Lendlease’s Barangaroo South precinct is officially complete, marking the culmination of a 15-year urban regeneration project that has revitalised Sydney’s harbourfront.&nbsp;

In 2009, the NSW Government’s Barangaroo Delivery Authority appointed <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/lendlease-development">Lendlease</a> as developer to transform what was once an inaccessible container port on the western edge &nbsp;of Sydney’s CBD into one of the city’s most thriving mixed-use destinations. Today, Barangaroo South is home to more than 1,800 residents, 23,000 workers, 95 retailers and welcomes 33,000 visitors each day. The precinct stands as an international benchmark for large-scale urban regeneration.&nbsp;

International Towers Sydney, the three flagship commercial buildings at the centre of &nbsp;Barangaroo South, together with engineered timber buildings Daramu House and &nbsp;International House, attracted major corporate tenants from the outset, including Westpac, &nbsp;PwC and KPMG, who are still there today. These workplaces remain some of the most &nbsp;sought after in Sydney’s CBD with over 95 per cent occupancy– a testament to the appeal of world-class, modern infrastructure alongside the precinct’s dining and entertainment that &nbsp;are a drawcard for businesses.&nbsp;

One Sydney Harbour, the three luxury residential towers designed by world-renowned architect Renzo Piano, has achieved more than $4 billion in sales since its launch in 2019, while setting new Australia property price records. This includes the three-level penthouse that crowns Residences One which sold for more than $141 million in 2019 – the most expensive individual residential property ever sold in Australia. &nbsp;

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Barangaroo South is also Australia’s first mixed-use carbon-neutral development, an accolade achieved through energy-efficient and innovative infrastructure, including a district cooling plant with a harbour water heat rejection system, a recycled water &nbsp;treatment plant, onsite solar and an embedded electricity network.

The precinct has maintained its Climate Active Carbon Neutral certification since 2019, affirming its &nbsp;reputation as the gold standard in large scale, sustainable urban renewal. Additionally, its &nbsp;world leadership status has been validated by the Green Building Council of Australia’s &nbsp;6 Star Green Star Communities recertification (Pilot v.2).

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First Nations cultural values were embedded throughout the planning and delivery of the project. The precinct honours Barangaroo, a prominent First Nations woman, through its &nbsp;name. Public art, street names, and design elements across the precinct reflect and &nbsp;celebrate First Nations cultures and connections to Country.&nbsp;

The project's completion positions Barangaroo South as a legacy urban transformation delivered through long-term partnerships and world-leading urban regeneration and placemaking capabilities. &nbsp;

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Tony Lombardo, Group CEO Lendlease, said&nbsp;Barangaroo South represents one of the most significant urban regeneration projects in Australia.

"[It] demonstrates what can be achieved through an ambitious vision, innovative placemaking, long-term commitment and strong partnerships. The precinct has changed the face of Sydney's waterfront, established new benchmarks &nbsp;for sustainable development, and provided a model for urban regeneration that continues &nbsp;to inform our approach to creating places that deliver long-lasting value.”&nbsp;

Tom Mackellar, CEO Development Lendlease, said&nbsp;Barangaroo South has reconnected the city to its harbour in a way that seemed unimaginable 15 years ago and turned it into a thriving precinct where people can live, work and gather on the harbour’s edge.&nbsp;

“This precinct is the result of countless contributions, led by the NSW Government who set the ambition, supported by investment partners who believed in Lendlease’s vision, imagined by architects and designers, shaped by consultants and artists, and brought to &nbsp;life by our dedicated construction teams. &nbsp;

“What we’ve created here is more than buildings – it’s the best of placemaking, sustainability, arts and culture and quality design. Barangaroo South has become an integral part of Sydney that will serve our city and economy for generations.”

Staff Writer

Barangaroo South’s 15-year transformation of  Sydney’s waterfront officially complete

CBE Asia Pacific has lodged plans for a prominent corner site in Fitzroy North, with a proposal that integrates state-significant affordable housing alongside heritage adaptation and new retail.

The application covers a consolidated 2,024 sqm parcel at 201–215 Queens Parade and 6–12 Dummett Crescent. The site includes the heritage-listed Former Clifton Motor Hill Garage, fronting Queens Parade, and vacant land to the rear abutting Dummett Crescent.

According to planning documents prepared by proUrban, the proposal seeks approval for a 12-storey residential building comprising 98 apartments, including a component of affordable housing, over a ground floor retail podium integrated within the heritage structure. Approximately 780 sqm of retail space will occupy the ground floor, while residents will have access to over 850 sqm of communal amenity.

The built form presents as two connected volumes: a 12-storey tower addressing Dummett Crescent and a five-storey volume fronting Queens Parade, the latter consistent with a separate Heritage Victoria permit granted in 2023. The tower reaches a maximum height of 38.26 metres, with upper-level setbacks of 14 metres from the western boundary to reduce visual bulk. A 1.5-metre footpath widening is proposed to Dummett Crescent Lane.

Parking is provided across four basement levels, accessed via Dummett Crescent, with a total of 142 car spaces and 143 bicycle spaces.

