One of North Sydney's best-known commercial buildings could become hundreds of new homes, with insurance giant Zurich Australia lodging a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) to transform 5 Blue Street into a mixed-use residential development above North Sydney Station.

Rather than demolishing the existing building and starting again, Zurich is proposing an adaptive reuse project that would convert the landmark office building into a 15-level residential development delivering 62 apartments, 86 affordable co-living dwellings, activated retail and significant upgrades to the Blue Street Plaza.

The proposal reflects a growing trend of commercial property owners repositioning ageing office assets into residential housing as Sydney grapples with housing supply shortages and changing workplace demand.

<img alt="Zurich" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0bba7d12-06dc-4375-aad7-238c94b21ac5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%2010.42.05%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=NJl5oLAEBDGuPmY3RnyliKODjMc8lvRh" />

Located directly above North Sydney Metro and train station, the 3,051 sqm site occupies one of the most strategically positioned parcels of land on Sydney's Lower North Shore.

Designed by fjcstudio, the proposal seeks to retain and adapt much of the existing structure while creating a contemporary residential address that better connects with the public domain surrounding North Sydney Station.

The application proposes two basement levels, ground floor retail, affordable co-living accommodation across the podium levels, and apartments above, while preserving and enhancing the publicly accessible Blue Street Plaza.

Rather than pursuing maximum apartment numbers, Zurich has opted for a housing mix heavily weighted towards larger owner-occupier residences.

The proposal includes 62 build-to-sell apartments comprising 12 one-bedroom, 19 two-bedroom, 29 three-bedroom apartments and two premium penthouses. It also incorporates 86 affordable co-living dwellings, which would be managed in perpetuity by a Community Housing Provider.

That balance between traditional apartments and affordable housing reflects the NSW Government's push to increase housing diversity around major transport infrastructure.

The proposal has been lodged concurrently with a rezoning application, with Zurich arguing the site is ideally positioned to support additional housing given its immediate proximity to public transport, employment and services.

"The proposal aims to respond to the housing challenges facing Sydney through the delivery of diverse housing types in a highly accessible location," the design report by fjcstudio states. It also seeks to improve pedestrian amenity through upgrades to Blue Street Plaza while creating a high-performing residential building that responds to the surrounding context.

<img alt="Zurich" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="36082e15-c636-4481-bb68-5a5f6443fe39" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%2010.41.36%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=5P6VD.fvmqjQfIG3TWWMRXxQWiQBjeFB" />

Rather than replacing the commercial building, fjcstudio has developed a design that works with the existing structural framework above the rail corridor, an approach that significantly reduces demolition while allowing the site to be repositioned as a mixed-use residential precinct.

The existing structural constraints have informed much of the building's design, including its relationship with Blue Street and surrounding public spaces.

The building has been designed as a slender tower rising above a clearly defined podium, with vertically expressed façades intended to reduce the perceived bulk while reinforcing North Sydney's emerging skyline.

According to fjcstudio, the architectural language responds directly to the surrounding commercial towers while maintaining a finer grain expression more closely aligned with the neighbouring Lavender Bay streetscape.

The tower incorporates articulated façade elements, landscaped podium edges and recessed upper levels to soften its appearance and improve pedestrian amenity below.

A significant component of the proposal is the revitalisation of Blue Street Plaza.

The existing public space has long served as one of the primary pedestrian connections between North Sydney Station, Greenwood Plaza and Blue Street, yet its role is expected to become even more important following the opening of Sydney Metro.

Zurich's proposal seeks to strengthen that role by improving landscaping, introducing new retail frontages, enhancing pedestrian permeability and creating more active edges throughout the day and evening.

Ground floor retail would wrap the plaza, while separate residential and co-living entries have been designed to improve wayfinding without reducing street activation.

Landscape design has been integrated throughout the podium and public realm, softening what is currently one of the most heavily urbanised parts of North Sydney.

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fjcstudio has carefully oriented apartments towards Sydney Harbour and the CBD while using privacy blades and articulated façades to minimise overlooking between neighbouring buildings.

Large framed openings along the western elevation maximise harbour outlooks, while the eastern apartments have been angled towards the south-east to improve privacy from neighbouring development.

The project forms part of the continuing transformation of North Sydney from a predominantly commercial CBD into a genuine mixed-use city centre.

Since the completion of Victoria Cross Metro Station, developers have increasingly shifted their attention towards residential projects capable of leveraging the area's unparalleled transport connectivity.

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FiveX recently lodged plans for a 61-storey, 490-apartment tower that would become one of the tallest residential buildings in North Sydney if approved.

Aqualand continues to expand its Lower North Shore presence following the completion of AURA on Walker Street and its recent St Leonards and Roseville proposals.

Developers are also progressing projects throughout Walker Street, Miller Street and the Victoria Cross precinct as demand for well-located owner-occupier apartments continues to strengthen.

Joel Robinson

First look: Zurich targets North Sydney office conversion with 148-unit proposal above Metro station

Busy developer Aqualand Prestige has formally taken the next step in its expansion across Sydney's Lower North Shore, lodging a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for its long-held Archer Street site in Chatswood.

The application covers <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/51-55-archer-street-chatswood-nsw-2067">51-55 Archer Street</a>, a 1,767 sqm amalgamated site on the eastern edge of the Chatswood CBD, where the developer is seeking approval for a 45-level mixed-use tower delivering 114 apartments, including a significant affordable housing component, alongside retail, commercial space and six basement levels of parking.

The SSDA marks the latest milestone for a project Aqualand has been quietly progressing over the past two years. The developer first secured the site for its Aqualand Prestige platform before undertaking an alternative design excellence process with PTW Architects, ultimately avoiding a formal design competition through the Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

The proposal has evolved considerably from Aqualand's original concept. The revised scheme has been designed around larger owner-occupier product, with an unusually high proportion of three and four-bedroom apartments, targeting the more affluent buyer profile, and downsizer, emerging across the North Shore.

