Holiday home buyers who have long gravitated to Queenstown’s alpine setting are increasingly looking for low-maintenance apartments that allow them to lock up and leave, while still generating income when they’re away.

For Wendy, who had spent years visiting the Queenstown and Arrowtown region, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/safari-group">Safari Group</a>’s Mountain Oak Apartments provided the opportunity to formalise what had previously been a recurring holiday pattern.

“We always had Queenstown in the back of our minds to buy something there as a holiday home,” she says. “We love the Queenstown and Arrowtown area.”

<img alt="From slopes to markets: Mountain Oak connects residents to the best of Queenstown" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_auto/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/658d4f_48c3ec1ae5df4a2cab7d23c07c7f51b3~mv2.jpg?VersionId=27K8oQ4ExDN8Yu70VHDa9Olq59XU36m3" />

Time spent visiting her sister-in-law, who owns in Arrowtown, along with regular stays at Millbrook Resort, had already shaped a strong personal connection to the region.&nbsp;

Rather than approaching the purchase purely as an investment play, Wendy’s starting point was lifestyle.

“We were more thinking about ourselves and where we could stay, and then the rental aspect was second.”

Mountain Oak Apartments, located within the masterplanned Remarkables Park precinct in Frankton, aligned with that thinking. The ability to secure the apartment with a deposit and settle on completion made the timing work.

“The fact that we could put a deposit down with the balance on completion was a bonus for us,” she explains.

<img alt="Safari Group’s Mountain Oak Apartments brings new investment potential to Queenstown" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_auto/https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/313_Livingv2_WEB.jpg?VersionId=nV229fM0ZeYpoxOrX372HyGjfwY_LR8c" />

Wendy selected a two-bedroom, two-bathroom penthouse, a configuration that supports both private use and guest flexibility.

“The two-bedroom, two-bathroom configuration appealed from both a rental viewpoint and for the ability to have friends stay while we are there,” she says.

Across the development, two-bedroom apartments range from 64sqm to 78sqm, with two-bedroom plus flexi options from 71sqm to 75sqm, each with an allocated car park. The flexi layouts introduce an additional space suited to work or hobbies, reflecting demand from buyers who split their time between leisure and remote work.

Apartments include underfloor heating in bathrooms, heat pumps to living areas, and joinery positioned to maximise natural light and mountain outlooks. The Remarkables Park precinct is known for its extended winter sunshine hours, water frontage and open views toward The Remarkables.&nbsp;

Units come in light and dark interior colour schemes.

<img alt="Mountain Oak Apartments draws holiday home buyers to Queenstown" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fd685a22-3b95-43a1-87cb-48fdd42bb4ba" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/658d4f_f9f89107c2704ebbbe5a6b36da508cb3~mv2.jpg?VersionId=MigFIEm6b.mrANANwxSmwHvC4RdJUuyR" />

While lifestyle was the primary driver, the fundamentals of the Queenstown market added reassurance.&nbsp;

“Proximity to the airport and tourism being the main attraction all year round,” Wendy says, when asked what stood out from an investment perspective.

Mountain Oak sits just eight kilometres from Queenstown’s CBD and around a two-minute drive from Queenstown Airport.&nbsp;

For Wendy, that airport proximity carries practical value.

“The airport proximity is a bonus, we think that being so close will be an attraction for the convenience side.”

Residents are also a short drive from Coronet Peak, Jack’s Point Golf Course, New World Supermarket, Five Mile Shopping Centre, and the dining, medical, gym, cinema and library amenities within the town centre, as well as the seasonal Remarkables Market.

Importantly, the purchase does not lock owners into a single use. Mountain Oak offers the flexibility to opt for short-term visitor accommodation or longer-term residential rental management, with 365-day visitor accommodation consent in place. Owners can utilise Safari Group’s 24/7 on-site management service or appoint their own provider, and do not need to decide on a strategy immediately.

“It was a bonus that we can rent it out as well as use it for ourselves,” she says.

Additional buying options, including furniture packages and storage units available for purchase within the building, further support a lock-and-leave model suited to interstate and overseas owners.

