<p>A luxury beachfront apartment at Rainbow Bay has more than doubled in value since it sold off the plan six years ago, setting a new local apartment record in the process.</p>

<p>The three-bedroom apartment in the Flow development on Petrie Street, the first of four new projects locally by Paul Gedoun's S&amp;S Projects, has sold for $7.4 million, after originally selling for $3.27 million when the project launched in 2020.</p>

<p>The seventh-floor apartment, comprising 187 sqm of internal living space and a 54 sqm balcony overlooking Froggies Beach and Snapper Rocks, was purchased by a local family.</p>

<p>The transaction was negotiated by Pezet Matheson director Kerry Pezet and equates to more than $30,000 per sqm.</p>

<p>Pezet said the sale reflected the limited opportunities to buy into the boutique beachfront development.</p>

<p>"The sale highlights the rarity of opportunities within the boutique beachfront development, where residences seldom become available," Pezet said.</p>

<p>"Flow is one of the Gold Coast's most tightly held buildings. Buyers from our database move quickly when residences become available, and achieving an off-market sale at $7.4 million demonstrates the depth of demand for property of this calibre."</p>

<p><img alt="Flow" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c585b206-2130-4eee-a50c-3f27c51a7c70" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-06%20at%208.33.25%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=m3pHRDV62Y3fvN.XQuQHq.52ilTWpRLf" /></p>

<p>Flow was the first of four luxury apartment developments delivered by Paul Gedoun's S&amp;S Projects at Rainbow Bay and was completed in 2023.</p>

<p>Positioned on the beachfront overlooking Snapper Rocks, the residence includes three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a powder room and views stretching north along the coastline towards Surfers Paradise.</p>

<p>Pezet Matheson Residential principal Mitchell Lambert said buyers continued to prioritise quality beachfront apartments in tightly held locations.</p>

<p>"Flow Residences offers a rare combination of elevated beachfront positioning, architectural excellence, comprehensive resident amenity and premium finishes, which is exactly what discerning purchasers are seeking," Lambert said.</p>

<p>"The transaction further reinforces Rainbow Bay's reputation as one of Australia's premier coastal lifestyle destinations, where limited supply and growing demand continue to support strong market performance."</p>

<p>Pezet Matheson originally marketed and sold out Flow off the plan, making the latest transaction a return to one of the project's original buyers.</p>

<p>Paul Gedoun is selling his third project, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/radia-rainbow-bay-271-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Radia Rainbow Bay</a>, after recently completing, and selling out, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/esprit-217-227-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Esprit</a>. He has plans for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/first-look-s-s-projects-proposes-88-apartment-wellness-tower-at-coolangattas-boundary-street">fourth building</a>, 88 apartments on <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/209-213-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Boundary Street</a>.</p>


Joel Robinson

Rainbow Bay apartment doubles in price since off the plan sale during pandemic

<p data-end="315" data-start="85">The long-planned transformation of Brisbane's historic Shafston Estate has taken another major step, with Capella Hotel Group announced as the luxury hospitality partner behind what will become Brisbane's first branded residences.</p>

<p data-end="499" data-start="317">The project, to be known as <strong data-end="376" data-start="345">Capella Residences Brisbane</strong>, is being delivered by Verso Projects at the landmark Kangaroo Point riverfront estate, with completion targeted for 2029.</p>

<p data-end="899" data-start="501">The announcement follows a series of planning changes to the project over recent years. The site was originally approved in 2023 for a 15-level, 37-apartment development designed by Rothelowman for Burgundy Group before Verso Projects took over the 10,070 sqm riverfront holding and lodged revised plans with Kerry Hill Architects to increase the development to a 25-level tower with 51 apartments.</p>

<p data-end="1154" data-start="901">The latest announcement confirms Capella Hotel Group will bring its branded residential offering to the project, marking just the second Capella Residences development globally after Seoul, and the group's first branded residential project in Australia.</p>

<p data-end="1387" data-start="1156">The <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/23-castlebar-street-kangaroo-point-qld-4169">Castlebar Street development</a> will centre around the restoration of the heritage-listed Shafston House, one of Brisbane's oldest residences, originally constructed in 1851 by Reverend Robert Creyke as a single-storey cottage known as Ravenscott.</p>

<p data-end="1387" data-start="1156"><img alt="Capella" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2b9f4ce5-638f-4d6b-8082-3ca7e4b75fca" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-09%20at%207.20.41%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=f7aeqsW_DzOJI4FymWb3lD8NptSfsP7q" /></p>

<p data-end="1611" data-start="1389">Capella said the project aligns with its focus on heritage-led developments, with the Brisbane estate combining the restored historic residence with a new luxury apartment tower and hospitality-inspired resident amenities.</p>

<p data-end="1823" data-start="1613">Residents will have access to the Capella Living Room, a concierge-led communal space inspired by the group's luxury hotels, alongside landscaped gardens, six swimming pools, wellness and recreation facilities.</p>

<p data-end="2042" data-start="1825">The broader estate will also include two riverfront homes, a six-berth private marina, porte cochère arrival experience, secure basement parking and a new section of public riverwalk along the Brisbane River frontage.</p>

<p data-end="2177" data-start="2044">The heritage Postal Depot Building will also be retained and repurposed as a guest house, in line with the revised development plans.</p>

<p data-end="2420" data-start="2179">The project represents another evolution for the site, which Kerry Hill Architects previously described as a rare opportunity to restore one of Brisbane's most significant heritage estates while creating a new benchmark for apartment living.</p>

<p data-end="2724" data-start="2422">"The Shafston Estate provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity to restore one of Brisbane's finest heritage precincts and to reinstate residential use as a unique site perched on the edge of Kangaroo Point," Kerry Hill Architects said in its Urban Context Report accompanying the planning submission.</p>

<p data-end="2858" data-start="2726">"The project will celebrate excellence in sub-tropical residential design, setting a new benchmark for vertical living in Brisbane."</p>

<p data-end="3130" data-start="2860">Verso Projects, which now has an $8.5 billion development pipeline spanning more than 6,000 dwellings across apartments, townhouses, retail and commercial projects, said the partnership with Capella would elevate the development beyond a traditional residential project.</p>

