The new <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/yarraville-green-42-stephen-street-yarraville-vic-3013">Yarraville Green</a> development in Melbourne's inner west is showing that landscaping can be just as influential as architecture, with buyers responding strongly to the garden-first approach adopted from the outset by developer Excelon Projects and the project's design team.

Excelon appointed Six Degrees Architects and landscape architects SBLA to work collaboratively on the development, with a brief to create "a sustainable, design-led building with a focus on community."

That approach has resonated with buyers. According to Next Chapter Director Tom Hirini, who is leading the sales campaign, the landscaped communal garden has become one of the project's defining features, alongside its boutique scale and European-inspired cluster housing concept.

Local downsizers, right-sizers and established families already living in Yarraville and surrounding suburbs have accounted for the majority of purchasers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297740]

Yarraville Green will comprise 53 homes, including apartments and townhomes, arranged around the shared central garden to maximise connections to the landscaped open space. Parking has been moved underground, allowing the ground plane to be dedicated to greenery, pedestrian movement and communal spaces.

The landscape extends well beyond passive planting. Productive garden beds, a pergola, communal gathering spaces, garden sheds and a pet wash have all been integrated into the masterplan, creating spaces designed to encourage everyday interaction between residents.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297741]

The interiors continue Excelon's focus on craftsmanship, incorporating bespoke elements by Melbourne artisans including leadlight detailing by Adadaz, hand-turned timber hardware by Auburn Woodturning and blown-glass lighting by Ruth Allen.

Sustainability has also been embedded throughout the project, with Yarraville Green targeting an average 7-star NatHERS energy rating through passive design principles, rooftop solar servicing common areas and rainwater harvesting for landscape irrigation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297735]

Construction continues to progress at Yarraville Green, with structural works well underway and framing works approaching completion under builder Balmain &amp; Co. The project remains on track for completion in mid-2027.

Apartments at Yarraville Green are currently priced from $625,000, while townhomes start from $1.4 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=144913]

Joel Robinson

Garden-led design drives buyer demand at Yarraville Green

National diversified developer Fortis has officially launched Crest &amp; Walker, its latest Brisbane apartment development, with construction now underway on the 20-storey Newstead project.

Award-winning builder BINAH has commenced construction on the Bureau^Proberts-designed building, which will deliver a limited collection of 65 two and three-bedroom apartments on Kyabra Street.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373556]

The project marks Fortis' fourth active residential development in Brisbane, following River House, which is nearing completion, alongside projects in New Farm and Hamilton as the national developer continues to expand its South East Queensland pipeline.

Fortis General Manager – Development Queensland Dan Boman said Crest &amp; Walker reflects the developer's long-term commitment to delivering design-led residential projects in Brisbane's established inner-city suburbs.

"We're proud to be strengthening our presence in Brisbane with Crest &amp; Walker, particularly in such a sought-after lifestyle destination as Newstead," Boman said.

"Every Fortis project is shaped by its context, and we approach each one with the respect and care it deserves.

"Our focus is always on creating places that feel connected to their neighbourhood and elevate the everyday experience for residents. Newstead continues to evolve as one of Brisbane's most sought-after urban communities, and Crest &amp; Walker reflects our ambition to contribute meaningfully to that story."

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Positioned between Gasworks Plaza and James Street, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/crest-walker-newstead-12-kyabra-street-newstead-qld-4006">Crest &amp; Walker</a> has been designed as a boutique residential address offering privacy and generous living spaces within one of Brisbane's most established lifestyle precincts.

The building features a contemporary brick podium softened by integrated landscaping, while the upper levels are characterised by restrained architecture and enduring materiality. Interiors have been designed to maximise natural light, acoustic performance and long-term liveability.

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Residences comprise spacious two and three-bedroom floorplans, with two-bedroom apartments priced from $1.55 million and three-bedroom, half-floor residences from $3.95 million.

Residents will have access to a wellness-focused rooftop featuring a swimming pool, sauna, steam room, landscaped dining spaces and outdoor lounge areas overlooking Newstead and the Brisbane CBD.

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Sales are being managed by Slaite Projects, with Fortis expecting strong demand from owner-occupiers seeking a high-quality, design-focused apartment in one of Brisbane's most tightly held inner-city suburbs.

Completion of Crest &amp; Walker is slated for late 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145922]

Fortis expands Brisbane pipeline with launch of Crest & Walker in Newstead

The enormity of delivering a true skyscraper in Australia's new development market is often overlooked.

It has taken the best part of a decade since plans for Chevron One were first unveiled, but the 52-storey tower is now complete, with residents collecting their keys and moving into what has become one of the Gold Coast's most recognisable new landmarks.

