<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/smith-by-valli-collingwood-224-228-smith-street-collingwood-vic-3066">Smith Collingwood</a> is a new boutique apartment development bringing a refined, design-led approach to one of Melbourne’s most established inner-city neighbourhoods.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/pandolfini-architects">Pandolfini Architects</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/lisa-buxton-interiors">Lisa Buxton</a>, Smith by Valli sits on iconic Smith Street and comprises just 22 residences tailored toward owner-occupiers seeking a more considered style of apartment living.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140747 project_image_fid=367540]

The design of Smith focuses on a north-facing orientation across all residences, a relatively uncommon feature in dense inner-Melbourne settings. Each apartment has been planned to maximise natural light and outlook, alongside a material palette defined by warm tones, custom joinery, and a full suite of Gaggenau appliances.

The development comprises a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom apartments, with pricing currently ranging from just under $1 million to around $4.85 million for the premium penthouse-level residences, reflecting growing demand for luxury owner-occupier product in Melbourne’s inner urban market.

Residents will also have access to a private rooftop garden designed as an elevated retreat above the city, &nbsp;featuring curated landscaping, veggie boxes, intimate seating areas and spaces for relaxed gatherings. Sustainability has also been integrated into the project through a 7-star energy rating and two secure bicycle facilities for every residence.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140747 project_image_fid=367529]

Smith by Valli sits in the heart of one of Melbourne’s most established retail and hospitality strips, within walking distance of venues such as Falco Bakery, Carnation Canteen and Alimentari, alongside parks and everyday services. With a Walk Score of 99, the location reinforces the project’s positioning toward buyers prioritising walkability and access over car dependency.

With only a limited number of residences, Smith reflects growing demand for smaller, highly curated apartment developments that prioritise design quality, liveability, and connection to neighbourhood character.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=140747]

Joel Robinson

Smith by Valli delivers design-led apartments to Melbourne’s inner north

<a href="https://www.urban.com.au/developers/far-east-consortium">Far East Consortium</a>’s 640 Bourke Street stands as a testament to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.urban.com.au/developments/melbourne-vic-3000">Melbourne</a>’s ability to bridge its storied past with a bold vision for the future.&nbsp;

Rising above the heritage-listed Eliza Tinsley building, the development reflects a broader shift toward adaptive reuse in the city, where historical assets are retained and reinterpreted as part of new residential development.

Designed by <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a>, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/640-bourke-street-melbourne-640-bourke-street-melbourne-vic-3000">640 Bourke Street</a> incorporates the Eliza Tinsley building as its foundation, housing a grand gallery and lobby space that serve as both a functional and symbolic centrepiece. The heritage façade informs the tower’s design, creating a connection between Melbourne’s past and its contemporary skyline.

"It's a significant asset and wants to be celebrated and experienced by all residents every single time they go in and out of the building," Rothelowman Principal Stuart Marsland said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=509 project_image_fid=365684]

Above this historic base, the 68-storey tower will deliver just over 600 residences, a notable reduction from earlier schemes, reflecting a deliberate move toward larger-format apartments and a stronger owner-occupier focus.

Unlike traditional CBD developments that prioritised investor stock, 640 Bourke Street has been repositioned to respond to changing buyer expectations.

"The discussion was all around making 640 Bourke Street the best residence to live in, to be much more focused on the people in the building rather than people looking at the building," Marsland explained.&nbsp;

This shift is evident in the development’s interiors, which emphasise practical luxury with spacious layouts, high ceilings, and floor-to-ceiling windows framing sweeping views of Melbourne and Port Phillip Bay.&nbsp;

“What it's meant for 640 Bourke is we've actually reduced the number of apartments. We've increased the overall size of the apartments. We don't have any studios in here, and what that does for a project is it elevates it," Lauren Sheldon, Far East Consortium’s Director of Sales and Marketing, said.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=509 project_image_fid=365687]

Rothelowman Associate Jun Chang added, "We were given the opportunity to be more generous. The apartments became bigger and squarer than any other apartments which had been designed in the CBD before that."&nbsp;

Amenities spanning more than 3,000 sqm across multiple levels further reinforce this focus on resident experience. These include a pool, gym, co-working areas, and a range of hospitality-inspired spaces such as a whisky lounge, library, and private dining rooms, many drawing reference from traditional bathhouses and Melbourne’s laneway culture.

