Developers and apartment buyers have a narrowing window of opportunity before Brisbane's Olympic infrastructure pipeline begins competing directly with residential construction, pushing up costs, tightening labour supply and making new projects increasingly difficult to deliver.

While Brisbane's apartment market continues to benefit from strong population growth and limited housing supply, industry research suggests the years leading up to 2027 could prove to be the most important period for developers looking to secure builders and buyers hoping to purchase before the next wave of price increases.

A new Colliers report, Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games: Creating Solutions, highlights the scale of the challenge. While thousands of new homes are planned across South East Queensland, the Brisbane Olympic Athletes Village alone will deliver more than 10,500 beds during the Games before being converted into around 1,750 to 2,000 apartments. Equivalent to almost two years of typical inner-city apartment supply, the project will also absorb a significant share of the construction workforce and building materials.

The broader construction pipeline paints an even clearer picture.

Construction Skills Queensland's Horizon 2032 report forecasts Queensland's annual construction pipeline will average $69 billion over the coming years before peaking at $75 billion in 2027-28. Demand for construction workers is expected to increase by 17 per cent to almost 150,000 people, with the industry facing an annual shortfall of around 19,000 workers that could blow out to as many as 35,000 during the peak construction period.

The Olympic venues, athletes village and supporting infrastructure will account for billions of dollars worth of work across South East Queensland through to 2032, creating intense competition for labour at a time when Australia's residential construction sector is already under pressure.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150489 project_image_fid=373834]

Colliers Queensland Residential Director Andrew Scriven said the convergence of these projects is creating a clear window of opportunity for both developers and buyers.

"From 2027 onwards, the market will shift dramatically," Scriven said.

"Labour will increasingly be locked into government-led infrastructure and Olympic projects, which means private residential developments will face higher costs and tighter margins. The developers who move now are the ones most likely to get projects off the ground."

Scriven said the same dynamic would also affect buyers, with fewer apartment projects expected to launch once construction capacity tightens.

"If you're looking to change your lifestyle over the next five years, now is your window of opportunity to buy."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150713 project_image_fid=373827]

Developers are already positioning themselves ahead of that window.

Following the success of Monarch at Toowong, Consolidated Properties is preparing to launch two new Brisbane apartment projects in the second half of 2026. They include <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/gloriette-30-bedivere-street-yeerongpilly-qld-4105">Gloriette</a> at Yeerongpilly Green, a 25-storey tower within one of Brisbane's key Olympic precincts, and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/castile-47-skyring-terrace-newstead-qld-4006">Castile</a>, a recently approved 25-storey riverfront development at 47 Skyring Terrace in Newstead.

Hutchinson Builders will deliver both projects, with early works already underway at Yeerongpilly and Newstead expected to commence later this year.

The timing comes as Brisbane's fundamentals continue to strengthen, with strong interstate migration, population growth and vacancy rates remaining below 1.5 per cent.

Colliers Queensland researcher Pragya Sharma said Greater Brisbane is forecast to require around 40,000 new apartments between 2021 and 2031.

"There's a real mismatch emerging between when housing is needed and when it will be feasible to build," Sharma said.

"As a result, the period leading up to 2027 presents a key window of opportunity for developers to secure approvals, funding and construction capacity, while buyers will have greater choice before supply constraints intensify."

Colliers research outlines a critical pre-2027 window to start residential projects before labour squeeze: now is the time to buy

Joel Robinson

Developers, buyers on watch in South East Queensland ahead of construction crunch: Colliers

It's taken less than nine months for developer Sherpa Property Group to sell out all 51 apartments in its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-oasis-palm-beach-7-9-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Oasis</a> development in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/palm-beach-qld-4221">Palm Beach</a>, over a year before its anticipated completion.

&nbsp;

Located at 7-9 Sixth Avenue, the $67 million development has resonated strongly with both local owner-occupiers and downsizers seeking high-quality apartments within walking distance of the beach, dining precincts and everyday amenities.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151449 project_image_fid=357458]

Christie Leet, Founder of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sherpa-property-group">Sherpa Group</a>, said the sell-out reflected both the strength of the Palm Beach market and the success of Sherpa's community-first approach to development.

"The sell-out of Oasis is a fantastic outcome and reinforces the strong demand we're seeing for thoughtfully designed apartments in lifestyle locations," Leet said.

"From the outset, our vision was to create a development that genuinely enhanced the Palm Beach community while providing residents with exceptional homes and wellness-focused amenities.

"We've been incredibly encouraged by the level of local support throughout the campaign, 72.5 per cent of buyers are locals, with a significant proportion of purchasers choosing Oasis as their future home rather than an investment."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151449 project_image_fid=357463]

Construction is now progressing following development approval, with trusted builder LPS Group delivering the project and completion anticipated in Q3 2027.

Oasis forms part of Sherpa Group's successful Flourish collection, which has become recognised for its focus on wellness, community and elevated coastal living.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151449 project_image_fid=357469]

Residents will have private access to a rooftop amenity space featuring a pool, gym, sauna, steam room, hot and cold plunge pools, spa and barbecue facilities.

"The success of Oasis demonstrates that buyers continue to prioritise quality, location and lifestyle," Leet said.

"We are proud to have delivered a project that has resonated so strongly with the market and look forward to bringing Oasis to life for our future residents."

Sherpa recently launched <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>, its third instalment of the Flourish brand in Palm Beach following Flourish Oasis and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/amargo-6-12-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Amargo</a>.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=151449]

Sherpa sells out Flourish Oasis in booming Palm Beach

Urban Property Group's <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/la-vera-macquarie-park-94-talavera-road-macquarie-park-nsw-2113">La Vera</a> is leading the next phase of Macquarie Park's residential evolution, with the new apartment development set to become the first of several new apartment projects in the precinct to complete.