Rising 127 metres above Chevron Island, Chevron One stands almost twice as high as any other building on the island. Its scale places it alongside the trio of towers at Jewel, arguably the last truly significant addition to the central Gold Coast skyline when they were completed around six years ago.

While there are several developments underway around a similar height to Chevron One, they are more concentrated within clusters of the highest towers in the city. The fact Chevron One sits within a developing precinct, looking back at the other high-rise developments in Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach, makes it a different proposition altogether. It will certainly become a reference point on the Gold Coast skyline.

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Developer Bensons Property Group is behind the 52-storey tower, which has just shy of 250 apartments, along with an exhaustive list of resident amenity spread across what is the largest development site ever assembled on Chevron Island.

The tower has been the talk of the town for years, says Ray White Projects Gold Coast agent Caitlin Rosenboom, who is selling the remaining apartments.

"People have been watching Chevron One go up for years," Rosenboom says, adding that many prospective buyers have been surprised by the scale of the views once they step inside.

"It's only when they walk through a completed apartment that they truly understand the position of the building," Rosenboom says.

"The views are jaw-dropping. Whether you're looking east over the ocean, across Surfers Paradise, along the river systems or out to the hinterland, every level offers something different but equally impressive."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=360215]

One of Chevron One's defining advantages is its location on the eastern side of Chevron Island on Stanhill Drive, a position which protects the views forever.

"There's only one row of houses between Chevron One and the water, and the height restrictions along the river means views from Chevron One can never be built out,"&nbsp;Rosenboom says.

While new apartment developments continue to emerge across the Gold Coast, Rosenboom says opportunities to secure a completed apartment with this level of outlook are becoming increasingly rare.

"The size of the site is something that would be incredibly difficult to replicate today," she says.

"That's allowed Chevron One to deliver the sort of amenity, open space and resident facilities that very few projects can offer. There are not many completed apartment buildings on the Gold Coast right now that can compete with the combination of scale, quality and amenity."

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There's around 2,000 sqm of amenity solely for the use of residents of Chevron One. Club One features a uniquely shaped swimming pool that mirrors the footprint of the building itself, set within a extensively landscaped gardens. There's also an indoor pool and spa, a fully equipped gym with a Pilates room, a yoga garden, a bookable private dining area and lounge that can host up to 30 people, and a 24-hour concierge service.

As for the buyers, Rosenboom is fielding enquiry from everywhere: Sydneysiders and Melburnians looking at the new and off-the-plan market following the changes in the Federal Budget, as well as those looking to relocate, through to South East Queenslanders seeking either a permanent home or a weekender bolthole.

"The Gold Coast lifestyle continues to resonate with people relocating from the southern states, and when they see the views and the quality of what's been delivered at Chevron One, it becomes very easy for them to understand the appeal," Rosenboom says.

A diverse mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments remain available, with each offering "something a little different", be it the orientation and views, configuration, or level, to suit a wide variety of buyers.

The remaining apartments are ready to inspect in person, by appointment.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=6515]

A decade in the making: Residents to move into Chevron One as construction wraps up

A general rule of thumb in new apartment developments is that the penthouses get the rooftop.

It's a formula that's become commonplace across Australia's apartment market. Residents might have access to a pool, gym or barbecue facilities on a dedicated lower level, but the most desirable outdoor spaces are typically reserved for the highest-priced homes at the top of the building.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sherpa-property-group">Sherpa Property Group</a> has taken the opposite approach.

Rather than dedicating the rooftop to a handful of buyers, the Gold Coast developer has made it the centrepiece of its Flourish collection, creating expansive shared spaces from the best vantage point in the building.

The philosophy has reached its most ambitious expression at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-soleira-palm-beach-1150-1160-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Soleira</a> in Palm Beach, where two rooftop precincts connected by a skybridge will deliver one of the most extensive lifestyle offerings seen in a residential apartment project on the Gold Coast.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374053]

"We're seeing a clear move toward developments that offer more than just an apartment," Sherpa Group founder Christie Leet said.

"People want spaces that support how they actually live, whether that's working from home, staying active, or spending time with family and friends.

"That's where amenity becomes critical. It's not just about what's included, but how those spaces are designed to be used every day."

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The breadth of amenity has already attracted buyers across multiple demographics. Younger first home buyers have been drawn to Soleira's one-bedroom apartments, a product rarely delivered in Palm Beach, while families have responded to practical inclusions such as the shallow children's pool adjoining the main lap pool and the extensive communal recreation areas.

Instead of a single rooftop, Soleira delivers two distinct lifestyle zones.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=372547]

The southern rooftop has been dedicated to wellness, featuring a gym, yoga and Pilates studio, work-from-home facilities, a wellness centre, spa, and hot and cold plunge pools.

