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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GUEST OBSERVATION
The major Australian banks have recently cut fixed mortgage rates below 5%. They have done so without any prompting from the Reserve Bank of Australia, which may actually start raising the policy rate within the next six months, especially if inflation continues to run around the top end of its 2-3% target range.
Why, then, did the Australian banks cut their mortgage rates?
One possible reason lies in an obscure old macroeconomic theory of “secular stagnation” that has been gaining credence recently throughout the financial industry worldwide.
Resurrecting an old theory
In a speech at the International Monetary Fund last November, Larry Summers, Harvard economist and former US Treasury Secretary, resurrected this old theory, originally developed by another Harvard economist, Alvin Hansen, in the late 1930s.
When a consumption-led recovery in the midst of the Great Depression started to falter, Alvin Hansen was inspired by the then nascent Keynesian idea that the economy as a whole could persistently suffer from inadequate demand in the absence of a massive policy intervention.
US population growth had slowed dramatically during the Great Depression and Hansen believed this was a “secular” (that is, long-term, non-policy) source of decline in private investment in new capital infrastructure. According to his very Keynesian theory, this weak investment brought consumption down with it and, like John Maynard Keynes, Hansen did not believe in the ability of wage and price adjustment to restore the economy to full employment in the face of inadequate demand. Instead, he believed that fiscal policy would have to take up the slack, which it did with the onset of World War II.
The baby boom after the war meant that the theory of secular stagnation was largely forgotten. But Larry Summers sees similar forces at work in recent times and he considers secular stagnation as a leading explanation for why the US housing bubble in the 2000s didn’t result in an overheated economy at the time.
One might question the idea that the US economy didn’t overheat prior to the global financial crisis. But real GDP growth and inflation were actually quite moderate by historical standards throughout the 2000s. Summers speculates that this was because economic growth would have been much slower in the absence of a bubble due to secular stagnation.
Global savings glut and the chase for yield
This story is somewhat related to former Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke’s “global savings glut” hypothesis about why interest rates remained so low throughout the 2000s. In Bernanke’s view, there were too many savers, especially from Asia, chasing too few high-return and often risky investments. This “chase for yield” put downward pressure on interest rates and fuelled the US housing bubble.
So what is the prediction of secular stagnation for the future and why might it explain the Australian banks’ recent cuts in mortgage rates?
The basic prediction of the theory is that economies throughout the world will continue to stumble along with anaemic growth and no inflationary pressures for the foreseeable future. At best, there will be more moderate growth from time to time, but it will occur due to periodic financial bubbles triggered by a chase for yield and low interest rates. Faced with slow economic growth and low inflation, central banks will contribute to these bubbles by lowering their policy rates or making large-scale asset purchases (aka “quantitative easing”) when rates hit the zero lower bound.
In cutting their mortgage rates, the Australian banks appear to have bought into the secular stagnation theory and are clearly betting on continued downward pressure on interest rates driven by a global chase for yield.
Is there hope for a less stagnant future?
Can anything to be done about secular stagnation or, perhaps, is its relevance to the current economic situation overstated?
Similar to Alvin Hansen in the 1930s, Larry Summers argues that public investment in infrastructure provides the best way to address inadequate demand. He notes that current low interest rates also mean that the cost of financing public infrastructure investment is unusually low.
Would this fiscal policy approach work? Japan is an obvious place to look at in terms of what might happen in the face of demographic-led stagnation. And the results are not particularly promising. Japan has undertaken massive debt-financed infrastructure spending and this has not exactly produced a booming economy. Of course, unemployment has remained low and deflation, not inflation, has been the greater problem. So perhaps things would have been even worse in the absence of Japan’s massive fiscal interventions.
Meanwhile, it’s not really clear how relevant secular stagnation is for the rest of the world, including Australia. Indeed, in an odd way, the possibility of secular stagnation means that we should at least briefly celebrate when we see Australian inflation running at the top end of its target range.
This is not to say that the RBA should abandon or revise up its inflation target. But higher inflation is an indication that the secular stagnation hypothesis may be incorrect, while the RBA can always raise its policy rate to bring inflation down again in the future. Of course, the Australian banks currently betting on low interest rates won’t be quite as happy if this scenario were to play out.
James Morley is professor of economics and associate dean (research) at <a href="https://www.asb.unsw.edu.au/Pages/default.aspx" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">Australian School of Business</a>. He receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
This article was originally published on <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.
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Why did Australian banks cut their mortgage rates?