<img alt="Safari Group’s Mountain Oak Apartments brings new investment potential to Queenstown" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_auto/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Ext_Cam15_Sunny.jpg?VersionId=SJAROUM_1s.Tr5ciMk4EEj5oAt_Vewmv" />

Mountain Oak Apartments comprises 141 residences, ranging from one-bedroom configurations through to larger apartments and penthouses. One-bedroom apartments are currently priced from NZ$639,000, with three-bedroom options from NZ$1,299,000.

With 365-day visitor accommodation consent, the development is structured to respond to Queenstown’s established four-season tourism economy, spanning winter ski traffic and summer hiking, cycling, golf and lake-based activity.

Although Wendy acknowledges the strength of rental demand, her approach remains long term.

“We’re not planning to sell it anytime soon, so we are keen to hang on to it, but the passive income will be a bonus.”

Confidence in the developer also influenced her decision. Before proceeding, Wendy sought feedback within the local building community.

“We asked around and Safari Group had a good reputation,” she says.

Safari Group has delivered more than 2,000 hotel units and residential apartments across over 18 developments nationwide, with more than 25 years’ experience in the sector.

With completion anticipated by mid-2027, Mountain Oak is attracting a cross-section of buyers, from yield-focused investors to lifestyle purchasers seeking a foothold in one of New Zealand’s most tightly held alpine markets.

For Wendy, it represents both a future holiday base and a long-term asset within Queenstown’s year-round tourism economy.

Joel Robinson

How Mountain Oak Apartments draws holiday home buyers to Queenstown

Eduard Litver's Capitel Group is seeking to redevelop Chatswood's Mandarin Centre in the heart of the burgeoning suburb.

Capitel Group, in a joint venture with Metis Group, has filed a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) to demolish the Mandarin Centre and construct a 32-storey tower designed by Skidmore, Owings &amp; Merrill (SOM) with 325 apartments.

The 3,524 sqm site at 61A-65 Albert Avenue will also home extensive retail amenity, both at street-level and across a four-level podium.

<img alt="First look: Metis and Capitel unveil $1.2bn+ plan to redevelop Chatswood’s Mandarin Centre" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="905976ea-08cd-409f-8a4c-33a3fb8bf351" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/1771923441002.png?VersionId=f_xI2ejpxQvEm4fPqGji01RY9_AWVY6O" />

In its early stage Design Report submitted to the NSW Government's Housing Delivery Authority, SOM describes the ambition for the project as one that “aims to revitalise and reactivate an important corner of the Chatswood CBD.”

The architects note that the existing shopping centre “has a lack of vertical connection between its five levels of retail and a cumbersome pedestrian access from the street to the second-level transit connection,” framing the redevelopment as an opportunity to reconfigure circulation and better integrate with surrounding transport infrastructure.

The design adopts a single tower configuration, shaped through early testing to respond to neighbouring buildings and key public spaces.

Retail activation is concentrated at ground and lower podium levels, with a focus on food and beverage, lifestyle and wellness tenancies. The intent is to create a more permeable ground plane and improve connections between Albert Avenue, Victor Street and the Chatswood transport interchange, located within walking distance of the site.

<img alt="First look: Metis and Capitel unveil $1.2bn+ plan to redevelop Chatswood’s Mandarin Centre" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1e0c8cb-ee9b-41c1-97ac-0455c043b9e7" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/1771923442914.png?VersionId=y.Kbo.9bzLIbOabeygYts8Uf9imI.Dqh" />

The site occupies a prominent position on the southern edge of the Chatswood CBD core, bounded by Albert Avenue and Victor Street. It sits near the rail and metro interchange and within close proximity to Chatswood Chase, Westfield Chatswood, Chatswood Oval and a range of commercial office towers and residential buildings.

Chatswood has been one, and continues to be, of the most popular suburbs for developers in recent years. The most recent tower to launch is Hyecorp's Celine on Archer Street, which followed The Anderson by Changfa and Huirong.

Soon to launch is Coronation's Archer &amp; Albert nearby the new proposal.

Chatswood boom continues with Capitel and Metis’s $1.2 billion Mandarin Centre redevelopment

Apartment development applications continue to tally up in Rose Bay following the NSW Gov's 2025 update to the Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy.

&nbsp;

Some $200 million worth of developments were filed in the space of four weeks at the back end of last year, with the likes of Fyve, HSN, Luxcon and Fortis all seeking to creating new apartment buildings.

