Around 400 additional homes could be built at Southwark Grounds on Port Road, lifting total site capacity from 1300 to around 1700 dwellings.

A recently approved code amendment would allow apartment towers of up to 14 storeys in some areas of Renewal SA’s redevelopment of the former West End Brewery.

Renewal SA Acting Chief Executive Shane Wingard said he welcomed the code amendment, with the increase in heights and homes making a positive impact on the supply of high-quality, well-connected housing close to the city.

“By going higher across some parts of Southwark Grounds, we are adding a substantial number of very well-located homes with little impact on project delivery time or planned open space,” Mr Wingard said.

Since the project officially launched in 2025, Mr Wingard said more than 12,000 enquiries had been received about living at Southwark Grounds.

“The very strong early interest we’ve seen since homes were first released in the precinct reinforces our plans to create more housing opportunities,” he said.

The Southwark Grounds code amendment was launched in December last year, with community engagement undertaken over five weeks from January.

It proposed increasing maximum building heights from eight to 14 storeys on the eastern section of Southwark Grounds, and to 12 storeys across the remainder of the site, with minimum building heights ranging from two to four storeys.

The code amendment was implemented through an Early Commencement policy in late January, allowing developers to quickly explore the viability of increased height and housing yield while other planning processes continue.

One of the first developers delivering apartment sites have already finalised redesigns to increase the number of apartments following the code amendment.

Samaras’ development adjacent to the future Colonel Light Park is now planning to deliver 125 apartments across 11 storeys, significantly greater than original plans of around 50 apartments across four storeys.

The developer is also exploring the potential for additional affordable housing outcomes.

Most of the apartments at Southwark Grounds will be delivered within a master-planned precinct on a large parcel of land on the eastern portion of the site, covering around two-thirds of its 8.4 hectares.

Wingard said detailed precinct planning over the coming months may identify further opportunities to increase yield further that could see total apartment numbers at Southwark Grounds, exceed this number.

Affordable homes at Southwark Grounds will also see a net increase, with Renewal SA maintaining its commitment to a minimum of 20 per cent affordable housing across the development.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Civil works have begun across the site, with construction under way on the first new roads surrounding a townhouse precinct in the south‑west corner of Southwark Grounds. This includes Renewal SA’s 17 Founder’s Row homes, which are on track for completion by Christmas.

“We expect to have people living at Southwark Grounds by the end of the year, so delivering roads and public spaces for those residents is among our highest priorities.”

Construction of 40 townhouses off Anderson Street, known as West Village and being delivered by Contour, is forecast to begin in mid‑2026. Kolabb’s Anderson Lane development will follow shortly after, delivering a further 26 townhouses.

Southwark Grounds is a state government‑led urban renewal project now set to deliver around 1,700 homes over the next decade.

Homes will be supported by a supermarket, a range of retail and hospitality offerings anchored by a revitalised Walkerville Brew Tower, a childcare centre, car parking and well‑connected public spaces.

Joel Robinson

400 new homes planned for Adelaide's former West End Brewery site

Brisbane developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/cavcorp">Cavcorp</a> has lodged plans for a new mixed-use residential development at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/55-wyandra-street-teneriffe-qld-4005">55 Wyandra Street</a>, Teneriffe, anchored by an 85-metre public laneway designed to reconnect the suburb’s riverfront with the Gasworks precinct.

The buildings, known as Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane, would replace the existing Queensland Cotton head office site with a 15-storey residential tower transitioning to eight storeys toward Helen Street. The project has been designed by Plazibat Architects and lodged as a code assessable development application for 93 apartments across a 3,401 sqm mixed-use site within the Newstead and Teneriffe Waterfront neighbourhood plan.

Central to the scheme is the transformation of an existing service easement into a publicly accessible cross-block connection linking Wyandra and Helen Streets. Cavcorp says the new laneway will act as both a pedestrian shortcut and a landscaped civic space between the Teneriffe Riverwalk, ferry terminal, and Gasworks precinct.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="26e7f058-b065-4de8-b13d-a2b8cb64dfcc" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/bldg.png?VersionId=sELS0ZKYi361oYipUa1BIKfe_.DLZoFV" />

“The revised proposal delivers a legacy public-realm cross-block link, permanently secured for community use, transforming an existing private easement into a safe, high-quality pedestrian connection between the Teneriffe heritage riverwalk and the Gasworks–Long Island precinct,” the planning report states.

