small; font-style:normal; font-variant-ligatures:normal; font-weight:400; text-align:start; white-space:normal; background-color:#ffffff; text-decoration-thickness:initial; text-decoration-style:initial; text-decoration-color:initial">
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Resilience Latent Defects Insurance (LDI):&nbsp;Covers major structural defects for 10 years from completion.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Consumer-first:&nbsp;Direct claim access, no need for lengthy legal action.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Cost advantage:&nbsp;At approximately 1.8% of build cost, LDI is typically priced below the traditional 2% Strata Bond while offering broader protection.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Market leader:&nbsp;&nbsp;Resilience Insurance originated LDI in Australia and is the national market leader.</li>
</ul>

Joel Robinson

NSW parliament passes 10-year defect insurance laws for new apartment buyers

Builder-developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mcnab-developments">McNab</a> has wasted little time reshaping one of South Brisbane's most significant undeveloped apartment sites after acquiring the property earlier this year.&nbsp;

McNab has lodged plans to scrap an existing approval for two 30-storey towers and instead deliver a single 28-storey residential building, preserving part of the site for a future development opportunity.

The proposal, lodged over <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/64-peel-street-south-brisbane-qld-4101">64 Peel Street and 9 Cordelia Street</a>, is for a residential-led mixed-use development comprising 124 apartments above a landscaped podium, alongside a boundary realignment that preserves part of the land for a future residential project.

<img alt="First look: McNab resets decade-old South Brisbane approval with 124-apartment tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="743bf564-3f8f-45fc-b8d3-bbf18f5b628f" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/mcnab%20Peel%20st%20podium.png?VersionId=EhCxGrVn_VFH3qTbKnI4WppGwaMnOn0t" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hayball">Hayball</a>, the development will deliver 119 two-bedroom and five three-bedroom apartments across 23 residential levels. A five-level podium will accommodate 135 car spaces, while the ground floor will include a 66 sqm commercial tenancy, an activated residential lobby with work-from-home spaces, and a publicly accessible landscaped plaza linking Cordelia and Peel streets.&nbsp;

Communal amenities will span Level 6 and the rooftop, including indoor and outdoor recreation spaces, a swimming pool, barbecue facilities, kitchen and dining areas, lawn space, sauna, steam room and yoga facilities.

The application also proposes a boundary realignment to create a standalone 1,290 sqm development lot while retaining an adjacent parcel for future redevelopment, allowing the balance of the site to contribute additional housing over time.

Hayball said the architecture has been shaped by the site's elevated corner position at the intersection of Peel and Cordelia streets and Brisbane's subtropical climate.

The design incorporates generous landscaped setbacks, a masonry podium wrapped with planting, large north-facing balconies, and a slender tower profile intended to maximise natural light, cross ventilation and long-range views. The rooftop has been conceived as a wellness-focused retreat overlooking Brisbane, with amenities positioned to capture views towards Mount Coot-tha and the CBD.

<img alt="First look: McNab resets decade-old South Brisbane approval with 124-apartment tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c5f99e84-6ad8-4a87-82d1-869685b754d2" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/mcnab%20tower%20perspective.png?VersionId=Gw0IuJaSAlk.tvGBxInhZOcQAdIB..2b" />

The planning submission positions the proposal as a response to both changing market conditions and Brisbane's Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct planning reforms.

McNab acquired the site after the previous approval was granted, with the existing scheme no longer reflecting current residential market demands, economic conditions, construction challenges, construction efficiencies or the quality of development outcome now being pursued, the planning report noted.

McNab continues to expand its residential development pipeline across Brisbane and the Gold Coast. The developer recently launched The Tannery in West End, securing more than 60 per cent of apartments before the project's public release. It is also delivering Elements Budds Beach in Surfers Paradise and Lucia Highgate Hill, an eight-apartment boutique development overlooking the Brisbane River.

McNab resets decade-old South Brisbane approval with 124-apartment tower

A steeply sloping Bellevue Hill site is set to accommodate a new mid-rise apartment development, with plans lodged for 20 homes that respond to the site's dramatic topography.

The proposal for the consolidated land at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/138a-140-bellevue-road-bellevue-hill-nsw-2023">138A-140 Bellevue Road</a> has been designed by Sydney architecture practice Common Office, which has used the site’s substantial fall to distribute the building’s scale and unlock 20 apartments without presenting the full height to the street.&nbsp;

“The unique design strategy leverages the site’s substantial topographical fall to facilitate increased density, presenting a seven-storey profile to Bellevue Road while rising to 10 storeys at the rear,” Common Office said in its architectural design report.

The apartment mix spans one, two, three- and four-bedroom residences. Four two-bedroom apartments are designated as affordable housing, while the plans also include two adaptable dwellings. The mix is majority three-beds, with the typical three-bed apartment offering around 144 sqm internally, with balconies of around 15 sqm.

The affordable housing component represents 15 per cent of the residential floor area and allows the project to access additional height and floor space under the NSW Government’s in-fill affordable housing provisions. The site also falls within the inner area of the Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy because it is within 400 metres walking distance of Double Bay Town Centre.

<img alt="First Look: Plans lodged for topography-led affordable housing project in Bellevue Hill" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1230d0f-3bfa-4a11-abaf-0928c66ef345" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Bellevue%20da.png?VersionId=dZeMK3P.OutGjN8ycjsxm8uNsj_QFWQv" />

Common Office has arranged the building around a masonry podium and a lighter upper volume, drawing on two recurring elements of Bellevue Hill’s established architecture: sandstone bases and the vertical proportions of local Inter-war Art Deco apartment buildings.

“The proposal is governed by a holistic design language that reconciles the solid horizontal masonry of the neighbourhood’s podiums with the elegant verticality of its Art Deco heritage,” the architect said.

“The building maintains a consistent rhythmic logic utilising deep recesses and a sophisticated material transition to break down the 10-storey scale into a series of articulated, human-scale volumes.”

<img alt="First Look: Plans lodged for topography-led affordable housing project in Bellevue Hill" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0147f503-1af1-4d51-97fb-c2f1cba63a9d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Bellevue%20bldg.png?VersionId=GoW7q3NlK67OpnePXhk7zvklrlKb72Qc" />

Large-format sandstone tiles will define the lower levels, establishing a robust base that negotiates the change in elevation from Bellevue Road. Above, red-tinted precast concrete frames, recessed balconies, anodised aluminium screens and expanded metal details will create a more vertically expressed façade. Integrated planter beds will introduce greenery across balcony edges and recessed sections of the building.