<p data-end="3415" data-start="3132">"We feel honoured to be restoring Shafston Estate to its former glory, elevating it to new heights of luxury and excellence underpinned by Capella's distinctive service ethos and design philosophy, and making it a standout landmark in Brisbane," Verso Projects CEO Steve Laffey said.</p>

<p data-end="3658" data-start="3417">"By partnering with Capella, globally recognised for its refined approach to luxury hospitality and deep respect for cultural and historical context, we will elevate this project beyond a residential offering into a world-class destination."</p>

<p data-end="3820" data-start="3660">Capella Hotel Group President Roland Fasel said Brisbane's emergence as a global city made it the right location for the company's Australian residential debut.</p>

<p data-end="3961" data-start="3822">"Brisbane is a city on the cusp of something remarkable, and Capella Residences is our commitment to being part of that story," Fasel said.</p>

<p data-end="4083" data-start="3963">"The Capella residential experience is more than luxury. It is about a sense of belonging to a place with deep meaning."</p>

<p data-end="4227" data-start="4085">Private appointments have now opened for the project, with a display suite expected to open in late 2026 ahead of the planned 2029 completion.</p>


Capella to launch Brisbane's first branded residences at Shafston House, Kangaroo Point

<p>Lewis Land's latest apartment release within its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/harbour-shores-biggera-waters-564-oxley-drive-biggera-waters-qld-4216">Harbour Shores</a> masterplan is targeting one of the Gold Coast's fastest-growing buyer groups, with almost a third of apartments at Solis priced below $1 million.</p>

<p>The seven-storey building at Biggera Waters will comprise 91 apartments, including 24 one-bedroom residences starting from $778,000, a price point Lewis Land says is aimed squarely at first home buyers struggling to enter the Gold Coast market.</p>

<p><img alt="Harbour Shires" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e7486e37-22f6-4c92-b212-9b0622070b8f" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-08%20at%209.09.34%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=W8MJwJUCf6HkIyl_EVSksnd.QI6MZryY" /></p>

<p><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/lewis-land-group">Lewis Land</a> Head of Development Michael Long said the developer deliberately allocated a significant proportion of the project to more affordable apartment types.</p>

<p>"First home buyers have been priced out of many parts of the Gold Coast, and we saw a clear opportunity to address this and play our part in a longer-term housing solution," Long said.</p>

<p>"That's why 24 of the 91 apartments being delivered at Solis have been designed and priced for the city's next generation of homeowners, quality one-bedroom apartments, half of which include an additional multipurpose room to maximise space and flexibility.</p>

<p>"This approach places 30 per cent of apartments in Solis under $1 million, and with close proximity to Harbour Town's future light rail extension connecting residents to the city's major employment and knowledge hubs, it's a win for buyers looking to secure their first property."</p>

<p><img alt="Sores" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="550526d3-73ba-4710-9739-c5f4294a30ef" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-08%20at%209.09.29%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=cQQdXHt9wS0UXwZEm5Py5bH_3kAmzyhu" /></p>

<p>Designed by BDA Architecture, Solis will deliver a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments, with residences ranging up to 232 sqm. Apartments feature generous balconies and contemporary finishes, while residents will have access to Harbour Shores' lagoon pool, clubhouse, tennis court, gym, yoga studio and sauna.</p>

<p>The focus on first home buyers resonated with purchaser Holly Humphreys, who said she and her boyfriend spent more than a year searching for their first property before shifting their attention from houses to apartments.</p>

<p>"We fell in love with the first house we bid on and got our hopes up, but after repeated knockbacks we learned not to get too attached," Humphreys said.</p>

<p>"We offered at the high end of price guides, but sales kept going even higher. That's where we really struggled and we needed to re-evaluate our budget and our expectations. Standalone houses were off the table, and we pivoted to apartments and townhouses."</p>

<p>Humphreys said it was encouraging to see developers recognising the growing demand from first home buyers.</p>

<p>"There's a growing number of young buyers looking to enter the market earlier because they understand that getting in now can make a real difference as prices continue to rise," she said.</p>

<p>"It's fantastic to see a developer recognise this and then actively take measures to deliver an apartment with us in mind."</p>

<p>Solis is the first development planned within the second stage of the Harbour Shores masterplan, with early works expected to commence in September 2026.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=113271]</p>


Lewis Land targets first home buyers at latest Harbour Shores release, Solis

<p>Luxury apartment developer Abadeen has recorded $19.25 million in apartment sales across two of its Lower North Shore developments in the lead-up to the end of the financial year, headlined by the sale of a $6.75 million penthouse at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/koyo-crows-nest-5-rodborough-avenue-crows-nest-nsw-2065">KOYO in Crows Nest.</a></p>

<p>The transactions also included the sale of a newly completed three-bedroom apartment at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/park-residences-cremorne-2-sutherland-street-cremorne-nsw-2090">Park Residences in Cremorne</a> for $6.35 million, with the residence selling shortly after the project's first public inspections following completion.</p>

<p>The sales come as completed, owner-occupier-focused apartments continue to attract strong demand across Sydney's Lower North Shore, particularly from buyers looking for certainty and immediate occupancy.</p>

<p>The penthouse at KOYO spans 491 sqm across a single level and was designed by architect Koichi Takada. The development is one of Abadeen's flagship boutique projects in Crows Nest.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=108800 project_image_fid=370093]</p>

<p>Abadeen Executive Chairman and Founder Justin Brown said buyer activity lifted noticeably in the lead-up to the end of the financial year.</p>

<p>"We saw a clear increase in enquiry levels, inspection numbers and buyer engagement across our completed projects leading into the end of the financial year," Brown said.</p>

<p>"Buyers have become far more decisive over the past six months. The combination of improving confidence, limited supply and the ability to physically inspect completed residences is creating strong competition for premium apartments in the best locations."</p>

<p>Brown says the&nbsp;response to Park Residences following completion has been particularly strong.</p>

<p>"Buyers want certainty and are responding positively to the opportunity to walk through a finished product, inspect the quality firsthand and move in immediately," Brown suggested.</p>

<p>"Projects such as Park Residences and KOYO demonstrate that when the product is exceptional and the location is irreplaceable, buyers are prepared to act quickly."</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=114246 project_image_fid=370116]</p>

<p>Abadeen CEO Joe Tack said quality continued to differentiate projects in the current market.</p>