<img alt="Archer St" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0171204c-5811-41b5-9b09-2335d1b7c3d0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%208.52.48%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=6YTuxfq.puZo7k2wbfgemcO5K3QfXYGQ" />

The 114-apartment mix comprises six studios, 27 one-bedroom apartments, 18 two-bedroom apartments, 50 three-bedroom residences and 13 four-bedroom homes. A quarter of the building will be dedicated to affordable housing, well above the mandated 15 per cent&nbsp;

PTW has structured the building vertically, with affordable housing across levels one to six, premium apartments through levels seven to 31, duplex skyhomes on klevels 32 to 43, a penthouse on level 44, and a rooftop plant level above. Six basement levels will provide resident parking and servicing.

The tower is proposed to reach approximately 154 metres, placing it among a growing collection of residential high-rises transforming Chatswood's skyline.

Rather than competing purely on height, PTW says the design has been driven by creating a slimmer tower capable of delivering significantly larger apartments.

"The primary objective of this project was to create a distinctive building that stands out from the recently approved or built structures in the Chatswood area," the design report states, noting the structural efficiency allows greater investment into apartment quality and resident amenity.

Residents would have access to more than 450 sqm of communal open space including landscaped gardens, swimming pool, rooftop entertaining areas, fitness spaces, community gardens, children's play areas and barbecue facilities.

A major focus of the design has been the public domain.

The ground plane has been opened up through landscaped terraces inspired by Willoughby's sandstone ridges, with native planting, public seating, artwork, retail activation and a series of gathering spaces intended to soften what has traditionally been a hard commercial streetscape.

The landscape strategy references Blue Gum forests once common throughout the area, while incorporating Indigenous storytelling, public art and lighting installations to strengthen the connection to Country.

Chatswood has been one of Sydney's busiest apartment markets over the past 12 months, with a steady pipeline of both new project launches and fresh development applications.

Hyecorp recently launched Celine, a 122-apartment development just along Archer Street, while Changfa and Huirong Group are progressing The Anderson, an 84-apartment project on Anderson Street.

Develotek recently secured approval for a 101-apartment tower on Pacific Highway, while Tian An LFD received the green light for Hammond Greens, its apartment development on the edge of the Chatswood Bowling Club.

Commercial property developer FiveX is also making its move into the residential market. Last month it lodged plans for a 61-storey tower with 490 apartments, which, if approved, would become one of the tallest residential buildings in Chatswood.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-fivex-targets-chatswood-skyline-with-61-storey-tower-after-north-sydney-plans">First look: FiveX targets Chatswood skyline with 61-storey tower after North Sydney plans</a>

Aqualand is also expanding its development pipeline following the launch of its luxury residential brand, Aqualand Prestige. The developer has delivered a string of high-end apartment projects across Sydney's affluent suburbs over the past decade, most recently AURA by Aqualand on Walker Street in North Sydney.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=30959 project_image_fid=292863]

It has since quietly assembled its next wave of projects.

Earlier this year Aqualand launched Boronia in Roseville, a boutique 111-apartment development on Larkin Street. The project is one of the first significant apartment developments to launch in the suburb ahead of what is expected to become one of Sydney's most active new housing precincts under the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing reforms, which allow greater density around train stations.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152095 project_image_fid=373685]

The developer has also lodged plans for a two-tower, 413-apartment development on Herbert Street in nearby St Leonards, further strengthening its presence across the Lower North Shore.

Beyond that, Aqualand remains behind the final stage of Barangaroo, where plans will deliver a five-hectare mixed-use precinct comprising new homes, retail, hospitality and community facilities, alongside a new Metro entrance and more than two hectares of public open space, completing the Barangaroo precinct.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/central-barangaroo-development-takes-big-step-with-concept-proposal-approval">Central Barangaroo development takes big step with concept proposal approval</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-aqualand-joins-st-leonards-apartment-party">First look: Aqualand joins St Leonards apartment party</a> 
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First look: Aqualand pushes ahead with Chatswood apartment tower as SSDA lodged for Archer Street

Mass timber is becoming an increasingly popular construction material in apartment developments, but Adelaide developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/otello">Otello</a> is taking the approach a step further.

At its new <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flowe-bowden-18-gibson-street-bowden-sa-5007">Flowe Bowden</a> development, the exposed cross-laminated timber (CLT) structure isn't just about reducing the building's environmental footprint. It also forms the foundation of a broader wellness strategy, influencing everything from indoor air quality and natural materials to the way residents move through and experience the building.

The 115-apartment mixed-use development, designed by Melbourne-based architecture practice Fieldwork, will occupy a prominent island site opposite Bowden Village Reserve, combining one, two and three-bedroom apartments with retail and a dedicated wellness destination.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375528]

Wellness isn't confined to a gym or shared resident facility at Flowe. Instead, Fieldwork embedded the concept into the building itself.

The development has been split into two residential wings connected by a naturally ventilated central breezeway, replacing traditional enclosed corridors with open-air walkways that improve natural light, encourage cross ventilation and create more opportunities for neighbourly interaction.

"Rather than treating wellness as something that only happens on the ground floor, our response integrates it throughout the building, which led us to ask what it really means to design a healthy building," Fieldwork Director Quino Holland said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375531]

The building's architecture also reflects Bowden's industrial heritage. The lower podium references the area's historic brick and sandstone buildings, while the upper levels transition to exposed CLT, allowing the timber structure to become a defining feature throughout the apartments and shared spaces.

The use of mass timber sits alongside a range of sustainability initiatives, including a fully electric, gas-free design, rooftop solar and a targeted 5 Star Green Star rating.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375524]

Inside the residences, the focus remains on natural, durable materials. Blackbutt engineered timber flooring, exposed CLT ceilings, porcelain surfaces and warm timber joinery create a calming interior palette, while low-VOC finishes and responsibly sourced materials have been selected to improve indoor air quality.