The 169-apartment building has now topped out ahead of its scheduled completion in the third quarter of 2026, as new residential investment continues to reshape one of Sydney's largest employment hubs into a true mixed-use precinct.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=368645]

Cox Architecture has designed La Vera to capture the best of its unique positioning on Talavera Road, orienting the building towards Lane Cove National Park.&nbsp;The building features a sculpted northern façade with flowing curves inspired by the surrounding landscape, while its city-facing elevation adopts a more structured architectural expression to maximise skyline views.

"The vision for the project was to conceive a building that adopted an organic and curvilinear form to the northern portion that faces the Lane Cove National Park," <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">Cox Architecture</a> Director Felipe Miranda said.

"The residents that reside in the northern portion of the building benefit by having beautifully crafted curved balconies that speak to the natural context and heighten the relationship of their internal living spaces to the external balconies."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=358802]

La Vera offers a diverse mix of one, two, three, and four-bedroom configurations, with prices currently starting from $740,000. Buyers so far have been a mix of Sydney-based investors,&nbsp;metro commuters, owner-occupiers and downsizers from surrounding North Shore suburbs.

Both investors and owner-occupiers have been drawn to La Vera's proximity to Macquarie University, Macquarie University Hospital, Macquarie Centre and the Sydney Metro, infrastructure that supports both strong rental demand and a convenient lifestyle for residents.

The apartments feature full-height glazing, timber flooring throughout living areas, stone kitchen benchtops, SMEG appliances, floor-to-ceiling bathroom tiling and ducted air conditioning.

Residents will have access to a rooftop recreation level featuring a swimming pool, sauna, barbecue facilities and landscaped relaxation areas, complemented by additional communal space at ground level. Many apartments enjoy uninterrupted views across Lane Cove National Park, reinforcing the project's connection to its natural setting.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=364551]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a>, a family-owned developer and builder with nearly four decades of experience, holds a 4.5-star iCIRT rating and was Australia's first developer to introduce 10-Year Latent Defects Insurance (LDI). La Vera is the first apartment development in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/macquarie-park-nsw-2113">Macquarie Park</a> approved to offer the additional insurance protection, alongside a five-year warranty on SMEG appliances.

Urban Property Group CEO Patrick Elias said the additional protection reflects changing buyer expectations in the off the plan market.

"Consumers are a lot more weary and a lot more concerned in buying off the plan than they ever have been. Having LDI is a tool to portray the confidence that we have in our product, and a confidence we want buyers to share," Elias said.

Following completion of the building later this year, buyers will move into their apartments well before Christmas.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134951]

La Vera closes in on completion as Macquarie Park continues residential transformation

Brisbane developer Red &amp; Co's decision to include dual key apartments in its debut Gold Coast apartment development, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/como-varsity-lakes-22-lake-street-varsity-lakes-qld-4227">COMO Varsity Lakes</a>, is proving to be one of the project's biggest drawcards, with buyers quickly snapping up the flexible residences.

More than half of the project's 36 dual key apartments have already sold, helping drive COMO beyond the 50 per cent sold mark within the first month of launch.

The strong response highlights growing demand for apartment designs that can adapt to changing lifestyles, with buyers increasingly looking for homes that accommodate multi-generational living, provide rental income opportunities or simply offer greater flexibility over time.

Located on the shores of Lake Orr, COMO will deliver 156 apartments across 16 levels, with the dual-key residences forming a limited release within the broader development.

Each combines a primary two-bedroom apartment with a fully self-contained studio on a single title, connected by a shared foyer and lockable internal door. The design allows owners to house ageing parents, adult children or guests while maintaining privacy, or lease the secondary residence to generate additional income.

Just 17 of the original 36 dual key apartments remain available.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135546 project_image_fid=367096]

The innovative configuration combines two fully self-contained residences on a single title, typically comprising a primary two-bedroom apartment alongside a separate studio residence, connected via a shared foyer and lockable internal door.&nbsp;

The model is proving particularly attractive to owner occupiers navigating changing family dynamics and the realities of the current housing crisis.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135546 project_image_fid=363511]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/npa">NPA</a>&nbsp;CEO Andrew Erwin said dual key living was resonating strongly with modern buyers because it delivered both financial flexibility and practical lifestyle benefits.&nbsp;

“The housing crisis and rising cost of living are fundamentally changing how Australians think about home ownership,” Erwin said.&nbsp;

“Dual key apartments provide a genuine solution for families who want to stay connected while maintaining independence. Parents can help adult children save for a future home, ageing parents can remain nearby without moving into aged care, and owners still retain privacy and flexibility.