The northern rooftop focuses on recreation and entertaining, incorporating a heated resort-style pool, private dining rooms, pizza ovens, barbecues, a golf simulator, children's recreation areas, and what is expected to be the Gold Coast's first rooftop basketball court, which will also double as a squash court.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374054]

Beyond the rooftops, Soleira will introduce 1,500 sqm of curated retail beneath the towers, creating one of Palm Beach's first genuinely mixed-use lifestyle precincts where cafés, restaurants and convenience retail become part of residents' everyday lives.

Sherpa has also retained management rights across the development, allowing it to oversee the long-term operation of the building through a 24-hour concierge model. The developer is also exploring additional revenue streams within the precinct aimed at helping offset ongoing body corporate costs for residents.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=370962]

While Soleira is the largest project Sherpa has delivered, the rooftop-first philosophy has been evolving for several years.

It began with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/amargo-6-12-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Amargo</a>, the first project released under the Flourish brand. Rather than competing at the ultra-luxury end of the market with oversized half-floor and full-floor residences, Sherpa focused on creating lifestyle-driven apartments supported by resort-style shared spaces.

Amargo introduced more than 800 sqm of rooftop amenity, combining wellness facilities, heated pools, entertaining areas, cabanas, pizza ovens and private dining spaces into what was designed as an extension of residents' homes rather than a facility used only occasionally.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146527 project_image_fid=366550]

That approach continued with Flourish Oasis, where the same amenity-led philosophy was refined into a more boutique development. Strong demand from Sherpa's growing VIP database saw much of the project sold before it reached the broader market, reinforcing buyer appetite for apartment communities centred around shared lifestyle experiences.

Flourish Amargo is slated for completion mid-way-through next year, with Oasis to be delivered by late 2027. Flourish Soleira is expected to complete in 2030.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150017]

Sherpa takes amenity to the sky as Flourish Soleira captures booming Palm Beach demand

As apartment living continues to evolve across Sydney's growth corridors, the quality and distribution of shared spaces is increasingly shaping how residents experience home. Rather than functioning as add-ons, amenities are being embedded into the daily rhythm of a building, supporting everything from quiet retreat to social interaction, often within a single vertical community.

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/aeris-melrose-park-nursery-street-melrose-park-nsw-2114">Aeris</a> in Melrose Park, this approach is resolved through a layered amenity offering that unfolds from ground level through to its upper podium. Developed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sekisui-house-australia">Sekisui House Australia</a> in partnership with Hankyu Hanshin Properties, the project introduces 468 apartments across two towers and a mid-rise building, positioned at the highest point of the broader masterplan.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=359199]

The amenity experience begins at street level, where two courtyards sit within a landscaped setting that connects residents to the wider network of parks and green spaces. These green spaces are not isolated pockets but part of a wider pedestrian network that links Aeris to the surrounding <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/melrose-park-nsw-2114">Melrose Park</a> precinct, including Central Park, future schools, and the Town Centre opening in July 2026. The result is a transition that moves from public to private without abrupt boundaries, allowing residents to pass through shaded, tree-lined environments before reaching the building itself.

Moving upward, the focus shifts to the level five podium, where the primary communal facilities are concentrated. This space brings together a 16-metre swimming pool, outdoor seating areas, and a communal BBQ zone arranged to take advantage of elevated outlooks. Seating is positioned beneath pergolas, creating pockets of shade that extend the usability of the space throughout the day. The pool edge aligns with views toward the wider district, reinforcing the sense of elevation that defines the project’s positioning.

In the adjacent building, this is complemented by quieter, more contemplative spaces, including an outdoor cinema set within the same level. Positioned to operate primarily in the evening, it introduces a different tempo to the shared environment, shifting from daytime activity to after-hours use without requiring separate zones.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=360299]

The podium also accommodates an intimate private resident gym. Located on the lower levels, it gives residents convenient access to fitness facilities without leaving the building.

Above, the elevated podium sky deck extends the amenity offering, providing additional open-air spaces with elevated outlooks across the surrounding landscape. While more restrained in program, this upper level reinforces the project’s vertical progression, from ground-level greenery to elevated outlook, allowing residents to move between distinct spatial conditions within a single address.

This distribution of amenities reflects a deliberate response to how residents use space across the day. Sekisui House Australia Sales and Marketing Director Peter Kalaf points to the role these shared areas play in shaping buyer demand. Aeris has been conceived as more than a collection of apartments, with the podium pool, gym and outdoor cinema forming part of a broader lifestyle offering that extends the home beyond each individual residence.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=360300]

What distinguishes Aeris is not the inclusion of these elements individually, but how they are arranged in relation to one another. Active, social, and passive spaces are layered vertically rather than separated, allowing residents to choose between them without leaving the building or moving far from their apartment. This proximity supports both routine use, such as a morning swim or evening workout, and more occasional gatherings, whether around the BBQ area or within the cinema setting.