"We wanted to make both the pool and the gym area to be absolutely destinational, and when you traverse across to these spaces, there is a gentle familiarity to the beautiful notions of the hammams and the Roman baths, a gentle nod to history," Chang noted.

At street level, the project contributes to the ongoing transformation of the western CBD, with upgrades to Langs Lane and the introduction of retail, hospitality, and gallery spaces designed to activate the precinct and strengthen its connection to the surrounding city fabric.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=509 project_image_fid=365689]

The location places residents within walking distance of Southern Cross Station, Flagstaff Gardens, Queen Victoria Market, and the Docklands waterfront, positioning the development within a rapidly evolving inner-city neighbourhood.

"We believe it's the best site left in the city of Melbourne," Craig Williams, Executive Director at Far East Consortium, said.&nbsp;

640 Bourke Street is Far East Consortium’s 14th building in Melbourne’s western CBD.

"A very elegant designed building. It's going to be a Melbourne statement for many, many years to come."

One-bedroom apartments are priced from around $640,000, with 640 Bourke Street targeting completion in 2029.

Renders shown are Artist's Impressions correct as of May 2026.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=509]

Heritage-led design anchors Far East Consortium’s 640 Bourke St, Melbourne

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mayd-group">MAYD Group</a> has set a new residential price record in Queensland with the $30 million sale of the penthouse at its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/one-burleigh-88-the-esplanade-burleigh-heads-qld-4220">ONE Burleigh</a> development in Burleigh Heads.

The sale equates to around $37,500 per sqm.

The two-level, 800 sqm penthouse, featuring five bedrooms, five bathrooms, five car spaces, and a private infinity pool overlooking the Pacific Ocean, was acquired by a Gold Coast-based entrepreneur, highlighting continued demand for ultra-premium beachfront product.

Selling agent Freddie Tehle of PRD Burleigh Heads said the result reflects tightening supply of high-quality, large-format apartments in Burleigh.

“There’s very limited opportunity to secure this level of scale and absolute beachfront position in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/burleigh-heads-qld-4220">Burleigh Heads</a>,” Tehle said.

“Buyers are increasingly seeking apartments that genuinely replace a standalone home, and this penthouse delivers that with its size, privacy, and direct ocean frontage.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146358 project_image_fid=323057]

The sale comes as construction progresses on ONE Burleigh, a boutique development of 17 full-floor residences at 88 The Esplanade, scheduled for completion in early 2027.

Developed by MAYD Group and designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/mas-architecture-studio">MAS Architecture</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/sici-design">Sici Design</a>, the project has been positioned as a collection of house-sized beachfront apartments, each occupying an entire floor with around 381 sqm of internal and external living space.

When construction commenced, MAYD director Todd Mould pointed to the long-term resilience of premium coastal real estate as a key driver behind the project.

“Real estate, particularly at the premium end, remains one of the most resilient and proven long-term investment avenues,” Mould said.

“Our ambition is that anyone who buys a MAYD-built product can genuinely feel the care, craftsmanship and commitment we bring to every detail.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146358 project_image_fid=323055]

Each residence has been configured with four bedrooms, multiple living zones, a private office, and expansive ocean-facing terraces. Interiors draw on a restrained material palette, including travertine stone, timber joinery, and integrated premium appliances.

Interior designer Sici Design said the approach was to reflect the project’s coastal setting through both materiality and spatial planning.

“ONE Burleigh is our vision of luxury living, designed to bring the essence of Burleigh Heads' vibrant coastal beauty into an unparalleled residential experience.”

Residents will have access to a suite of wellness-focused amenities, including pools, sauna facilities, and dedicated relaxation spaces, reflecting a broader shift toward lifestyle-driven apartment design on the Gold Coast.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146358 project_image_fid=323052]

The project occupies a southern Esplanade site with uninterrupted beachfront frontage, an increasingly rare offering in Burleigh Heads, free from the Norfolk Pines that line much of the coastline and often limit direct ocean outlook.

Mould said the design intent was to balance that outlook with a sense of retreat.

“Living at ONE Burleigh is about how your day naturally unfolds, morning light across the ocean, coffee on the balcony, and being in Burleigh but elevated above the noise.”