<p>"Today's buyers are incredibly discerning," Tack said.</p>

<p>"They are seeking larger floorplans, premium finishes, walkability, lifestyle amenity and confidence in the developer delivering the project. Well-designed boutique developments continue to outperform because they offer something genuinely difficult to replace.</p>

<p>"The enquiry we are seeing across our completed and recently completed Lower North Shore portfolio is very encouraging, and we expect this momentum to continue into spring."</p>

<p>The sales follow increased enquiry across Abadeen's Lower North Shore portfolio which also includes <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/northcote-collective-naremburn-2-northcote-street-naremburn-nsw-2065">Northcote Collective in Naremburn</a> which also completed recently.</p>


KOYO penthouse headlines Abadeen's $19.25 million EOFY sales flurry

<p>The City of Sydney has approved plans for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/billbergia">Billbergia Group</a> and Metrics Credit Partners’ $3.5 billion Castlereagh Place project in the heart of the Sydney CBD</p>

<p>The towers will be among the tallest in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/sydney-nsw-2000">Sydney</a>'s CBD, with more floors than any other residential tower in the city.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The 6,000 sqm site was acquired by the joint venture partners in 2024. It is the largest amalgamated land parcel in the Sydney CBD and comprises eight individual sites fronting Castlereagh, Pitt and Liverpool Streets.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/castlereagh-place-sydney-324-348-pitt-street-sydney-nsw-2000">Castlereagh Place</a> will transform an underutilised city block into a landmark mixed-use destination, anchored by two 82-storey towers comprising 607 luxury residences above an 8-level podium housing a 209-room luxury hotel. A 1,000 square metre civic park on ground level features a curated mix of food, beverage and retail.</p>

<p>The plans have been refined over the past year to rebalance the residential and hotel offering, and reconfigure the retail footprint to create a stronger, more dynamic dining experience.</p>

<p>A three-level flagship building on the prominent corner of Pitt and Liverpool Streets will be the gateway to the Castlereagh Place lifestyle precinct. Set to become a Sydney icon, the building is capable of housing multiple hospitality venues.</p>

<p>“Castlereagh Place is designed to be the City's next great urban oasis - an energetic mixed-use precinct that pulses with life, day and night,"&nbsp;said Joseph Kinsella, Group Director of Billbergia.</p>

<p>"It will bring the vibrancy of places like Barangaroo and Darling Quarter into a more accessible, central destination at the very heart of Sydney."</p>

<p>Kinsella said the project will build on&nbsp;Sydney’s growing laneway culture with the City’s largest network of new activated lanes - an expanded, next-generation take on precincts like Angel Place, Palings Lane and Ash Street in Wynyard.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=134477 project_image_fid=374401]</p>

<p>Castlereagh Place has been designed by architects <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fjc-studio">fjcstudio</a> in collaboration with Trias Studio, Aileen Sage and Polly Harbison Design, joint winners of an international design competition in 2018.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Signature design elements from the original scheme remain unchanged, while the public domain has been significantly enhanced, delivering 60 per cent more open-to-sky space.</p>

<p>Pedestrian access will also be enhanced through new laneways linking Pitt, Liverpool and Castlereagh Streets, drawing people into a new civic park with outdoor seating, landscaping and integrated public art.</p>

<p>With activated laneways supported by strong hospitality offerings, Castlereagh Place is tipped to become a vibrant new dining destination in the heart of Sydney’s CBD.</p>

<p>It marks the largest undertaking to date for the Billbergia and Metrics Credit Partners partnership. Together they are developing other underutilised Sydney sites into mixed-use precincts, including the $2.2 billion Concord Central and the $1.3 billion Chatswood Grand Residences.</p>

<p>Metrics Managing Partner and Group CEO Andrew Lockhart said Castlereagh Place is a landmark project that will redefine Sydney’s skyline.</p>

<p>"As the tallest residential high-rise development, the revitalised site will offer panoramic views across the CBD and surrounds. We are excited to partner with Billbergia to reinvigorate an underutilised site and create a sophisticated and contemporary mixed-use offering situated in the heart of Sydney.”</p>

<p>Total apartments within the towers have increased to 607 dwellings, with a focus on larger floorplans. Aligned to growing market demand, Castlereagh Place now comprises 299 three-plus-bedroom apartments, 198 two-bedroom units and 110 one-bedroom configurations.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=134477 project_image_fid=374402]</p>

<p>Resident amenities will include an exclusive residents club containing a gym, rooftop pool, dining rooms, co-working spaces, library, golf simulator, games room, cinema room, and access to an exclusive concierge service. There will be around 500 basement car spaces below the towers.</p>

<p>The development will also include a state-of-the-art wellness centre, set to feature a bathhouse with magnesium pools, hot/cold plunge pools and premium amenities.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to fjcstudio, the towers will feature distinctive yet elegant architectural design reflecting Sydney’s geometry and urban character, with a network of through-site links and intimate public spaces activating the streetscape.</p>

<p>"Castlereagh Place is a city-making project of significant scale and ambition," said Richard Francis-Jones, Design Director at fjcstudio.</p>

<p>"It will create a rich urban complex of public open spaces, landscaped gardens, and vibrant laneways. Defining these new public spaces and the important streetscape of Castlereagh Street is a sequence of fine-grained, diverse retail and hotel architecture designed in collaboration with Aileen Sage, Polly Harbison Design and Trias.</p>

<p>“Rising above the tree-lined, human-scale streetscape are two slender residential towers that will transform the city skyline and look towards the Harbour, Hyde Park, and the Royal Botanic Garden.”</p>

<p>Demolition and early construction works have commenced onsite at Castlereagh Place.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134477]</p>