The amenity design also sits within a broader framework of connectivity across Melrose Park. The Melrose Park Town Centre, anchored by Coles and Dan Murphys, features a mix of retail, dining, health and lifestyle offerings, bringing everyday convenience closer to residents. By the end of the year, more than five hectares of parks and open space, equivalent to around seven football fields of green space on residents' doorstep, will further enhance the precinct, allowing the internal facilities at Aeris to operate as an extension of the wider neighbourhood rather than a substitute for it.

Construction at Aeris continues to gather momentum, with ground floor slabs expected to be completed in late 2026 before the first sections of the buildings begin to rise above ground.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=426]

Elevated amenity anchors daily life at Aeris, Melrose Park

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GUEST OBSERVATION
In tax as in many endeavours, it’s easy to work out how things should be; harder to work out how to get there.
In NSW, Treasurer Dominic Perrottet wants to replace the one-off stamp duty on real estate transactions with an annual <a href="https://www.treasury.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-11/NSW%20TSY%20TF%20-%20Glossy.pdf">land tax</a>.
In the long run, this one single reform could produce the biggest possible gains of any tax reform, state or federal.
This graph from the federal treasury’s 2015 <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-03/c2015-rethink-dp-TWP_combined-online.pdf">tax discussion paper</a> makes the point.
It says the “marginal excess burden” (damage) done by real estate conveyancing taxes amounts to 70 cents for each dollar raised.
It means people and businesses change addresses less often than they should. Households live further away from their work than they would like to, are reluctant to move to where there is better work, and spend money extending houses instead of moving to better ones.
Businesses resist changing property location and type when changes in markets and costs suggest they should.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/370724/original/file-20201123-19-16bujkx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/370724/original/file-20201123-19-16bujkx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
<a class="source" href="https://treasury.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-03/c2015-rethink-dp-TWP_combined-online.pdf">Tax discussion paper, Australian Treasury March 2015</a>
In contrast, the treasury found the marginal excess burden of land tax was negative. By that it means every dollar raised actually makes things better off by making land more likely to be used for its best purpose and making land less likely to be not used at all.
Swapping the worst tax the treasury modelled for the best tax it modelled ought to have a huge economic payoff for use of property, for productivity and for living standards.
It’d also be fairer.
The NSW <a href="https://www.treasury.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-10/FFR%20Final%20Report%20-%20200828%20%281%29.pdf">Thodey Review</a> of federal financial relations commissioned by Treasurer Perrottet notes that 26% of owner-occupiers have remained in the same property for at least 20 years.
Most of these long-term same property owners have benefited “not only from the services provided by the state over that time, but also from a once-in-a-generation land price windfall”.
In exchange for these gains, they have contributed very little towards essential services and critical infrastructure via property taxation. Others who have moved more often than the average to find a job, to be closer to schools, or to match housing size to changes in their family situation have picked up the tab.
Thodey also identifies other reasons for making the switch. Land tax revenue is more stable and predictable than revenue that soars and dives at times when people are buying or are not buying properties.
How you get there matters
The Australian Capital Territory is well on the way.
In 2012-13 it began a <a href="https://www.allhomes.com.au/news/cbr-how-act-home-owners-are-affected-by-the-act-tax-reform-program-new-report-982274/">20-year transition</a>. Stamp duty and insurance duty are being wound back (for everyone) and replaced by <a href="/news">increases to general rates on land</a>.
The transition is roughly revenue-neutral.
NSW is proposing a different approach. It is considering asking new buyers to “<a href="https://www.treasury.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-11/NSW%20Treasury%20property%20tax%20proposal%20Consultation%20Paper.pdf">opt in</a>” to an annual land tax in return for escaping stamp duty. Once a buyer has opted in, future buyers of that property won’t be able to opt out. They will pay land tax instead of stamp duty.
It’ll mean no property owner, new or old, need be a loser in the first instance.
But it will stretch out the transition and involve very large reductions in revenue for years to come, with smaller but still-substantial losses over decades.
As an illustration, assume that in year one, rather than paying $100 of stamp duty, the buyer chooses to pay a much smaller annual land tax.
NSW is going the long way
On average about 5% of properties change hands each year, meaning on average each is transferred once every 20 years. That means that to be revenue neutral in the long term the annual land tax should be set at 5% of the stamp duty.
If all the buyers in the first year switch over to land tax, the government will lose 95% of the money it would have got from stamp duty in that year.
With the passing of time and a larger share of owners paying land tax the shortfall will get smaller. But even after a decade, it might be as much as 50%.
Some buyers will never opt-in
And the voluntary opt in will give buyers who expect to hold a property for longer than average, for more than 20 years, an incentive to turn down the offer of land tax and pay (the lesser) stamp duty as before; while those who expect a short stay will opt for the (lesser) land tax.
This entirely rational behaviour will further reduce government revenue, aggravate the inequity of the system we’ve got, lock some owners into the properties they already own in order to avoid paying for government services, and postpone the benefits of moving to a system in which tax doesn’t distort the use of land.
It’s easy to see why Perrottet has gone for a voluntary switchover.
There are better ways to avoid double taxation
Without some sort of concession, recent buyers would find themselves taxed twice, once through stamp duty and then again through annual land taxes.
The ACT’s 20-year transition is one way to get around the problem.
Despite concerns, it has <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/submissions/nsw-should-swap-stamp-duties-for-a-broad-based-property-tax/">proved popular enough</a>.
Eight years in, the ACT Labor government has just won it’s <a href="https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/politics/act-votes-will-labor-secure-a-sixth-term/news-story/fb16a95da53cb48cc31f1591b54abd66">sixth consecutive election</a>.
A quicker way of realising the gains from switching while reducing double taxation would be to introduce land tax immediately and give recent buyers a partial credit for the stamp duty they’ve paid.
As an example, stamp duty paid in the past one, two, three, four and five years could receive a credit of 100%, 80%, 60%, 40% and 20%, respectively.
It would cost revenue over the transition period, but not as much as the opt in arrangement proposed by the NSW treasurer, and after that short period the switch would be revenue-neutral. Importantly, it would reap the full efficiency benefits from day one, and ensure everyone paid the tax they should.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/150629/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;">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/john-freebairn-90">John Freebairn</a>, Professor, Department of Economics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-melbourne-722">University of Melbourne</a>
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/axing-stamp-duty-is-a-great-idea-but-nsw-is-going-about-it-the-wrong-way-150629">original article</a>.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Axing stamp duty is a great idea, but NSW is going about it the wrong way