Kitchens have been designed as the centrepiece of each apartment, featuring porcelain island benchtops, timber-look cabinetry and brushed steel tapware, with layouts that maximise natural light and ventilation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375530]

The more traditional interpretation of wellness comes in the form of Level Eleven, a two-storey wellness club spanning the ground floor, mezzanine and first floor.

The facility will include a gym, yoga and reformer Pilates studios, Finnish and infrared saunas, magnesium hot and cold plunge pools, and dedicated recovery spaces. Unlike many residential wellness facilities, Level Eleven will also operate commercially, allowing the broader Bowden community to access the venue while giving residents exclusive membership benefits.

The ground floor has also been designed around everyday living. A café overlooking Bowden Village Reserve will activate the street frontage, while a bike workshop with tool storage, co-working space and dog wash has been incorporated to support daily routines and encourage interaction between residents.

"Flowe brings together my two biggest passions, creating places and creating healthier lives," Otello founder Daniel Harris said.

"We wanted to create something Adelaide hasn't seen before, a genuinely healthy building, where the way you live is lifted without even trying."

Flowe is positioned directly opposite Bowden Village Reserve and within walking distance of Bowden Railway Station and the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, placing future residents just minutes from the Adelaide CBD while remaining connected to one of the city's most established urban renewal precincts.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152022]

Otello launches wellness-focused Flowe Bowden with Adelaide-first mass timber apartment design

Not all apartment amenities are immediately visible.

Swimming pools, gyms, rooftop terraces and residents' lounges have long featured on buyers' wishlists, but as the way Australians live has changed, so too have the features that make apartment living more convenient.

Increasingly, buyers are placing value on the practical aspects of day-to-day life. Fast internet, EV charging, secure bike storage, flexible workspaces and parcel management are becoming just as relevant as lifestyle amenities, reflecting changing habits and expectations.

Online shopping has been one of the biggest drivers of that shift.

Australians spent a record $82.6 billion shopping online in 2025, with almost one in every four retail dollars now spent digitally, making parcel deliveries a routine part of everyday life rather than an occasional convenience.

For apartment residents, however, receiving those deliveries isn't always straightforward.

Without someone home to accept a parcel, deliveries can be redirected to a nearby Post Office, left in building foyers or common areas, or require building management to temporarily store packages. As apartment living continues to grow across Australia's cities, parcel management has become an increasingly important consideration for both residents and developers.

Australia Post's Parcel Locker network is one response to that shift.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KPZ9j5FRdsQ?si=Qztc1dNP3ZvEIUhb" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Rather than relying on home delivery, eligible parcels can be directed to a nominated Parcel Locker, where they're securely stored until collected. Once a parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS and can retrieve it using a one-time code or QR code at a time that suits them.

The network has expanded to more than 1,500 locations nationwide, with Parcel Lockers positioned at Post Offices, shopping centres, supermarkets, transport hubs and, increasingly, within or alongside residential developments.

That growing presence reflects a broader change in how apartment buildings are being planned.

Developers are increasingly considering the operational side of apartment living alongside traditional lifestyle amenities. Just as secure mailrooms, bicycle storage and EV charging have become more common inclusions, parcel management is emerging as another feature that supports everyday convenience.

It also helps preserve the arrival experience within a building. Carefully designed lobbies and communal spaces can quickly become cluttered when deliveries accumulate, while secure parcel solutions reduce the likelihood of missed deliveries or parcels being left unattended.

For buyers comparing apartments, these everyday details are becoming part of the decision-making process.

Location, floorplans and finishes remain fundamental, but the features that simplify daily life are carrying greater weight than they once did. As online shopping continues to shape consumer behaviour, secure parcel delivery is increasingly becoming another amenity worth looking for.

Parcel delivery is joining the apartment amenity checklist

Inca Property Group has lodged a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for Dawn, a 53-apartment oceanfront development overlooking Mona Vale Beach.

The proposal, at 35-39 Darley Street East, would replace an existing 18-apartment strata building with a new owner-occupier-focused development comprising 53 two and three-bedroom apartments, including nine affordable built-to-rent residences delivered under the State's infill affordable housing scheme.

Positioned on a 2,679 sqm elevated site around 280 metres from Mona Vale Beach, the development has been designed to maximise panoramic ocean views while responding to the site's sloping topography.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/inca-property-group">Inca Property Group</a> Managing Director Josh Thompson said the State Significant pathway provided greater certainty for projects of this scale.

"This State Significant pathway gives the team real certainty to progress <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/dawn-35-39-darley-street-east-mona-vale-nsw-2103">Dawn</a> through to completion," Thompson said.

"It allows us to acquire a one-off site, design it carefully and deliver the right offering for the suburb, assessed by the NSW Government's planning department."

The project is one of the first developments in the area to be assessed under the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy, with the site sitting on the edge of the policy's designated inner area.

The proposal includes three basement levels providing 124 car spaces, alongside a range of resident amenities including a swimming pool, gym, sauna, wellness facilities and private plunge pools for selected ground-floor and penthouse apartments.

<img alt="Dawn" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fc1a1daf-0ce4-4f12-9076-b1fa553c7a91" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-21%20at%208.42.11%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=4GZ9h.gpNkTljbxyAET8Jfhv51XUamDm" />

Thompson said Dawn had been designed specifically for owner-occupiers and downsizers, a buyer profile that has driven demand across Inca's recent Upper North Shore developments.

"The majority of buyers in our recent North Shore projects have been downsizers, and we are learning exactly what this market is looking for. Beyond the location itself, we have included resort-style amenities to deliver a genuine lifestyle offering," Thompson said.