The elongated northern façade has been divided into three recessed vertical masses to reduce its perceived length. Triangular window elements and metal privacy screens reference the geometry of nearby Art Deco buildings while controlling overlooking toward surrounding homes. The southern elevation will incorporate further privacy screening, landscaped edges and deep balconies to maintain light and ventilation.

<img alt="First Look: Plans lodged for topography-led affordable housing project in Bellevue Hill" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e8679cf1-18bc-4447-8a0f-0052b94ab83c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Bellevue%20da%20rooftop.png?VersionId=5SQqQqRFf76rvE2p1TbxJSweMN70AIbc" />

Private and communal landscaping is distributed throughout the development. A landscaped garden apartment is positioned within the lower portion of the site, while a communal terrace on Level 5 will include a central timber deck, barbecue facilities, resident planting plots and areas for outdoor dining and informal gatherings.

Common Office described the terrace as an elevated sanctuary designed to capture district views and sunlight. Its planting strategy incorporates endemic species associated with the Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub, extending the landscape vertically through the building and providing habitat for local flora and fauna.

A second communal outdoor area is proposed at roof level, with built-in seating, paved gathering areas and perimeter planting.

Bellevue Hill is enjoying renewed momentum in the new apartment market, with several boutique developments recently launched and currently under construction. Positive Investment Enterprise is delivering the 16-apartment Kew Palm House on Birriga Road, while Chanine Developments is also under construction at Florian, a 36-apartment project on Banksia Road.

&nbsp;

Bellevue Hill is enjoying renewed momentum in the new apartment market, with several boutique developments recently launched and currently under construction.

First Look: Apartment development pitched for Bellevue Hill, Double Bay fringe

South Brisbane's apartment pipeline continues to build momentum, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/trk-property-group">TRK Property Group</a> lodging plans for a 161-apartment tower on Montague Road as developers accelerate investment across the Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct.

The proposal for 176–186 Montague Road would replace an existing office building with a 20-storey residential tower designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, adding to a growing pipeline of high-density projects reshaping one of Brisbane's fastest-evolving inner-city precincts.

The project has been conceived as a "living building", featuring a flowing tower form, extensive vertical landscaping, and generous communal spaces that respond to the evolving Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct.

TRK Property Group Development Director Matt Kan said the project reflected the confidence developers have in South Brisbane's long-term future.

"South Brisbane is entering an incredibly exciting period, and we see Montague Road sitting right at the heart of that evolution," Kan said.

"With the former Visy site directly opposite us and significant investment planned throughout the broader Kurilpa precinct, there is a real sense of momentum around this part of the city and what it will become over the coming years.

"For TRK, this is an opportunity to be part of that next chapter and deliver a project that responds to where the precinct is heading, while contributing to the continued evolution of Brisbane's river edge."

<img alt="First look: TRK Property joins South Brisbane apartment surge with Montague Road tower plans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="590fe1ad-f892-4446-a679-80e33a16d029" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/TRK%20tower%20facade.png?VersionId=uOJStrcKpyHFcPE1w6_9SMAFzVMCcZll" />

The scheme includes a mix of one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments, incorporating multi-purpose rooms in selected residences to provide additional flexibility for home offices or expanded living areas. The proposed mix comprises 15 one-bedroom, 13 one-bedroom plus MPR, 73 two-bedroom, 26 two-bedroom plus MPR, 30 three-bedroom, and four four-bedroom apartments.

Rather than adopting a conventional rectilinear tower, COX Architecture has developed a sculpted form inspired by the movement of the Brisbane River.

"The proposal has been designed by COX Architecture as a 'living building' that responds to the site's riverine setting, floodplain history and evolving urban context within the Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct," the planning report states.

"The architectural form draws from the fluid nature of the Brisbane River, with a curved and undulating tower form that creates a varied architectural edge and avoids a conventional rectilinear tower expression."

The podium has also been designed as an architectural feature rather than a conventional parking structure, with cascading planting, screening and natural-toned materials softening its appearance. Resident parking is elevated above ground level to address the site's flood constraints, while habitable apartments sit above flood planning levels. Upper-level communal facilities are designed to accommodate shelter-in-place arrangements during major flood events.

<img alt="First look: TRK Property joins South Brisbane apartment surge with Montague Road tower plans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="01fa15d0-90df-46c7-9555-7941fc45373c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/TRK%20podium.png?VersionId=mHyua.w1pHGBt9qEdWzrlsv.leztUCwO" />

Communal amenity is a major focus of the proposal. Around 1,815 sqm of shared resident space is proposed across the ground floor, level 19 and the rooftop, including co-working areas, indoor and outdoor recreation spaces, wellness facilities, dining and gathering areas, lawn spaces, a rooftop pool and spa, and extensive landscaping. At street level, a landscaped forecourt and approximately 345 sqm of publicly accessible open space along Montague Road are intended to improve the pedestrian experience while activating the building's frontage.

The development will provide 163 car spaces, including 152 resident bays and 11 visitor spaces, together with 144 bicycle spaces incorporating resident storage, visitor parking, bicycle maintenance facilities and e-mobility charging infrastructure.

The site sits within one of Brisbane's fastest-changing inner-city precincts, less than two kilometres from the CBD and within easy reach of South Bank, West End, the Queensland Cultural Centre and extensive public transport connections. The Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct planning framework is encouraging higher-density residential development to help meet Brisbane's housing supply targets while supporting walkable, transit-oriented neighbourhoods.