The latest plans are for an amalgamated 3,105 sqm site across Conway Avenue, Fernleigh Avenue, and Carlisle Street. Developer Mathieson Property is planning <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/dian-2-6-conway-avenue-rose-bay-nsw-2029">Dian</a>, 70 apartments across a new eight-storey building, perched on a ridgeline within walking distance of Rose Bay Town Centre.

The State Significant Development Application (SSDA), includes one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom configurations. Over 15 per cent will be dedicated as affordable, as per the NSW Government's push for affordable housing. The 17 apartments will be managed by a community housing provider for 15 years following completion of the building.

<img alt="First Look: Mathieson Property unveils eight-storey infill housing proposal ‘Dian’ in Rose Bay" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f99c21d9-e69d-4a23-ae35-3244cfa0b4ae" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Rose%20Bay%20site_0.png?VersionId=67KSZfecJ3fvn1ewo9xxKrneRT.Nsjwd" />

MHNDU has designed the building around three central cores, with lower-level apartments arranged to maximise corner balconies and cross-ventilation. Upper levels are configured with dual north–south aspects to capture harbour views and solar access.

Private open space is a key feature of the scheme, with generous balconies and terraces throughout. Five ground-floor apartments would include private pools, while one upper-level residence will feature a rooftop terrace and pool. A communal room and adjoining landscaped outdoor terraces provide shared open space for residents.

<img alt="First Look: Mathieson Property unveils eight-storey infill housing proposal ‘Dian’ in Rose Bay" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="dd2e275f-c270-4eb1-9a02-2b573b8eb540" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Rose%20Bay%20front_0.png?VersionId=Us5jNEG6iLFLLMfQSzVBVdILYobBj.g9" />

The site sits around 365 metres walking distance of Rose Bay Town Centre and around 312 metres from regular bus services on New South Head Road, meeting the accessible area criteria under the Housing SEPP.

In early 2025, the NSW Government implemented significant changes to its Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy, altering planning controls to allow greater density for new apartment projects within an 800-metre walking distance of stations and town centres in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/woollahra-nsw-2025">Woollahra</a>&nbsp;Local Government Area, overriding existing local controls. Buildings are now permitted to rise up to six storeys within 400 metres of a station or centre, or eight storeys where affordable housing is incorporated, and up to four storeys within the 401 to 800 metre radius, which can increase to six storeys with affordable housing.

Mathieson Property unveils Dian Rose Bay apartment development

Lower North Shore developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hyecorp-property-group">Hyecorp</a> is preparing to launch <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/celine-chatswood-37-archer-street-chatswood-nsw-2067">Celine</a>, its new apartment development in Chatswood.

Set within a blue ribbon location on Archer Street, Celine will rise on a quiet, tree-lined enclave on the edge of the South Chatswood Heritage Conservation Area, a short walk from the connectivity which Chatswood is famous for.

Celine will deliver 122 one, two, three, and four-bedroom residences, designed to accommodate a broad range of buyers, from owner-occupiers to investors.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149594 project_image_fid=362610]

Designed by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fuse-architecture-0">Fuse Architects</a>, the 29-storey tower has been shaped to respond to its Archer Street setting, with a defined podium and slender upper levels.&nbsp;

The building incorporates a two-storey residential lobby at the corner, double-height retail fronting Bertram Street, food and beverage tenancies along a through-site link, and two levels of commercial office space.&nbsp;

A landscaped pedestrian connection between Archer and Bertram streets will provide a publicly accessible link through the site, extending activity at ground level beyond the building footprint.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149594 project_image_fid=362606]

Inside, Hyecorp is emphasising scale and flexibility. Most residences will incorporate multipurpose rooms, allowing buyers to configure additional living, study or guest space within their floorplan.&nbsp;

Kitchens have been designed with proportions more commonly associated with standalone homes, complemented by Gaggenau and Miele appliances, integrated refrigeration, Miele laundry appliances, Taj Mahal stone and bronze tapware.&nbsp;

Buyers will also have the option to tailor aspects of their home through the developer’s “Live Your Way” personalisation service.

Resident amenity will include an outdoor pool, gym and sauna, as well as barbecue and lounge areas designed for shared use. Upper levels are oriented to capture eastern outlooks towards the Sydney CBD and surrounding greenery.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149594 project_image_fid=362633]

The location places future residents within 800 metres of Chatswood Interchange, providing access to metro and rail services, and within walking distance of Westfield, Chatswood Chase and the Chatswood Concourse. Parks including Chatswood Park and Beauchamp Park are nearby, along with a cluster of schools and private hospitals.