The laneway will sit beneath a large subtropical loggia integrated into the podium levels of the development. The design incorporates deep landscaping, water gardens, lobby spaces, business lounges, and ground-floor apartments to create what Cavcorp describes as a climate-responsive “urban verandah.”

The tower itself has been designed as a slender form with recessed floorplates and curved translucent corners inspired by contemporary Japanese architecture. The building height aligns with the Commercial Road precinct controls, which permit towers up to 15 storeys within proximity to Longland Street.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a8a17d40-43b6-4718-b3fd-67676fcbb485" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/pers%202_1.png?VersionId=i3VwDtp5AmL_8InW7w4qRbDFEpb744Jt" />

The project will comprise a mix of larger-format apartments aimed at owner-occupiers, downsizers, and families. The proposed apartment mix includes 11 loggia apartments across the lower levels, 50 four-bedroom Sky-Terrace apartments from levels three to seven, and 32 Sky-Pool Homes occupying the upper tower levels. The Sky-Pool Homes will feature private thermal plunge pools integrated into oversized balconies.

According to the application, the apartments are intended to reinterpret the scale and character of Teneriffe’s woolstore conversions and Queensland homes within a vertical residential format.

“The sky-pool homes build on Cavcorp’s previous projects and introduce a distinct apartment typology to Teneriffe, informed by both local and international precedent and responding to an identified market demand for enhanced safety, space and amenity,” the planning submission notes.

A major focus of the proposal is its five-level wellness and lifestyle offering, extending from the basement through to the rooftop.

Amenities proposed include a rooftop Swim &amp; Racquet Club with a 25-metre Olympic lap pool and tennis court, coworking spaces and libraries, golf simulators, wine storage, concierge facilities, business lounges, pet wash areas, and rooftop longevity-focused wellness spaces with spas, outdoor fitness zones, and landscaped terraces.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="944b352c-49b9-4247-a4c6-5967b4b69fda" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/amenity.png?VersionId=Ed_qKjAtMwFT.5gfl3jiA9QwdWxSMsaX" />

All parking will be concealed within basement levels accessed from Wyandra and Helen Streets. Cavcorp says the deep-basement engineering approach allows the entire ground plane to prioritise landscaping, pedestrian movement, and active frontage rather than vehicle infrastructure.

The development continues Cavcorp’s concentration in Newstead and Teneriffe, where the Brisbane developer has delivered a number of apartment projects including Lucent, Le Bain, and Luminare, as well as the Long Island Wellness Precinct nearby. Several of those projects have received national design and architecture awards, including recognition under Brisbane’s “Buildings that Breathe” program.

Cavcorp unveils wellness-focused Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane apartment buildings

Focus Group Investments has lodged plans for a new apartment development at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/64-70-hanover-street-fitzroy-vic-3065">64–70 Hanover Street</a> in Fitzroy, seeking to utilise the Victorian Government’s recently introduced Great Design Fast Track pathway to accelerate approvals for the project.

The proposal is among the latest developments to emerge through the state-led initiative, which was established to fast-track well-designed residential projects in activity centres and transport-connected inner-city locations. The pathway allows qualifying developments that meet elevated design and housing benchmarks to bypass traditional council planning timeframes and instead be assessed directly by the Department of Transport and Planning.

Designed by SJB, the development will comprise a mix of apartments above activated lower levels, with a strong focus on architectural articulation, landscaping, and communal amenity. The design response seeks to balance the industrial character of Richmond’s former warehouse precincts with a more contemporary residential form.

<img alt="First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Richmond apartments" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="abea51cc-d85b-479e-9aef-a589f3b37ca7" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/ground.png?VersionId=e1Kf8EyPWwyiVumtqQ4rM5S4GpOR3CCz" />

Proposed are 63 new dwellings, a wide ranging mix of studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, and townhouses and duplexes. They will be spread across a part-three, part-eight storey building.

The Planning and Urban Context Report by Tract says the development is of an "exemplary architectural standard" and has been carefully crafted by SJB Architects.

"Dwellings&nbsp;will benefit from excellent access to natural light, cross-ventilation opportunities and extensive communal space," the report noted.

The architectural material highlights the project’s integration of landscaped elements and communal spaces throughout the building. The proposal also incorporates sustainability initiatives aligned with the Victorian Government’s push for higher-performing apartment developments under the fast-track program.