Billbergia, Metrics, approved for $3.5 billion Sydney skyscrapers

COVID-19

<html><body>
<div>EXPERT OBSERVER</div>
<div> </div>
<div>As Australia gets back to business I've been following the UK government's inept handling of the Coronavirus with increasingly wide-eyed incredulity.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The cost to date has now been estimated at a mind-boggling £284 billion according to the government's own spending review this week. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>If you were wondering what exactly has been achieved by this interplanetary level of spending (so far), then you wouldn't be Robinson Crusoe there.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>With the Brits expected to announce approval of the rollout of a Biontech/Pfizer jab as early as this coming week then the UK's effective lockdown will likely continue through until the new year, accounting for thousands more blameless small businesses.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>To add insult to injury the botched and inoperable test-and-trace system has alone cost an absurd £22 billion, single-handedly erasing years of pointless austerity measures.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Britain's public sector net debt will soon be well above 100 per cent of GDP and back to the highest level since the post-war years. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Higher taxes will doubtless be back on the agenda soon enough to pay for it all, but this time around capital will likely up and leave. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Just the Brexit debacle to finish off now before the incumbent PM gets ushered out of politics...</div>
<div> </div>
<div><strong>Money printer go #Brrr...</strong></div>
<div> </div>
<div>It's remarkable how quickly views have changed in respect of quantitative easing and related stimulus. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Fears of inflationary spirals in the financial crisis aftermath have been replaced the money printers being embraced with joyful abandon. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Grant Williams of RealVision and TTMYGH rustled up this belter of an infographic this week to compare the scale of the Covid-19 stimulus to that of the 2008 financial crisis. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<div class="separator"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z8fJVDAqWXQ/X8P9QxCvh9I/AAAAAAAA5h8/sEVcHmlohJg_2QA_I1bHON3L0gje6t2GQCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h466/TTMYGH.jpg" width="640" height="466" data-original-height="732" data-original-width="1005"></div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
</div>
<div>With interest rates mired at zero for the foreseeable future capital has been flowing into real estate, stocks, and cryptocurrencies. </div>
<div> </div>
<div><strong>Lucky country</strong></div>
<div> </div>
<div>Numerous medical journal studies are now showing how Vitamin D can play an important role in reducing Covid-19 infection.</div>
<div> </div>
<div class="separator"><img src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ox9pY_ZatEc/X8QAlWZKLaI/AAAAAAAA5iI/LA-014I42p4wevQTXCa4xXcCX7j1XF3HgCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h266/RP.jpg" width="640" height="266" data-original-height="302" data-original-width="728"></div>
<div> </div>
<div>This might go some of the way to explaining Australia's near elimination of the virus, with zero deaths or cases in ICUs or on ventilators for a long time now. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Whatever the reasons, it's looking increasingly likely that Australia has dodged another sizeable bullet and will become a remarkably sought-after destination once its international borders are reopened.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Data due to be released this week will show that the Aussie economy began to expand again with output growing by about 3-4 per cent in the third quarter of 2020, with another pumping current account surplus, and housing prices rising by +0.6 per cent in the month of November. </div>
</body></html>

pwargent-M4siyDbqQY

The UK; a case study on botched COVID-19 stimulus: Pete Wargent

<html><body>
<p class="legacy">GUEST OBSERVER</p>
<p>There is no doubt the COVID-19 crisis has incurred widespread economic costs. There is understandable concern that stronger measures against the virus, from social distancing to full lockdowns, worsen its impact on economies.</p>
<p>As a result, there has been a tendency to consider the problem as a trade-off between health and economic costs.</p>
<p>This view, for example, has largely defined the approach of the US federal government. “I think we’ve learned that if you shut down the economy, you’re going to create more damage,” said US Treasury Secretary <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/11/treasury-secretary-mnuchin-says-we-cant-shut-down-the-economy-again">Steve Mnuchin in June</a>, as the Trump administration resisted calls to decisively combat the nation’s second COVID wave.</p>
<p>But the notion of a trade-off is not supported by data from countries around the world. If anything, the opposite may be true.</p>
<p><strong>Data from 45 nations</strong></p>
<p>Let’s examine available data for 45 nations from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, using <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus-data">COVID-19 data</a> and <a href="https://stats.oecd.org/index.aspx?queryid=350">economic indicators</a>.</p>
<p>The COVID-19 statistics we’ll focus on are deaths per million of population. No single indicator is perfect, and these rates don’t always reflect contextual factors that apply to specific countries, but this indicator allows us to draw a reasonably accurate global picture.</p>
<p>The economic indicators we’ll examine are among those most widely used for overall evaluations of national economic performance. Gross domestic product (GDP) per capita is an index of national wealth. Exports and imports measure a country’s international economic activity. Private consumption expenditure is an indicator of how an economy is travelling.</p>
<p><strong>Effects on GDP per capita</strong></p>
<p>Our first chart plots nations’ deaths per million from COVID-19 against the percentage change in per capita GDP during the second quarter of 2020.</p>
<p>The size of each data point shows the scale of deaths per million as of June 30, using a logarithmic, or “log”, scale – a way to display a very wide range of values in compact graphical form.</p>
<hr>
<p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/371240/original/file-20201125-16-y0lvcd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""><br><span class="caption"><em>Log(deaths per million) by percentage change in Q2 2020 GDP per capita</em>.</span></p>
<hr>
<p>If suppressing the virus, thereby leading to fewer deaths per million, resulted in worse national economic downturns, then the “slope” in figure 1 would be positive. But the opposite is true, with the overall correlation being -0.412.</p>
<p>The two outliers are China, in the upper-left corner, with a positive change in GDP per capita, and India at the bottom. China imposed successful hard lockdowns and containment procedures that meant economic effects were limited. India imposed an early hard lockdown but its measures since have been far less effective. Removing both from our data leaves a correlation of -0.464.</p>
<p><strong>Exports and imports</strong></p>
<p>Our second chart shows the relationship between deaths per million and percentage change in exports.</p>
<p>If there was a clear trade-off between containing the virus and enabling international trade, we would see a positive relationship between the changes in exports and death-rates. Instead, there appears to be no relationship.</p>
<hr>
<p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/371241/original/file-20201125-15-75nr66.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""><em><span class="caption">Log(deaths per million) by percentage change in Q2 2020 exports.</span></em></p>
<hr>
<p>Our third chart shows the relationship between deaths per million and percentage change in imports. As with exports, a trade-off would show in a positive relationship. But there is no evidence of such a relationship here either.</p>
<hr>
<p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/371248/original/file-20201125-15-x21mry.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""><em><span class="caption">Log(deaths per million) by percentage change in Q2 2020 imports.</span></em></p>
<hr>
<p><strong>Consumer spending</strong></p>
<p>Our fourth chart shows the relationship between deaths per million and percentage change in private consumption expenditure. This complements the picture we get from imports and exports, by tracking consumer spending as an indicator of internal economic activity.</p>
<hr>
<p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/371247/original/file-20201125-23-1rglhox.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""><em><span class="caption">Log(deaths per million) by percentage change in Q2 2020 private consumption.</span></em></p>
<hr>
<p>Again, no positive relationship. Instead, the overall negative relationship suggests those countries that succeeded (at least temporarily) in suppressing the virus were better off economically than those countries adopting a more laissez-faire approach.</p>
<p><strong>National wealth</strong></p>
<p>As a postscript to this brief investigation, let’s take a quick look at whether greater national wealth seems to have helped countries deal with the virus.</p>
<p>Our fifth and final chart plots cases per million (not deaths per million) against national GDP per capita.</p>
<hr>
<p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/371246/original/file-20201125-24-yiv8un.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""><em><span class="caption">Log(GDP per capita) by log(cases per million).</span></em></p>
<hr>
<p>If wealthier countries were doing better at suppressing transmission, the relationship should be negative. Instead, the clusters by region suggest it’s a combination of culture and politics driving the effectiveness of nations’ responses (or lack thereof).</p>
<p>In fact, if we examine the largest cluster, of European countries (the green dots), the relationship between GDP per capita and case rates is positive (0.379) – the opposite of what we would expect.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>It’s not a zero-sum game</strong></p>
<p>The standard economic indicators reviewed here show, overall, countries that have contained the virus also tend to have had less severe economic impacts than those that haven’t.</p>
<p>No one should be misled into believing there is zero-sum choice between saving lives and saving the economy. That is a false dichotomy.</p>
<p>If there is anything to be learned regarding how to deal with future pandemics, it is that rapidly containing the pandemic may well lessen its economic impact.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/150533/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;"></p>
<p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michael-smithson-122837">Michael Smithson</a>, Professor, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-national-university-877">Australian National University</a></em></span></p>
<p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/data-from-45-countries-show-containing-covid-vs-saving-the-economy-is-a-false-dichotomy-150533">original article</a>.</p>
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Data shows containing COVID vs saving the economy is a false dichotomy