Celine continues Hyecorp’s focus on the Lower North Shore. The Australian, family-owned developer has been operating locally for more than 30 years, with recent projects including Audrey in St Leonards, now nearing completion, and Juliet in Roseville. With registrations expected to open soon, Celine represents the group’s latest addition to the Chatswood apartment market.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=149594]

Hyecorp unveils Celine, a striking new apartment tower in the heart of Chatswood

International development company <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/spg-land">SPG Land</a> has kicked off construction of the $1.5 billion <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/paradiso-place-surfers-paradise-103-ferny-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Paradiso Place</a>, one of the highest value developments to get underway on the Gold Coast in more than a decade.

Located on a 1.15ha site stretching from Surfers Paradise Boulevard to Ferny Avenue, Paradiso Place, when completed, will deliver 845 residences across three residential towers. &nbsp;

Paradiso Place has been several years in planning by SPG, which has now pushed the green light on construction to meet pent-up demand from investors and owner occupiers.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=106566 project_image_fid=185858]

The move follows minor amendments to the original design to cater to buyer demand, including the provision of more premium residential amenity, including private dining, lounge and events spaces for residents to entertain guests.

The three towers, comprising 41, 40 and 44 levels, will bring to the market 845 apartments with each tower boasting its own podium level interconnected skybridge to create a unique elevated ‘beachside village’ for residents.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=106566 project_image_fid=362500]

The <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a>-designed development will bring a broad range of residences to the market, most offering ocean views and all enjoying five-star hotel amenities with world-class facilities and the convenience ground level retail precinct.

&nbsp;

Construction of Paradiso Place has been made possible by SPG’s newly established SPG Built division partnered with experienced project management group Eastview Australia, a company that has supported the development of a raft of major projects on the Gold Coast over the past two decades.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=106566 project_image_fid=362499]

“It’s a very exciting time for Paradiso Place as we start construction,” said SPG Land Chairman David Wang.

“We have spent our energy refreshing design and assembling the best team and waiting for what we believe is the right time to start construction on one of the most exciting mixed-use developments to proceed on the Gold Coast since Oracle in Broadbeach and Circle on Cavill in Surfers Paradise. &nbsp;

“The local and interstate downsizer market is getting stronger, and we see Paradiso Place as the right project for our times right now. Our company has the capacity to deliver large-scale projects, and we are thrilled to be bringing this vision to reality.”

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=106566 project_image_fid=185861]

SPG Invest, a company founded in Australia in 1998 with a focus on high-end real estate and premium hospitality assets, has delivered 56 projects in the Asia-Pacific region over the past twenty-five years, including The Peninsula Hotel Shanghai and the Global 188 twin-tower project in Suzhou and Cambridge Residences at Robina.

Paradiso Place will deliver a range of new apartments with two-, three- and four-bedroom layouts, as well as a collection of sub-penthouse and penthouse apartments across three levels. Prices start from $950,000.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=106566 project_image_fid=185852]

“We have a very strong vision for Paradiso Place – we are creating a unique beachside residential community where contemporary design &amp; architecture and luxury materials combine with five star residents’ amenities and the convenience of a premium retail precinct on the ground floor”, said SPG Land CEO Dr Ying Rao&nbsp;

“We are confident that the community will recognise that this is more than just another development. Paradiso Place will bring a much-needed retail precinct and lifestyle hub to northern Surfers Paradise with premium retail, lifestyle and food and beverage options,” Said Dr Rao&nbsp;

“The retail precinct is critical to enhancing the lifestyle amenity for residents and guests, so SPG will retain control of this precinct to curate a premium retail offering that will support this thriving new community.

“SPG will also retain short-term holiday letting to control premium and luxury outcomes in line with our vision.”