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NSW stamp duty is set to be reformed for the first time since 1985 when the rates were amended.
The government <a href="https://www.treasury.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-11/0920-01_NSW%20TSY%20Consultation%20Paper_v6.pdf" target="_blank">is seeking public feedback</a> on the proposal to replace stamp duties with a broad-based land tax.
The change was mooted in the New South Wales state budget.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet revealed plans to reform the “inefficient property tax system” currently in place, but will await the feedback before any implmentation.
The discussion will centre around transitioning from the current model of a mandatory upfront stamp duty, to one where buyers have the choice to instead pay an annual land tax on new property purchasers based on the value of their land.
The rates are set to vary for owner-occupiers, investors and commercial tenants.
"If implemented, the proposed changes could give you the freedom to choose between paying stamp duty upfront or paying a much smaller annual property tax, when you buy your next home," reads the NSW Treasury website. 
"Removing the upfront cost of stamp duty could remove tens of thousands of dollars from the home purchase process and make it easier for first home buyers, families looking to upgrade and others looking to change their property to save what is needed to purchase their next home.
"Unless you are buying a property, there would be no change. If you have already paid stamp duty on your existing property, you would not be subject to an annual property tax. There would be no double taxation."
The HIA executive director David Bare noted stamp duty was impeding the ability of the population to shift to pursue education and employment opportunities elsewhere. 
“Stamp duty is an inequitable tax which falls on a small cohort of taxpayers who need to move for varying reasons including for employment, education and training, health or financial reasons," Bare said.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

NSW Government seeks to reform property stamp duty

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The NSW Government is revamping how it regulates shared accommodation to improve the rights and responsibilities of occupants, Minister for Better Regulation, Kevin Anderson, announced today.
Mr Anderson said the new package of reforms will increase protections for some of the state’s most vulnerable residents and implement recommendations made in the Boarding Houses Act 2012 Statutory Review Report, including rewriting the Act to become the Shared Accommodation Act.
“The Boarding Houses Act was a landmark piece of legislation when introduced in 2012. Our reforms will build on it to ensure the protections introduced for boarding house are improved and expanded to apply to the wider range of people who now live in shared accommodation,” Mr Anderson said.
“Whether it’s a student or someone getting back on their feet, thousands of people stay and live in shared accommodation each week, and it’s time the legislation caught up to reflect the reality of 2020.
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“The changes will ensure stronger protections are in place for occupants in shared accommodation such as prescribing standard form agreements, minimum notice periods and requiring a property to be ‘fit for habitation’.” The new legislation will cover all shared arrangements where someone rents a space as their principal place of residence and shares a kitchen, bathroom or bedroom with others. This is likely to include arrangements where people live in boarding houses as well as some co-living premises, student accommodation and private lodging arrangements. Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services Gareth Ward said the review also provided an opportunity to better support people with disability living in boarding houses. “Consultation with people with disability, providers and advocates highlighted the need to ensure supports delivered in assisted boarding houses are consistent with those offered under the National Disability Insurance Scheme,” Mr Ward said. “We will continue to work closely with residents, proprietors and the sector to enable people to with disability to exercise choice and control over the supports they receive.” Drafting of the new Act has commenced, with targeted sector consultation planned for the second half of 2020. The <a class="is-external" href="https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/tp/files/77910/Report%20on%20the%20Statutory%20Review%20of%20the%20Boarding%20Houses%20Act%202012.pdf" target="_blank">Boarding Houses Act 2012 Statutory Review Report</a> is available.
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NSW boarding house shared accommodation occupant rights under review