The result further reinforces Burleigh Heads’ emergence as one of the Gold Coast’s most tightly held and supply-constrained beachfront markets, where boutique, owner-occupier-focused developments are increasingly setting new price benchmarks.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=146358]

MAYD Group sets Queensland record with $30 million penthouse sale at ONE Burleigh in Burleigh Heads

Apartment developers in the Gold Coast are finding new, creative ways to differentiate themselves from competing projects, as new supply starts to flow through up and down the Coast.

Developer BIG Projects brought in the renowned Sydney-based design studio YSG Studio to craft the interiors for The Frederick, BIG Projects' new Mermaid Beach project and YSG Studio's first move into the multi-residential development space.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110588 project_image_fid=5346]

It was a strategic move for BIG Projects to bring in a Sydney eye to the development.

“Our role is to give our design partners the space and freedom to explore,” says Matt Barrett, Director of BIG Projects.

“We wanted YSG Studio to capture the essence of Nobby’s, to design a building that embraces life, light and connection, while creating a genuine sense of place.”

There are only 39 apartments in The Frederick, including a striking beach house, just 100 metres from the booming Nobby Beach precinct.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110588 project_image_fid=5347]

Yasmine Ghoniem, Director of YSG Studio, says their vision&nbsp;for The Frederick "reinvents coastal living."

“Nobby’s has such an iconic energy, it’s one of those rare pockets of the Gold Coast where the community, the beach, and the streets all feel connected,” Ghoniem says.

"Responding to the neighbouring coastline, soothing curves add a relaxing regional overlay, while unique detailing really sets it apart. It’s a place that feels lived in from the moment you step inside.”

A standout feature of The Frederick is its rooftop terrace, an uncommon inclusion for a boutique, low-rise building, where amenity is typically concentrated at ground level.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110588 project_image_fid=5360]

Positioned to capture panoramic views from the hinterland to the ocean, the rooftop has been designed as a series of intimate zones. It includes a pool, sauna, sun decks, workspaces and dedicated entertaining areas.

“The rooftop was conceived as a collection of spaces where residents can unwind and connect, an extension of the Nobby’s lifestyle,” Barrett says.

Architecture for the project was led by Plus Studio, with landscape design by LDG Landscape Architecture.

SRQ Projects Director Nick Clydsdale, who is handling sales at The Frederick, says the majority of enquiry is coming from South East QLD and Victorian buyers who have been actively searching between Broadbeach and Mermaid Beach for some time.

"They’ve reviewed a number of projects, however this one has stood out for its unique detailing and compelling design,"&nbsp;Clydsdale says.

Site demolition is slated for this month, with construction commencing soon after. BIG Projects is targeting a late 2027 completion.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=110588]

Sydney’s YSG Studio makes Gold Coast multi-residential debut with BIG Projects at The Frederick

Melbourne-based property developer ALTA Property has this week achieved planning approval for the adaptive re-use of a former commercial tower into a $200 million, 169-apartment project at 10 Queens Road, one of the last developable sites along the Albert Park Lake-fronting boulevard.&nbsp;

Set within one of Melbourne’s most sought-after precincts and designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fraser-partners-0">Fraser and Partners</a>, the illustrious building will offer unparalleled views across Albert Park Lake, Port Phillip Bay and Melbourne CBD.&nbsp;

The mix of 1, 2 and 3-bedroom residences will be complemented by a ground-floor amenity featuring private dining, a lounge bar, gym and wellness spaces, co-working, outdoor communal gardens, and retail.&nbsp;

The 17-storey building is a masterclass in adaptive re-use, with the existing commercial building’s façade, shell and internal structure to be retained, before high-end residences are built from the ground up in a newly built Albert Park facing addition to the building.&nbsp;

Sitting atop the building will be two 320+sqm penthouses with private rooftop terraces, which are expected to be priced between $9 - $11 million.&nbsp;

<img alt="ALTA Property achieves permit approval for $200 million Queens Road tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="aa11211b-5581-43f9-940c-fc84d30a0e61" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/C_04.png?VersionId=Yhf5p_1EgGDu_zOIMFgvA8Ug8j3sTFQs" />

Architecturally, the building will feature a curved, geometric façade that celebrates and elevates the existing structure, with warm, muted tones which were selected to extend the materiality of the existing building rather than contrast it.&nbsp;