“Importantly, buyers are also recognising the financial advantages. It creates the opportunity to generate additional income from part of the home without the holding costs associated with owning a separate investment property.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135546 project_image_fid=363509]

Unlike traditional dual occupancy arrangements, the residences operate under a single title, meaning owners only incur one set of body corporate fees, council rates and holding costs.&nbsp;

The secondary residence can also evolve over time - functioning as guest accommodation, a home office, creative studio or private retreat before later becoming an income-producing asset.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/red-co">Red &amp; Co</a>&nbsp;Director and Co-Founder David Laverty said the strong early sales reflected growing buyer urgency and changing priorities within the market.&nbsp;

“Securing more than half of COMO’s residences within such a short timeframe is an outstanding result and a clear endorsement of both the design and location,” Laverty said.&nbsp;

“Buyers are responding to the combination of location, connectivity and amenity, but ultimately it’s value relative to other East Coast markets that is driving enquiry.”&nbsp;

“We’re also seeing strong interest from owner occupiers looking for homes that can adapt with them over time. Flexibility has become one of the most important considerations for buyers in today’s market.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135546 project_image_fid=363515]

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bda-architecture">BDA Architecture</a>, COMO features a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom residences with 2.7-metre ceilings and larger-format floorplans aimed at owner occupiers, downsizers and lifestyle-focused buyers.&nbsp;

The development will feature an extensive rooftop recreation and wellness offering including a 25-metre lap pool, sundeck, barbecue and dining areas, gym, sauna, plunge baths, landscaped gardens, wellness spaces and rooftop pickleball and paddleball courts.

The remaining dual key apartments range from 137 sqm to 167 sqm and include generous three-bedroom layouts with separate self-contained studio accommodation and dual parking.&nbsp;

Erwin said the dual key concept represented a broader shift in how Australians would live in the future.

“People want homes that can evolve with their lives,” he said.&nbsp;

“A dual key apartment can suit a family today, support an ageing parent tomorrow, and potentially generate income later on. That adaptability is becoming incredibly valuable in the current environment.”

Prices currently range from $2,115,750 to $2,583,000.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=135546]

Inter-generational living drives demand for COMO’s dual key apartments as housing pressures reshape buyer priorities 

Builder-developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/ceerose">Ceerose</a> has doubled down on its Leichhardt ambitions, lodging its second State Significant Development Application (SSDA) in the suburb in the last six months.

Their newest proposal seeks to transform a former industrial precinct into a new residential community centred around the adaptive reuse of one of the site's heritage warehouse buildings.

The new project, on a 6,930 sqm block at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/40-76-william-street-leichhardt-nsw-2040">40–76 William Street</a>, will bring more than 200 apartments to a suburb that has seen little to no new supply in recent years. It follows Ceerose's late 2025 SSDA for a mixed-use apartment project on nearby Parramatta Road, signalling the developer's growing investment in Sydney's Inner West.

Ceerose Founder Edward Doueihi told Apartments.com.au the developer’s long-standing presence in Leichhardt and the Inner West had given it a strong understanding of how the area has evolved and where its future opportunities lie.

“Ceerose has had a long-standing presence in Leichhardt and the Inner West, giving us a unique understanding of the area’s evolution and future potential,” Doueihi said.

“Having delivered projects throughout the region, we have witnessed the suburb’s transformation first-hand and understand the opportunities for its continued growth.”

Doueihi said that understanding also informed the planning process, with a comprehensive Stakeholder Engagement Outcomes Report prepared before the application was lodged.

The report identified the key issues and concerns raised by neighbouring residents and other stakeholders, allowing those matters to be considered and incorporated into the design where appropriate.

He said the delivery of additional housing would also play an important role in supporting the revitalisation of Norton Street and the Italian Forum.

“By increasing the local residential population, the development is expected to strengthen demand for local businesses, encourage further investment, and help restore the vibrancy that made the precinct a thriving destination in the early 2000s.”

<img alt="First look: Ceerose returns to Leichhardt with 203-apartment adaptive reuse proposal at former warehouse site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7258c54c-8167-479e-8361-2d5fca9915b4" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Appendix%2010B%20-%20CGI%20-%20View%202.jpg?VersionId=S9DQfxu_jpcB5LrAEYFUbyMzg5odW6i5" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a>, the redevelopment would involve the demolition of four existing industrial buildings while retaining and adaptively reusing the site's most significant warehouse. The retained structure would anchor a new residential precinct comprising five interconnected buildings arranged around a large central landscaped courtyard, with heights stepping from five storeys along the surrounding residential streets to 11 storeys at the William Street corner.

According to the Architecture Design Report by Woods Bagot, the proposal "seeks to create a residential village centred around a generous green heart while celebrating the site's industrial heritage through the adaptive reuse of the existing warehouse building."

The development would comprise 203 apartments, with 188 proposed as build-to-sell residences, alongside 15 affordable housing apartments.

Rather than treating the retained warehouse as a standalone heritage object, Woods Bagot has sought to weave the site's industrial history throughout the masterplan. The proposal retains the north and west facades of the landmark corner warehouse, while new buildings reinterpret the site's brick-and-steel industrial language through their material palette and architectural expression.

<img alt="First look: Ceerose returns to Leichhardt with 203-apartment adaptive reuse proposal at former warehouse site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9e8c64c2-881b-49e1-8c90-6b6acaaa45b6" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Appendix%2010C%20-%20CGI%20-%20View%203.jpg?VersionId=Qm8_8H_Xrg_sc4Mdjc59vlAcKF_5wRTb" />

The design is organised around what Woods Bagot describes as a "green heart", a landscaped communal open space that reinstates the leafy character removed when the site became an industrial storage facility. A new pedestrian laneway running through the site would improve permeability between William, North and Francis streets, linking residents through landscaped public spaces while activating the ground plane.

Residents would have access to communal gardens and shared recreation areas distributed throughout the development. Sustainability has also been prioritised, with the project targeting an average 7.9-star NatHERS rating. Proposed initiatives include rooftop solar generation, rainwater harvesting, passive solar design, naturally ventilated lobbies, extensive cross-ventilation and the reuse of existing building fabric to reduce embodied carbon.

The adaptive reuse strategy became a defining feature of the application after heritage investigations found only one of the site's industrial buildings could feasibly be retained. The Heritage Impact Statement concludes that preserving the key warehouse façades while referencing the site's industrial character throughout the new development provides an appropriate balance between renewal and conservation.