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National property fund manager Primewest has made its first investment in Australia’s globally successful agricultural sector with its Primewest Agricultural Trust No 1 purchasing Pinegatta in the NSW southern riverine region.
The newly established trust managed by Primewest paid $4.8 million for the 425 hectare property, which is leased to blue chip tenant Kagome – Australia’s largest fruit and vegetable processor with a market capitalisation in excess of $2 billion.
The Pinegatta property, near the town of Deniliquin, primarily produces carrots and potatoes, most recently servicing contracts to the Smith Snack Food Company (Pepsico). 
It consists of fertile, rolling loam soils with a state-of-the-art irrigation system that is connected to highly reliable water resources via deep bores and the Mulwala Canal - Australia’s largest irrigation canal which is less than a kilometre away.   
Primewest director David Schwartz said Pinegatta was a high quality, investment grade, agricultural asset leased to a blue chip tenant and was well positioned to benefit from the anticipated improvement in the Australian agricultural sector.
He said Primewest has taken a counter-cyclical approach to investing in the agricultural sector, with plans to acquire a range of properties in its new trust totalling up to $100 million.
“Kagome has invested around $700k on capital improvements to the property in the last 12 months and its also features $1 million worth of central irrigation pivots that span 259 hectares of land,” Mr Schwartz said.
“It provides a net passing income of $300k per annum and we expect investors will receive a total return on investment of 8 per cent pa (IRR).”
Mr Schwartz said the Triple-Net Lease provided a WALE (by income) of 6.4 years.
Main photo: Primewest directors John Bond, David Schwartz and Jim Litis / Gabriel Oliveria
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New Primewest fund enters agricultural sector with plans to invest up to $100 million

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Streets across NSW will be transformed into vibrant pedestrian-friendly public spaces with the NSW Government announcing the successful funding recipients under the $15 million Streets as Shared Spaces program.
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes said the funds will help 27 regional councils and 14 councils across Greater Sydney deliver temporary street transformations, such as cycleways, pop-up parklets and improved lighting.
“These projects will transform neighbourhoods across the State, making it easier for people to walk or ride to local shops and services by creating safe, attractive and accessible streets and public spaces,” Mr Stokes said.
Successful trial projects will provide new pedestrian and cycleway connections and  reclaim little-used carparks and roads across NSW, including:
•  creation of a ‘green spine’ on Harbour Drive in Coffs Harbour;
•  activation of an underutilised laneway in Parramatta;
•  a temporary road closure to create a public square in Griffith; and 
•  a pop-up park on Dunmore Street, Wentworthville. 
The Streets as Shared Spaces program provides funding for councils to support the delivery of short-term improvements to local streets and public spaces through pop-ups and pilots that encourage social distancing and improve the attractiveness of our neighbourhoods. 
There are two types of project grants under the program: Quick Response Demonstration Projects valued at up to $100,000 per project, to be delivered within three months of approval, and Pilot Projects valued at up to $1 million per project to be delivered within one year of approval. 
Councils will need to obtain all of the relevant approvals and engage with their community in delivering the projects.
 
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Shared spaces to transform streets across NSW

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The State Government's NSW Public Spaces Legacy Program - which provides green space funding for local councils - has been wholeheartedly welcomed
The announcement of a $250 million program that incentivises the fast-tracking of development assessments with funding for councils to deliver more public spaces is great news for jobs in the property development sector, the environment and the community.
Local councils that focus on fast-tracking development assessments for projects that deliver much-needed jobs and housing will be eligible for up to $5.5 million each in funding for parklands, town squares and main streets under the program.
The program is available to the 68 councils currently participating in the e-planning system.
It is great to see the NSW Government provide councils with this incentive to fast-track the assessment of projects identified under the Planning System Acceleration Program.
It is all very well for Local planning strategies to call for greater funds for open space – but this adds to the costs for new home buyers. This new government funding stream which totals $250 million will support the so the acquisition and land and works to create playgrounds and green spaces.
The approach of providing funding directly to councils to deliver new and improved public spaces will help unlock significant construction jobs during the economic shock of COVID-19 by reducing the "local green space" contributions" paid initially by developers, but ultimately added to the cost of new homes.
This new initiative will reduce the burden on new home buyers and is an important step in ensuring high quality local amenity.
TOM FORREST is the Urban Taskforce CEO
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Public Spaces Legacy Program welcomed by Urban Taskforce: Tom Forrest