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There is a growing disparity in financial comfort between households described as ‘asset-rich’ and other households, particularly between age groups, according to ME Bank’s latest biannual Household Financial Comfort survey conducted in June.
ME Bank’s consulting economist, Jeff Oughton, noted that the survey sees this distance between the two groups growing due to a rise in property prices.
“Asset-rich households (including self-funded retirees and home owners) have benefited from a sustained rise in global and local equity prices as well as significant gains in residential prices, especially in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth,” said Oughton.
“In contrast, limited household income gains and rising concerns about cash savings among most other households have seen their financial comfort falling,” he said.
Those aged 65 plus saw their financial comfort increase by 9% over the six months to June to the highest number since the survey began, according to the survey, while all other life stage groups fell significantly. In particular, Gen X fell by 4% to its lowest level since the survey commenced.
Looking at households, retirees were the most comfortable. Self-funded retirees' financial comfort was up 8%, while government-funded retirees fell 15%.
All other main household groups’ comfort fell in the six month period.
In total, 54% of households reported being unable to save each month, the highest in three years, with overall financial comfort falling 3%. This is reversing the gains recorded in 2013.
Those breaking even numbered 42%, while 12% were drawing on savings, loans or home equity to get by.
Financial comfort is expected to drop even further over the next 12 months.
“Household income has been negatively impacted by relatively low average wage growth, moderate job gains, rising unemployment and corresponding falls in job security over the period, as well as an anticipated tightening in government income assistance and tax benefits announced in the Federal Budget,” said Oughton.
“About the same proportion of Australians (30%) reported income gains as income falls during 2013/14, compared with the corresponding outcomes of 39% and 28% respectively during the previous financial year.”
In New South Wales and Western Australia, comfort fell by 5%. In Victoria, a 2% drop was seen, while South Australia fell by 6%. Queensland remained unchanged, and Tasmania rose 10%, while the ACT fell by over a third. ME Bank notes that these smaller sample sizes make for more volatile results.
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Growing wealth inequality in Australia fuelled by rising property prices: ME Bank

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<div>
The international fashion chain H&amp;M will shortly open its first Sydney store in the revamped Macquarie Centre in North Ryde.
</div>
The Daily Telegraph reports the store is expected to open on 16 October in Sydney's north-western suburbs.
Macquarie Centre will possibly have other global brands including Victoria’s Secret, Uniqlo and Zara, whom are all currently negotiating leases.
David Jones and Myer will be there too, all hoping to capitalise on the forecast that by 2031 Macquarie Business Park will be Australia’s fourth-largest business centre.
Australia's first H&amp;M fashion store<a href="/expert-insights/investing/h-m-set-for-australian-roll-out-as-its-first-local-store-launches-tomorrow"> opened in Melbourne's GPO building</a> in the Bourke Street mall in April.
The chain has about 3,182 stores in 53 countries, opening a further 375 this year.
It took around three years to find the initial outlet sites in Australia, including the distribution warehouse at Eastern Creek in Sydney. 
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H&M's first Sydney store set for a 16 October opening at Macquarie Centre, North Ryde

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The Chinese developer JQZ has reportedly paid $50 million plus for ­Woollahra Council's former depot in Waterloo.
<a href="https://jqz.com.au" target="_blank">JQZ</a>, which also emerged last year as the $47 million development site buyer at nearby 904 Bourke Street, was previously known as the Tong Group which was founded in 2005.
The 1.4 hectare holding at 52-54 O’Dea Avenue is located within walking distance of Green Square railway station.
<img src="/images/2014/08/05/1.jpg" alt="">
The site is zoned for mixed-use of up to about 18 storeys with one tower, plus four x eight storey buildings.
JQZ has more than 1,000 apartments under way across Sydney having developed ­apartments in Burwood, Parra­matta, Homebush, Harris Park and Rockdale.
The Bay at Meadowbank is another project.
It has also recently marketed 250 apartments in its Parramatta Road, Homebush project, Grand Central, Homebush, which is a development site with 430 apartments scheduled for completion by 2016. Grand Central development will comprise two buildings, a 7-storey and 13-storey.
JQZ paid $30 million for the 10,000 square metre site at 6-18 Parramatta Road, which is its 10th Sydney project.
JLL had the council offering, the Australian Financial Review report said.
The local paper has advised that council received the first of four payments, a $5.6 million deposit, from Chinese developer JQZ as part of a deferred two-year sale.
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JQZ secures Woollahra Council's Waterloo depot