The Great Design Fast Track was unveiled by the Victorian Government in 2024 as part of a broader housing supply strategy aimed at accelerating the delivery of new homes. Projects assessed through the pathway must demonstrate high-quality architecture, sustainability outcomes, and housing diversity while being located close to public transport and existing infrastructure.

<img alt="First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Richmond apartments" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="afdbe834-8dc4-4a77-a943-ba07bc927348" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/site_11.png?VersionId=0J657j.TaChAZfp93wqJYBTqSsnREJx2" />

Focus Group, founder and led by Paul De Lutiis, is increasingly active across Melbourne’s inner suburbs, targeting well-connected urban renewal locations suited to medium and higher-density residential development. The Fitzroy proposal continues that strategy, leveraging the area’s strong transport links, established retail amenity, and proximity to the CBD.

Fitzroy has been one of the most popular spots for developers and buyers in recent years. The likes of PACE Development Group, SMA Projects, Crema Group and Chapter Group, currently selling projects in the suburb.

First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Fitzroy apartments

The Gold Coast Planning Committee has supported the preliminary approval for the Benowa Gardens Urban Village project following an extensive community consultation and assessment process.

The proposal will now proceed to a full council vote on June 2.

The application sought approval for a masterplanned urban village on the existing Benowa Gardens Shopping Centre site, combining new housing, retail, dining, health and lifestyle amenities within a walkable, integrated precinct.&nbsp;

The proposed redevelopment includes around 413 apartments integrated above a revitalised mixed-use centre featuring a full-line supermarket of 4,000 sqm, 6,000 sqm of specialty retail and dining space across around 30 retailers, a 7,000 sqm health and wellness precinct, and roughly 9,630 sqm of office and medical suites.&nbsp;

<img alt="$1b Benowa Gardens Urban Village moves to Full Council following Planning Committee support" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fb36ae47-80bc-45f0-9914-31b0c7b6007d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/PR26576%20Ashmore%20Road%20C4%201121%20FI.jpg?VersionId=6mRKk2uU4r67TmTt39DKGUlvFRbTVqWa" />

The broader masterplan also includes very significant traffic and transport improvements, wide pedestrian walkways, upgraded pedestrian and cycle connections, and enhanced public areas designed to create a more connected and walkable community environment.&nbsp;

Centre owner Patrick Lu said the milestone reflected months of detailed planning, technical assessment and ongoing communication with local residents, businesses, schools and stakeholders.

“We appreciate the time, consideration and care Council officers and the Planning Committee have given this proposal throughout the assessment process,” Lu said.

“We also sincerely thank the local community for engaging with us, sharing feedback and participating in the consultation process over many months.

<img alt="$1b Benowa Gardens Urban Village moves to Full Council following Planning Committee support" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="32fd1fc3-d0e6-485f-ac57-9916c9bcb818" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/PR26576%20Ashmore%20Road%20C5%201121%20FI_2.jpg?VersionId=fz8qQKDBLQ7MyFRc856Zccfbh9nFwLOe" />

“We understand projects of this scale bring questions and concerns, which is why we have worked hard to listen carefully, provide information transparently and continue refining elements of the proposal where possible.

“Our vision has always been to create a well-designed, community-focused urban village that responds to the changing needs of the Gold Coast, while delivering improved amenity, housing diversity, healthcare access and local lifestyle benefits.

“This proposal is about creating a genuine live-work-play environment where residents can access everyday services, schools, healthcare, dining, shopping and green space within walking distance, while also supporting local jobs and economic activity.”

<img alt="$1b Benowa Gardens Urban Village moves to Full Council following Planning Committee support" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="50dfbd04-590e-4fc6-983b-766880947867" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Dining%20Day%20Time%20-%20High%20Resolution.jpg?VersionId=BP7ZoKJ0DdL_8iRkkC8VVx99moICV6kg" />

Lu said the proposal had evolved significantly through consultation and technical review, particularly around traffic, pedestrian and student safety and neighbourhood connectivity.&nbsp;

Melissa Griffin, Director at Urbis, said the recommendation recognised the strategic importance of delivering more housing and services within established urban areas already supported by infrastructure.

“This proposal represents the type of thoughtful, integrated growth that planning frameworks across South-East Queensland are encouraging,” Ms Griffin said.