TRK Property joins South Brisbane apartment surge with Montague Road tower plans

Article summary

<ul data-end="785" data-start="311">
	<li data-end="459" data-section-id="5hbcyr" data-start="311">Pikos Group has released the five-penthouse collection at Skye Kangaroo Point, headlined by a two-storey sky home spanning more than 1,000 sqm.</li>
	<li data-end="561" data-section-id="1p7lq8n" data-start="460">Early buyer interest suggests the residences could set a new Queensland apartment price record.</li>
	<li data-end="667" data-section-id="1y70z0l" data-start="562">The collection includes four move-in ready penthouses and the highly customised Skye One residence.</li>
	<li data-end="785" data-section-id="yvm0y1" data-start="668">The release caps one of Bri​sbane's most ambitious luxury apartment developments overlooking the Brisbane River.</li>
</ul>

<hr data-end="790" data-start="787" />
Pikos Group has released the five-penthouse collection at its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/skye-residences-by-pikos-kangaroo-point-8-river-terrace-kangaroo-point-qld-4169">Skye by Pikos</a> development in Kangaroo Point, with early buyer interest indicating the flagship residences could eclipse every apartment sale previously recorded in Queensland.

The collection crowns the luxury riverfront development with five residences, including four completed penthouses and Skye One, a two-level sky home spanning more than 1,000 sqm that will be tailored to its eventual owner.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=90059 project_image_fid=374075]

Wanting to offer a fully customisable home, Pikos is offering Skye One as a blank canvas, allowing the buyer to work alongside the developer's design team to customise the home's layout, finishes and internal spaces.

The residence will feature a 247 sqm private rooftop terrace with its own swimming pool, sauna, steam room, outdoor kitchen and multiple entertaining areas overlooking the Brisbane River and CBD skyline.

The remaining four penthouses have been completed and are ready for immediate occupation, each offering four bedrooms, expansive open-plan living areas, soaring ceilings and private lift access.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=90059 project_image_fid=374059]

One of the defining features throughout the project is its use of Roman Classic Travertine, with more than 20,000 sqm of the natural stone imported from Italy after being personally selected by Pikos Group Founder and Executive Director Pedro Pikos, interior designer Julie Williamson and third-generation stone specialist Mario Caucci.

Pikos said the penthouse collection represented the culmination of the company's long-term vision for Skye.

"True legacy isn't measured by what we build today, but by what endures tomorrow," Pikos said.

"Our ambition is to create places that become more valuable with time, enrich the lives of generations, and stand as timeless landmarks long after we've stepped away."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=90059 project_image_fid=374060]

Williamson said the interiors were inspired by the natural character of Kangaroo Point and the Brisbane River rather than international design trends.

"Materiality tells the story of a place," Williamson said.

"We looked to the movement of the Brisbane River, the texture of the cliff face and the warmth of the surrounding landscape to create interiors that feel understated, enduring and unmistakably Brisbane."

Positioned above the Kangaroo Point cliffs, Skye places residents within walking distance of Howard Smith Wharves, South Bank and James Street while offering uninterrupted river and city views.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=90059]

Brisbane's next apartment price record? Pikos unveils Skye's exclusive penthouse collection

Prominent New Zealand apartment and hotel operator, <a href="/developers/safari-group">Safari Group</a>, is offering up a prime investment opportunity for Australians to purchase off the plan in one of the world’s most popular ski destinations.

They recently took to market Mountain Oak Queenstown Apartments, in the growing precinct of Remarkables Park in Frankton, near the airport and at the foot of The Remarkables - the mountain range the locals like to call “The Remarks”.&nbsp;

Sydney investors have shown interest in the one, two and three-bedroom apartments that secure high-season occupancy six months over the year, primarily over summer and winter months.

They average 90 per cent occupancy across their portfolio over January, February, March, August, November and December, while shoulder season months of April, July, September and October are still occupied 70 per cent of the time, with the growing appeal of Queenstown becoming not just a hotspot for the snow, but a lifestyle destination.

Even in the low seasons of May and June, occupancy levels reach around 40 per cent.

<img alt="Safari Group’s Mountain Oak Apartments brings new investment potential to Queenstown" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_auto/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Ext_Cam15_Sunny.jpg?VersionId=SJAROUM_1s.Tr5ciMk4EEj5oAt_Vewmv" />

Safari’s Safari Hotels arm can also manage the holiday letting for an investor, from the listing on holiday accommodation websites such as Airbnb and Booking.com to the cleaning and maintenance of the investment. They’ve been in the short stay management business for 15 years and offer 24/7 support for investors, an important convenience benefit for any overseas investor

Another major drawcard for Australians is that New Zealand doesn’t have a stamp duty policy - so the entry price of NZ$639,000 (AU$586,000), is all that is payable on completion.

<img alt="Safari Group’s Mountain Oak Apartments brings new investment potential to Queenstown" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/313_Livingv2_WEB.jpg?VersionId=nV229fM0ZeYpoxOrX372HyGjfwY_LR8c" />

Safari is starting construction of the 141 apartments in Q2 this year, with a two-year build estimated to complete in mid-to-late 2027.<img alt="" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" height="15" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXczFpFAb7WuA6f4f9TtKWcqXyNwR8qqtakWv352ERkpqNlP3KwIo8YKxw67jZNHfpjEGIZGv5MQTbnvLZwNt8iu9IVdOrswOjCvBZ4zhSoOOLrpt6etVEZTN1gkBho0r_R72zdHNA?key=yq3daOanqHSb88QFd8jGYKdb" title="Click and drag to move" width="15" />​

The apartments will feature modern amenities and contemporary designs with expansive windows capturing sweeping views of The Remarkables mountain range.&nbsp;

Interiors are equipped with modern finishes, premium appliances, and secure electronic key-locked doors, ensuring a comfortable living experience for residents and guests alike.

With its strategic location near Coronet Peak and Cardrona Alpine Resort, as well as key retail and dining precincts such as Market Street, Five Mile Shopping Centre, and Remarkables Market, Mountain Oak offers a strong proposition for investors seeking high rental yields and capital appreciation in one of New Zealand’s most sought-after locations.&nbsp;

Queenstown’s sustained demand for visitor accommodation and rental properties is underpinned by a shortage of housing options, attracting both local and international buyers.