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Investors will be looking to listed property companies’ results and outlook statements for indications of whether the market for residential real estate has deteriorated in light of weakening consumer confidence.
Dalton Nicol Reid portfolio manager Scott Bender said investors were expecting the residential property sector to continue to be reasonably buoyant, but not as strong as in the first quarter of 2014.
“The market is going to be focused on the commentary on the outlook. Contracts on hand will be strong but we’re interested in enquiry and conversion rates and whether they have seen an impact from the softer consumer,” Bender told Property Observer.
“Residential will still be quite strong but there will be a focus on whether [property companies] see softening in those leading indicators following the federal budget.”
Stockland Property Group, which reports to the market on 18 August, will be one to watch given the size of its residential book, said Bender, who manages Dalton Nicol Reid’s property trust portfolio.
Mirvac Group’s results would give an indication of the outlook for medium density residential developments, particularly given the group’s exposure to the NSW market. Bender said NSW property had been selling well for Mirvac and he expected that trend to continue. Mirvac reports on 21 August.
Bender expects further merger and acquisition activity in the coming months as companies are able to access low cost debt and equity and it is becoming more difficult to increase revenue.
“Given there’s cheap equity and cheap debt [merger and acquisition activity] is going to be on the radar but whether companies are going to get something cheap enough to make the numbers work will be the tricky part,” he said.
Land developer Australand is the target of a takeover bid by Singapore-based Frasers Centrepoint. Australand’s directors have recommended shareholders accept Frasers’ off-market takeover bid of $4.48 cash per Australand security. Earlier in the year, Stockland made an unsuccessful play for the group.
Australand reported on 21 July that it had made a $131.5 million net profit after tax for the half year results to 30 June, up 49% on the prior corresponding period.
It reiterated earlier guidance that earnings for the full 2014 year were likely to be up 20-25% on 2013, and earnings per share would grow by 10-15% from 2014 to 2016, assuming the residential market remained strong. However, the company noted that Frasers would review its structure and operations if the takeover proceeded, so guidance may change. 
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zfielding-GvX3Uq9KTa