“The project seeks to place housing, retail, healthcare and employment opportunities together in a highly accessible location close to schools, transport and existing services.

“Importantly, the process has involved significant technical assessment and community engagement to ensure local issues and feedback were properly considered throughout the planning pathway.”

$1 billion Benowa Gardens Urban Village heads to council vote following Planning Committee support

Surfers Paradise is officially set for its first new residential development with a 45-storey skybridge connecting the two towers.

John Camilleri’s Celestino Developments has been given the green light by the Gold Coast City Council to develop its major beachfront precinct across its huge 4,000 sqm oceanfront site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/63-79-garfield-terrace-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">63–79 Garfield Terrace</a>, just five months after its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/first-look-exclusive-billionaire-winx-breeder-s-bold-two-tower-surfers-paradise-play-with-45th-storey-skybridge">submission in late 2025</a>.

The approved scheme will deliver two towers rising 55 and 48 storeys, connected by a skybridge positioned on level 45 that will house a range of resident-only wellness and entertainment spaces.

In its notice of approval, the Gold Coast City Council said the&nbsp;proposed overall built form has been designed to complement the scale, intensity and protect the adjacent amenity and surrounding streets through the use of varied setbacks, site cover and architectural elements.

<img alt="First look exclusive: Billionaire Winx breeder’s bold two-tower Surfers Paradise play with 45th-storey skybridge" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_75/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Screenshot%202025-12-30%20at%209.53.48%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=ADyPJ_TFbJvSU9wZFOiCBnlPtgF7VWqW" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/dbi">DBI</a>, the development will comprise 275 apartments across the two towers, including a mix of two-, three-, and four-bedroom residences, as well as several penthouses. The apartments will sit above a landscaped podium featuring more than 90 metres of beachfront pool frontage, private resident lawns, lounges, and wellness spaces.

DBI said the design draws heavily from the movement and form of the coastal environment, with curving balcony lines and sculpted façades intended to soften the scale of the towers while maximising ocean outlooks and passive shading outcomes.

“The project occupies a rare, uninterrupted oceanfront site and has been shaped by a design philosophy that merges architectural elegance with environmental responsiveness and a carefully curated lifestyle experience,” DBI said in planning documents submitted to the Gold Coast City Council.

The most distinctive element of the approved project is the skybridge linking the two towers at level 45. The elevated communal space is planned to include executive lounges, formal dining areas, wellness facilities, and panoramic ocean-facing outlooks.

“The skybridge enhances the identity of the development, promotes social interaction, and delivers a lifestyle experience not found elsewhere on the Gold Coast,” DBI said.

At podium level, residents will have access to a suite of resort-style amenities, including resident lounges, private dining rooms, a yoga lawn, gymnasium, plunge pools, and treatment spaces. The beachfront pool has been designed with separate lap, lounge, and children’s areas extending across the width of the site.

The project will also introduce new food and beverage offerings along the Enderley Avenue and Oceanway frontages, contributing additional activation to the beachfront precinct.

First look: Winx billionaire’s beachfront Surfers Paradise apartment development greenlit

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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There are 1,187 auctions scheduled this week in Melbourne compared to 1,172 for the same time last year.
The most auctions are expected in <a href="/news">Reservoir</a> with 24 expected followed by 23 in both <a href="/news">Bentleigh East</a> and <a href="/news">Glen Waverley</a>.
The clearance rate over the past few weeks has provided further confirmation that the market is healthy but not booming.
This is also obvious when the home values are both corrected for inflation and then compared to the previous peaks. At the end of September house values in Melbourne were 3% below their peak in real terms and units 5.4% lower. In many parts of Melbourne buyers have better purchasing power than they did in 2010.
Clearance rates may have dropped but the private sale market continues to tighten.
On a citywide basis, the time on market results for houses sold at private sale was stable at a very low 31 days over the last week and vendor discounting dropped to -4.7%.
Key data:
<ul>
<li>Clearance rate week ending 16 November: 68.9%</li>
<li>Melbourne auctions expected week ending 23 November: 1,187</li>
<li>Melbourne private sales time on market week ending 16 November: 31 days (houses)</li>
<li>Melbourne vendor discounting market week ending 16 November: -4.7% (houses)</li>
<li>Listings being prepared for market are 4.3% higher in month ending 16 November (seasonally adjusted)</li>
</ul>
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rlarocca-zWhvjay44N