Construction of Stage 1 Paradiso Place is expected to be completed by end of 2029.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=106566]

Construction commences on $1.5 billion Paradiso Place development in Surfers Paradise

2017 Budget

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The 2017 Federal Budget is expected to provide a shot in the arm for Australia’s $80 billion civil construction market, offsetting further declines in resources-related work, according to forecaster BIS Oxford Economics (BIS).
The total measured work done in the sector would fall to $79.5 billion through 2016/17, down 16 percent on the previous year and 41 percent off the 2012/13 peak of $135 billion, BIS said at the launch of its civil construction report, Engineering Construction in Australia 2017 – 2031. 
However, public sector-funded engineering construction to set to rise to more than $35 billion by 2018/19, almost 30 percent above its 2015/16 level, BIS said based on an analysis of current government spending programmes.
The government plans to spend $75 billion on development and upgrade of infrastructure, which includes a potential buy-out of the Snowy Hydro scheme from the states. Also included is a $20 billion rail line upgrade.
The surge in public sector-funded construction would offset further falls expected in privately funded engineering construction – particularly in the LNG-heavy oil and gas segment – keeping total engineering construction activity in the $75-80 billion per annum range.
“The boom in public infrastructure construction is exciting news as it helps drive a sizeable upswing in non-resources civil construction activity,” BIS senior manager of Infrastructure and Mining Adrian Hart said.
While state and territory governments provide the principal funding for infrastructure investment, the federal government plays an increasingly vital role in supporting state infrastructure programmes and funding nation-building infrastructure.
“This is evident in the sizeable investment plans presented in the 2017/18 Budget, including the ‘off Budget’ commitments to Inland Rail, the construction of Sydney’s second airport, and the ongoing rollout of the NBN,” Hart said.
The increasing use of ‘off Budget’ vehicles by the Federal Government for funding and delivering major infrastructure assets under-reports the true impact of Federal Government infrastructure spending in the Budget – particularly the reported National Partnership Payments to the State and Territory Governments which includes the $75 billion Infrastructure Investment Program (IIP) and Infrastructure Growth Package, he said.
“On first blush, the outlook for Federal infrastructure contributions to the States to 2020/21 is on a declining trend after 2017/18, with lower levels of funding for 2015/16 and 2016/17 compared to the previous Budget,” Hart said.
"However, Federal funding is now higher in the out-years compared to last year, and this does not take into account the sizeable equity contributions required to construct Inland Rail and the Western Sydney Airport, and complete the rollout of the NBN." 
Longer term risks remain to public infrastructure investment
However, there may be risks to longer term public infrastructure funding if the economy turn out weaker than expected by the federal government through the next four years, cautioned BIS.
“The economic forecasts presented in the 2017/18 Federal Budget are certainly rosier than ours,” said Dr Sarah Hunter, head of Australia Macroeconomics, BIS Oxford Economics. 
“Our main concerns are around the projected growth rate of household income and expenditure, which determine income tax and GST revenues. As these account for almost two thirds of total revenues, any miss on these projections will keep the budget in deficit beyond FY 2020/21. Without other spending cuts or tax rises, our forecasts suggest the budget will remain in deficit until at least the mid-2020s.”
In any case, BIS forecasts a downturn in public sector-funded engineering construction work in the early 2020s as a major program of road works, as well as the rollout of the NBN, winds down across the country.
“It will be hard for State and Federal governments to sustain these higher levels of public infrastructure investment in the long term,” said Hart. “Governments must continue to implement sensible tax and expenditure reforms to ensure sustainable funding for infrastructure, as well as maintaining a long term pipeline of productive projects, if a sharper downturn in publicly funded work is to be avoided.”
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Federal Budget to drive 30 percent rise in public infrastructure construction: BIS