<img alt="First look: Ceerose returns to Leichhardt with 203-apartment adaptive reuse proposal at former warehouse site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="efffafdb-594f-4e2b-a067-921fd51c05e1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Appendix%2010D%20-%20CGI%20-%20View%204.jpg?VersionId=DPmE4.k16YRt0i27hEZVtJAffarpvUfx" />

"Retention and adaptation of the site buildings has been explored but found not to be feasible except for the tallest building, whose street facades will be retained," the heritage report states.

"The proposed building will interpret the brick and steel character of the subject site, including reuse of some components and construction of a large 'sawtooth' structure in the proposed open space."

<img alt="First look: Ceerose returns to Leichhardt with 203-apartment adaptive reuse proposal at former warehouse site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3bfef2b5-83f5-40cd-9cab-767092f34266" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Appendix%2010E%20-%20CGI%20-%20View%205.jpg?VersionId=7asb3i_ql4ybbuJOUb5UHBEIy0Q9t.DF" />

The William Street site is located around 300 metres from Leichhardt North Light Rail station and a short walk to Norton Street's retail, dining and hospitality precinct. The surrounding area has increasingly become a focus for urban renewal given its proximity to public transport and the Parramatta Road corridor.

Doueihi founded Ceerose in 1998 and has grown the business to become one of Sydney's more active apartment developers in recent years, with completed projects including The Alex Collective in Alexandria, Abbie's Lane in Annandale, and the award-winning Munro House in Elizabeth Bay. They are currently delivering Belgravia, 17 luxury apartments in Potts Point.

First look: Ceerose doubles down in Leichhardt with adaptive reuse of former warehouse site

Cyber Security

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There has been an arrest following the data breaches at property valuation firm Landmark White earlier this year.
The NSW Police Force Cybercrime Squad were acting on the <a href="/news/landmark-white-limited-reports-property-valuations-data-breach">cyber security hacks </a>that occurred in February <a href="/news/landmark-whites-viability-in-doubt-after-second-saboteur-valuation-leak">and June</a>. 
In June detectives from the NSW State Crime Command’s Cybercrime Squad established Strike Force Vide to investigate unauthorised access to the main database and document store of the company.
With the assistance of company staff, investigations identified that unauthorised access was gained into the company’s database and more than 170,000 data records including personal information and valuation documents were uploaded to the dark web and the internet.
Following extensive inquiries, strike force detectives arrested a 49-year-old man in Sydney’s CBD about 8am today.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/10/2/Landmark%20White%20NSW%20Police.jpg" alt="">
Shortly after the arrest, detectives, assisted by the Public Order and Riot Squad, executed a search warrant at a home at Rozelle, and a crime scene warrant at a business data centre at Ultimo.
The man, who is a software contractor, has been taken to Surry Hills Police Station, where he is expected to be charged.
Investigations under Strike Force Vide are continuing.
Timothy Rabbitt, CEO of LMW, said “the arrest was a great relief for the business and our staff, and would help ease the stress many of our staff have felt over the last six months”. 
“The arrest was also a vindication of LMW’s stance that this was a serious crime committed against the company. We are grateful that the person arrested was not an employee.
“We hope today’s arrest will bring closure to these data incidents and will give confidence to LMW’s clients, partners and staff, that we can continue to provide a secure long-term work environment for our staff and a quality service to our clients.”
LMW’s team, including appointed digital forensic advisors and privacy consultants, have been working closely with the Cybercrime Squad since the incident occurred.
 Investigations have revealed that the breach was carried out by an individual external to LMW with trusted inside access
Landmark White, who estimated that the breaches <a href="/news/landmark-white-data-breach-to-cost-over-7-million">cost the company over $7 million</a>, have since <a href="/news/landmark-white-get-anz-back-on-board-after-data-breaches">got ANZ back on board</a> as they try and rebuild. 
The company has undertaken a significant investment in IT security and other system enhancements, engaging external network security experts.
“The enhancements to our network security allow us to demonstrate via third-party audit that our IT systems represent a best-practice, secure platform," Rabbitt says.
"In driving these ongoing enhancements, our goal is always to provide services to our clients in an efficient, cost-effective and secure manner,” 
Rabbitt said the incident had caused significant disruption to its business and caused a great deal of stress and angst to our staff, but that the events of this year had made the firm stronger.
“A number of financial institutions with whom we’ve had long-term relationships have reinstated LMW to the panels of valuation providers, which is fantastic.
"We are also extremely grateful to our 300 loyal staff, who have continued to work with us to put our clients first,” Rabbitt said. 
“We have been a trusted member of the industry for over 40 years, and we look forward to putting this incident behind us and getting back to work with all our clients and partners across Australia.”
 