Safari Group offers low-touch investment proposition in Queenstown’s popular ski fields district

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Stronghold Investment Management has acquired the Cardinia Club, a freehold investment in Melbourne’s Pakenham. 
Stronghold purchased the property as a trustee for the Stronghold Hospitality Property Trust No.15, a Brisbane based fund manager with several freehold investments in the hospitality industry. 
The Cardinia Club has 105 EGM’s, a large bistro, upmarket sports bar and multiple function rooms. 
The venue was originally part of the Pakenham Racecourse before the Pakenham Racing Club moved its operations to a new racing facility at Tynong North. 
CBRE Hotels negotiated the sale on behalf of the Pakenham Racing Club with a new 13-year lease to Pakenham Racing Club.
Stronghold is projecting an initial cash return of 7.5% per annum for its wholesale investors.
“This gaming investment generated a significant level of interest from the market, but it took an informed investor like Stronghold to recognise the strength of this opportunity with Pakenham Racing Club as its tenant,” Callow said. 
Steve de Nys, Head of Property at Stronghold, commented the club established in 1875, had 160 employees and three venues.
</body></html>

j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Investment management company Stronghold snaps up $16 million Cardinia Club, Pakenham

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVATION
According to the United Nations, more people live in a <a href="https://www.un.org/en/sections/issues-depth/migration/index" target="_blank">country other than their place of birth</a> today than ever before.
The <a href="https://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/migration/publications/migrationreport/docs/MigrationReport2017_Highlights.pdf" target="_blank">2017 migration statistics</a> show that about 34 people out of every 1,000 lived away from their place of birth. This number was over 31 in 2010, and 28 in 2000.
Although the <a href="https://refugeesmigrants.un.org/migration-compact" target="_blank">number of migrants is expected to grow</a>, a clear understanding of contemporary migration remains a challenge.
Defining who is a migrant
This challenge was on display at <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/south-asian-media-we-need-to-talk-more-with-refugees-and-not-just-report-about-them/a-48356819" target="_blank">a recent meeting</a> where a group of South Asian journalists, academics and activists gathered to address the core issue of migration.
Officially, the <a href="https://www.un.org/en/sections/issues-depth/migration/index" target="_blank">number of migrants</a> globally reached 258 million in 2017, compared to about 173 million in 2000, which represents an increase of 49%. But it remains difficult to determine with reasonable clarity who is a migrant and who is not. The multiple identities of people on the move complicate migration statistics and generate controversy.
One of the speakers, Chris Lowenstein-Lom from the International Organisation of Migration (<a href="https://www.iom.int/" target="_blank">IOM</a>), presented an overview of migration scenarios in South Asia to highlight the sheer number of migrants in the region, both internally and internationally. Many participants questioned the validity of the figures.
Journalists raised questions about the migration data gathered by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (<a href="https://www.un.org/development/desa/en/" target="_blank">UN DESA</a>) and IOM. The figures either contradicted their lived experience (for example, the number of Indian-origin people living in Pakistan, and vice versa) or overlooked the historical context of certain migrants (for example those of Bangladeshi-origin in India).
The IOM representative’s insistence on his organisation’s goal of “safe, regular and orderly” movement of people across borders resonated with other participants. They emphasised that improving data quality is important for achieving safe passage of migrants.
Difficulties with migration data
Concerns about accuracy and clarity of migration statistics were raised concerning both data collection methods and interpretation. For example, the ranking of countries by the number of migrants shifts dramatically with a change in definition.
The highest number of immigrants (over 48 million) live in the United States, which constitutes 15% of the country’s population. However, the highest proportion of immigrants to a population (87%) live in the United Arab Emirates, which is only eight million in number. The highest number of migrants (nearly 16 million) originate from India, which is only 1.2% of the country’s population. But the highest proportion of migrants to a country’s population (45.6%) is in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is only two million.
Any statistical generalisation about migrants requires significant qualification. Political perspectives on who is or is not a bona fide migrant vary significantly between countries. As a result, the figures produced to represent certain sections of the migrant population can become cloudy or even opaque.
For example, many Indian politicians label the Bangla-speaking Muslim population in northeast India as migrants from Bangladesh. But from the Bangladeshi perspective, most of these people can hardly be considered as such because they had lived in their current location since well before the state of Bangladesh was created in 1971.
Similarly, in the early stage of the 2017 influx of Rohingya people to Bangladesh, this definitional opacity created confusion about their status. Were they returnees, refugees or infiltrators? This lack of clarity in legal status has the potential to render a <a href="https://odihpn.org/magazine/statelessness-identity-rohingya-refugee-crisis/" target="_blank">vast number of people stateless</a>.
On the other hand, the refugee status of the Afghani people in Pakistan has been relatively clear to many sides, even though the identity of a specific individual can still be problematic.
Challenge to report on migration
These differences create a challenge for South Asian journalists to report accurately on migration issues.
Consider the following figures: According to the <a href="/news">UN DESA 2017 estimate</a>, 33.5 million people moved out of five South Asian countries (Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka) while 11.7 million people lived in these countries as migrants.
The largest number of migrants in South Asia were from neighbouring countries, such as from Myanmar to Bangladesh (42% of the total 2.2 million immigrants in the country), from Afghanistan to Pakistan (1.4 million out of the total 3.4 million), and from Pakistan and Bangladesh to India (together, 81% of the total 5.2 million immigrants).
According to this estimate, about 60% of the 5.2 million migrants in India were from Bangladesh. But this estimate was based mainly on population data produced by India. Bangladeshi officials and experts had reservations about this figure because, they claimed, the historical dimension mentioned above had been overlooked in its calculation.
Consequences of data opacity
One can easily imagine the difficulties faced by journalists in busy newsrooms with limited resources. They need to report on complex migration issues and are expected to report them accurately, without a clear definition about who is and is not a migrant. Would you label Rohingya people in Bangladesh as “returnees”, following the Myanmar authorities? Or would you use the “infiltrator” description, as Bangladeshi officials initially identified them?
Some of this confusion may be clarified over time, but others continue to bug journalists and other commentators. The lack of a clear definition exists not only in South Asia.
Despite the <a href="https://www.spiegel.de/international/world/why-global-migration-statistics-do-not-add-up-a-1090736" target="_blank">well-founded criticisms</a> levelled against the <a href="/news">UN data on migration</a>, they remain the most widely used set of figures globally. Other organisations and mechanisms of data distribution, such as IOM or the Migration Data Portal also use them.
An important characteristic of the data set is its origin. They are mainly produced through official <a href="/news">population censuses</a> by the respective member states, using public money. Everyone has a stake in improving the quality of these data for a better understanding of the complexity of South Asian and global migration.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/114443/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;">
Akhteruz Zaman, Lecturer, Massey University
Jahnnabi Das, , University of Technology 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/migration-is-a-growing-issue-but-it-remains-a-challenge-to-define-who-actually-is-a-migrant-114443" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Migration is a growing issue, but it remains a challenge to define who actually is a migrant