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Investors in residential property, particularly strata units, will be hit hard after the budget announcements, according to quantity surveyors Leary &amp; Partners.
The budget has stripped investors buying second-hand residential properties of a major tax deduction, said quantity surveyor and tax law expert Kaylene Arkcoll. 
Pre-budget there was much speculation about limits on negative gearing, but the government unexpectedly announced it was restricting depreciation claims by investors.
"Purchasers of second-hand residential investment units have lost their ability to claim depreciation on plant and equipment which is part of the property at the time of purchase,” said Arkcoll, saying it was one of the standard forms of residential investment deduction.
The government will limit plant and equipment depreciation deductions to outlays actually incurred by investors. There is no lead-time with these changes and apply to all contracts after Budget night.
The change is forecast to save $260 million dollars over the next four years.
Depreciation claims on investment properties is a powerful driver for most investors, said Arkcoll. 
For second-hand residential properties, the budget blocks this avenue of investment joy for everyone except investors who carry out renovations or replacements. 
"Older building stock may now be less desirable,” said Arkcoll. 
Under new rules coming into effect from July 1, depreciation deductions for plant and equipment items such as washing machines and ceiling fans will only be allowed if the investor actually bought them. It is described as an “integrity measure" and is intended to address concerns that items are being claimed as tax write-offs by successive investors in excess of their actual value.
The changes will apply to any items purchased after budget night, May 9, but existing investments will be grandfathered.
Details of the policy are still limited but Arkcoll said that it appears that:
- The intent of the policy is to restrict depreciation claims to items purchased and installed in the property by the claiming taxpayer. 
- Depreciation deductions will remain available for items that are part of a new property purchased from a developer, although this is not explicitly stated in the budget papers. 
- Subsequent purchasers of the property will no longer be able to claim depreciation based on the second-hand value of the plant and equipment.  
- Taxpayers already depreciating plant and equipment can continue to claim deductions in the current manner.
"The removal of depreciation claims will have a double impact on strata property owners", she said.
"They will lose both the claim for depreciable items inside their unit and depreciation of their share of common plant and equipment. This will mean a reduction in annual tax deductions that in the early years of ownership range from approximately $3,000 for a simple unit to over $40,000 for an upmarket unit in a high-rise development."
She said that till more details are available, i.e. when the draft legislation is released, it would be difficult to fully assess the ramifications of the budget announcement. 
"The elephant in the room remains the government's ability to pass such a substantial change through a volatile senate,” Arkcoll said.
"Thankfully, there has been no change to the 2.5 percent Division 43 construction allowance which applies to most properties constructed in the past thirty years.”
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Investors to be hit hard by budget depreciation rules: Leary & Partners 