Interiors will bring together three metre high ceilings with waffle concrete in some spaces, natural timber, granite and Australian materials, culminating in crafted, generous and considered spaces that are defined by authenticity.&nbsp;

The adaptive re-use means that the Queens Road project will be a sustainability led, high-quality finished product, with a 62% saving in carbon emissions by re-using the existing structure rather than knocking it down and rebuilding.&nbsp;

ALTA Property was launched by Nigel Givoni in 2023, bringing over 25 years of experience in multi level residential delivery.&nbsp;

Melbourne’s property market growth is currently led by apartments. According to RPM VIC Apartments &amp; Townhomes Market Report (April 2026), units are outpacing houses, especially in the middle ring suburbs where median prices hit $757,500 – a four-year high that represents 2.9 percent growth quarter-on-quarter.&nbsp;

<img alt="ALTA Property achieves permit approval for $200 million Queens Road tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="647e13d7-b4bc-433a-9bc9-fe3c3dd4f2ec" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/V_06.png?VersionId=ou4NUCWUgA3NAy.6CQJlEdKX50j3dOk6" />

For ALTA Property Founder Nigel Givoni, this performance speaks to the confidence he has in the Melbourne market.&nbsp;

“Queens Road represents a rare opportunity to continue to shape our presence in the Melbourne market.,"&nbsp;Givoni says.

"With a considered project team and a premier site along one of the city’s most sought-after boulevards, we look forward to contributing to the fabric of this established address.

“Other Australian markets are getting a lot of attention, but I believe the depth of value in Melbourne is being overlooked. The fundamentals are strong, population growth is steady and, based on our preliminary conversations with a leading builder, construction costs are beginning to normalise, creating further opportunity."

Givoni says the project is a&nbsp;highly considered example of adaptive re-use, delivering quality, high-end residences, premium hotel-inspired amenities and an architecturally striking façade, all achieved without the need to remove the existing structure.

"We are really looking forward to the market’s response,” he said.&nbsp;

ALTA Property to deliver $200 million Queens Road apartment tower

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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Mirvac Group has secured three new tenants at its A-grade office building at 90 Collins Street, Melbourne.
They take the building to 100 per cent leased. 
Click Energy has leased over 1,300 square metres for a five-year term.
An eight-year term has been secured with Merricks Capital for approximately 500 square metres.
A five-year term has been secured with McDonald Murholme for over 900 square metres. 
Mirvac’s Paul Bezzina said the building offers 21,000 square metres workspace over 21 levels along with luxury brand retailers on the ground floor and basement parking for 111 cars.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Mirvac's 90 Collins Street, Melbourne fully leased

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iProsperity (iPG) has listed its Park Regis Hotel asset in Sydney with offers due March 13.
The 122-room hotel stratum comprises 10 levels of the 45-level mixed-use tower.
Located at the corner of Park and Castlereagh streets, the hotel comes with an outdoor rooftop pool along with 39 car spaces. 
iPG Group CEO, Michael Gu said Sydney’s hotel market remains "the red-hot stand-out performer in the Asia Pacific region".
iPG purchased it in 2016.
The hotel is being offered with a management agreement with Staywell Holdings, a subsidiary of the Japan-based Prince Seibu group, which provides an annual underwrite of the trading performance until the end of 2021.
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Park Regis Hotel placed on the market by iPG

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The large format retail sector has suffered a slump in the pace of consumer spending growth over the last couple of years, from a peak of over 9% (in moving annual terms) to just 2%, BIS Oxford Economics’ latest Large Format Retail Property report noted.
This weak demand/strong supply scenario created challenged for landlords. the study author, Maria Lee said,
Lee said the silver lining for large format retail centres was the increasing ability for them to incorporate non-traditional tenants.
"We’re seeing more gyms, play centres, medical centres, chemists, baby goods shops, pet supplies outlets and other uses," said Lee.
"This broadening of tenant mix not only improves visitation across the week but also helps keep a lid on vacancies.
"Importantly, these tenants often pay a higher rent than the traditional large format tenants."
The report noted that planning policy across the country is gradually moving towards greater flexibility for large format centres and that, even where policy is theoretically very restrictive, there are numerous instances of exceptions being made.
However, Lee cautions that the sheer speed and quantum of the impending supply peak is likely to cause some temporary fallout.
"Locational imbalances of supply and demand could see some centres suffer.
"And smaller centres, in particular, are at risk of falling income if one or two tenants fall over in the continuing challenging retailing conditions."
It noted weak consumer demand is set to continue to the end of the decade, against a backdrop of muted economic and household income growth.
Meanwhile, supply is surging as former Masters stores are converted into large format retail centres and as other projects that had been trying to secure pre-commitment for some time now go ahead.
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Large format retail property face challenges: BIS Oxford Economics 