Market healthy, but not booming: RP Data's weekend auction preview

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BCS Strata Management has been named the owner corporation manager for the six Prahran apartments best known as The Block Glasshouse.
The Block's production team also appointed BSC Strata Management to manage its previous two ventures, South Melbourne's the Block Sky High building and Albert Park's the Block Fans v Faves development in the former Dux theatre.
General Manager of Business Development John Georgas said: "For the past 40 years we've enhanced community living. We can't wait to work with the new owners of one of Melbourne's most-watched and talked about properties.
The apartment block has a total of 3,500 square metres of floor space, with a carpark, lock-up storage and indoor common entrance area and lift access.
The Albert Park Block development had a substantial common area, with an indoor pool, lounge with televisions and lifts.
"We're looking forward to providing our services to a building which is sure to go down in history as a Melbourne icon," said Georgas.
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jrichardson-uRX5hFdKfN

BCS to manage The Block Glasshouse

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The financial planning industry has been thrown into turmoil and the Abbott government has been dealt another blow, after a group of rebel senators last night banded together to disallow the government’s changes to the Freedom of Financial Advice regime.
The group, which calls itself the ‘Coalition of Common Sense’, was led by Labor senator Sam Dastyari and independent senator Nick Xenophon, and included defecting Palmer United Palmer senator Jacqui Lambie and Motoring Enthusiasts Party senator Ricky Muir.
They joined together to disallow the Abbott government’s proposed changes to the previous Labor government's FoFA laws, which had been <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/42838-palmer-deal-means-watered-down-future-of-financial-advice-reforms-will-proceed" target="_blank">watered down by a deal struck with Clive Palmer in July</a>.
The effect will be a return to Labor’s 2012 laws.
Lambie and Muir revealed they were not comfortable with the deal cut by Palmer, believing it diluted reforms needed to the industry. Lambie and Muir both said they were further convinced after hearing from victims of the Timbercorp financial scandal.
In a speech, Lambie said she regretted obliging to the July deal. “Sometimes when you make a wrong, you have to go back in there and make it right. And that's exactly what I'm doing now,” she said.
The ‘Coalition of Common Sense’ has not ruled out banding together to vote on other issues, indicating the Abbott government may face further difficulties when dealings with the senate.
<a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/legal/politics/41230-government-puts-future-of-financial-advice-reforms-on-ice" target="_blank">The FoFA reforms</a> were introduced by the former Labor government and were designed to protect consumers from financial planning fraud.
The laws originally set out to ban advisers from commissioning for financial advice, requiring them to ask clients whether they wish to continue receiving their service every two years and to act in the best interests of their clients.
In July, the Abbott government moved to water down what it termed the “burdensome” reforms and announced many of the changes would be made by regulation not legislation. But regulation can be cancelled by a disallowance motion through parliament.
The disallowance has left the financial planning industry uncertain about the future of laws governing financial advice.
To revert back to Labor’s laws, financial planners will face a number of strict new laws when dealing with clients. These include:
<ul>
<li>Customers will have to ‘opt in’ to receiving ongoing advice, with financial advisers having to obtain written consent every two years;</li>
<li>Stronger laws around the disclosure of fees;</li>
<li>Advisers will have to act under a broad ‘best interest duty’ towards their clients, considering all aspects of their best interest; and</li>
<li>An end to ‘grandfathering’, which allowed advisers to continue to receive commissions from existing clients.</li>
</ul>
John Brogden, chief executive of the Financial Services Council, said in a statement the consequences will be far-reaching.
“Overturning the FoFA regulations at the eleventh hour will do more harm than good,” Brogden said.
“The industry has been working under the current FoFA arrangements since 1 July. To turn around and just throw them out is irresponsible.”
Paul Stark, head of financial services operations at Crowe Horwath,said Crowe Horwath has been supportive of FoFA reforms to improve the industry but the continued uncertainty through the parliamentary process was frustrating.
“It makes it hard to plan with uncertainty,” says Stark. “It also takes resources and time.”
Stark says most of the impact will be at an operational level. He gave the example of Crowe Horwath’s fee disclosure statements, which he said were built when the Labour government’s reforms came into place and then subsequently changed in July.
“We built a process, and then we had to redefine it, now we have to go back and revisit and reintegrate those process we’d set up 12 months ago,” he says.
Stark says in his experience, most clients do not value fee disclosure documents or opt-in measures.
“Does it really impact the clients? It hasn’t, in any material way, in my experience,” he says.
Stark says he wants more certainty and for the issue to be brought to a final close.
“We would like for it to be brought to a conclusion and get on with what we need to do to continue to improve the industry,” he says.
This article first appeared on SmartCompany.
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krobb-aCrRNnPq6D