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Cameron’s Marina, located on the Balmain Peninsula, has been listed for sale.
The 1880s marina is offered with $6 million-plus hopes with adjoining freehold waterfront land.
Its original boat shed burnt down in 1983 and was replaced in 1985.
The marina currently has between 12 and 20 fixed berths (depending on vessel size), a work berth, slipway and 21 swing moorings.
The berths and moorings are on a “wet lease” to the NSW Roads and Maritime Services until 2037.
The moorings generated a net profit of $159,844 in 2018.
Cameron’s Marina, <a href="https://www.commercialrealestate.com.au/property/5a-phoebe-street-balmain-nsw-2041-2015294243">located at 5a Phoebe Street, is being sold by expressions of interest which close on July 4.</a>
It was purchased in the early 1960s by Peter Cameron.
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Cameron's Marina in Balmain listed for first time since 1960s

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EXPERT OBSERVER
With the national housing market moving through its down phase and buyer numbers thin on the ground, properties are taking longer to sell as vendors face stiff competition and purchasers take their time to negotiate the best possible price.
Over the three months to April 2019, the median time on market for a dwelling nationally was 60 days. As the chart shows, the typical selling time has risen significantly over recent months and is up from 35 days at the same time a year ago.
The rapid rise in time on market is symptom of higher supply (advertised stock levels across the combined capitals are at their highest level for this time of the year since 2012) and less demand (capital city settled sales are down 16% year on year).
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/5/23/May%2023%20CL%20pp%201.JPG" alt="">
 
Across Sydney, properties were typically taking 62 days to sell in April 2019 while in regional NSW properties were taking 76 days.
At the same time a year earlier, Sydney properties took 31 days to sell and regional NSW properties took 50 days.
As both housing markets have weakened there has been an ongoing steady increase in days on market.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/5/23/May%2023%20CL%20pp%202.JPG" alt="">
Over the past three months, Melbourne dwellings have typically taken 43 days to sell compared to 27 days over the same period in 2018.
In areas outside of Melbourne, properties are typically taking 54 days to sell compared to 37 days a year ago.
Although days on market fell over the past month in Melbourne, properties are taking longer to sell than in recent years while in regional Vic there has been a recent spike in days on market.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/5/23/May%2023%20CL%20pp%203.JPG" alt="">
Dwellings in Brisbane have taken 60 days to sell over the past three months while in regional Qld they have taken 77 days.
Over the same period in 2018, Brisbane dwellings were taking 34 days to sell and regional Qld dwellings took 47 days.
Although values have declined over the past year in Brisbane and regional Qld it has been a much more moderate decline than in Sydney and Melbourne.
Despite this fact, there has been a sharp spike in days on market highlighting that selling conditions have become much tougher despite values having only fallen moderately.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/5/23/May%2023%20CL%20pp%204.JPG" alt="">
Properties in Adelaide are currently taking 54 days to sell compared to 45 days at the same time a year ago.
In regional SA, properties were taking 92 days compared to a slightly higher 95 days currently.
Although days on market in Adelaide is higher than a year ago, the results are a little volatile and they have been fairly steady over the past four years.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/5/23/May%2023%20CL%20pp%205.JPG" alt="">
Perth properties were taking 48 days to sell a year ago compared to 62 days currently.
In regional WA, the days on the market figure is currently 76 days, slightly higher than it was a year ago (73 days).
Despite the ongoing weak housing market conditions over recent years in Perth and regional WA the days on market figure has been fairly steady.
This would seem to suggest that Perth vendors are setting appropriate initial list prices or are willing to reduce prices to meet the market.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/5/23/May%2023%20CL%20pp%206.JPG" alt="">
A year ago dwellings in Hobart were typically taking 9 days to sell and in regional Tas they were taking 39 days.
As dwelling value growth has slowed over the past year, days on market has increased to 32 days in Hobart and 58 days in regional Tas.
As the housing market is expected to continue to slow over the coming months, days on market may continue to climb unless vendors adjust their price expectations appropriately.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/5/23/May%2023%20CL%20pp%207.JPG" alt="">
In Darwin, properties are currently taking 77 days to sell compared to 67 days a year ago.
Regional NT results are quite volatile because of the low volume of sales however, a year ago sales were taking 75 days compared to 81 days currently.
Despite the ongoing value falls in Darwin there hasn’t been a blowout in days on market although it has recently broken its reducing trend.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/5/23/May%2023%20CL%20pp%208.JPG" alt="">
The days on market figure for Canberra has started to fall over the past month but it has risen from 31 days a year ago to 52 days as the housing market has slowed.
Overall the data points to a longer period of negotiation before a sale.
This reflects the conditions of tougher finance and fewer buyers. In order to have the best chance of achieving a sale vendors should set realistic prices, maximise their marketing campaign to ensure their property stands out from the competition and be prepared to meet market expectations.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/5/23/May%2023%20CL%20pp%209.JPG" alt="">
CAMERON KUSHER is the head of research for the Australian branch of CoreLogic
Kusher regularly posts on the <a href="https://www.corelogic.com.au/taxonomy/corelogic-people/cameron-kusher" target="_blank">CoreLogic website</a>.
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Buyers in control as median selling time trends higher: Cameron Kusher