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GUEST OBSERVER
A Productivity Commission report analysing competition in the financial sector has pointed out that our finance regulators have become enablers of an industry that is an impediment to our economic competitiveness and exploitative of their most loyal customers.
It proves the need for a board to oversee the conduct of our financial regulators, policing the bodies that are supposed to be keeping our financial system in check.
It could not have come at a worse time for our big four banks. Perennially pilloried for their rampant market misconduct (fraudulently manipulating benchmark interest rates) and their equally rampant abuse of upwards of hundreds of thousands of consumers across every one of their retail operations at one stage or another – financial advice, life insurance and credit card insurance, just to name a few.
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) most recently launched a bank-bill swap rate manipulation case against the Commonwealth Bank, but only across a very narrow range of infringements. The bulk of the infringements can’t be prosecuted because ASIC has dithered for so long, the statute of limitations has run out, and the alleged crimes have proscribed.
And what of our other financial regulator - the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA)? The Productivity Commission reckons that APRA’s ham-fisted use of macro-prudential tools, usually used to reduce risk in our financial system, has benefited the big four banks to the tune of A$1 billion.
APRA has been criticised for pursuing stability in a manner that has killed competition, hurt consumers, and starved small businesses of life-giving capital. The dominance by a few banks, whose profits are based on runaway property prices, is its own systemic threat.
The result is that small banks are squeezed out, big banks raking in higher rates, and investors offsetting higher rates against their taxes and so costing the Australian Taxation Office an estimated A$500 million in deductions. As the old saying goes, when your only tool is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.
Who will regulate the regulators?
So what to do about ASIC and APRA? Back in 2014, the Financial System Inquiry recommended a board of oversight – a regulator for the regulators – to ensure that the regulators discharge their mandates.
So, for example, to ensure that ASIC acts like a cop, not a co-op; that APRA acts with foresight and finesse, as opposed to damaging competition. APRA and ASIC pushed back at the time, and the Abbott government rejected the recommendation.
Now to add impetus to the Financial System Inquiry recommendation, the Productivity Commission says there is a lack of transparency and accountability exhibited by our regulators. Add to that the implications regarding regulator’s efficacy that comes with the establishment of the Financial Services Royal Commission. The public deserves better than this.
A regulator for the regulators – a Financial Regulator Assessment Board – would conduct ex post analyses of how regulators had discharged their mandates, evaluate their policies and the efficacy of their policy tools. It would be a sober second thought, and a crucial mechanism of double redundancy – to pick up on crucial elements that the regulator may have overlooked.
The idea has form. The British have created something similar, called a Financial Policy Committee, this body’s aim is to review the British regulators, while keeping a look-out for where the next “bombshell” may come from.
That development in turn builds on the work of James Barth, Gerard Caprio and Ross Levine whose research indicates that regulators simply cannot be trusted to perform these crucial functions as the guardians of finance, without oversight. The researchers call their proposed board of oversight the “Sentinel”, and point out that no industry is more adept and more practised at suborning the guardians of finance than banks and insurers. Sound familiar?
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/91396/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">Australia’s financial system is increasingly governed by a lawless financial sector, presided over by regulators that are at best misguided, and at worst captured. A board of oversight is the least we can do.
Andrew Schmulow, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Western Australia
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/australias-financial-regulators-need-policing-91396" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Australia's financial regulators need policing: Andrew Schmulow