Senate scraps FoFA changes as financial planners plead for certainty

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Australia ranks 16th out of the G20 nations for debt as a proportion of total Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Comparison website <a href="https://www.finder.com.au/" target="_blank">Finder</a> compiled a list of the 20 nations, comparing their total and national debt, proportion of debt to GDP and debt per person.
Australia, with the lowest population of any G20 nation, has $23,769 worth of debt per person. Among the G20 nations, our proportion of national debt to GDP is relatively low. Australia's total debt equals 32.6% of GDP, the fifth lowest result. Only India, Russia, Saudi Arabia and China have a lower level of debt to GDP.
On a per person basis, we rank ninth, with $23,769 of debt for each member of our 23.1 million strong population. Australia is the smallest of the G20 nations.
Japan has both the highest national debt per person and as a proportion of GDP. The country recorded $101,305 worth of debt for every person, with debt more than doubling GDP at 226.1%.
India, with a population of 1.3 billion, has the lowest per person debt, with just $783. However, its debt as a proportion of GDP ranks 10th on the list, recorded at 51.8%.
Unsurprisingly, the European Union has the highest total debt, with 28 member states contributing to the $16.8 trillion figure.
Click the infographic below to see how Australia's debt level compares, on a national and per person basis.
<a href="/images/2014/11/20/finpernation.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="/images/2014/11/20/finpernation.jpg" alt=""></a>
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Infographic: How Australia’s debt compares to the other G20 nations

EXCLUSIVE: Negative gearing – what needs to change?