Reporting season may hold key residential market indicators for investors

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I feel some sympathy for the people conducting the Senate inquiry into affordable housing.
Based on the media reports I’ve seen, they’re being served up a motley mixture of propaganda, misinformation and outright lies by organisations pushing their private agendas.
How will they sort the wheat from the chaff, given that most of what they’re being fed is chaff?
The representative bodies of elements of the real estate industry are simply presenting their wish lists on behalf of their members. Each one of them would have us believe that the solution to the problem is to give their members everything they’ve ever wanted.
Apparently first home buyers around the nation will rejoice if real estate agents can be helped to earn more commissions or developers can make more money faster.
Firstly, what is the problem? Or, more pertinently, is there a problem?
The premise of the inquiry is that young adults can’t afford to buy a dwelling. I’m quite certain that’s a false premise. It contradicts all the available evidence.
First home buyers appear to be less active than before. And it has been assumed – incorrectly, I’m quite sure – that this is solely because they can’t afford to buy. No one has considered that there might be another explanation, or several other explanations.
Last Friday I was guest speaker at a business luncheon. I addressed a number of topics under the heading – “Residential Property – the market no one really understands” – and there followed a long discussion of the issues.
The hottest topic was the motivation of young Australians with regards to home ownership. Many of those present – who have adult children and/or work with young adults – observed that most twenty-something Australians have little or no interest in buying real estate.
Affordability is not the issue. They simply have other priorities. I was interested to hear those comments, but not surprised because this has been revealed in several surveys in the past 12 months. Young adults, generally speaking, don’t want to repeat the life path of their parents, which included being married with kids and a mortgage before 30.
They want lifestyle and travel. They’re more inclined to invest in themselves than in real estate. One view expressed at the luncheon was that many would rather start a business than buy property.
There’s another factor. I think there’s more first home buyer activity that the figures show, because most state and territories have changed their grants system. Grants are available now for new homes only. But the research shows that most first timers buy established properties, because they’re considerably cheaper and often better located.
There are first home buyers out there slipping under the radar because they’re not claiming grants.
All of that is an inconvenient truth to builders, developers and real estate agents. They want politicians to believe there’s a crisis and they have to act to fix the perceived problem.
And the solution they’re presenting to the Senate inquiry is: give us what we want and the problem with go away.
The <a href="/expert-insights/investing/five-supply-reforms-that-will-assist-affordability-master-builders-australia">solution presented by Master Builders Australia</a> is to release more land, make approvals easier and faster, and reduce or eliminate infrastructure charges to developers – with penalties for governments that don’t toe the MBA line.
That’s not a solution. That’s the lifetime wish list of builders and developers across the nation.
The attitude of the Real Estate Institute of Australia is particularly interesting, because their statements contradict their own research. The REIA co-publishes a quarterly affordability index that shows that affordability is the best it’s been in over a decade. But it’s telling the Senate inquiry that there’s a big affordability problem and the government must act to fix it.
Either the REIA index is nonsense or their submission to the inquiry is. I’d love to know which they think it is.
The REIA claims there’s a national housing shortfall of 100,000 dwellings. Developer bodies make similar claims. But they don’t justify the claim. They demand that we accept it as fact, without presenting any evidence. I think it is real estate’s greatest myth (and have presented my evidence many times in this column).
So, the <a href="/expert-insights/buying/government-needs-to-stem-exodus-of-first-home-buyers-reia">REIA’s solution to the problem</a> their own index says doesn’t exist is to make lots of changes to ensure more property deals happen: assistance to first home buyers, access to superannuation to make buying property easier, retention of negative gearing for investors, abolition of stamp duties and release of more land.
It’s pure coincidence that all these measures are likely to line the pockets of REIA members around Australia.
At some point in time, developers, agents and other servants of the property industry will have to accept that this generation of young adults will never adopt the priorities of their parents. They have better things to do with their lives.
You can contact Terry via  <a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au" target="_blank">email</a> or on <a href="https://www.twitter.com/hotspotting" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.
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terryryder-YECXbqmri2

Real estate industry bodies more concerned with lining their own pockets than easing affordability

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Have a look at a home loan comparison website and you’ll see a growing number of variable rate mortgages are now below 5%.
With mortgages this affordable you could refinance out of an old expensive loan and into a low cost one; and it’s also a good opportunity to repay more than you have to – to build up equity more quickly.
But a lot of people are asking if the low rates mean it’s time to buy an investment property?
Firstly, I suggest potential investors separate their thinking between the mortgage interest rates and the investment itself. Long after variable rates have returned to normal levels, you’ll probably still own this investment and it should make financial sense.
The point of an investment property is to harvest the ‘total gross yield’ – that is, you want the property to produce rental income and capital growth. You want enough rental income to help pay the mortgage and meet costs month-to-month, and you want sufficient capital growth so that over time it becomes a more valuable asset.
If you can achieve a 5% per annum rental yield and the average growth in the suburb is 3% per annum, you have an 8% gross yield. But there are many things that can vary this result.
Does the property need renovations? Is it maintenance-intensive? Will you use a property manager? Is it close to amenities such as schools, shops and train stations and likely to be sough-after by tenants? All of these things will affect your yield over the long term, and property is a long-term game.
There’s really no substitute for homework – you must have a clear view about ownership costs.
You also have to think about negative gearing, which is a tax rule that allows you to take any losses on the property and use them to reduce your taxable income, thereby reducing your taxes.
This brings us to the cost of your mortgage. Many people want to buy an investment property simply because they can, but the cost of entry isn’t the end of the discussion.
The investment mortgage has to be repaid from income, while most people are also funding the family home loan from the same income. Even if negative gearing gives you a small tax break, you have to calculate if you could afford to pay the investment property mortgage if the rates moved upwards by, say, 2%, or 3%.
Fixed rate mortgages only give you breathing room for the term of the fixed rate – they don’t make rising interest rates go away.
Low interest rates make it affordable to buy, but you have to know what it costs to own it, which means understanding where interest rate rises will leave you.
And, a final hint: the best property investments are made at purchase. Try to buy a property at a good price, with low maintenance, in a high-demand area, where prices are just starting to pick up. Be patient and do your homework.
If you buy well, you’ll do well.
Mark Bouris is executive chairman of wealth management company <a href="https://www.ybr.com.au" target="_blank">Yellow Brick Road</a>.
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mbouris-tauSvXGAM2