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

NSW Police make arrest of alleged Landmark White dark web cyber hacker

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The property valuation platform Landmark White are making steps to get back on track after two data breaches earlier in the year.
They were dropped by all of the big four banks after a <a href="/news/landmark-white-limited-reports-property-valuations-data-breach">cyber security breach in February.</a> There was a <a href="/news/landmark-white-reports-more-private-valuation-files-posted-online">later breach in May.</a>
They have managed to get ANZ back as a client, according to the Australian Financial Review, however Westpac, NAB and CBA are yet to sign back up.
John Wise, chief financial officer of LMW, told the AFR they anticipate their reinstatement in of the company in the near future.
In their full year statutory accounts submitted to the ASX, LMW advised revenues were hit between $6 million to $7 million, with an after tax loss of $15.1 million for the year to June.
They advise their $5.44 million capital raising "will enable the business to restructure its operations in line with an anticipated lower ongoing revenue base following the data disclosure incidents.
"This will enable the business to return to profitability and positive cashflows," LMW stated.
LMW returned to the ASX in August with <a href="/news/landmark-white-shares-fall-to-9-cents-on-return-to-asx">shares plummeting to 9¢</a>.
Early morning trading has been at 12¢ a share. 
Timothy Rabbit, who has been the acting chief executive since March <a href="/news/landmark-white-chief-chris-coonan-quits-following-dark-web-data-security-breach">when Chris Coonan stepped down</a>, has been announced as the permanent CEO.
Rabbit joined LMW in late 2018 following the acquisition of Taylor Byrne, a leading regional property valuation firm with 26 offices across Queensland and New South Wales.
"The progress of the company since Timothy's appointment as acting CEO is a testament to his ability to developer a cohesive group across LMW's business units," company chairman Keith Perrett said.
 
 
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Landmark White get ANZ back on board after data breaches

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Landmark White's second suspension from the valuation panels of major lenders was having "a major impact on the business and its viability", acting chief executive Tim Rabbitt told staff last week in a leaked email.
The troubled valuation firm, hit by two unauthorised valuation data leaks on the web, told staff it is considering a sale of "the whole or parts" of the business.
It acknowledged reinstatement by its major lenders was not likely "immediately." Nor any quick reinstatement onto the ASX.
It added that having used up a significant portion of its cash reserve during its first suspension period in January, the current second suspension which began in early June was having "a major impact on the business and its viability."
The <a href="/news/landmark-white-see-westpac-return-after-dark-web-data-privacy-breach">initial breach</a> cost up to $7 million.
"Without an immediate reinstatement from our clients, the business is likely to be in trouble in the very near term," Mr Rabbitt said in the email seen and quoted by the Australian Financial Review Weekend issue.
"The company is still working on reinstatement, but the directors (as is their responsibility to do now) have to consider alternative options for the business including the potential sale of the whole or parts of the business."
Landmark White has been unable to convince its lenders, which include three of the country's largest banks (with the exception of Westpac) to turn work back on in the wake of a second theft of information.
The saboteur posted a range of documents posted to file-sharing site SCRIBD.
LMW warned lenders that the cutting off lines of work posed a threat to the viability of the valuation industry as a whole which earned a rebuke from its own industry body.
Landmark White chairman Keith Perrett on Friday said he was proud of his staff for the commitment they had shown the company in the wake of the second information theft.
"Our management team is working closely with staff to ensure they are informed and supported as we work through the challenges the business currently faces," he said.
"We're communicating with our employees on the state of the business every day, and will not apologise for being open and transparent about the incident and impact on our business."
"LMW has been a successful business for almost 40 years, one that employs more than 450 people across Australia including in regional and remote areas," he said.
I<a href="/news/landmark-white-reports-more-private-valuation-files-posted-online">t maintained the latest data breach</a> did not constitute a notifiable breach under law as only limited private information was contained in the documents posted onto document sharing site SCRIBD.
Earlier this month Landmark White had previously disclosed CBA and ANZ were among a "small number of clients" who had dropped LMW from their valuation panels.
 
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Landmark White's viability in doubt after second saboteur valuation leak

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Property valuation and consultancy firm LandMark White have said revealed the data breach from their servers in February will cost the company up to $7 million.
The first sales of shares when re-opened on the ASX this morning were trading at 20¢. At late morning they were trading at 25¢, a 34% drop since its last trade in March when trading was halted.
In a notice to their shareholders submitted to the ASX, LandMark estimated a loss of revenue of around $5 million to $6 million.
They also cited further losses of around $1 million of revenue likely to be lost between now and the date of full reinstatement by the remaining financial institutions and restoration of more normal revenues.
NAB, Commonwealth Bank and ANZ <a href="/news/banks-drop-landmark-white-valuations-after-data-breach">all dropped LMW</a> following the breach which saw around 250,000 individual records and 137,500 unique valuation records stolen and <a href="/news/landmark-white-valuation-data-available-on-dark-web-forum-after-data-breach">put on the dark web</a>. 
LandMark White are set to post a net loss after tax of $2.3 million in the year to June.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/5/LMW-Chart.jpg" alt="">
LMW's shareholders are set to take the brunt of the hit.
"In order to enable LMW to rebuild its cash reserves, the Broad of LMW do not expect to declare a dividend for FY2019", the submission to the ASX read.
"The Company will be reviewing its position for the re-commencement of dividends at the appropriate time.
Both <a href="/news/landmark-white-valuation-data-available-on-dark-web-forum-after-data-breach">Westpac</a> and <a href="/news/commbank-resumes-landmark-white-valuations">Commonwealth Bank</a> have resumed their services with LMW.
"LMW has secured further support from its corporate bankers to enable the company to trade through its monthly receipt and payment cycles whilst its cash reserves build."
 The Board predict a return to normal levels in FY2020, should LMW be reinstated to all key former clients.
 