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EXPERT OBSERVER 
<div id="post-body-2776624239748747914" class="post-body entry-content">
<div>Residential building work done fell another 2½ per cent back in the first quarter of the year, to be 3.2 per cent lower than a year earlier. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Unsurprisingly this largely continued to be driven by apartments and medium-density dwelling activity in Sydney and Brisbane. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>There'll plenty more where this came from in Q2 as well. </div>
 <div class="separator"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P9fueGlywsY/XOSqw1SGT1I/AAAAAAAAwHQ/oS8gzhTWMf0xNkQe5PiVpvTYLuSYPc7vwCLcBGAs/s1600/A1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P9fueGlywsY/XOSqw1SGT1I/AAAAAAAAwHQ/oS8gzhTWMf0xNkQe5PiVpvTYLuSYPc7vwCLcBGAs/s640/A1.jpg" width="640" height="374" data-original-height="814" data-original-width="1387"></a></div>
 <div>More disappointingly engineering construction is also now winding down sharply again, to be some 12.4 per cent lower than a year earlier. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>New South Wales and Queensland held up relatively well on public and infrastructure works.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>But this was a poor result for Western Australia with the lowest level of activity since 2005. </div>
 <div class="separator"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7f-GxgMKemk/XOSqwrR3CnI/AAAAAAAAwHM/3FcMjU_TxqU6nY5J4JioFwIagFIGytCgQCLcBGAs/s1600/A2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7f-GxgMKemk/XOSqwrR3CnI/AAAAAAAAwHM/3FcMjU_TxqU6nY5J4JioFwIagFIGytCgQCLcBGAs/s640/A2.jpg" width="640" height="374" data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1369"></a></div>
 <div>In the post-Ichthys Northern Territory engineering activity is imploding towards zero.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The wrap</div>
<div> </div>
<div>An ugly result, as median market expectations were for total construction activity to be flat, but year-on-year the contraction has now blown out to 6 per cent and falling fast. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Market analysts and the most highly respected RBA-watchers are weighing up the potential for four interest rate cuts, in addition to fiscal stimulus or unconventional policies. </div>
<div> </div>
<div class="separator"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MRH8cCtxeAo/XOSsPDkwFXI/AAAAAAAAwHc/aSxB8JQy6v8ZDcLMoCZonL2IqDap63WzwCLcBGAs/s1600/JG.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MRH8cCtxeAo/XOSsPDkwFXI/AAAAAAAAwHc/aSxB8JQy6v8ZDcLMoCZonL2IqDap63WzwCLcBGAs/s640/JG.jpg" width="640" height="134" data-original-height="154" data-original-width="729"></a></div>
<div> </div>
<div>The skilled vacancies figures for April showed construction jobs and trades down by between 10 and 20 per cent from a year earlier, pushing the monthly result lower once again. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>The trend for skilled vacancies nationwide is now also 6 per cent lower than a year earlier, albeit coming back down from a very high peak in New South Wales and Victoria. </div>
PETE WARGENT is the co-founder of AllenWargent property buyers (London, Sydney) and a best-selling author and <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">blogger</a>. 
</div>
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Construction is winding down sharply: Pete Wargent

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Consolidated Properties Group has sold the management rights to its award-winning Spire Residences in the heart of the Brisbane CBD.
The deal included eight apartments.
The buyer was a private consortium of Queensland-based investors.
The $9 million off-market deal, which has just settled, included the caretaking rights to the building and its grounds over the next 23 years and a property management rental roll of more than 200 apartments.  
The consortium also secured another eight apartments, which will be added to the rental pool. 
In total, the 40-level Spire Residences, at 550 Queen Street, features 340 one and two bedroom apartments, along with on-site facilities including a roof-top infinity edge pool and entertainment deck, gym, cinema and library. 
The building was completed in September 2017 and was recognised with a suite of design and architecture awards last year, including the Residential Architecture - Multiple Housing accolade at the Queensland Architecture Awards.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/5/21/Don%20ORorke%20at%20Spire.png" alt="">
Consolidated Properties Group Executive Chairman Don O'Rorke (pictured above) said the deal was evidence of the continued confidence in the inner Brisbane apartment market. 
"To secure this deal at $9 million is a strong show of faith in Spire Residences and the inner city market," he said. 
"The consortium saw the opportunity the building represented, as one of the few to be completed at the heart of the CBD in recent years, and acted quickly to purchase both the management rights and apartments.
"Spire Residences has been in high demand with renters, particularly young professionals wanting to live and work in the city - so much so that on completion we continued to receive more than 20 new enquiries a week, even after all the available apartments were tenanted."  
O'Rorke said the sale of the management rights would allow Consolidated Properties Group to put its full focus on its pipeline of new projects, including its multi-use urban renewal projects, Cornerstone Living in Sunnybank and Yeerongpilly Green. 
"We felt the time was right to sell this asset and have full confidence in the consortium of investors who have secured the management rights and who share our positivity in the Brisbane residential market," he said. 
<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/2019/5/21/Spire%20Residences%20external%201.jpg" alt="">
Colin Gray, who is part of the private consortium of investors, said the decision to secure Spire Residences' management rights had been an easy one. 
“When the property came up, it took less than an hour to form the view it was a quality management rights business, with a strong return forecast," said Gray. 
"Purchasing the eight apartments for the rental pool is also a show of our confidence to other apartment owners and allows us to demonstrate that, along with the other owners, we too have 'skin in the game'.”   
HWL Ebsworth Lawyers, Pitcher Partners Accountants, Pevy Lawyers and Mike Phipps Finance assisted in the transaction, and Macquarie Bank provided funding for the deal.
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Consolidated Properties Group sells Spire Residences management rights for $9 million