Interest rates are low, but does this mean you should buy an investment property?

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Golf was an utter obsession for me as a teenager, the blistered hands testament to the fact that my mates and I would think nothing of playing 36 or even 54 holes in a day through the school hols.
At my best I was a single figure handicapper, which may sound impressive if you're a high handicapper, but in reality given the endless summers spent out on the course or on the practice range, I probably should have gotten lower. Upon heading off off to uni to study there was far less time to dedicate to the game and I was frustrated to see the junior pros from our club improve and overtake me - golf is a terribly unforgiving sport to those who do not practice. 
The moral of the story is that if you can't be the best at something, then you should just quit and give it up. 
Here are five golfing analogies for investors I picked up from watching the British Open...
<ul>
<li>Discipline</li>
</ul>
My teenage mates and I were always thrilled by watching John "Wild Thing" Daly play golf with his "grip it and rip it" mantra. 
An eccentric anti-establishment character, Daly drove coaches and administrators to distraction with his non-conformist behaviour, and against all the odds won two major championships including the British Open itself at the home of golf, St. Andrews.
As young lads, Daly appealed to our young male egos. He belted the golf ball a proverbial mile with his 'Killer Whale' driver and a bit like us he was rebellious, drank lots of beer and had a terrible haircut.
As a general rule, though, major-winning golfers are not like John Daly. 
Ian Woosnam reportedly enjoyed a pint, and some golfers periodically over-indulge in food or other 19th hole pleasures, but most pro golfers at the peak of their game are relatively fastidious in their discipline and detailed preparation
Routine, preparation, discipline.
Discipline is the first rule of successful investment. 
Take the stylised example of a person aged 25 who earns $50,000 per annum and receives annual pay increases of 3.5% through their working career. 
Thanks to compounding growth, even at only 3.5% annual pay increases their total cumulative gross earnings could be far, far higher than you might intuitively expect.
<img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WuK1fnaEnrs/U9Kkn99EGLI/AAAAAAAAOwU/M7QG0nufC5w/s1600/1..jpg">
It's not fashionable to say so, but wages growth has outpaced inflation for years in Australia across all income brackets, and on average folk have <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/fishers-money-illusion" target="_blank">more disposable income</a> than in years gone by. 
It takes a level of commitment and discipline, sure, but the fact of the matter is that most people with a full-time job should be able to save and invest something for the future.
You tend to make some enemies pointing this out, but there's nothing like living in a Third World country for a couple of years to change your perspective and realise just how blessed we are to live in a country of abundant wealth such as Australia. 
The first rule of investing is to establish the discipline to spend less money on junk that we don't need and set aside money to invest.
One of the scariest things about working in professional practice where there are many high income earners is seeing people work for decades yet setting aside nothing for the future (often in Britain, not even a pension contribution).
Article continues on the next page. Please click below
<hr class="system-pagebreak" style="line-height: 1.3em;">
<ul>
<li>Sacrifice</li>
</ul>
In a similar vein, the greatest golfers through history have made huge sacrifices to reach the top echelons of the game.
Instead of idolising John Daly or the eccentric genius of Severiano Ballesteros, in hindsight as youngsters we should have been learning from the unstinting work ethic of the single-minded Sir Nick Faldo.
From a very young age Faldo was driven by a "quest for excellence", and dedicated countless thousands of hours to being the finest and most thoroughly prepared player that he could be. 
A golfer of incredible mental fortitude, Faldo took the unthinkable step for an Order of Merit winner of remodeling his swing under the watchful gaze of David Leadbetter in the mid-1980s. 
After enduring several frustrating years in the relative wilderness, the brave step paid dividends and Faldo went on to win no fewer than six major championships, becoming a true golfing great and fulfilling his quest for excellence.
Outstanding results in all spheres almost always require sacrifice and a willingness to go the extra mile. 
<ul>
<li>Patience</li>
</ul>
At the major championships, pro golfers aim to get themselves into contention by keeping the ball in play and making few costly errors, perhaps looking to pick up a few birdies on the par five holes.
As a rule, professionals don't go out on to the course aiming to shoot a 62, instead they focus on playing the percentages, approaching each shot in isolation and playing every situation on its merits.
Golfing legend and eight-time major winner Tom Watson aged 64 incredibly recently shot his age - a round of 64 - by applying precisely this disciplined approach.
If a player is on course to miss the cut towards the end of the second round they may take a few more calculated risks, but generally major championship golf is a percentages game and being too aggressive can backfire.
Golf psychologists therefore tend to use phrases like "control the controllables", "routine, routine, routine" and "beat them with patience". 
I recall the junior golfers at our club frequently annoyed senior members by knocking them out of Matchplay events where points are awarded for winning individual holes, yet were rarely so successful in the Medal tournaments where cumulative strokes are instead recorded.
Being a good investor is more akin to a Medal competition than a Matchplay event...but it often takes an early defeat or two to understand this.
The first time I went to a casino I won £690 and I thought it was brilliant (bad news). The next time we went I lost the lot which was a salutary lesson, and funnily enough I've gambled in casinos very rarely since! It also took me a hefty $50,000 loss on speculative mining shares to realise that there is no need to go down that path again.
Investing should be fundamentally simple for those of a patient temperament and an accumulator's mentality. Why speculate in low quality companies which have never made a profit or buy property in remote mining towns to chase a fast buck? 
Far better to aim to continue accumulating high quality assets such as shares in dividend-paying blue chip companies, index funds or well-located capital city properties, which will continue to deliver returns in perpetuity. 
 <img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xZ1-7M0G0Vg/U9KkuMdePYI/AAAAAAAAOwc/EOHQeczwPzY/s1600/2..jpg">
 