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<p class="_1HzXw">The Federal Government program offering cash grants for house and land and apartment construction projects has been extended, but at a lower amount.</p>
<p class="_1HzXw">The HomeBuilder program had been due to finish at the end of the year, but will be extended until March 31, as <span>builders were concerned of a bottleneck of applications towards the end of the scheme.</span></p>
<p class="_1HzXw">Of the 24,000 applications, 19,180 are for new builds - houses and apartments - with 4,697 for renovations.</p>
<p class="_1HzXw">Contracts signed between January and March next year will attract a lower rate of $15,000, not the current $25,000 rate.</p>
<p class="_1HzXw">Home buyers will be given more time to start construction.</p>
<p class="_1HzXw">The price caps in NSW and Victoria will be lifted.</p>
<p class="_1HzXw">Property price caps for new builds in the two key states will be lifted for contracts signed between January and March next year, rising to $950,000 in New South Wales and $850,000 in Victoria.</p>
<p class="_1HzXw">Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the extension was expected to lead to another 15,000 construction projects, bringing the total anticipated renovations or builds under the program to 42,000.</p>
<p class="_1HzXw">"It's critical we keep the momentum up for Australia's economic recovery," Mr Morrison said.</p>
<p class="_1HzXw">"Extending HomeBuilder will mean a steady pipeline of construction activity to keep tradies on the tools."</p>
<p class="_1HzXw">The amount of time all approved applicants who signed contracts on or after June 4, 2020, are given to start construction has been extended from three months to six months.</p>
<p class="_1HzXw">The latest measures have been costed at $240 million, bringing the total expected to $921 million.</p>
<p class="_1HzXw">Urban Taskforce CEO, Tom Forrest said he was delighted to see that the Government had listened.</p>
<p>“The HomeBuilder scheme was limited in its original design because of the price caps that resulted in very limited applicability in the main markets – Sydney and Melbourne. </p>
<p>“Today the Morrison Government has increased the eligibility cap for NSW and Victoria from $750,000 to $950,000 and $850,000. </p>
<p>"Urban Taskforce members welcome this adjustment – though many lament the length of time it took for the government to respond to industry concerns.”</p>
<p>“While the extension in the requirement to commence construction work from 3 months of an application to 6 months is very welcome, it is disappointing that the HomeBuilder support package has dropped from $25,000 to only $15,000 for applications made between 1 January and 31 March 2021.</p>
<p>“The revised scheme will support the production of new homes, reducing upward pressure on prices," he added.</p>
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COVID-19 HomeBuilder scheme gets extended and expanded into 2021

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<p>There are 50,000 households that face high housing cost burdens themselves, following the pandemic, who also own a private investment property.</p>
<p>There are 956,000 households living in housing affordability Stress (HAS) in Australia, according to a new AHURI report that looked into the impact of COVID-19, with Commonwealth rent assistance (CRA) reducing the number to 758,000.</p>
<p>The situation of the 50,000 was "cause for concern given that private renters have been disproportionately affected by the downturn," the report noted after modelling <span>from the University of Adelaide and Curtin University</span>.</p>
<div class="page" title="Page 24">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<p><span>There is considerable potential for highly leveraged households owning an investment property, who are spending a higher proportion of their incomes on their own housing costs, to run into trouble meeting those costs and/or the servicing of their investment loan commitments, it noted.</span></p>
<p><span>"We estimate that there are around 37,500 mortgage home owners living in HAS who also own an investment property, and approximately 12,000 private renters in a similar position."</span></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<p>It is estimated that the overall number of households living with HAS would have risen to 1,336,000 (from the 758,000 baseline) without the JobKeeper and JobSeeker interventions.</p>
<div>The study found that the number of households living in a precarious situation is very high, and will likely remain high even after a partial recovery in 2021 and the withdrawal of much of the Australian Government’s income support measures.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Without an extension of the JobKeeper income support measures beyond March 2021, the number of households living in HAS is likely to increase significantly, the AHURI report concluded.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Households living with HAS and owning an investment property themselves are predicted to more than double.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The report noted JobKeeper and JobSeeker interventions reduced the incidence of housing a fordability stress by a considerable amount: 861,000 households compared to 1.34 million without the intervention.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>"As JobKeeper moves through its later phases, the predicted number of households in HAS is expected to gradually rise by a further 124,000; 73 per cent of these households are private renters."</div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
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50,000 investors in mortgage stress put their tenants in precarious position 