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GUEST OBSERVER
Green and public spaces must be safe, inclusive and accessible for all. In Australia, however, most young women do not feel safe in public spaces, especially after dark or when walking alone. Welcoming public spaces are also in decline in the US.
Calls to enhance the built environment for the benefit and well-being of half of humanity, the 3.5 billion people living in cities today, have never been so strong, especially since Habitat III.
Universal access to safe and inclusive public spaces is a key target of Sustainable Development Goal 11. A follow-up placemaking training event at the ninth World Urban Forum (WUF9), starting this week in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, will continue this global discussion on co-creating inclusive public spaces.
Yet improving public space requires significant investment. To ensure that city governments, private developers and citizen experts continue to make meaningful investments in creating better public parks, playgrounds, streets and sidewalks, we need to be able to assess the public value of such spaces.
So what are the ingredients of success?
For a public space to be seen as safe, comfortable and successful, a diverse range of people need to actively use it. In a workshop at the 2017 EcoCity World Summit in Melbourne, experts discussed challenges in everyday practices of developing and maintaining inclusive public spaces. The discussions led to a common understanding of what these spaces look like.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/202683/original/file-20180121-110121-1i0ofzy.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
A workshop at the EcoCity World Summit in Melbourne. Author provided
Several key elements of successful public space were identified:
<ul>
<li>
Public space should not favour specific groups or promote gentrification. Sometimes, architectural design of public spaces can restrict the free use of space.
</li>
<li>
Inclusive spaces work by encouraging a diverse mix of people who feel safe and comfortable in them. This mix should be intergenerational as well as intercultural.
</li>
<li>
Inclusive spaces can thrive only when they are open, free and accessible. The space should allow some flexibility in its use to suit changing needs. When streets and plazas accommodate multiple activities, they are activated at all times, even if used differently at different times.
</li>
<li>
Inclusive spaces must respect and acknowledge the needs of all genders and recognise children as active users of space. World Vision International, for instance, engages children as change agents who inform planning decisions for better and safer spaces.
</li>
<li>
Public space is accessible when it is well integrated and connected with surrounding land uses and transport options. If we design for people rather than cars, we can create places that more people are able to access and use.
</li>
</ul>
Inclusion depends on real participation
Participatory processes are incomplete without integrating community voice, building place-based relationships, fostering a sense of belonging and encouraging open communication in communities.
To achieve long-term success, it is important to understand how citizens can contribute to creating more inclusive spaces. Any space-changing project needs to nurture community and foster a sense of belonging among neighbouring residents.
Co-designing with the local community is crucial for a space to have a long-term sustainable impact and maintain continuous engagement. In Hobart’s Macquarie Point, for example, in addition to successfully building partnerships between multiple stakeholders, the project applied a phased activation plan, to allow the community to slowly engage with the spaces.
People have different ways of voicing their opinions. These different means of expression and participation need to be recognised when designing an inclusive space. Storytelling is one powerful tool to share and listen to local histories of place. It helps create meaningful city spaces that are valuable to the whole community.
Technology promises new and innovative ways of engaging communities. Crowdsourcing is one approach to tap into the community and encourage them to share their experience in their use of public space.
Plan International’s map-based community engagement tool allowed women to chart safe and unsafe spaces in the city and comment on them. This was an effective way for women with similar experiences to come together virtually and volunteer information.
However, easy translation of data into usable information to be shared widely is equally important for any participatory exercise.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/204498/original/file-20180201-123833-1iy7ogt.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Many elements go into creating an inclusive public space. Author provided
Evaluating success of public spaces
Workshop participants found it particularly challenging to find the most effective means to measure the success of public spaces. Few appraisal tools exist to measure the quality of public space.
The project evaluation component almost always falls by the wayside as the impact of public spaces takes longer to manifest but is crucial to sustaining these spaces.
The workshop discussion highlighted the need to further explore evaluation tools that help ensure projects and initiatives have lasting outcomes.
The next steps
Public space is a critical ingredient of liveable cities. It is also recognised as important for sustainable urban development.
Getting it right requires investment in research, programming, information and advocacy.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/89961/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">Health, well-being and prosperity all depend on the rightful use of public space to create communities that are inclusive and connected for the benefit of everyone.
SriPallavi Nadimpalli, PhD Candidate, University of Melbourne
Iderlina Mateo-Babiano, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, University of Melbourne 
Joyati Das, Associate, Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, University of Melbourne
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/putting-the-pieces-together-to-create-safe-public-spaces-for-all-89961">original article</a>.
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Putting the pieces together to create safe public spaces for all