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LandMark White data breach to cost over $7 million

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The Australian Property Institute (API) is rallying to support the property industry in the wake of recent cyber attacks on Australian organisations.
The announcement comes after property valuation firm Landmark White (LMW) saw data sets stolen and listed <a href="/news/landmark-white-valuation-data-available-on-dark-web-forum-after-data-breach">on the dark web</a>.
The Landmark White case saw its boss, Chris Coonan, <a href="/news/landmark-white-chief-chris-coonan-quits-following-dark-web-data-security-breach">step down from his role</a>.
Amelia Hodge, CEO of API, said any enterprise can be caught by cyber crime.
“Cyber attacks are criminal acts, and recent cybercrime by unknown perpetrators on a range of Australian private and public sector entities demonstrate that any enterprise of any size can fall victim," Hodge said.
“Our concern is obviously for our members and the clients impacted by these criminal acts. 
"We are here to fully support those impacted in any way we can. We have just under 400 API families directly impacted by the suspensions and it is important to move to a business as usual state as quickly as possible.” LMW is not alone. In February, the Federal Government announced that the Australian Parliament and political parties had also been subject to cyber attacks. 
Hodge said that in the case of LMW, the company has reported that the personal information disclosed ranges from relatively benign and publicly available, to, in a small number of cases, more detailed category identification information.
“We are further informed that the breach was isolated, that it has been fully investigated by the relevant authorities and there is no evidence of misuse of any of that personal information,” Hodge said. LMW have been working with independent cyber security consultants, along with the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, to ensure client information and LMW’s network is secure.  “Cyber attacks represent just one of the risks businesses face simply because they are in business,” Hodge said.
“Because they are criminal acts, no business is immune. While it is not possible for enterprises to completely remove all cybercrime risk, it is possible to prepare for the possibility, mitigate the risk, contain and remediate any damage following a cyber attack and, in the interests of all, be able to return to business-as-usual as soon as the risk is satisfactorily resolved.”
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Australian Property Institute rallies to support industry in wake of cybercrime

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Chris Coonan, the chief executive of Landmark White, has resigned from his post following the cyber security breach that saw thousands of records posted on the darkweb.
Coonan had spent over 14 years at the embattled property services company, who have <a href="/news/banks-drop-landmark-white-valuations-after-data-breach">lost a string of major clients</a> including CBA, NAB and ANZ since a dataset containing property valuation and personal contact information <a href="/news/landmark-white-limited-reports-property-valuations-data-breach">stolen last month</a>.
He was named CEO in 2016, having previously been the national director for residential valuations.
Landmark White have been under fire from all angles since the dataset was <a href="/news/landmark-white-valuation-data-available-on-dark-web-forum-after-data-breach">listed on the dark web</a> in February.
"We can now share that on 30 December 2018, we received a message through the 'Live Chat' messaging service on our website, providing us with a link to the dark web," the company advised at the time.
"An unknown criminal has maliciously accessed a LandMark White’s system."
"We do not know the identity of the individual," it added.
Its investigations reveal that the dataset contained:
<ul>
<li>approximately 137,500 unique valuation records, and approximately 1,680 supporting documents.</li>
<li>approximately 250,000 individual records in total but a lot of records are duplicates.</li>
<li>The date of the documents range between approximately 4 January 2011 and 20 January 2019. </li>
</ul>
The board has also announced that co-founder of LMW, Glen White, and Frank Hardiman will stand down as a Non-Executive Directors of the company.
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Glen established the Queensland practice that became Landmark White in 1982 and served as a Non-Executive Chairman between December 2015 and May 2018.
Frank was the Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary of LMW between 2011 and 2016, before being appointed a Non-Executive Director of the company.
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The board acknowledged Chris’ tireless efforts in his role, but agreed that the changing nature of the business and market conditions – combined with major reputational challenges caused by the recent cyber-attack – had changed the requirements for the executive leadership of LMW.
In the interim, it announced the appointment of Timothy Rabbitt as Acting Chief Executive Officer of LMW.
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In October 2018, LMW announced a merger with Taylor Byrne to further cement LMW's position as the largest, locally owned ASX-listed valuation property services business.
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Founded in 1982 and listed on the Australian Stock Exchange in 2003, LMW has over 400 staff.
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Landmark White chief Chris Coonan quits following dark web data security breach