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<p><span>Australian dwelling values have continued to climb higher in the month of November to date, Coolabah Capital director Chris Joye has noted.</span></p>
<p><span> Over the first 21 days of the month, house prices across the five largest capital cities have appreciated 0.4% led by Perth (0.7%), Adelaide (0.6%), Melbourne (0.5%), Brisbane (0.4%) and Sydney (0.2%) according to the latest daily hedonic index data from CoreLogic.</span></p>
<p><span> After prices started drifting lower in late April and May, the Aussie housing rebound commenced in September in six of the eight capital cities.</span></p>
<p><span>Joye noted the bounce-back picked up steam in October with all cities except Melbourne realising gains. </span></p>
<p><span>Joye wrote on Livewire that there is no evidence of a real boom yet.</span></p>
<p><span>"The recovery thus far has been gradual," he said.</span></p>
<p><span> Coolabah has since March 2020 forecast strong dwelling price appreciation following a modest six-month correction, with total capital gains of at least 10% to 20% expected over the next few years. </span></p>
<p><span>Joye added t<span>he locked-down Melbourne market, which unsurprisingly fared worst during this episode, appeared to trough in late October and started generating clear price increases at the end of that month. </span></span></p>
<p><span><span>"In the November month-to-date, Melbourne has outpaced Sydney in terms of its capital gains.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>"This also reconciles with increasingly robust auction market results," he said.</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>Joye sees<span> a "sustainable housing boom will emerge over time."</span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span>"The boom should really grip once property investors flood back into the market in 2021 to capitalise on the advent of "positive gearing" (i.e., where gross rental yields are above the cost of servicing mortgage debt).</span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span>"Since bank credit standards are arguably the toughest they have ever been, we are not concerned about bubbles or financial stability risks at this juncture."</span></span></span></span></p>
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Melbourne outpaces Sydney in November property gains: Chris Joye

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<div>Quarter 1 of 2020 saw an atypical level of transactions (compared to the 2019 calendar year) within the prestige sector of the Southern Highlands, with sale prices remaining relatively static and no signs of major change in the high end residential and rural lifestyle segment, according to the November report from valuation firm Herron Todd White.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>They found that <span>Quarter 2 of 2020 saw the ripple effects of COVID-19 when the start of the lockdown in late March brought with it an unexpectedly positive impact on the prestige market for the Southern Highlands as the area was discovered predominantly by Sydney purchasers seeking a family home, secondary residence or weekender style of accommodation and lifestyle buyers seeking relief from the urban and inner city living environment. </span>
</div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div><span><span class="mark05w89l2ff" data-markjs="true" data-ogac="" data-ogab="" data-ogsc="" data-ogsb="">HTW</span> Property valuer, Tim Stevens said, "we had reasonably foreseen this upward trend over the medium term (six months) for the region as working from home became more common due to technological advancements and many employees being unable to attend their normal Sydney offices."</span></div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div><span>"What we didn’t foresee, but makes sense, is buyers flocking to the Southern Highlands region to take advantage of the lifestyle NOW given that overseas travel and family holidays are off the agenda for most of 2021 at this point. The impact of this upward trend became very evident early on in the COVID-19 pandemic and is showing no signs of abatement up to the present time."</span></div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div><span>"Quarter 2 and Quarter 3 of 2020 have seen multiple sales above $3 million and days on market for this segment have continued to contract to a matter of weeks now for well-located properties. This has been clearly evidenced by a number of older listings which had been on the market for over six months gaining traction and finally selling during this period."</span></div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div><span>By way of example, notable sales included two prestige properties in Burradoo which sold for in excess of $4.75 million dollars each after languishing on the market for the better part of a year.</span></div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div><span><span class="mark05w89l2ff" data-markjs="true" data-ogac="" data-ogab="" data-ogsc="" data-ogsb="">HTW</span> speculate that a large reason for the surge in activity in the $3 million plus sector is due to families in Sydney seeing extremely good value for money in the Southern Highlands. </span></div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div><span>Typically, $3 million wouldn’t be considered the prestige end of the market in Sydney, so when home owners from the Lower North Shore and Eastern Suburbs sell up and realise the scale of improvements and land size they can obtain for relatively similar money.</span></div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div><span>Another recent example was a $4 million plus rural residential purchase in Berrima by an eastern suburbs family which saw an agreed contract price with one prospective purchaser and an additional two families waiting in line to snap up the property in the event the sales agreement failed to close.<br></span></div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div><span>Mr Stevens said, "the question for our prestige market as we move into Quarter 4 of 2020 and beyond is about continued demand and buyer depth and whether the current move to regional hubs will be sustained, thereby driving continued price growth."</span></div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div><span>"For now, we can certainly see it continuing and it could well be that this push has been a long time coming, with recent events being the final straw for a number of urban dwellers to discover or rediscover the Southern Highlands and the benefits accruing from a rural and regional lifestyle," he concluded.</span></div>
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Southern Highlands prestige market sees COVID-19 induced surge: HTW

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<div>The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have an interesting impact on the local housing market around the coastal area of Lennox Head to Evans Head,<span> according to the November report from valuation firm Herron Todd White</span>.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>They found that there is very strong demand for properties which in turn has left agents with an ongoing limited supply of properties for sale.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>"Our market seems to be mainly influenced by the movement of people from the major cities and in particular Sydney. This movement has kept property prices at a premium and in some areas has also resulted in a slight increase in values<span>," according to HTW Property Valuer Bernard Walter.</span>
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>"The building industry has also been given some relief though as the North Coast is now in the bubble which allows travel into and out of Queensland."</div>
<div> </div>
<div>"Whilst demand resulting from these capital city markets has typically been concentrated in the more desirable areas of Byron Bay and the surrounding localities, in more recent years potential purchasers have expanded their searches into the desirable areas of the Ballina Shire, most notably Lennox Head, Skennars Head and East Ballina, as well as the rural localities of Newrybar, Brooklet, Fernleigh and Tintenbar," he added.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Property prices may be impacted once the mortgage relief and JobKeeper payment have been lifted. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Potential future impacts of COVID have left people with uncertainty as to jobs and incomes looking forward, which we may continue to experience in following years, HTW experts noted.</div>
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Ballina prestige market buoyed by limited supply: HTW