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GUEST OBSERVATION
The Australian Labor Party’s 2019 election campaign showed a depth and breadth of economic policies rare for an opposition party to present. Its policy agenda was boldly extensive. But in developing these policies over the past five years, it seems Labor’s economic minds overlooked some fundamental principles of behavioural economics.
Had greater focus been put on these principles, it is possible Labor would have taken a different approach to selling its credentials, and succeeded in moving more voters its way.
1. People are loss averse
Distinguished psychologists Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman demonstrated in the 1970s that losses have a profound psychological impact and people prefer to avoid them. In 1979 they <a href="https://www.uzh.ch/cmsssl/suz/dam/jcr:00000000-64a0-5b1c-0000-00003b7ec704/10.05-kahneman-tversky-79.pdf">published a paper</a> proposing what they called “prospect theory” – that the pain a person feels from a monetary loss is greater than the pleasure felt from a monetary gain of the same value.
<hr>
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/275783/original/file-20190521-23838-r9kptt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/275783/original/file-20190521-23838-r9kptt.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
<a class="source" href="https://www.economicshelp.org/blog/glossary/prospect-theory/" target="_blank">economicshelp.org</a>
<hr>
As Tversky and Daniel Kahneman put it succinctly: “Losses loom larger than gains.” This means, when faced with uncertain outcomes, most people prefer keeping the status quo to the risk of change.
Labor’s failure to persuade more voters they would gain more than they might lose under its reforms played to the Coalition’s advantage.
The government was able, for example, to make the most of Labor’s policy on negative gearing by playing on the chance all home values would fall, even though modelling suggested any fall would be minor.
It did something similar with Labor’s franking credit, casting it as a “retiree tax”, and playing on fears that big promises to increase spending on welfare, health, education and wages might mean them losing money from other tax changes.
2. Limited decision-making
People’s decisions are limited by the amount of information they have – a concept known as bounded rationality – and giving them more information doesn’t necessarily help.
Our ability to pay attention to two or three things at the same time is much more limited than we think. We tend to be selectively inattentive, screening out information we perceive as unimportant, and preferencing information that confirms existing views.
Economists Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein argued in a 2002 article that bounded rationality demanded “<a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=405940" target="_blank">libertarian paternalism</a>” – limiting the choices offered to voters without eliminating freedom of choice.
Labor went another way – burying voters in an avalanche of policy prescriptions. Arguably it overestimated how much people would absorb, and diluted focus on a few key ideas.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/275608/original/file-20190521-23829-14y6hdh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/275608/original/file-20190521-23829-14y6hdh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
System 1 and 2 thinking. <a class="source" href="http://upfrontanalytics.com/market-research-system-1-vs-system-2-decision-making/" target="_blank">www.upfrontanalytics.com</a>
To understand and compare policy detail, according to <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books/about/Thinking_Fast_and_Slow?id=ZuKTvERuPG8C" target="_blank">economist and psychologist Daniel Kahneman</a>, requires a deliberate and methodical approach – what he calls “System 2 thinking”.
But most media and social media deals in “System 1 thinking”, which responds instinctively to short slogans and repeated messaging.
What Labor failed to do was reconcile System 2 idealism with System 1 necessities.
3. Now is worth more than later
People place a higher value on the short-term over the long-term. From an evolutionary perspective, this bias has no doubt served us well, particularly in times past when the future was much more uncertain.
This disposition informs an important economic concept known as hyperbolic discounting – the tendency for people to increasingly choose a smaller reward sooner over a larger reward later.
Say, for example, you were offered a choice between taking $150 now or $160 in four weeks. Most people would take the $150.
But what if you were asked to choose between $150 in 48 weeks or $160 in 52 weeks? Research shows most people would then elect to wait the extra four weeks to receive the higher amount of money.
So Labor faced the problem of it promising to deliver benefits that might take decades to pan out, such as transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy, while the Coalition was offering immediate tax cuts and cheaper energy prices. Many Australians, we can imagine, preferred the more immediate benefits to the longer-term ones.
Whatever criticisms might be made about other aspects of the campaign, the Coalition’s messaging demonstrated an intuitive understanding of the behavioural biases of individuals.
From its strategy Labor could learn a lot.
Tracey West, Lecturer in Behavioural Finance, Griffith 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/3-lessons-from-behavioural-economics-bill-shortens-labor-party-forgot-about-117404" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Three lessons from behavioural economics Bill Shorten’s Labor Party forgot about: Tracey West

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SPONSORED POST
Key indicators have pointed towards a recent outperformance of expectations for assets located in the Brisbane Uptown precinct. The recent spike in activity has been attributed to trending building upgrades to include shared areas for collaboration and additional building services.
According to <a href="https://www.savills.com.au/research/australian-research.aspx" target="_blank">Savills Research</a>, proactive landlords have enhanced their respective assets by investing significantly through the refurbishment of ground floor lobbies, construction of speculative fit-outs, café amenity space and end of trip facilities.
<a href="https://www.savills.com.au/services-and-sectors/leasing/office-leasing.aspx" target="_blank">Savills Office Leasing</a> Analyst, Hao Chen has identified an uplift in face rents for buildings in this precinct.
“A 5–10% gross face rental growth has been recorded on assets within the Uptown precinct that have undergone capital investment, resulting in a tightening to the overall vacancy factor in the last 12 months,” Mr Chen said.  
Savills Research has recorded an 8.1% drop in vacancy for the uptown precinct in the 12 months to May 2019, currently sitting at 11.9%.
“Landlords who invested into their assets in this precinct last year are now reaping the rewards, providing smaller, agile tenants in the market more favourable office accommodation.”
“Building enhancements and upgrades are becoming an expectation, it seems to be what tenants are looking for and are starting to ask about the buildings capital works plans if the building is starting to look tired upon inspection,” Mr Chen said.
These upgrades form part of landlords’ long-term leasing strategies to add value and enhance the tenant experience, incorporating strategies not only to attract tenants but to also retain them following initial lease expiry.
Mr Chen reports that landlords are strategically repositioning their assets in the market to create a highly desirable commercial address, which incorporates modern design elements and market leading architecture.
In addition to many obvious foyer and end-of-trip facility upgrades, environmental factors are also being considered which include the installation of energy efficient lighting to reduce energy usage and water consumption technology. 
Daniel Paxton of <a href="https://www.savills.com.au/services-and-sectors/leasing/office-leasing.aspx" target="_blank">Savills Office Leasing</a> said that one of the best examples of this trend has been evident with the ISPT upgrades at 100 Creek Street which has resulted in a 25% vacancy reduction. 
“Over the past 12 months, ISPT have staged their upgrade processes to not only ensure they capitalise on a premium product offering, but integrate the re-set into the larger marketing and leasing strategy for the building,” Mr Paxton said.
The significant transformation of 100 Creek Street included not only the upgrade of lobby, lifts and end of trip facilities but also the first of its kind digital canvas centrepiece wrapping around the lift core.
Its design inspiration was aimed at reconnecting tenants to the city’s subtropical surrounds. It features double height pivot door technology, with the lobby opening up to seamlessly meet the city streetscape and embrace the Queensland climate.
Since June 2018, more than 3,000sq m has been leased at the newly repositioned address, with a flight to quality trend that is being washed through from the bordering financial precinct. 
“100 Creek Street is standing out as a major value proposition for tenants as it offers a sophisticated corporate identity without the Eagle Street price tag,” Mr Paxton said.
Another standout example where refurbishment has been a success is Hines’ enhancements at 348 Edward Street.
With substantial capital invested into building refurbishments and upgrades, enhancements include a new ground floor lobby and foyer to include a café offering, fitted suites, two new chillers and the refurbishment of all lift amenities and on floor bathrooms.
<a href="https://www.savills.com.au/services-and-sectors/leasing/office-leasing.aspx" target="_blank">Savills CBD Office Leasing</a> Executive Daniel Byrne said that in the last 12 months 348 Edward Street has seen a 30% vacancy reduction.
“The primary drivers that have contributed to this take up involve landlords offering ‘plug and play’ suites, the right value proposition and an aesthetic refurbishment upgrade,” Mr Byrne said. 
The retail café offering is strategically repositioned to be the only tenant in the lobby with dual inside-outside trading ability, which has been an investment decision focused on driving rents.  
“They made a decision to be forgoing rental to look after their tenants in terms of giving them better amenity, all contributing to the experience of the destination.
“The lobby is now an extension of the office. Increasingly, building owners are looking for places where employees can work, meet, and relax,” Mr Byrne said.
My Byrne said that since the upgrade, tenants have been increasingly more attracted to the prospect of 348 Edward Street, reflective through increased enquiry and inspections of the building.
These are only two examples of landlords who have led the charge in the refurbishment space and are now being backed by the market with the increasing demand for their new product offerings. 
The future looks bright as the market is now in favour of this movement. Brisbane Uptown precinct assets are paving the way for the future, which in turn will continue to improve amenity supply across the board for all Brisbane occupiers.
Savills is a leading global real estate service provider offering the full spectrum of services from strategic advice to managing assets and projects and transacting deals. Hao Chen, Daniel Paxton and Daniel Byrne are members of Savills QLD Office Leasing team. To learn more about Savills, visit <a href="http://www.savills.com.au/" target="_blank">savills.com.au</a>.
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Brisbane Uptown precinct outperforming expectations: Savills