Located within walking distance of Mona Vale Beach, the town centre, Mona Vale Golf Club and the Royal Motor Yacht Club, Dawn represents Inca's first Northern Beaches project following the sell-out of Tara on Park in Waitara and Ellis Residences, currently under construction in St Ives.

Construction will be undertaken by Inca's in-house construction arm, GOP Constructions.

Dawn is the latest major apartment proposal for Mona Vale, with the suburb emerging as one of the key beneficiaries of the NSW Government's new Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy.

New developer One Living, led by industry veteran Joseph Scuderi, recently secured a site on Mona Vale Road, on the border of Mona Vale and Pymble, where it is planning around 140 apartments.

IPM is also planning its third project in Mona Vale, significantly increasing the scale of its previous developments with an 82-apartment proposal at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/159-167-darley-street-west-mona-vale-nsw-2103">159-167 Darley Street West</a>, opposite Bayview Golf Course and less than 800 metres from Mona Vale town centre.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/one-living-enters-sydneys-new-apartment-market-with-northern-beaches-site-acquisition">One Living enters Sydney's new apartment market with Northern Beaches site acquisition</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-ipm-plans-third-mona-vale-project">First look: IPM plans third Mona Vale project</a>

First look: Inca eyes Mona Vale with State Significant DA for Dawn apartments

Accc

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Unaffordable home, contents and strata insurance is a major challenge to the liveability and prosperity of communities, towns and cities across northern Australia, but a range of actions could help address this, according to a major report published by the ACCC.

The final report of the ACCC’s three year Northern Australia Insurance Inquiry shows that home, contents and strata insurance premiums are, on average, considerably higher in northern Australia than the rest of the country, and over the past decade have increased at a faster rate.

Rising insurance costs are leading to higher rates of non-insurance in northern Australia, leaving more households and communities financially vulnerable to the impact of severe weather events, and potentially hurting the economic development of the region.

Insurers are increasingly assessing and pricing risk, based on a home or building’s individual characteristics and address rather than at a postcode or regional level, especially for cyclone or flood risk. This has resulted in very significant premium increases for some households.

“This inquiry has examined insurance in northern Australia in unprecedented breadth and detail, using an extensive volume of documents and data from insurers, and taking in significant information and feedback we have received from industry, local residents, consumer groups and communities across northern Australia,” ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said.

“We know that there are real reasons for more expensive insurance premiums in northern Australia. The risk of extreme weather is higher and it can be costly for insurers to service these regions. However, different insurers can quote vastly different premiums for the same property. While many consumers could save by switching, it is harder than it should be for consumers to shop around.”

“Our analysis has shown that, with the right actions, northern Australian insurance markets could work much better for consumers. We believe our wide-ranging recommendations would address many of the problems we have identified,” Ms Rickard said.

“Many of our recommendations, if adopted more broadly, could also benefit consumers and insurance markets across Australia.”

The ACCC has made 38 recommendations in this final report, including 11 new recommendations, that seek to improve outcomes in the short, medium and long term.

The inquiry considered a range of options that have been suggested to governments to improve affordability. The ACCC has recommended that, if governments want to provide immediate relief to consumers facing acute affordability pressures, subsidies be used in preference to other measures such as government reinsurance pools.

“Direct subsidies can be used in a highly targeted way to relieve some of the acute financial pressures faced by households in specific areas, at a lower cost and more effectively than other measures,” Ms Rickard said.

“We do not believe that government insurers and reinsurance pools can lower premiums without the government subsidising the insurer in some way. These measures also can’t be targeted to those consumers most in need, and so are more costly. Further, they involve transferring significant risks from insurers and reinsurers to governments, who are not well placed to manage them.”

Other recommendation that would provide immediate assistance include abolishing stamp duty on home, contents and strata insurance or, if it is maintained, that it be based on the sum insured of a property rather than the premium amount. The report notes that the rise in premiums on insurance in northern Australia has resulted in significant windfall gains for state and territory governments.

“We continue to advocate that a portion of any stamp duty revenue should be devoted to improving affordability of insurance for low income consumers or to funding mitigation works,” Ms Rickard said.

“However, the best outcome for consumers would be for stamp duty to no longer be applied to home, contents and strata insurance, which are often considered essential products that some households struggle to obtain.”

We also recommended that insurers provide more short-term help for customers struggling to pay their premiums when due, such as by deferring payments, reducing or waiving surcharges for monthly payments, or offering payment plans.

“The industry has no standard approach to assisting customers struggling to pay their premiums,” Ms Rickard said.

“It is crucial that we help households hold onto their insurance, because becoming uninsured can result in much greater financial hardship in the future if homes or possessions are impacted by a severe event.”

Better disclosure of surcharges imposed on monthly instalments has also been recommended, so that consumers can compare the difference in cost in dollar terms between paying annually or monthly. Some insurers apply a surcharge of up to 20 per cent, which can add hundreds of dollars a year to the cost of insurance.

The inquiry has also made a series of recommendations relating to risk mitigation, including new recommendations designed to make insurance more affordable in the future by reducing the risk of property loss or damage.

These include expanding the remit of the Australian Building Codes Board to explicitly include property protection as an objective when developing the National Construction Code, and that Standards Australia and the insurance industry develop voluntary standards for more resilient buildings, for both new homes and for retrofitting of existing homes.

“Importantly, we are calling on the insurance industry to commit to taking into account resilience measures when setting premiums,” Ms Rickard said.

The inquiry also looked at how risk data could be better shared and at improvements to land use planning.

The new recommendations add to the previous recommendations made by the inquiry over the past three years. These have included measures to make pricing more transparent, a ban on conflicted remuneration for insurance brokers and strata managers and that a national home insurance comparison website be considered.

During the past three years the ACCC considered more than 420 submissions and held public forums in Townsville, Cairns, Rockhampton, Mackay, Broome, Karratha, Darwin and Alice Springs.