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The latest research from North Sydney Cityscope shows sales have decreased in total value in the quarter to January 2018.
Sales recorded in the most recent quarter totalled $730.3 million from 50 sales, a decrease in total value compared to the $962.3 million from 71 sales in the quarter to October 2017 and an increase from the $539.4 million from 71 sales in the quarter to July 2017.
This quarter brings the twelve-month total value of sales to $2.752 billion, a large increase from the $1.872 billion recorded for the previous year.
The table below shows sales recorded for the past eight updates of North Sydney Cityscope.
<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/2018/2/6/ns%201.jpg" alt="">
Notable sales for the January 2018 update of North Sydney Cityscope include:
<ul>
<li>Charter Grove at 29-57 Christie Street Mall, Crows Nest, a seven-storey office building over a three-level basement car park for 307 cars and a building area of 14,400 sqm and Charters Grove Sports Complex at 29 Christie Street Mall, Crows Nest, which includes a swimming pool, tennis court and a child care centre, were bought together for a total of approximately $160 million through Savills;</li>
<li>73 Miller Street, North Sydney, a 12-storey commercial building with ground floor retail, a restaurant and two levels of basement car parking for 159 cars and with a net lettable area of 14,670 sqm, which was bought for $150 million and</li>
<li>A half share in the Cisco Systems Building at 201 Pacific Highway, North Sydney, a 10-storey commercial building with 8 additional levels of basement car parking for 262 vehicles and a net lettable area of 16,578 sqm, was bought for $85.8 million. </li>
</ul>
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Properties listed as for sale in the January 2018 update in the areas covered by North Sydney Cityscope include: 
<ul>
<li>The stalled Davenport development at 563-565 Pacific Highway, St Leonards, a development site at excavation stage on a 284 sqm block, which is for sale through Property Fox; </li>
<li>118 Alexander Street, Crows Nest, a single-storey house on a site area of 390 sqm, which is for sale through Property Fox and</li>
<li>254 Military Road, Neutral Bay, a two-storey brick building with ground floor retail and a building area of 220 sqm, for sale through Victor Kelly Estate Agent. </li>
</ul>
Leasing opportunities in the January 2018 update in the areas covered by North Sydney Cityscope include:
<ul>
<li>141 Walker Street, North Sydney, a 24-storey office building which comprises basement parking for 209 cars, ground floor retail space and landscaped terrace and forecourt, ground and upper ground level shops and restaurant, and 22 floors of offices, which has office space of 200 to 3,755 sqm available through Dexus Property Group; </li>
<li>Northpoint at 100 Miller Street, North Sydney, a 32-storey office building of with a two-level arcade of specialty shops and basement parking for 423 cars over 6 levels, has office space of 26 to 941 sqm available through JLL North Sydney and Colliers International and</li>
<li>170 Pacific Highway, McMahons Point, a five-storey building with retail space on the ground floor and commercial space on the upper floors, with basement parking for 129 cars, which has office space of 300 to 1,200 sqm available through Cadigal Office Leasing.</li>
</ul>
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North Sydney commercial property market update; Citiscope

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Frasers Property Australia has purchased a 23 hectare parcel of industrial land in Braeside from Saltview Pty Ltd, a Hudson Conway subsidiary company.
Lynton Williams from Savills brokered the deal.
The land parcel is located on the corner of Governor Road and the proposed Mordialloc Bypass in Melbourne’s South-Eastern suburb of Braeside.
The acquisition of Braeside has been described as a natural extension of its 116 hectare The Key Industrial Park in Keysborough, which is approaching completion.
Braeside’s masterplan will comprise a mix of options including land sales, A-grade buildings for leases and turnkey opportunities for owner-occupiers.
Braeside estate is located adjacent to Mordialloc Bypass with construction set to commence by mid-2019. 
Frasers Property has recently completed several transactions in The Key Industrial Park including a 16,000sqm turnkey warehouse for ARB ($19.4 million) and ten year leases with Stanley Black &amp; Decker (21,722sqm), CH2 (21,200sqm), Silvan (11,948sqm), Rubies Deerfield (9,030sqm). The Stanley Black &amp; Decker and CH2 facilities are owned by Frasers Logistics &amp; Industrial Trust.
These combined transactions total $122 million worth of new purpose-built facilities. To date Stanley Black &amp; Decker and ARB have moved into the estate, while Silvan, Rubies Deerfield and CH2 are all expected to move into their warehouses in the first half of this year.
Frasers Property has also recently sold 16 lots in The Key Industrial Park – Stage 8 ranging in size from 1,999sqm to 4,071sqm totalling $17.4 million.
Braeside estate is expected to launch in mid-2018. 
 