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In an apparent about face, the NSW government has halved land tax for developers of build-to-rent housing.
It came weeks after the the Treasurer Dominic Perrottet launched a report that called for a <a href="https://www.treasury.nsw.gov.au/draft-report" target="_blank">greater reliance on land tax</a> as a replacement for stamp duty.
The greater reliance on land tax is a long-term goal. At the moment family homes are exempt, along with boarding houses, caravan parks, retirement villages and farms. Most other users pay land tax, including <a href="https://www.revenue.nsw.gov.au/squiz-sandbox/land-tax/exemptions-and-concessions" target="_blank">landlords</a> and businesses.
The change will give developers who invest in build-to-rent schemes offering <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/nsw-to-cut-land-tax-for-20-years-in-ambitious-build-to-rent-scheme-20200728-p55gbm.htm" target="_blank">long tenancies</a> a 50% discount on their land tax for 20 years.
<h2>Why build-to-rent?</h2>
Most Australian rental properties are owned by individuals, units in apartment blocks as well as free-standing houses. Half are owned by landlords with only one property; <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/901-Housing-affordability.pdf" target="_blank">three quarters</a> by landlords with only one or two properties.
If you want to rent from a corporation, or from someone with wide experience in owning and renting properties, you’ll find it hard.
It makes Australia unusual.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/350346/original/file-20200730-17-1kp56wj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/350346/original/file-20200730-17-1kp56wj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Nails in walls can cause problems for tenants.
In other countries corporations rent out housing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-australia-can-learn-from-overseas-about-the-future-of-rental-housing-90401" target="_blank">big time</a>. America’s five largest corporate landlords own 420,000 properties. Germany’s largest landlord, Vonovia, owns more than 330,000.
Overseas experience suggests corporations provide more affordable housing, and in many ways they make better landlords.
Individuals who own just one property have put most of their eggs in one basket.
Because they can’t afford for anything to go wrong they check the condition of the property regularly.
They prohibit nails in walls and pets, and typically offer only short-term leases.
Corporations can play the law of averages.
Because they know most properties will be well maintained they are satisfied with less-frequent inspections. They allow modifications, and typically offer long-term leases.
They offer an experience pretty close to ownership, in return for rent.
It’s this that the NSW government wants to encourage.
To ensure it happens and to ensure built-to-rents don’t revert to the Australian pattern of individual investors owning individual units, it will specify that the apartments have at least 50 units and are managed under <a href="https://nsw.liberal.org.au/Shared-Content/News/2020/LAND-TAX-CUT-TO-DRIVE-BUILD-TO-RENT-REVOLUTION" target="_blank">unified ownership</a>.
<h2>Tax makes it hard</h2>
At the moment such developments are discriminated against when it comes to land tax. No tax is due if the land value is below a threshold.
Individual landlords are usually below the threshold (some spreading their portfolio between multiple states to ensure they don’t trigger each state’s threshold).
Wholly-owned apartment blocks are above the threshold and can’t escape it. University of Technology Sydney calculations suggest land tax on build-to-rent developments can consume up to 27% of the annual rent collected.
And they are subject to goods and services tax. They can reclaim some of it but not all.
The announcement comes at a time when the COVID crisis has cut stamp duty receipts and created an oversupply of vacant apartments, particularly around universities.
The initiative appears to have been crafted before the crisis and to be more forward looking. Many of the build-to-rent projects will take years to complete.
<h2>It’s about changing the mix</h2>
That said, any extra building activity will support the construction industry and extra stock will reduce home prices and rents.
The initiative doesn’t spell the end of mum and dad landlords. They will still predominate for a long time.
It’s about providing options and security for tenants that isn’t widely available and will become more important as a <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-edges-of-home-ownership-are-becoming-porous-its-no-longer-a-one-way-street-119995" target="_blank">greater proportion of Australians rent</a>.
Other states will be taking note.
For a government that wants to eventually make land tax universal, the 50% cut is a step in the wrong direction. It might have been better to remove the threshold for small landlords.
But there’s no sign the NSW government has given up on its longer term goal. It’s unlikely to be the last time land tax rules are changed.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/143594/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;">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/harry-scheule-3573" target="_blank">Harry Scheule</a>, Professor, Finance, UTS Business School, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936" target="_blank">University of Technology Sydney</a>
This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-nsw-is-skewing-its-tax-system-toward-build-to-rent-apartments-and-away-from-mum-and-pop-landlords-143594" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Why NSW is skewing its tax system toward build-to-rent apartments and away from mum and pop landlords