“We have heard first-hand how many residents of northern Australia are struggling to find suitable and affordable insurance in this market, and the considerable impact this is having on them and their communities,” Ms Rickard said.

“We believe the work of this inquiry and the implementation of our recommendations will make a difference for people living in northern Western Australia, northern Queensland and the Northern Territory, and contribute to the long-term prosperity and liveability of this important part of Australia.”
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The final report of the ACCC’s three year Northern Australia Insurance Inquiry shows that home, contents and strata insurance premiums are, on average, considerably higher in Queensland than the rest of the country

urban.com.au

Regional Queensland communities need more affordable strata insurance: ACCC

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The Australian Competition &amp; Consumer Commission (ACCC) will not oppose Australian Finance Group Ltd's proposed acquisition of Connective Group Pty Ltd.
As mortgage aggregators, both AFG and Connective act as intermediaries between mortgage brokers and lenders, such as banks. 
In their statement of issues in February, the ACCC identified a number of preliminary concerns with the proposed acquisition that will create the largest mortgage aggregator in Australia. 
After completing a second round of enquiries, ACCC chair Rod Sims says: "After our extensive public review of the acquisition and our consultation with a wide range of interested parties, we believe the combined AFG-Connective is likely to continue to face robust competition.”
“Mortgage brokers will still have a range of other aggregators, should they become dissatisfied with the combined AFG-Connective’s pricing or service. Lenders will likewise have a range of aggregators through which they can access potential consumers,” Mr Sims said.
The combined AFG-Connective is likely to have the incentive to retain lenders on their panel who are popular with consumers to attract brokers. 
The ACCC ultimately found that substantial lessening of competition was not likely. 
Other established aggregators, including Finsure and the aggregators owned by the National Australia Bank, are likely to continue to provide strong competition.
Further information is available at <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/public-registers/mergers-registers/public-informal-merger-reviews/australian-finance-group-ltd-connective-group-pty-ltd">Australian Finance Group Ltd - Connective Group Pty Ltd</a>.
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ACCC does not oppose AFG-Connective mortgage aggregator deal

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The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has instituted Federal Court civil proceedings against construction company J Hutchinson Pty Ltd and the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU).
The proceedings were raised over alleged boycott conduct at a building site in Brisbane, following an agreement in 2016 between the CFMMEU and Hutchinson, one of Australia’s biggest privately owned construction companies.
According to a document lodged to the Federal Court, Hutchinson allegedly agreed to terminate the contract of an independent waterproofing subcontractor working on the Southpoint A Apartments construction project in South Brisbane.
The ACCC alleges that Hutchinson terminated the subcontractor to avoid conflict with, or industrial action by, the CFMMEU at the site as the waterproofing subcontractor was not covered by an enterprise agreement with the CFMMEU.
Hutchinson contravened sections 45E and 45EA of the Competition and Consumer Act, which prohibit contracts, arrangements or understandings for the purpose of preventing or hindering the acquisition of goods or services from a supplier, according to the ACCC.
“Tackling anti-competitive conduct in the construction industry is a priority for the ACCC, and this includes boycotts like the one alleged to have taken place here,” ACCC chair Rod Sims said.
“Boycotts are extremely detrimental to competitive markets and the economy, and can do great damage to those businesses targeted. Given this, we will take action to detect and deter such conduct whenever we can.”
The ACCC is seeking declarations, injunctions, pecuniary penalties, orders for findings of fact, compliance training and, against the CFMMEU only, adverse publicity orders.
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ACCC takes civil action against CFMMEU and construction giant Hutchinson

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Australia’s east coast gas users are paying prices significantly above export parity prices, the ACCC’s latest gas report reveals.
The ACCC’s Gas Inquiry 2017-2025 Interim Report, released today, shows that prices offered to domestic gas users in late 2019 and early 2020 ranged from $8 to $11/GJ.
While this was down slightly from the $9 to $12/GJ range observed earlier in 2019, this price decline was not in line with the significant and sustained drop in LNG netback prices, which were for 2021 delivery below $6/GJ by early 2020 and have been below $5.50 since May.
“The ACCC is very concerned with the widening gap between domestic and export parity prices, which will have an inevitable impact on Australia’s industrial sector during what is already a difficult economic period,” ACCC Chair Rod Sims said.
“Queensland LNG producers sold 18 LNG spot cargoes into international markets in late 2019 and early 2020, equivalent to more than 10 per cent of annual domestic east coast demand. This gas was sold at prices substantially below domestic gas price offers, showing the importance of our continuing work to understand the drivers behind the price levels we are seeing across the domestic market.”
“It is also clear that recent Australian contract gas prices do not reflect overseas forward prices.”
“I am yet to hear a compelling reason from LNG producers as to why domestic users are paying substantially higher prices than buyers in international markets.”
“When we have lower gas prices around the world, and the Australian market linked to world gas markets, it is vital that Australian gas users get the benefit.”
Recommendations to address price concerns
The ACCC recommends the extension of the existing Commonwealth Government’s Heads of Agreement with LNG producers, due to expire at the end of 2020, because of the demonstrated capacity of LNG producers to supply additional gas into the domestic market when needed.
“As well as extending this Heads of Agreement, we think the government should consider strengthening the agreement’s price commitments,” Mr Sims said.
“For example, reference could be made to LNG netback price expectations and the prices LNG exporters could expect to receive for uncontracted gas in overseas markets over the relevant period.”
“Extending the Heads of Agreement is one measure that can be adopted now. Further measures are also needed to ensure adequate supply of appropriately priced gas over the longer term,” Mr Sims said.
With the southern states facing the greatest risk of shortfall in the future, the ability of market participants to transport gas from Queensland into southern markets remains critical.
The ACCC therefore recommends governments consider whether further measures are needed to see timely investment in north-south transportation infrastructure particularly, or import terminals on the east coast.
The ACCC also recommends that governments seek to increase the diversity of suppliers when granting new tenements, as greater competition between suppliers would be more likely to bring down domestic prices. Measures such as active tenement management should also be used to ensure producers bring gas to market in a timely manner.
Gas supply for 2021 and COVID-19 impacts
Australia’s east coast gas market is expected to have sufficient supply in 2021, with the LNG producers in particular having surplus gas, but the risk of a shortfall in the southern states in the medium term has increased, the ACCC’s report finds.
More than 20 per cent of southern states’ production in 2021 is expected to come from undeveloped ‘2P’, or proven and probable, reserves. At the same time last year, only eight per cent of southern supply had been forecast to come from undeveloped 2P reserves in 2020.
“The impacts of COVID-19 and the collapse in oil prices are being felt at all levels of the gas supply chain, and they have highlighted key areas of dysfunction in the market,” Mr Sims said.
“The cumulative effect on gas users is significant and exacerbates the difficulties being experienced by many commercial and industrial users.”
The report is available at <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/regulated-infrastructure/energy/gas-inquiry-2017-2025/july-2020-interim-report" target="_blank">Gas Inquiry</a>
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Domestic gas users paying too much: ACCC