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Engineering your end game and getting ready for mobile payments are both key <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/technology/online/33923-trends-in-online-and-store-retail-in-australia">global retail trends</a> for next year, according to Lorna Hall, head of market intelligence at WGSN.
Hall was the keynote speaker at the WGSN Live conference in Melbourne last week. 
She says retailers shouldn’t stop innovating but need to really focus on their customers and identify which trends they are ready for and what will pass them by. 
<img src="/images/2014/07/04/yellow-one.jpg" alt="" style="float: left;"> Universal carts
Universal carts allow customers to purchase from different online stores through the one website. Hall says universal shopping carts could transform marketplaces and affiliate-based businesses into a much more convenient place to shop.
“These sites may be much more important to retailers and brands. It’s not a big step to imagine a time when we all own our own mobile carts,” Hall says. 
<img src="/images/2014/07/04/yellow-two.jpg" alt="" style="float: left;"> Click and collect
Last Christmas in the United States was an “epic fail” for delivering gifts on time, according to Hall.
“As a result, retailers do not want to get burnt again. They are trying all sorts and it is really interesting to see,” she says.
Hall says the problem with traditional online shopping with home delivery is that it is not as convenient as we thought it would be.
“Most of the time we are not at home. The growth of click and collect is one of the ways of bridging that gap,” she says. 
<img src="/images/2014/07/04/yellow-three.jpg" alt="" style="float: left;"> Curbside pickup
Retailers are experimenting with other more convenient ways of delivering purchases beyond click and collect.
In Australia, The Iconic is going to allow ordering before 1pm and getting your goods after 5pm.
“In the US how you receive and return goods is a key battleground ahead of the holiday trading period,” Hall says.
Examples include department store Sears, which has launched an in-vehicle pickup. Customers wait outside the store and a staff member carries the order to their car. 
Meanwhile, Target is piloting a pickup service called Curbside where customers pick up from a tent outside the store.  The Curbside app uses geolocation technology. Customers don’t have to let the retailer know when they are ready to pick up. When their car is 30 minutes away from the store the retailer goes and gets your order ready for you. 
<img src="/images/2014/07/04/yellow-four.jpg" alt="" style="float: left;"> Click and commute
Hall says a growing trend is retailers introducing lockers and collection points into transport hubs.  
In the United Kingdom, department store John Lewis has opened a 3000 square metre store at London’s St Pancras station, which sells stock but also provides a venue for click-and-collect pick up. 
Fashion retailer French Connection recently opened its first “convenience store” at a tube station in London. It allows shoppers to pick up online orders on the same day if they place the order by 1pm and pick up at 5pm. 
<img src="/images/2014/07/04/yellow-five.jpg" alt="" style="float: left;">A single view of inventory
Hall says the thing that unlocks many of these trends for retailers and shoppers is a single view of inventory, with 70% of the new technology and apps relying on a single view of inventory.
“If you are not working towards that in your business and making it a real focus then you are never going to be able to capitalise on a lot of the new technology,” she says.  
“This is where you get innovation for customers and you can achieve better margins for your business.”
<img src="/images/2014/07/04/yellow-six.jpg" alt="" style="float: left;"> Last touch service
Hall recommends retailers innovate around their end game to “elevate brand experience”. 
French company Darty has a physical help button that customers stick on their appliance. Customers pay a service charge and press it when something goes wrong and within one minute receive a call from a Darty service adviser.
In the United States, online jewellery retailer Baublebar adds a present into every purchase. There is no mention of the gift before purchase, it happens after purchase and is a surprise to engender goodwill. 
“I think we are likely to see much more of this post-purchase innovation ideas by retailers as they look to lock in loyalty post the purchase experience,” Hall says. 
This article continues on the next page. Please click below. 
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<img src="/images/2014/07/04/yellow-seven.jpg" alt="" style="float: left;"> Mobile payment
Hall says the <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/43671-apple-pay-delay-for-aussies-but-will-small-businesses-benefit-from-iphone-tap-and-go">launch of Apple Pay</a> in the IPhone 6 has upped consumer awareness around mobile payments. 
“Mobile payments will unlock all sorts of innovation and change in retail and will change the way we shop,” she says.
“Millennials are already really willing to embrace new forms of payment.”   
New security features are allowing mobile checkouts to become faster and more convenient. 
In the United States, Venmo is providing a new payment option with peer to peer payments. Venmo is predicted to reach $90 billion in payments in the next three years. 
<img src="/images/2014/07/04/yellow-eight.jpg" alt="" style="float: left;"> Data-driven
“Learning algorithms are increasingly being used by retailers to guide the path to purchase,” Hall says. 
Amazon is the pioneer in this area but other examples include US fragrance retailer Scentbird, which tailors recommendations to customers, and the home and renovation app Houzz.
Houzz enables people who are renovating their houses to browse for inspiration. “In theory, the more you browse the service the better the recommendations get,” she says.
<img src="/images/2014/07/04/yellow-nine.jpg" alt="" style="float: left;"> Connecting customers 
“The process of buying something is becoming a learning journey on both sides,” Hall says.
UK pure play furniture retailer Made has launched Unboxed. It’s a social platform for existing customers to upload images from their own houses to show how they have used furniture and styled it.
“You can connect really satisfied customers because they are geo-located,” Hall says.
“At its simplest, Made doesn’t want to invest in expensive retail or showroom space.”
<img src="/images/2014/07/04/yellow-ten.jpg" alt="" style="float: left;"> Surprise and delight in-store
Hall says retailers need to surprise and delight in-store using technology.
“There is not enough of this going on but there is a real opportunity to do this,” she says.   
UK retailer The White Company has installed tiny digital projections in stores to animate products such as messages scrolling across pillows encouraging customers to touch them.   
“We are so caught up with technology that we almost forget how to charm and delight like this.” 
<img src="/images/2014/07/04/yellow-eleven.jpg" alt="" style="float: left;"> Visual search apps  
In the US, Macy’s and Target have launched visual search apps.  
Customers can pull up a photo of a friend wearing a necklace and then use the apps to find similar products.
“This technology is getting better all the time,” Hall says. 
<img src="/images/2014/07/04/yellow-twelve.jpg" alt="" style="float: left;"> Going hyper local with beacons
Hall has seen a “massive push” in terms of trial and innovation around beacons with Timberland, Apple and Macy’s all using beacons in stores. 
Hall cites research which shows 53% of customers are willing to share their current location in order to receive more relevant information.
“The question is how can retailers use beacons to impact the sale,” she says.
US department store Lord &amp; Taylor is using beacons to track dwell time and the beacons send push notifications to alert customers to deals.
This article first appeared on <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/" target="_blank">SmartCompany</a>.
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The 12 top global retail trends for 2015