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
<ul>
<li>Leverage</li>
</ul>
I'm not sure about you but I can't move my hands particularly fast. Yet when a supreme athlete such as Tiger Woods hits a golf ball, it really stays hit and the clubhead speed generated can top an awesome 120 miles per hour. How so? The reason is due to leverage.
Using the longest club in the bag, the 'one wood' or driver, there are golfers out there who can hit the golf ball extraordinary distances...up to half a kilometre in some cases! As Archimedes said: "give me a lever long enough lever and I shall move the world". 
Whooshka! Of course, in tournament play, one will rarely see a golfer hit a ball in such a manner, due to the necessary lack of control. All golfers use leverage to their advantage, but it must be utilised with a level of restraint and control, and a bit of common sense. 
Leverage is the principle reason that average investors look to investment property - residential real estate is the one asset class which allows them to use the greatest leverage. 
I recall as a nipper my parents selling their house which they'd bought for £4,000 in Sheffield for more than double the amount they had paid for it. They upgraded and later bought a house for £30,000 which they'd negotiated down by £1,500.
Even as a youngster I was struck by three things. Firstly, the sheer size of the numbers involved as compared to my old man's reasonably modest pay cheque.
Secondly, how even for a family where funds were pretty tight - a family of five boys supported on my Dad's probation officer salary - it was possible to build thousands of pounds of equity over time as a property owner.
And thirdly, how each time my parents moved house, prices had moved higher - much higher - and that wasn't only because they were trading up.
That's the combined power of leverage and compound growth at work, which allows sensible homeowners to build up significant equity or net worth over time.
In my case, I intuitively looked to investment property when I was in my 20s because it allowed me to invest with millions of dollars that I could not otherwise have done.
It should go without saying, however, that leverage is a double-edged sword and should only be used sensibly and with a long-term outlook, since while gains can be magnified, so too can losses.
The anti-real estate contingent tend to oscillate interchangeably between two lines of argument: that property has not been a good investment (demonstrably false, if you have invested sensibly) and that property investment is unethical or socially useless.
The fact of the matter is, if you know what you're doing, property can be an outstanding investment as part of a balanced portfolio.
<ul>
<li>Risk Management</li>
</ul>
If you were watching the British Open carefully, you'd have seen the brilliant Rory McIlroy decline to use his driver on the 72nd hole, instead opting to hit a more conservative long iron.
Why would a guy who had been melting it up to 400 yards off the tee across the hard links turf not use his biggest club? Risk management. 
McIlroy had already taken calculated risks earlier in the tournament and now was using less leverage and eliminating risk. It worked a treat and he took out the claret jug as the Open Championship winner.
Successful investing is very much like a 72 hole golf tournament in the the winners must use sound 'course management' to avoid making catastrophic mistakes and manage risk.
Moreover, it generally pays to be a bit more aggressive and invest in what are perceived as riskier growth or ownership when you are younger and have time on your side. 
Later in the game you may elect to deleverage or transition towards income assets, but the key is to get yourself into the happy position of having these choices.
You can visit <a href="https://allenwargent.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">AllenWargent</a> property buyers (London, Sydney) or Pete's <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">blog</a>.
His latest book is '<a href="https://www.bigskypublishing.com.au/Books/General-Interest/Four-Green-Houses--and-a-Red-Hotel/1015/productview.aspx" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Four Green Houses and a Red Hotel</a>' .
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pwargent-M4siyDbqQY