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The Federal Court has ordered Quantum Housing Group Pty Ltd to pay $700,000 in penalties for making false or misleading representations relating to the National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS).
Between February 2017 and July 2018, Quantum sent a series of misleading letters and emails to at least 450 investors who had rental dwellings participating in the NRAS scheme, and pressured them to terminate their arrangements with their existing property managers and instead use property managers approved or recommended by Quantum.
Quantum failed to tell investors that it had commercial links with the property managers it recommended.
Quantum also told some investors that their existing property manager had not properly managed their property’s compliance with the NRAS, when this was not true.
“This conduct was blatant, planned and deliberate in an effort to trick investors into switching from their preferred property managers,” ACCC Chair Rod Sims said.
Quantum admitted that it falsely represented that property managers must meet accreditation guidelines issued by Quantum, and that investors who failed to appoint an approved property manager were in default of their agreement with Quantum and risked losing their NRAS incentives.
The Court also ordered Quantum’s director, Cheryl Howe to pay $50,000 in penalties for being knowingly concerned in Quantum’s breaches of the Australian Consumer Law. Ms Howe was also disqualified from managing a corporation for three years.
“The penalties ordered against Quantum and Ms Howe serve as a warning that making false or misleading statements will result in serious consequences not just for the company involved but also any executive or employee found to be knowingly concerned in the conduct,” Mr Sims said.
Quantum and Ms Howe admitted liability and made joint submissions to the Federal Court with the ACCC.
The ACCC had also alleged that the conduct engaged in by Quantum was unconscionable conduct. However, the Court found the admitted conduct did not depend on exploiting vulnerability on the part of investors, and in those circumstances was not satisfied that the conduct was unconscionable.
Quantum ceased trading in December 2019 and is in liquidation.
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Quantum Housing to pay $700,000 for misleading property owners: ACCC

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New guidelines, published by the ACCC, will assist electricity retailers and generators to comply with laws aimed at protecting consumers and businesses from excessive electricity prices.
The laws prohibit electricity retailers from keeping consumer and small business prices unnecessarily high when costs fall, and prohibit generators from inflating wholesale prices or blocking access to critical contracts, which could increase retail prices. The laws will form part of the Competition and Consumer Act and come into effect on 10 June 2020.
The guidelines provide examples and information to help industry comply with the laws and were prepared after consultation with stakeholders.
“These new laws commence at a time when the affordability of energy is particularly pressing for so many Australian businesses and households, as communities are impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our guidelines help electricity companies to comply with these laws aimed at achieving fairer prices for consumers,” ACCC Chair Rod Sims said.
“Wholesale prices have reduced significantly over the past couple of months, so retailers should be assessing their prices and ensuring that they are prepared when the new laws come into effect in June.”
The ACCC’s role is to enforce compliance with these laws. Competition and consumer issues in electricity are key compliance and enforcement priorities for the ACCC.
The ACCC will continue to closely monitor the behaviour of companies in the electricity markets and has a range of enforcement tools available, including public warning notices, infringement notices and commencing legal proceedings in the Federal Court alleging that companies have breached these laws.
“These new laws will enable us to take electricity companies to court if we have evidence that they are engaging in prohibited conduct in breach of these new provisions,” Mr Sims said.
The new laws prohibit the following conduct:
- The ‘retail pricing prohibition’ prohibits electricity retailers from charging small customers prices which are not adjusted to reflect sustained and substantial cost reductions in their underlying costs.
- The ‘electricity financial contract liquidity prohibition’ prohibits generators from restricting access to electricity hedging contracts for an anti-competitive purpose.
- The ‘electricity spot market prohibitions’ prohibit bidding practices by generators which are engaged in fraudulently, dishonestly or in bad faith and/or for the purpose of distorting or manipulating prices in an electricity spot market.
The new guidelines are available at <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/publications/guidelines-on-part-xica-prohibited-conduct-in-the-energy-market">Guidelines on Part XICA - Prohibited conduct in the energy market</a>.
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New guidelines to protect consumers and businesses from excessive electricity prices: ACCC