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Commercial warehousing spaces in the Melbourne city fringe is a competitive market, according to Melbourne commercial agency Gray Johnson.
Leasing agent Rory White has just leased three older style warehouse spaces in Abbotsford, Richmond and adjacent Cremorne. 
At 18 Clarke Street in Richmond (pictured above) the ground floor of 200 square metres has been leased by UK-based Hawkeye Innovations, the sports replay and line call system company that was recently purchased by Sony for in excess of $200 million.
The lease at a commencing annual rental of $39,000.
"The proximity to Melbourne’s major sporting facilities was an important factor in the choice of this location," Rory White said. 
At 31 Cremorne Street, Cremorne some 410 square metres of warehouse space has been leased by European product retailer House of Orange Pty Ltd at a commencing annual rental of $42,000.
The warehouse space will support the tenant’s high quality retail furniture, design and giftware outlets in Armadale and Prahran.
At 1 Grosvenor Street in Abbotsford a sole building occupancy over 515 sqm has been leased by ArtCubed Pty Ltd. 
The new tenant will pay an annual rental of $57,000 on a four year plus four year option lease with 4% annual rental increases. 
The company is a leader in art curating and hanging systems.
"A city fringe location is of critical attraction to many small businesses including those seeking stockholding or warehousing space in support of inner suburban retail outlets," he noted.
Gray Johnson currently holds listings for similar city fringe space at 138 Stawell Street in Richmond with an indicative rental of $28,000 for 121 sqm, at 35 Dover Street Cremorne for 255 sqm at a rental of $52,000 which will be available in January and at 121 Dover Street Cremorne with 265 sqm currently vacant at a $66,500 annual rental.
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Momentum builds in inner Melbourne warehouse leasing market

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The convenience store chain, EzyMart will open its fifth store in Melbourne’s CBD this year. It envisages 150 stores across the city in what some see as a battle against 7-Eleven's supremacy.
The latest opening follows agreement on a new lease on the Queen and Little Collins streets corner in a deal negotiated by Savills Australia.
The property comprises a ground floor retail area of 40 square metres which has been leased on a three-year term at circa $2,500 a square metre per annum net. 
"EzyMart is very well established in Sydney and is now making its presence felt in Melbourne with several recent store openings," Savills Australia retail director, Michael Di Carlo said.
"This, the fifth CBD store, capitalizes on what has been a very busy corner ideally suited to a convenience outlet with the large numbers of office workers in the area and the late night trade from the pub, bars and nightclubs along Queen Street,’’ Di Carlo said.
EzyMart has around 187 stores, mostly in Sydney, started by Jordanian-born Maher Magableh in 2002.
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EzyMart continues expansion with Melbourne CBD retail lease

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A retail store in Sydney’s newest economic precinct, The Quay, has been sold for $2.95 million to a Hong Kong investor.
Shop 7, at 61 to 79 Quay Street is 82 square metres and is located near Central Station, Darling Harbour and Chinatown. It is currently being leased by the Chinese noodle bar- Two Sticks, on a new five year lease with two five year options. Two Sticks became popular in Sydney after opening a store in George Street earlier in the year.
The space will receive $180,000 per annum in gross rental income and comes with a fixed four percent annual increase. 
The property was sold by Andy Hu of Knight Frank, on behalf of Connoisseur Investment. Hu said properties such as these are rarely put on the market.
"We have seen a large number of offshore investors especially from Hong Kong, actively searching for quality prime strata retail investment opportunities and the investment yield has tightened further due to limited supply on the market," Hu says. 
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Hong Kong investor snaps up retail store in Sydney's The Quay

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Colliers International is selling a 285 square metre floor space on the corner of Exhibition Street and Flinders Lane and expects prices upward of $2.2 million.
The property is on level 11, 41 Exhibition Street in one of the cities newly designed buildings, located in the Paris end of Melbourne’s CBD.
It is within walking distance of Parliament Station and Flinders Street Station and also has several public car parks within a close distance.
Colliers International says that it is a 5 Star Green Star building and the first carbon neutral commercial building in Melbourne.   
The floor is being sold by International Colliers’ Jeremy Gruzewski, National Director Metro Sales, Daniel Wolman, Senior Executive Melbourne City Sales and Oliver Hay, Executive Melbourne City Sales.
They are currently offering the sale via expressions of interest closing 3 December.
<img src="/images/2014/11/19/41X%20Hero%20-%20Mark%20Up%20no%20number.jpg" alt="">
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