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GUEST OBSERVER
With so much debate about housing affordability it was always going to be the case that the 2017 budget included key policies aimed at improving the affordability of housing and addressing some of the systemic issues that have pushed housing prices out of reach for many Australians.
At face value, the budget measures present a good attempt at improving housing supply while softening some of the incentives stoking housing demand.  From a housing perspective, key elements of the budget can be divided into polices that influence supply or demand.
From a supply perspective, the government has announcedIncentives for downsizers – proceeds from the sale of the family home can be contributed to superannuation, capped at $300k.
The National Affordable Housing Agreement which currently exists between the states and federal government will be maintained, but the rules of how the $1.3 billion is used will be tightened to ensure states deliver adequate new public housing supply and reform the urban planning framework.
Federally owned land that is available for development will become more transparent via an online register.  Additionally, surplus land holdings will be offered up for residential development with a high profile parcel of land in Melbourne’s Maribyrnong offered as the first example.
A new City Deal has been announced for Western Sydney that will help to support strong population growth via a coordinated funding approach with state and local governments.
The budget has outlined a national $70 billion spend on transport infrastructure through to 2021 (a $50b increase from the last budget). Investment in better transport has the dual benefit of creating jobs and improving productivity as well as linking regions with affordable housing to employment nodes and social precincts. 
Funding for community housing has seen a substantial boost with the establishment of the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation – a bond aggregator designed to source funds for lending to community housing organisations at lower interest rates on longer terms.
From a demand perspective there have been several policy announcements aimed at reducing housing demand from key areas.
First home buyers have been given a leg up to assist with saving for a deposit via a new First home super savers scheme whereby they can salary sacrifice their income directly into the same account as their superannuation capped at $15k per annum and a total of $30k total.
Investment demand will see some further dampening via changes to what expenses can be claimed. Investors can no longer include travel associated with their investment property and they cant claim depreciation on ‘plant and equipment’ such as the dishwasher, oven and hot water system.  Outside of these changes, negative gearing the capital gains tax concession remains untouched.
Foreign buyer demand could be dampened as well, with the budget announcing a new $5000 levy on foreign owned properties that left vacant for at least six months over a year as well as ensuring foreign buyers are exempt from any capital gains tax concessions. Additionally, developers can’t sell more than half of a development to foreign buyers.
FIRST HOME BUYERS
First home super savers scheme will help prospective first time buyers to save for a deposit, utilising a salary sacrifice arrangement directly into their super fund which will attract the same tax concessions as superannuation donations (15 percent tax rate). 
Savers can add an additional $15,000 per year or $30,000 in total.There was some risk that a demand side policy aimed at first home buyers could further fuel price growth by adding to demand, however this scheme is likely to improve demand gradually and incentive a savings strategy which is a positive outcome for first home buyers and the housing market. 
Question marks remain around how much it will help potential first home buyers in markets like Sydney and Melbourne where the market is moving swiftly but it should assist first home buyers elsewhere.
INCENTIVISING DOWNSIZERS
Home owners aged 65+ can now make non-concessional contributions up to $300,000 into superannuation from the sale of their principal place of residence which has been owned for at least ten years.  These contributions will be outside of the existing caps.This budget policy is aimed at freeing up established housing supply into the market and encouraging long term home owners who are seeking to downsize, while also having the dual effect of allowing retirees to free up equity held in their home.
The policy should add a further incentive for downsizers, however it’s also important that these long term home owners have an appropriate downsizing option to move to. Downsizers will often prefer to stay within their local neighbourhood.
Another barrier is that by cashing in their equity, some downsizers may no longer be eligible for a pension, which is means tested (the PPR is excluded from the assets test).
The other major barrier is stamp duty payments which will continue to add a disincentive to downsizing.
TWEAKS TO NEGATIVE GEARING POLICY
Investors can no longer claim travel expenses as part of their investment expenses. 
Additionally, investors can only claim deductions related to plant and equipment expenses that they have incurred directly rather than claiming expenses incurred by previous owners.
Removing travel to an investment property as a claimable expense will impact those investors with properties in regional areas or in locations that are distant from where the investor lives. 
Regional areas may be disadvantaged by this new policy, however the impact on investment demand is likely to be minimal. This is likely a response to a perception that some investors are claiming travel expenses that may be more related to personal usage rather than legitimate expenses related to their investment.
The changes to plant and equipment deductions could be more material, as it effects an investor’s ability to depreciate things such as appliances &amp; utilities (oven/dishwasher/hot water system etc) if these items were purchased by the previous owner. There could be the potential that this policy encourages investors to renovate established homes rather than purchase recently built product where they won’t be able to realise the depreciation benefits of recently installed appliances.
The 2014-15 taxation statistics show that $3.013 billion in capital works deductions were claimed. We also know that investors overwhelmingly prefer to buy established rather than new stock so this could have a significant impact on the attractiveness of second-hand investment properties and may contribute to an overall slowing in investor demand. From a rental market perspective it may provide better outcomes with owners more prepared to invest in upgrading their properties for the depreciation benefits.
FOREIGN BUYERS
Foreign owners who keep their property vacant for at least six months a year will face a levy of at least $5,000 per annum. 
Developers will be restricted in the proportion of stock that can be sold to foreign buyers.  Going forward, projects can’t have more than 50 percent of stock sold to foreign buyers.