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EXPERT OBSERVER
The ACCC has moved quickly to reprioritise its work and direct resources towards delivering on issues stemming from the extraordinary economic disruption caused by COVID-19, which I will touch on today. We continue to deliver on pre-existing priorities or essential work but, like so many organisations, our focus has had to shift.
While we have closed our offices to the public, we are still operating surprisingly well. Our efforts to become a more flexible workforce over the past few years has paid off, with over 97 per cent of our employees now working from home each day. This is an enormous, complex shift and one I am sure many of you have had to navigate yourselves.
The ACCC’s COVID-19 Taskforce is rapidly responding to a large number of issues impacting Australian consumers and businesses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
We have received thousands of phone calls, emails and social media reports from consumers and businesses seeking information and are working swiftly to address areas of harm to consumers and advising businesses about their obligations.
The ACCC Taskforce is focusing on early intervention by engaging directly with businesses, relevant state and federal government agencies, and consumer and other representative groups.
Our aim is to address immediate problems being faced by consumers in relation to cancellation of services and failure to obtain refunds and remedies, and working with expert teams across the agency to ensure we can quickly get to the heart of the issues being raised with the ACCC and work to fix them.
Below I will outline a number of successful early interventions by the ACCC Taskforce and other discussions and investigations that are continuing.
Cancelled travel and accommodation services
Various restrictions in place for domestic and international travel have been the main source of consumer complaints. Many consumers are unhappy with the remedies being offered.
<ul>
<li>
Travel services provider: after receiving a high number of complaints around the charging of 'change fees' in circumstances where flights were cancelled, the ACCC contacted the business, which agreed not to charge for changes to existing bookings and agreed to offer a fee free travel credit to consumers. There are however continuing issues in relation to another type of conduct by that same business that the ACCC is working to resolve, along with other state and territory fair trading agencies.
</li>
<li>
The ACCC is also following up several businesses selling package tours that are alleged to have recently changed contract terms and conditions. The companies are assessing customer claims for refunds or credits vouchers on the basis of the new terms, rather than the former contract terms that were in place when the consumer booked the package.
</li>
<li>
A second travel services provider: the ACCC is working to resolve a concerning issue receiving a large number of customer complaints, with allegations that the business is failing to provide refunds in line with its terms and conditions.
</li>
<li>
Council of Travel Operators: the ACCC has met with the Council in an attempt to understand the various issues impacting a number of travel companies and the impact that this is having on consumers.
</li>
<li>
Airline: The Taskforce contacted the airline following reports of incorrect advice being given around refunds. The errors were attributed to issues impacting overseas call centres, unprecedented demand, and new team members rapidly joining teams. Senior staff apologised for the error and have ensured correct advice is being provided to all impacted customers.
</li>
</ul>
Subscription services – gyms, food and pay TV
With the restrictions imposed by governments at all levels in relation to social distancing and businesses being able to remain open, operations of certain businesses, there have been a considerable number of reports of consumers navigating these changes.
<ul>
<li>
A major gym chain: was charging customers a weekly ‘freeze’ fee for the period their gyms will be closed. Following the Taskforce’s intervention, the gym immediately ceased this practice.
</li>
<li>
There are a number of other gyms that continue to deduct these fees and the ACCC is contacting them directly.
</li>
<li>
In the franchising sector there are reports that some franchisors are still trying to collect franchising fees, when the businesses have minimised their operations. This is a matter that the ACCC is following up as a matter of urgency.
</li>
<li>
Foxtel: a number of complaints from consumers unable to contact Foxtel to cancel or suspend subscriptions. It has assured the ACCC Taskforce it was urgently increasing call centre capacity which had been shut down because of COVID-19 lockdown measures overseas.
</li>
<li>
A subscription meals provider was unable to source supply to meet its orders and contractual obligations. The Taskforce contacted the business and the business undertook to provide full refunds to impacted customers.
</li>
</ul>
Payment process providers for the fitness industry
After hearing that payment processors were suspending debits being made on behalf of small business gyms and fitness studios on the basis of 'ACCC advice', the Taskforce contacted them to ensure that their clients were not being unfairly treated.
We were informed that the companies wanted to ensure they were collecting payments from consumers who had signed up for new services. We also obtained assurances that the businesses had the ability to contact these finance companies if there were problems with customers’ accounts.  
COVID-19 product claims
Some business have represented to consumers that they sell a product that prevents COVID-19 or they provide a service that prevents infection by COVID-19.
<ul>
<li>
The ACCC was alerted to an ASX listed company claiming that its hand sanitiser product it had been tested as effective against COVID-19, when it was tested against a recognised surrogate. The company subsequently clarified the statement it made to the ASX.
</li>
<li>
The Taskforce is investigating claims that a company is alleged to be urging consumers to get their plumbing serviced to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
</li>
</ul>
Excessive price increases, also known as price gouging
In relation to COVID-19 there have a large number of complaints regarding excessive pricing around personal protective equipment (face masks and sanitiser) and some other grocery items.
The ACCC cannot prevent or take action to stop excessive pricing, as it has no role in setting prices. But in some circumstances excessive pricing may be unconscionable, for example where the product is critical to the health or safety of vulnerable consumers. If a business makes misleading claims about the reason for price increases, it will be breaching the Australian Consumer Law.
<ul>
<li>
Recently the Australian Federal Police has been given new powers under the Biosecurity Act to prevent price gouging. The prescribed products are disposable gloves, disposable gowns, goggles, glasses, or eye visors used for limiting the transmission of organisms to humans, or of alcohol wipes and hand sanitiser. It is now an offence to resell or offer to resell these products, if they were purchased in a retail transaction, at 20 per cent or higher than the original price paid.
</li>
<li>
Online platforms: the ACCC engaged with Amazon, Facebook, eBay and Gumtree to understand measures the companies have in place to prevent the sale of these products at excessive prices. We received some assurances the platforms have mechanisms in place, but are encouraging increased vigilance and will continue to monitor.
</li>
<li>
Supermarkets: the unprecedented demand for supermarket goods has also created shortages across a range of other product lines, which has impacted supply. We have also heard a number of concerns about the high price of some fresh produce, including fruit, vegetables and meat. Higher fresh produce prices had been predicted as early as January due to the drought and the bushfires, which have contributed to a supply shortage and led to higher prices for some items.
</li>
</ul>
Private health insurance
<ul>
<li>
The ACCC received complaints that consumers were not able to access all services offered under the policies but are still required to pay the premiums.
</li>
<li>
Private health insurers are generally not passing on premium increases by giving consumers a ‘credit’ for the new increase, which means that their premiums remain the same as they were before 1 April 2020.
</li>
<li>
The ACCC recommends that private health insurers provide remedies for consumers for services that can no longer be provided or only provided to a limited extent due to COVID-19 restrictions, such as dental, optical, physio, etc.
</li>
</ul>
The full list of FAQs includes further detail on:
<ul>
<li>
cancellation of flights/travel
</li>
<li>
cancellation of events
</li>
<li>
gymnasium services
</li>
<li>
weddings
</li>
<li>
product price increases
</li>
<li>
material changes to contracted services
</li>
<li>
telecommunication issues
</li>
<li>
country of origin labelling issues.
</li>
</ul>
Interim authorisations
In the past three weeks the ACCC has granted interim authorisation to a number of sectors to ensure the economy is able to function and provide essential goods, services, medicines and medical equipment, and hardship relief during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This has included 14 separate interim authorisations, which allow for conduct that might otherwise raise concerns under the competition provisions of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010. We still have a number of applications for interim authorisation to be considered by the Commission, which is currently meeting to make statutory decisions a number of times each week to deal with the surge.
The following interim authorisations have been granted to enable firms to cooperate during the COVID-19 pandemic, and can be reviewed at any time. The ACCC will closely monitor the activity being undertaken. Each will now be subject to a consultation period and a final decision made following further investigation and feedback from stakeholders.
The ACCC can decide to grant formal authorisation in circumstances where it is satisfied that the public benefit from the conduct outweighs any public detriment.
<ul>
<li>
Banks have been authorised to cooperate on loan relief package for consumers and small businesses
</li>
<li>
Supermarkets will be able to cooperate on grocery supply when working with manufacturers, suppliers, and transport and logistics providers.
</li>
<li>
Medicine wholesalers will be able to co-operate to facilitate distribution of essential medication and pharmacy products after being granted interim authorisation by the ACCC.
</li>
<li>
Airlines are able to coordinate ­flight schedules on ten regional flight routes, including revenue sharing, with an agreement not to raise fare prices
</li>
<li>
Gas and electricity companies to cooperate on energy supply and ensure integrity of wholesale markets
</li>
<li>
Medical suppliers allowed to work together to expand capacity in order to produce urgently needed equipment.
</li>
<li>
Oil companies allowed to co-operate to secure fuel supply, including crude oil and refined fuels, importers, suppliers of storage facilities and trucking or delivery services and wholesalers.
</li>
<li>
NBN Co and telecommunications providers able to work together to manage on demand surge, wholesale services and capacity challenges
</li>
<li>
Pharmaceutical companies will be able to co-operate to facilitate distribution of essential medication and pharmacy products
</li>
<li>
Insurers are able to coordinate on deferred payments and refunds under small business relief package
</li>
<li>
Shopping centre owners and managers given interim authorisation to discuss and implement rent relief measures for small to medium shopping centre tenants facing hardship
</li>
<li>
Private hospitals in Victoria and in Queensland are able to coordinate between each other and state health agencies and public hospitals
</li>
</ul>
As the ACCC monitors these authorisations it will watch for ways in which smaller players can be disadvantaged. For example, the ACCC has urged state governments that while supermarkets will always remain open during this pandemic, so must smaller local food retailers, like butchers and green grocers. It would be extremely unfortunate if this pandemic were to see a consolidation in the grocery sector as supplies narrow to supermarkets in ways that will be hard to reverse.
ROD SIMS is the Chair of the ACCC
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Managing the impacts of COVID-19 disruption on consumers and business: ACCC's Rod Sims 