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<div>The high end market in the Whitsundays is performing well despite COVID and what’s happening in other areas of Australia, with lifestyle properties being sought after<span>, according to<span> </span></span><span>the November report from valuation firm Herron Todd White</span><span>.</span>
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>HTW found that rural residential lifestyle properties are being snapped up with sales ranging from $800,000 to over $1 million. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Properties with ocean views or frontage are also being snapped up along with vacant lots in similar locations.</div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div><span>"There have also been two sales in the prestige unit market, both selling for over $800,000," the Queensland-based Herron Todd White valuer Noelene Spurway said. </span></div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div><span>"We expect that once the borders are open, lifestyle properties will continue to move as the lifestyle in the Whitsundays is second to none."</span></div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div><span>Spurway did however jest that she is maybe just a little biased.</span></div>
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wdavis-8cCN98p7xp

Whitsundays prestige market strong amid COVID uncertainty: HTW

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<h2><strong>OPINION:</strong></h2>

<p>The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the limitations of historic urban design, putting the pressure on urban planners and property developers to rethink the way we build our communities. I believe new directions are required to design, develop and promote masterplanned communities, to suit the needs of people both now and into the future Masterplanned communities are wonderfully designed for self-contained living, with all the local amenities residents would need right on their doorstep. However, traditional planning has focused on connectivity, not just through sentiment, but through physical design and landscapes and there are still design changes within our communities that we need to consider for a post-COVID world.</p>

<p>For developers like us at AVID, the challenge now is finding a solution to an integrated philosophy of ‘connection’ while creating built environments and community spaces that allow for physical distancing. Three key areas for reimagining the urban design of communities include: streets, parklands and home designs.</p>

<h2><strong>1. Building wider paths and narrower roads </strong></h2>

<p>In the past, engineers would design streets predominately with vehicle-use in mind. Now we need to consider design that allows for the movements of people. Reports continue to show that more people are using walking and cycle pathways since COVID-19 with an increase of <a href="https://www.bicyclenetwork.com.au/newsroom/2020/04/16/swap-our-streets-for-cycleways-to-keep-people-riding/"><u><strong>up to 79% in some areas</strong></u></a>.</p>

<p>The narrow paths and wide roads of today <a href="https://newsroom.unsw.edu.au/news/art-architecture-design/how-streets-could-become-more-liveable-and-inclusive-post-coronavirus"><u><strong>don’t allow enough space to allow movement of people with safe social distancing</strong></u></a>. We need to adapt our built environment for more pedestrian and cyclist dominant movement over vehicular focused streets to prepare us for new waves of COVID-19 or similar future health pandemics.</p>

<p>It has also become clear that we need the foresight to create dedicated zones to allow safe pedestrian and cyclist traffic, which could also include a separate zone for more intense use of pathways for fitness. This would be one way that we could manage safe social distancing requirements under movement restrictions, such as the 5-kilometre radius rule.</p>

<h2><strong>2. Innovating park designs and recreational spaces</strong></h2>

<p>People have a need for fresh air and open spaces to manage their health and wellbeing, especially under the trying times of COVID-19. For people living in Melbourne, the lack of open parklands is impacting people’s mental and physical health with recent reports indicating that 340,000 people don’t have sufficient access to open space, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-12/thousands-of-melburnians-no-parkland-within-5km-coronavirus/12547050"><u><strong>with only between 0 to 4.5 square kilometres of parkland within 5 kilometres of their home</strong></u></a>.</p>

<p>While parklands are an essential feature of masterplanned community design, our recreational spaces will need to change. They are typically hubs of activity and social interaction for families and new innovative designs need to be explored that include surfaces that don’t have to be touched or cleaned every day to be enjoyed. We need to think outside the box and look to more sensory experiences as opposed to hard landscape.</p>

<p>At AVID we are asking ourselves, ‘what does a more sensory and immersive play area look like?’ In some of our own communities, plans are already underway to integrate these new design ideas into our communities to future proof our projects.</p>

<h2><strong>3. Changing home designs and living spaces</strong></h2>

<p>Another added benefit of masterplanned communities are close partnerships with builders who we can work with to provide building designs that meet the changing living arrangements of Australians. Changing home designs have been very much under discussion in the construction, building and design industry.</p>

<p>We are seeing design trends that provide a more comfortable living experience as we spend more time in our homes. For example, designs with additional light and space, larger backyards for private outdoors spaces and gardens, home office spaces or nooks and more options to keep homes hygienic and germ-free, are <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/e6b9a8ff-0812-49ad-9eae-84125433ad4b"><u><strong>trends being seen across the industry globally</strong></u></a>.</p>

<h2><strong>Final thoughts</strong></h2>

<p>As we look to innovative ways of community development, we would need to retrofit existing communities. But with proper urban planning and rigorous investigation into how we can best meet the needs of a changing world, we can strategically design these new requirements right from the beginning of new projects.</p>

<p><em>Lead image: Bloomdale community development, Victoria. Credit: AVID Property Group</em></p>
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Olivia Round