Five golfing analogies for investors

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Property management revenues have been recorded as jumping by 10% since June 2013 for Raine &amp; Horne, with this wing of the business expected to become increasingly prominent as investor numbers climb.
Raine &amp; Horne’s chairman and CEO Angus Raine said that in recognition of the growth in this part of the market, they have employed a business support and development manager, Lauren Kirk, to support their nationwide property management arm.
“When the next batch of figures is released by the ATO, I expect to see a major spike in the property investor numbers, as self-managed super funds and individual investors have dominated residential property in recent times,” said Raine.
Kirk is planning to assist with increasing efficiencies, rent rolls and revenues.
Earlier this week it was announced that Charles Farru-Hill and Robert Lawson had been<a href="/expert-insights/investing/raine-horne-commercial-expands-wa-team"> appointed to lead Raine &amp; Horne Commercial Western Australia's property management arm</a>.
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Property management revenues up 10% for Raine & Horne

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It comes as little surprise that Master Builders Australia’s submission to the Senate Inquiry into affordable housing looks at the ‘supply’ side of the equation.
They say that boosting the national housing supply is the key to increasing affordability, particularly due to the current shortages.
“Reducing the massive shortfall in new housing is the major challenge the nation faces in maintaining home ownership as a realistic aspiration rather than an unaffordable dream,” said Master Builders Australia CEO Wilhelm Harnisch.
“Supply side reforms must include measures to generate appropriate funding for social housing,” he said.
Here are the five points that they have suggested will help with housing affordability:
<ol>
<li>National competition style payments to local councils that improve supply of adequate releasable land (both greenfield and brown field’) and implement more efficient building and planning approvals. 
</li>
<li>Agreed ‘master plans’ to deliver positive housing outcomes that cover urban consolidation and urban and regional infrastructure plans to deliver a housing mix to meet the needs of different demographics. 
</li>
<li>All local councils to develop Land Release Plans which identify  and provide an indicative forward schedule of ‘greenfield’ and ‘brownfield’ land over a rolling 10 year horizon which could be made available for housing development. 
</li>
<li>Make state and territory infrastructure charges subject to a housing affordability assessment to ensure that the supply of adequate housing stock is not being undermined. The Commonwealth should penalise states and territories which impose excessive developer charges should be penalised through a reduction in transfer payments. 
</li>
<li>An online ‘InfoHub’ should be established by the Commonwealth to allow ready comparison local councils and state and territory jurisdictions and the efficiency of their processes, developer charges and progressive land release schedules.</li>
</ol>
Source: Master Builders Australia
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