Capital gains tax rules will be strengthened to ensure the risk of foreign buyers avoiding capital gains tax is reduced. Foreign or temporary residents will no longer be able to claim the main residence capital gains tax exemption.This $5,000 vacancy levy is aimed at ensuring foreign investors are actually contributing to housing supply and not simply offshoring their capital with no intention to occupy or lease the dwelling. The additional levy isn’t likely to act as a major disincentive to foreign investment, however the policy could be difficult to monitor and enforce.
The second part of foreign investment policy is more significant and will impact on those developers who sell a large proportion of their stock via roadshows through Asia and other regions or who rely on foreign marketing networks to sell their stock. 
Attracting domestic demand to some high-rise unit projects that have been designed specifically for foreign buyers may not have market appeal domestically.  New unit approvals have already fallen dramatically and these changes may compress new approvals further as developers struggle to achieve the required number of presales to commence construction.
Tightening the taxation rules on foreign owned property is a logical move, ensuring foreign owners pay the full rate of capital gain tax without the concession that would normally apply to Australian residents who have held their property for at least 12 months.
SOCIAL / COMMUNITY HOUSING
A new bond aggregator model will be set up via a newly established National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation with the objective being to provide finance for the community housing sector at lower interest rates over long lending terms.This policy is likely to be based on existing frameworks in the UK and Switzerland. 
The aim here is to source funding for community housing from the bond market rather than through more expensive lending arrangements via the banking sector.  
Funds would be lent to community housing providers at lower interest rates and over longer terms in an effort to support more housing options under affordable rental or purchase arrangements. 
This initiative is likely to be welcomed by community housing providers and should go a long way towards improving the amount of social housing being developed.
RE-JIGGING THE NATIONAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING AGREEMENT
Currently, states are funded with $1.3 billion each year which is to be used by them to support affordable housing initiatives.  Under the new budget policy, the funding will remain the same, however the rules will be tightened to ensure states meet agreed housing supply targets and work towards reforming town planning. This is one of the most legitimate ways the federal government can establish an affordable housing framework in conjunction with the states. 
The funding is substantial, but in the past there is the perception the funds have not been well spent with little visible benefits to public housing additions and improved housing affordability.
The new policy, may promote proper usage of the federal funding and ensure town planning reforms improve strategic land usage and land release. Firm targets around the amount of new supply and town planning reform will need to be set in transparent and achievable terms for this policy to be successful.
FACILITATING LAND RELEASE
An online Commonwealth Land Registry will be created which provides details on government owned sites that can be made available for residential development. 
Releasing suitable surplus Commonwealth land starting with 127 hectares of Defence land in Maribyrnong (Melbourne), which could support up to 6,000 new homes.
A new ‘City Deal’ for Western Sydney aimed at improving the town planning regime across 9 council areas of Western Sydney.Providing more transparency around federal government land holdings that are available, and in fact, promoted as developable for residential housing will be a welcome improvement in urban planning.  It shows the federal government is serious about offloading surplus land and ensuring it used for the highest and best use. The announcement of the Maribyrnong land release is significant, considering its proximity to Melbourne’s CBD and potential for a significant uplift in housing supply in a strategic location. 
‘City Deals’ have previously been signed in Townsville and Launceston with an aim to provide a long term commitment between the three levels of government to deliver strategic outcomes (new infrastructure, more jobs and facilitate growth) for the residents of the area. The City Deal funding announced for Western Sydney should provide a long term strategy for managing the high rate of projected population growth across this region of Sydney.
INFRASTRUCUTRE INVESTMENT
The budget has outlined a national $70 billion spend on transport infrastructure through to 2021 (a $50b increase from the last budget).
Significant spends include:
<ul>
<li>$5.3b to build the first stage of the Western Sydney ‘Badgerys Creek’ Airport.</li>
<li>$8.4b to build the Inland Rail project.</li>
<li>$75 billion for road and rail funding over 10 years</li>
<li>$10 billion for a National Rail Program aimed at improving urban and regional rail over a 10 year period.</li>
<li>$1 billion for infrastructure spending for Victoria, including $500m for regional rail, $30m for airport rail link planning and a further $20.2 million for Murray Basin rail.</li>
<li>$844m for Queensland Bruce Highway upgrades.</li>
<li>$700m for WA’s Metronet rail project</li>
<li>$2.9b for the Western Sydney Infrastructure Plan</li>
</ul>
Additionally, $1b a National Housing Infrastructure Facility over 5 years to support local governments through a range of options to finance critical infrastructure.   Overall, spending on infrastructure is stimulatory to the economy, having the dual effect of creating jobs and improving productivity. 
Many areas where housing and land is more affordable are poorly connected by efficient transport linkages, and the higher budgeted spend on transport infrastructure will go a long way towards linking these areas with more efficient transport and making these outer fringe areas more desirable to home buyers.
In addition to the budget policy announcement around housing and housing affordability, there have also been important announcements around the banking sector.
New legislation will expand APRA’s remit to include non ADI’s. This is likely to be an effort to get some risk minimisation and regulation around the non-banking / shadow banking sector which has become more active since APRA stepped up their regulatory changes aimed at slowing investment demand.
These changes could make it harder for investors, foreign buyers and businesses, who are being turned away from the major banks, to fund their property purchases.
Additionally the budget announces a 6 basis point levy on funding of banks with at least $100m in liabilities (Big 4 plus Macquarie) which is budgeted to raise $1.5 billion per year over the next four years for the federal gov.  Labour has already announced they would support this policy.  The likelihood is that this additional cost could push mortgage rates slightly higher as banks look to recoup the costs.
TIM LAWLESS heads up the CoreLogic RP Data research and analytics team and can be contacted<a href="https://blog.corelogic.com.au/author/timlawless/" target="_blank"> here.</a>
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2017 Budget

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