3 ways urban community design needs to change post COVID-19

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<p class="legacy">GUEST OBSERVATION</p>
<p class="legacy">Conventional transport infrastructure planning has been based on wholesale commuting to and from the city centre. </p>
<p>Long-term planning has delivered mass transit systems to cater for high-patronage, hub-and-spoke transport systems. Unfortunately, this has left many city residents <a href="https://www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-08/Australian%20Infrastructure%20Audit%202019%20-%205.%20Transport.pdf">without basic access to public transport services</a>. And we could never have planned for the impacts of COVID-19.</p>
<p>Our previous plans were based on the best available data at the time. Today, these plans must be critically reviewed using new data that properly represent the world and our transport needs as they are now.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Important facts to keep in mind</em></p>
<p><strong>1: Fewer people commute to work.</strong></p>
<p>The <a href="https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-could-spark-a-revolution-in-working-from-home-are-we-ready-133070">work-from-home transition</a> is well under way. Our current transport networks (except for <a href="https://covid19.apple.com/mobility">roads</a>, which have rebounded to traffic equal to or above pre-pandemic levels in some cities) are operating far below previous levels, even allowing for social distancing. This may not be the best time to break ground on major infrastructure projects planned under previous assumptions of population and demand growth.</p>
<p><strong>2: Disadvantaged populations lack access to opportunities.</strong></p>
<p>Public transport is key to enabling everyone in a population to be a productive member of society. Many disadvantaged groups cannot drive or afford car ownership. However, they also <a href="https://www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/publications/outer-urban-public-transport-improving-accessibility-lower-density-areas">lack access to public transport</a>, particularly in the outer suburbs.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, coronavirus impacts will <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-coronavirus-will-deepen-the-inequality-of-our-suburbs-143432">hit the disadvantaged the hardest</a>. If we want everyone to be able to participate in the economic recovery, we need to promote basic levels of access regardless of an individual’s circumstance.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>3: Population growth will not meet projections.</strong></p>
<p>Migration bans will greatly reduce short-term growth. Current projections show a population <a href="https://theconversation.com/1-4-million-less-than-projected-how-coronavirus-could-hit-australias-population-in-the-next-20-years-143544">up to 4% smaller in 2040</a> than it would have been in a non-COVID world. This will further decrease demand for urban transit services as well as demand across many sectors of our society. These trends are important because much of our planning is based around these population growth metrics.</p>
<p>However, our suburbs still lack basic public transport services. If we want to increase patronage, we need to bring services to more people by improving coverage of our <a href="https://theconversation.com/no-need-to-give-up-on-crowded-cities-we-can-make-density-so-much-better-131304">sprawling, low-density cities</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/publications/outer-urban-public-transport-improving-accessibility-lower-density-areas">Over 80% of the population</a> of our biggest cities live in the outer and middle suburbs, yet this massive majority have limited to no basic public transport service. Across our five largest cities, Infrastructure Australia <a href="https://www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/publications/outer-urban-public-transport-improving-accessibility-lower-density-areas">reports</a>, “public transport disadvantage in outer suburbs is significant”.</p>
<p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/353993/original/file-20200821-18-1ctpvl6.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="Populations living in inner, middle and outer suburbs of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide"><br><em><span class="caption">Estimated resident population by suburban classification, as count and proportion of city population.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au/publications/outer-urban-public-transport-improving-accessibility-lower-density-areas">Infrastructure Australia: Outer Urban Public Transport: Improving accessibility in lower-density areas</a></span></em></p>
<p>Households’ <a href="https://theconversation.com/rapid-growth-is-widening-melbournes-social-and-economic-divide-117244">access to jobs and services gets much worse</a> with increasing distance from the city centre. Development of suburban and regional <a href="https://theconversation.com/for-mobility-as-a-service-maas-to-solve-our-transport-woes-some-things-need-to-change-105119">mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) offerings</a> could promote better access in these “harder to serve” areas.</p>
<p><strong>Moving the country forward</strong></p>
<p>Job creation will be an important aspect of economic recovery. Yet too often we look to large construction projects as the answer. There is plenty of other job-creating work to be done in our communities.</p>
<p>We could, for example, increase the <a href="https://theconversation.com/cycling-and-walking-can-help-drive-australias-recovery-but-not-with-less-than-2-of-transport-budgets-142176">miserly funding</a> for our piecemeal walking and cycling networks.</p>
<p>We could also <a href="https://theconversation.com/1-million-rides-and-counting-on-demand-services-bring-public-transport-to-the-suburbs-132355">expand on-demand services</a> to suburban and rural residents who lack basic public transport access. On-demand transit does not follow fixed routes or timetables. Riders book a trip for a cost similar to a bus fare.</p>
<p><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/362371/original/file-20201008-14-1j0ilu4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="Passenger waiting to board a Bridj on-demand bus service."><br><em><span class="caption">Bridj is one of the operators that is expanding on-demand services in Sydney and other cities.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.facebook.com/TakeBridj/photos/a.1412498639012150/2080642258864448/">Bridj Transit Systems/Facebook</a></span></em></p>
<p>These options will <a href="https://theconversation.com/do-the-sums-bicycle-friendly-changes-are-good-business-58213">encourage local spending to support small businesses</a>. These are an important piece of our social fabric and improve <a href="https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-reminds-us-how-liveable-neighbourhoods-matter-for-our-well-being-135806">livability in our communities</a>.</p>
<p><strong>We need to look locally</strong></p>
<p>A focus on localised investment in the many neglected communities across the country will deliver major benefits. Money already committed to large projects that are under way represents sunk costs that may be too deep to renegotiate. However, future plans using public funds must be re-examined.</p>
<p>Investments should target disadvantaged groups and broaden access to transport networks, encouraging new potential users. For many, assistance in gaining access to the necessities of life will be invaluable during the coming economic recovery. Guaranteed access to groceries, medical services, work opportunities and <a href="https://theconversation.com/parks-and-green-spaces-are-important-for-our-mental-health-but-we-need-to-make-sure-that-everyone-can-benefit-142322">recreational activities</a> must not be reserved for the elite.</p>
<p>We need better localised public transport and we need it for the majority of citizens, not just those who live in the inner suburbs of our capital cities. Most regional populations lack even rudimentary public transport coverage at reasonable frequency.</p>
<p>Increasing services in these areas will create valuable jobs that will stick around, unlike large one-off construction projects. The money will stay local, going into the pockets of operators who live and work in their own community.</p>
<p>While our long-term planning is not to blame for our current situation, we need to develop for the future, not the past. The <a href="https://theconversation.com/westconnex-audit-offers-another-17b-lesson-in-how-not-to-fund-infrastructure-73206">financial costs</a> of building and maintaining our current infrastructure are not going away. However, we can no longer refuse to invest in many of our underserved communities.</p>
<p>It is time to ensure everyone, regardless of their income or where they grow up, has the basic services they need to be a productive member of society.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/144802/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;"></p>
<p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/benjamin-kaufman-611843">Benjamin Kaufman</a>, PhD Candidate, Cities Research Institute, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a></em></span></p>
<p>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/covid-impacts-demand-a-change-of-plan-funding-a-shift-from-commuting-to-living-locally-144802">original article</a>.</p>
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