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EXPERT OBSERVER
The Westpac-Melbourne Institute Index of Consumer Sentiment fell 9.5% to 79.5 in August from 87.9 in July.
The scale of the fall comes as a major surprise. At 79.5, the Index is back near the extreme low of 75.6 seen back in April when Australia entered a national lockdown.
Since the July survey we have seen Victoria enter Stage 4 restrictions and evidence of some ‘hot spots’ in New South Wales. Under those circumstances it is certainly reasonable to have expected a sizeable fall in Consumer Sentiment.
However, collapsing to only 5.1% above the lows we saw in April when consumers were first confronted with a national lockdown may well prove to be a significant overreaction.
The biggest surprise was in NSW where sentiment collapsed by 15.5% – well in excess of the 8.3% fall in Victoria. Remarkably, the index in NSW has reached 77.8, below Victoria’s read of 78.
Even in Queensland, where cases have been largely eliminated, there was a fall of 8.1% putting the index in Queensland at 79.7, only slightly above NSW and Victoria.
The index in South Australia fell by 5.8% to 81.8 while only Western Australia was stable, falling by 1.5% to 85.9.
While some of the weakness in NSW and Queensland will reflect the direct economic drag from Victoria’s lockdown and the closure of interstate borders, the overall response seems disproportionate to the evidence on developments around the virus.
This emphasises the fear of the unknown.
Consumers across the nation appear to have been rattled by the developments in Victoria and fear that other states may also succumb to the ‘second wave’ outbreak.
NSW has seen several clusters although, after more than a month, there has been no evidence that these cases will develop into a Victorian-style disaster.
Queensland has seen even fewer cases and faces even more secure prospects.
Our view is that these fears are likely to have become overblown. While consumers are right to be concerned, virus risks still look low outside Victoria. Even in NSW new case counts remain well below the levels seen when Victoria’s outbreak started to ramp higher in the second half of June.
Certainly, the prospect of Victorian-style outbreaks taking hold across all of Australia seems remote. Fears across the nation will be lowered further as and when lockdown measures start to improve the situation in Victoria
Victoria’s progress in containing the virus with its current heavy lockdown policies will be much clearer by the first week in September when we conduct the next survey.
BILL EVANS is <a href="https://westpaciq.westpac.com.au/Article/44613/14186/" target="_blank">Westpac's chief economist</a>
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Consumer sentiment collapsed in August especially in NSW: Bill Evans

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Agriculture industry expert Daryl Quinlivan has been appointed the State’s first Agriculture Commissioner, delivering on a major NSW Government election commitment.
Minister for Agriculture Adam Marshall announced Mr Quinlivan’s appointment in Coffs Harbour today and said the Commissioner would champion NSW farmers’ rights.
“Establishing an Agriculture Commissioner was a major NSW Government election commitment and today’s announcement is an important step in delivering the protections and policies our farmers need to grow and thrive,” Mr Marshall said.
“Daryl is incredibly well regarded in industry, having served as the Secretary of the Commonwealth Agriculture Department and headed up the Productivity Commission."
The Agriculture Commissioner will review the NSW Government’s Right to Farm Policy and will have a particular focus on resolving land use conflict and identifying growth opportunities for industry. 
Member for Coffs Harbour Gurmesh Singh welcomed the announcement and said the Commissioner would be a strong voice for local farmers. 
Mr Quinlivan said he was honoured to be appointed to the role and would advocate strongly on behalf of the state’s farmers.
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NSW's first Agriculture Commissioner appointed

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Dwelling approvals showed a further weakening in June, reaching an 8 year low.
Total dwelling approvals fell 4.9% to be down nearly 20% over the last two months.
The detail showed weakness in the month was more broadly based than May’s unit driven fall.
Private sector unit approvals declined 5.3% mth to be down 23.4% qtr for Q2 as a whole.
Private sector detached house approvals posted a similar sized 5.7% decline in the June month but were more resilient for the quarter as a whole, down just 2.6% qtr.
On a monthly basis, all segments are down materially on a year ago.
All states recorded declines, although they were more pronounced in NSW (–14.8%), WA (–11.7%) and Qld (–10.9%), and more muted in SA (–4.6%) and Vic (–0.2%).
All states have seen double digit declines over May-June.
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