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EXPERT OBSERVER
Why is the manufacturing industry a target for cyber criminals?
In two words, money and information. Most cybercriminals want cold, hard cash or access to trade secrets.
In its <a href="https://www.verizonenterprise.com/verizon-insights-lab/dbir/" target="_blank">2018 Data Breach Investigations Report</a>, global telecommunications and technology company Verizon reveals that financial motives are behind just over half of all data breaches in the manufacturing sector, while espionage makes up most of the other incidents as spies seek to gain confidential information from companies.
The findings show what the cyber crooks are after, with personal information (32 per cent), company secrets (30 per cent) and credentials (24 per cent) topping the list. With the latter, stolen credentials can be used to ramp up cyberattacks and access other data types.
Chris Tappin, Principal Consultant at the Investigative Response team for the Verizon Threat Research Advisory Centre, points out that first-mover advantage is crucial in the manufacturing sector, so cyber criminals are hell-bent on trying to pinch companies’ best ideas. “If they can obtain trade secrets, such as plans and R&amp;D information, and then use these to bring an idea to market first, they can potentially make big financial wins,” he says.
Whereas organised crime gangs are responsible for most attacks on retailers, accommodation, food services groups and financial services companies, state-sponsored hackers carry out the greatest percentage of manufacturing attacks. These rogue governments want intellectual property as a means to score trade success and often see manufacturers as an easy target because old IT systems are difficult to update and protect. Better still, they know that many manufacturers’ supply chains are large and exposed, giving them an opportunity to infect many suppliers and businesses at the same time.
What are some high-profile examples of attacks on manufacturers?
One of the best known is the attack on networks of defence contractor Lockheed Martin, and the world’s largest aerospace manufacturer Boeing, in a series of strategic data breaches on top-secret plans and information around a decade ago.
Authorities were stunned at the scale of the espionage in which hackers accessed designs and data on the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter jet, the B-2 stealth bomber, the F-22 jet, space-based lasers, missile navigation and tracking systems, and more.
Following the FBI’s 2014 arrest, and the subsequent jailing, of a businessman reportedly working with the Chinese military, the hackers’ modus operandi was revealed to involve phishing emails to employees at the target companies and installing malware on their systems which allowed remote access to directories containing the trade secrets, along with other sections of the companies’ networks.
How do cyber criminals typically target manufacturing companies?
Traditionally, it’s via phishing campaigns to gain unauthorised access to systems and data, tricking executives and employees into revealing login credentials and other private information. Networks, as a result, become highly exposed.
“The initial vector of intrusion is often not that sophisticated,” says Simon Ezard, a Senior Security Consultant at the Verizon Threat Research Advisory Center. “Unsophisticated cases involve attackers sending phishing emails, sometimes to thousands of people and in the hopes that a percentage of those will fall victim.”
Verizon’s research indicates that in most cases manufacturers can expect the cyberattacks to come from outside the business. In about nine out of 10 data breaches, external players are to blame, with employees responsible for just a small percentage of incidents.
What action should manufacturers take to limit threats?
With crucial company data, trade secrets and business reputations at stake, it is incumbent on manufacturing leaders and innovators to protect their intellectual property.
There are some basic means to combat cyber criminals, including being vigilant, educating employees about the dangers of phishing scams, keeping anti-virus software and patching up to date, encrypting data and using multi-factor authentication to limit the chances of attacks.
According to Verizon, manufacturers should also be taking three overarching actions to mitigate risks:
<ol>
<li>Separate highly sensitive and secret data from the rest of their networks, and restrict access to only those individuals who absolutely require it to do their jobs.2.</li>
<li>Implement data-loss-prevention controls to identify and block transfers of data by employees, and especially those who are terminated or resigning.</li>
<li>Ensure that employees quickly report phishing attacks so they can be better understood and combatted.</li>
</ol>
“Make people your first line of defence,” Ezard says. “Give your employees cybersecurity and social engineering training. Help them learn how to spot a phishing email and empower them to speak up to their IT department if they become suspicious.”
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How can manufacturers beat cybercrime?

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GUEST OBSERVATION
A warning about a “new” international scam targeting Chinese students in Australia <a href="https://www.afp.gov.au/news-media/media-releases/scam-warning-fake-%E2%80%98virtual-kidnapping%E2%80%99-scam-targets-chinese-australians" target="_blank">was issued by the Australian Federal Police</a> on May 14, 2018.
In a typical scenario, students are contacted by someone pretending to be from the Chinese Embassy or Consulate telling them that they have been implicated in a serious crime in China or Taiwan, and asking them to collaborate with investigations.
The target is told to hide themselves for a few days and cut off all contact, including with family members in China or Taiwan. The families then receive calls telling them their child studying in Australia has been kidnapped, and a ransom demand is made.
International scams of this nature are hard to investigate, but there are things you can do to avoid falling victim to them.
The evolution of a scam
Chinese and Taiwanese people have been victims of telecommunication scams like this for decades.
Crime syndicates would provide notes to their members, teaching them how to mask their caller IDs and what to say. The criminals usually collect personal information such as the student’s name, birthday, university attended and where they are originally from. This information, though basic, is essential to build trust with the victims.
The scam starts in Taiwan
The first generation of the kidnapping scam started in Taiwan in the late 1990s.
Organised crime syndicates would call parents and tell them that their child had been kidnapped and demand a ransom. During the call there would be sounds in the background of someone crying and screaming, saying “Help me, Mum/Dad!” Sometimes they might have the name of name of the child and, occasionally, will have researched the background of the family. Lots of Taiwanese were caught in the scam and paid the ransom.
Since the sim cards in use at the time were usually pre-paid cards, and the mobile phones usually cloned, criminal investigation was difficult. This pushed Taiwanese Government to tighten the rules on purchasing pre-paid cards.
And then moves to China
Before too long organised crime syndicates with members from both Taiwan and China started to use this method to scam people in China.
Criminals set up their crime base on Kinmen Island (an island belonging to Taiwan located close to the Chinese mainland). From there they could connect to the signals provided by a Chinese service provider and scam people in China. Conversely, crime bases were set up in Xiamen, the China territory opposite Kinmen, using signals provided by Taiwanese service providers to conduct scams on Taiwanese people.
In both situations they could avoid being arrested as there was limited collaboration between Taiwan and China on criminal investigations. Collaboration between the two jurisdictions only began when the Chinese government realised the seriousness of the scam.
The scam comes to Australia
With the commencement of cooperation between Taiwan and China against the telecommunication scam, a number of cases were successfully cleared and suspects were repatriated between Taiwan and China for prosecution. To minimise the risk of prosecution, organised crime syndicates then moved to their operations to Eastern Europe, East Africa or Southeast Asia (including Australia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Kenya, Thailand and the Philippines) in the past few years.
Moving the call centre to a third country not only made it more difficult to investigate the crime, it also made a successful prosecution more difficult.
Old scam, new tech
What is innovative in the recent scam compared with the earlier ones is that they have chosen to target international students from China and Taiwan who are away from their family. International students are more likely to be a successful target since it’s harder for parents based overseas to check whether the event is real.
With the advance of technology, people are now putting more information online. At the same time, student data is a popular target for hackers and a hot product on the online black market. Criminals are able to target parents, build trust with them and persuade them the scam is real using the detailed information they have about the family and the “kidnapped” child.
In the reported cases, the students followed the instructions of the criminal syndicates and hid themselves. When concerned parents cannot get in touch with their child, they tend to believe the scam is real and pay the ransom.
Criminal investigation is difficult
The transnational character of the crime has made investigation difficult. The victims – students and parents – are in different countries and, to make progress on an investigation, the Australian authorities need cooperation with Taiwanese or Chinese authorities. As the victims are not resident in the country where the syndicate is based and from where the scam is conducted, the police in the third country are usually reluctant to collaborate.
Furthermore, members of the crime syndicates are highly mobile and it is often too late to secure evidence and arrest criminals by the time the police in Australia have received and actioned a request for investigation assistance. Or it might turn out that the call centre is not in Australia but in a third country.
What students and families can do
With scams like this it is important to encourage reporting to the police and to raise public awareness. In this case, the Australian Federal Police, and the Chinese Embassy and the Taiwan Cultural and Economic Office in Canberra have all issued an alert to students about the scam.
Students and parents should have diverse ways of making contact with each other. For example, students could share with their parents the contact information of their close friends so that the parents have another way to contact their children. They also should have a special way or code to indicate to each other when they really are in danger.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/96910/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">Finally, everyone should be vigilant about securing personal data. This includes: schools securing their systems to avoid leaks of student information; students being careful not to put too much personal information online; and all parties being alert when adding new friends on social media.
Lennon Y.C. Chang, Senior Lecturer in Criminology, Monash University
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/new-virtual-kidnapping-scam-targeting-chinese-students-makes-use-of-data-shared-online-96910" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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New 'virtual kidnapping' scam targeting international Chinese students makes use of data shared online