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The ACCC has announced an update on the timeline for the implementation and launch of the Consumer Data Right (CDR) in the banking sector, deferring the launch of certain aspects from February to July 2020.
Consumers will be able to direct major banks to share their credit and debit card, deposit account and transaction account data with accredited service providers from 1 July 2020. Consumers’ mortgage and personal loan data will be able to be shared after 1 November 2020.
The ACCC has formed the view that this updated timeline for these aspects of the CDR reforms will allow additional implementation work and testing to be completed and better ensure necessary security and privacy protections operate effectively.
“The CDR is a complex but fundamental competition and consumer reform and we are committed to delivering it only after we are confident the system is resilient, user friendly and properly tested,” ACCC Commissioner Sarah Court said.
“Robust privacy protection and information security are core features of the CDR and establishing appropriate regulatory settings and IT infrastructure cannot be rushed.”
The ACCC will make the CDR Rules in January 2020 that reflect this adjustment to the timetable, and will conduct further consultation regarding any consequential changes to other phases of the CDR.
The Consumer Data Right will give consumers the right to safely access data about them, held by businesses, and direct this information be transferred to trusted third parties of their choice.
Banking will be the first sector to which the CDR applies. The CDR will subsequently be rolled out sector-by-sector, with banking being followed by energy and telecommunications.
Data portability increases competition, particularly for more complex products and services, and allows businesses to make more tailored offerings to consumers.
The ACCC has been working closely for several months with the big 4 banks and the 9 entities selected to be the initial data recipients to test and refine the CDR ecosystem.
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</div>
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Start date for bank sharing of consumer data details delayed

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The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has begun an investigation into the outdoor advertising sector.
The goal is to assess whether the use of rebates and discounts are breaching parts of the Competition and Consumer Act (CCA), according to a report on Mumbrella.
Numerous businesses and organisation have had information requested regarding discounts in specific areas or regions.
Under the CCA, corporations with a large degree of power are not allowed to operate in a way which would lessen competition in the market. 
The Act also prohibits corporations from giving or allowing discounts, allowances, rebates or credit on their services, on the condition the person will not acquire the same services from another competitor.
Investigations of the first assessment kind take roughly three months, after which it will be decided whether a full investigation is required.
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