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Savills Research noted a turn-around during the first quarter of 2019 with the Brisbane CBD moving into an upswing cycle with increased leasing activity and stronger investor support. 
Savills’ Quarter Times Report has recorded a steady start to the year with the Brisbane occupier market recording net effective rental growth of circa 2% emerging across varying grade quality of buildings. The report also highlighted yield contraction over the 12 months to March 2019 of circa 25bps across A and B Grade assets.  
Anthony Ott, Savills managing director,  said that the research reflects a strong start for the year. 
“Investment activity across the first quarter was in excess of $1 billion worth of CBD office assets transacted or formally being offered for sale with at least another $1billion worth of assets earmarked for sale during Q2.  
“This follows on from a strong 2018, where sale volumes in the Brisbane CBD totalled circa $2.3 billion,” Mr Ott said. 
According to Savills Research asset values of properties formally marketed in the first quarter of the year were up approximately 50% on the corresponding period in 2018.  
“There is positive investment sentiment given the level of activity not only in the CBD but also the fringe and suburban markets and this is continuing to flow through in the second quarter with a number of owners positioning to divest.” Mr Ott said.  
Comparative value of Brisbane assets relative to Sydney has been a key factor in driving increased investor demand. 
“There is a capital value spread between Brisbane and Sydney of approximately $10,000 per square metre and a yield spread of approximately 115bps, so the metrics are pretty compelling,” Mr Ott said. 
Mr Ott said that new projects and infrastructure activity such as Cross River Rail, Brisbane Metro, Queens Wharf, the second runaway at Brisbane Airport, and the Howard Smith Wharves development will all have a positive influence on investors perspective over the next 5 -10 years. 
“These major projects are giving investors’ confidence that Brisbane is entering a new growth phase,” he said.
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Savills sees Brisbane's office market continue upswing following strong 2018

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The NEXT Hotel in Brisbane has sold to Salter Brothers, formerly the SB&amp;G Group.
The property includes a 304-room hotel operated by NEXT Story Group and a retail component occupying a location fronting Queen Street Mall in Brisbane CBD. 
Melbourne-based Salter Brothers is a global fund manager with a focus on specialist property, credit &amp; private equity, including the ownership of multiple hotel assets in America and Australia.
With the addition of NEXT Brisbane, Salter Brothers hotel portfolio now expands to over 2,400 rooms with seven hotels across Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Brisbane and the Gold Coast. 
Tom Gibson, Vice President of JLL’s Hotels &amp; Hospitality Group, together with Simon Rooney, Head of Retail Investments - Australasia for JLL, brokered the deal off-market. 
Simon Rooney said mixed-use CBD retail assets in prime locations are typically tightly-held.
“The asset benefits from its location on one of the strongest retail strips in Australia.
"Retailers continue to seek locations which maximise foot traffic and exposure for their business which ultimately underpins tenant demand for super-prime retail strips and precincts, especially in CBD markets nationally. "
Andrew Quillfeldt, Senior Director of Retail Research for JLL, said, “CBD retail is one of the strongest performing retail sectors at present". 
"It’s supported by positive underlying drivers such as strong residential population growth as a result of the last development cycle, strong white collar employment growth, strong tourism growth and key infrastructure upgrades in most markets.
The combination of factors is driving retail spending and tenant demand within CBD markets. " 
Formerly known as Lennons Hotel Brisbane, the 4.5 star hotel is primed for growth with its close proximity to the $3.6 billion Queens Wharf Casino, the $2 billion Brisbane Live entertainment precinct and the recently opened $200 million Howard Smith Wharves project. 
“This is a timely acquisition for Salter Brothers to enter Brisbane as the market begins to mature with its record wave of private and public demand-supporting projects underway”. Mr Gibson said. 
Brisbane is currently in the midst of a market repositioning.
The city has over $12 billion worth of private and public infrastructure projects including a second runway, new cruise terminal and underground railway projects.
Furthermore, with the addition of new and overdue luxury hotel product, such as the W Brisbane, Westin Brisbane, Calile James Street and Emporium South Bank, the market is establishing itself as a major global gateway city. 
“With Sydney and Melbourne hotel markets becoming increasingly difficult to enter, we are receiving record interest for other core markets that feature attractive short- to medium-term market fundamentals, as evidenced by the recent liquidity seen in Brisbane and Perth.” Mr Gibson said. 
For Year-To-Date through April 2019, the total number of room nights sold in Brisbane has increased by 3.5%, showing the market’s resilience through the addition of new supply. 
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