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Outwitting hackers with sophisticated software makes for the stuff of spy novels. But in the real world, simple physical security measures also have a huge role to play to keep critical data in the right hands.
That’s not to dismiss the need for some technical wizardry in the digital age. Cyber-attacks have increased in both frequency and intensity in recent years, with the average cost of a data breach up 23 percent since 2013.
Experts say, however, that many of these breaches could be prevented, with good old fashioned physical security. After all, an unauthorized visitor, a contractor or less-than-loyal employee is much better positioned to steal sensitive information than a high-tech hacker a thousand miles away. And a lot simpler to stop.
“With the focus on anti-virus software, access controls and other forms of automated information security protection, it’s tempting to be lax about physical measures,” says Bill Todd, senior facility manager, JLL. “Yet, a few smart moves can go a long way toward fending off harm to an organization. It’s important to fight cybercrime both in the virtual world—and in the actual facilities where the information is stored or accessed.”
Buildings designed to be secure
One strategy is to design the workplace with security in mind. Separating the reception or elevator lobby from workspace, for example, limits access to areas containing sensitive data.
“For multi-floor corporate tenants in large office buildings, keeping a locked door between the elevator lobby and the workplace has become a standard practice,” says Todd. “Where possible, it’s also smart to keep high-visitation areas, such as conference rooms, on a separate floor from access points to highly sensitive data.”
Data centers and telecom closets should also be subject to video security; highly sophisticated cameras are more affordable than in the past, and can serve two valuable functions. First, their very presence will deter would-be wrongdoers who prefer an easier target. Second, cameras allow for a forensic review if incidents do occur and make it easier to catch the culprit.
Controlling access to restricted areas is a must. State-of-the-art security measures such as smart cards, tokens, or biometric scans which record the identity of each person who enters not only keep outsiders outside, but also prevent access by employees who have no business being in areas containing sensitive data. For extra security, encrypted security badges are preferable to simpler electronic badges that can be stolen during an elevator ride or standing in line for coffee.
Managing facilities to maximize security
Even sophisticated safeguards to keep intruders out are not the be-all and end-all of the physical protection of an organization’s sensitive data. That’s mainly because such systems often can’t keep a determined insider from stealing a hard drive or a password written on a sticky note attached to a computer.
“Given the number of passwords we all use each day, it’s no wonder that it is a common practice for employees to keep them visible and near the equipment they use,” says Todd. “Facility managers can help enforce a clean-desk policy that not only keeps passwords secure, but also helps prevent theft of sensitive printed information left out in the open.”
Todd suggests that even the most sophisticated organizations may overlook these simple, low-cost measures—that facility managers are uniquely positioned to make happen:
<ul>
<li>
Don’t leave computers unattended in unsecured areas. An unauthorized intruder can use any computer connected to a network to access information. Vulnerable computers include workstations in the reception area, at unoccupied desks or in empty offices. Equip computers that must remain in the open with technology like smart cards or biometric readers to limit access.</li>
<li>
Disconnect or remove computers that aren’t being used. Even in secured areas, an unused computer can present a risk. When an employee is out on vacation or out sick, their desktop computer should be secured. If the computer is in an office, lock the door.</li>
<li>
Use case locks to prevent hard drive theft. Some of the most highly publicized data breaches have resulted from hard drive theft or theft of an entire computer. A related step: disable USB drives and optical drives to prevent unauthorized downloads.</li>
<li>
Keep printer areas clean. Many offices have a shared printing and copy room, where busy employees may inadvertently expose sensitive information in unneeded print-outs. Again, facility managers can reduce risk by enforcing proper disposal of documents.</li>
</ul>
The sharpest criminals have an eye for physical weaknesses in a workplace. Building in security measures and controlling employee habits around data security can help an organization stay in control of who sees sensitive information.
This article appeared in <a href="https://www.jllrealviews.com" target="_blank">JLL Real Views</a>
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