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Savills secure Hudson Conway sale at Braeside

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Lawson Arcade, the prime retail and office building in Byron Bay, has been listed for sale with expectations of more $5.5 million.
It last traded for $5.26 million in 2003, so slow price growth for the commercial investment.
The commercial property offers 15 metre frontage to the busy Lawson Street.
It has been listed fully let.
Lawson Arcade on 865 sqm comprises a modern, double storey brick building of nearly 600 sqm. 
It has three shops, two restaurants and four office suites, with a gross annual income of around $465,000.
There was a recent $250,000 refurbishment which included interior exterior paint, new LED lighting, tenant signage and landscaping.
Teska Carson agent Michael Ludski is marketing the commercial building inconjunction with Byron Bay Property Sales agent Kathy Vaubel.
"There is no doubt that Byron Bay is one of the most popular beach resorts in Australia attracting high levels of tourists – currently more than two million - throughout the year," Ludksi says.
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Lawson Arcade at Byron Bay set for investor battle

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<div>
Commercial property agency JLL's Australian arm have seen revenue rise for the eighth consecutive year.
Revenues were up 17 per cent in the 2017 calendar year on 2016, with profits 18 per cent in the past year.
The Australian Financial Review said the result was led by contributions from JLL's facilities management business.
Facilities management revenues rose 67 per cent year-on-year after the agency won large government outsourcing contracts.
</div>
<div>Its chief executive of JLL Australia, Stephen Conry, said the company's whole of Australian government contract win covering 34 government entities and its Victorian government contract win covering 276 properties were behind the large increase in revenue from facilities management.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The agency booked a 13 per cent lift in its property management fees.</div>
<div>
JLL's investment sales business had revenues up year-on-year by 10 per cent
The commercial real estate agency booked a record full year revenue of $US7.9 billion in its global operations.
</div>
<div>
In its Asia Pacific business, revenue rose 20 per cent to $US1.6 billion and fee revenue was up 14 per cent to $US1.2 billion.
The increase in 2017 fee revenue was led by Greater China, Australia, India and Japan, the company said. 
Meanwhile US listed real estate agency CBRE recorded an all-time high for both revenue and earnings in 2017, driven by occupier outsourcing and leasing fee revenue.
<div>
Global revenue hit $US14.2 billion ($18 billion), an increase of nine per cent, with CBRE's Pacific business reporting a record revenue result in the fourth quarter after a nine per cent increase in revenue compared with the previous corresponding quarter.
CBRE's president and chief executive for the Pacific, Ray Pittman said the performance was driven by brokerage and professional services teams.
</div>
<div>
However, APAC sales revenue fell seven per cent compared with the fourth quarter of 2016, when sales had surged 42 per cent.
</div>
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JLL Australia see revenues rise for eighth year

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The first stage of the $1.5 billion Ripley Town Centre has secured an array of new leases as construction of the $40 million project is well advanced.
The latest leases lift its occupancy to over 80 per cent in what will be a marketplace-style centre anchored by a Coles supermarket.
It will be supported by 20 specialty stores, a medical centre and commercial office space.
Ripley Town Centre has secured tenancies from liquor giant BWS, a bakery, newsagent, nail salon, hairdresser, massage centre and café.
The Victoria-based Quay Family Healthcare signed up for the major medical centre to operate on the site.
Other health and medical tenants secured include The Discount Chemist, dentist Dr Nauv Kashyap who is opening his eighth South East Queensland practice, and Ipswich veterinarian Andrew Hemming who is targeting a second surgery to complement his existing Flinders View Veterinary Surgery.
Construction of the 9000sqm first stage is now well advanced with the roof installed, glazing and shopfronts currently being installed.  
“We’re pleased with construction progress over the past year, and we’re thrilled to see the number of retailers and commercial businesses moving to capitalise on the potential of the regional town centre,” said Ripley Town Centre development manager Taku Hashimoto. 
The new regional hub will service up to 120,000 people expected to call the Ripley region home over the coming years.
Ripley Town Centre has implemented several sustainability initiatives to secure a 5 Star Green Star Design through the installation of 1800 individual solar panels, with the majority to be installed on the 360 vehicle carpark shade structures as part of the 480kW system that will help generate a sizable portion of the town centre’s power needs at peak times.
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