The architectural response by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cht-architects">CHT Architects</a> is framed by a need to reconcile new density with a sensitive heritage overlay. The Former Clifton Motor Hill Garage, identified as a place of State heritage significance, will retain its key façades, with demolition and reconstruction limited to approved elements.

As noted in the Heritage Impact Assessment, the proposal remains consistent with the Heritage Victoria permit, which allows "partial demolition, reconstruction and new works, involving the construction of a five-storey multi-use development and three basement levels".

Affordable housing has been embedded into the proposal under Clause 53.23, with specific apartment allocations aimed at enhancing housing diversity within the Queens Parade Activity Centre.

"The proposal is generally consistent with the relevant policy objectives and the intent of the Yarra Planning Scheme," proUrban states in its planning assessment, citing its alignment with strategic documents including Plan Melbourne and Victoria’s Housing Statement.

CHT Architects' plans emphasise a tiered design that acknowledges the site's varied interfaces—from the elevated Heidelberg Road ramp reserve to the recently built Clifton Views aged care facility to the north-east.

CBE Asia Pacific has not been previously active in this precinct, but the project joins a wave of higher-density residential proposals along the Queens Parade corridor, spurred by Melbourne’s broader push to increase affordable housing in well-connected inner-urban areas.

The site benefits from direct access to the Queens Parade tram corridor and proximity to Clifton Hill Station (approximately 200 metres), as well as green open spaces including Mayors Park and Raines Reserve. Clifton Hill Primary School and the Queens Parade retail village lie within walking distance.

First look: CBE Asia Pacific plans 100-apartment Jenkin House on Queens Parade, Fitzroy North

ALT Pasta, one of Melbourne’s most beloved inner-city pasta bars, has been confirmed as one of the first tenancies for the highly anticipated <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/comme-prahran-182-194-commercial-road-prahran-vic-3181">Comme Prahran</a> development, marking an exciting next chapter for the cult favourite as it prepares to expand into the heart of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/prahran-vic-3181">Prahran</a>.

Fresh off being named National Best Italian Restaurant at the 2025 Restaurant &amp; Catering Hostplus Awards for Excellence, ALT continues to solidify its reputation as a quietly confident leader in Melbourne’s dining scene. Lauded for its reinterpretation of Italian pasta through a Korean and Japanese lens, the restaurant has grown into a staple since opening three years ago, and its new Prahran outpost will only deepen its local impact.

“From the very beginning, ALT has been about respect - for tradition, for ingredients, and for the process,” shares Mino Han, ALT’s founder, a Korean-Australian chef whose vision is shaped by cultural duality and craftsmanship.&nbsp;

“We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel, just make something beautifully familiar, feel quietly special,” added Han.

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Positioned at the entrance to Comme Prahran and directly opposite the iconic Prahran Market, the new venue will celebrate the interplay between casual comfort and elevated detail. Designed in collaboration with Rooftop Architecture, the same team behind ALT’s flagship city location, the space will mirror the neighbourhood’s laid-back energy while staying true to the brand’s understated refinement.

Diners can expect a frequently changing menu that takes advantage of the market’s daily produce, along with set menu offerings exclusive to this location. A distinctive chef’s table and open kitchen format are also in the works, allowing guests to experience ALT’s signature intimacy and transparency in a new light.

ALT Prahran won’t replace the original venue; rather, it complements it.

“Our city site is like our heritage bottle; it’ll age gracefully. Prahran is where we’ll play, explore new ingredients, and bring something special to the community,” Mino notes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108413 project_image_fid=353584]

For Comme Prahran, a boutique development by Leeka that blends heritage with multi-dimensional wellness, ALT Pasta’s arrival signals a meaningful addition to its vision of cultural connection, food-first living, and local engagement.

“Being part of Comme is more than just opening a second venue. It’s about contributing to a neighbourhood with character, history, and a strong sense of community. That’s something we deeply relate to,” says Mino.

Sustainability and cultural identity are deeply embedded in the ethos of ALT. From ingredient sourcing to interior design, the new location will reflect both environmental mindfulness and a spirit of inclusion, embodying the values of Melbourne’s diverse, forward-thinking culinary scene.

Comme Prahran is scheduled for completion in late 2027, with ALT Pasta expected to be among the first tenancies to open its doors shortly after.

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National best Italian restaurant ALT Pasta to open at Comme Prahran, bringing refined familiarity to Melbourne’s culinary heart

National BEST Italian restaurant ALT Pasta to open at Comme Prahran

&nbsp;Boutique development and construction firm Ryser has filed plans for its debut apartment building.

Ryser, founded by Jonthan Ryan and Wil Prosser, has sought to develop <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/sorelle-4a-fern-place-woollahra-nsw-2025">Sorelle</a>, 28 new apartments at 4a Fern Place, Woollahra.

The&nbsp;750 sqm site on the edge of Bondi Junction falls within the Grafton Precinct Heritage Conservation Area, though it is currently vacant and not identified as a contributory item.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a> has been commissioned to design Sorelle, creating an eight and a nine-storey building with six apartments dedicated to affordable housing to support essential workers&nbsp;under the NSW Government’s low and mid-rise housing policy.

The dwelling mix includes 12 one-bedroom units, six one-bedroom affordable units, six two-bedroom units, and four three-bedroom residences.<img alt="4A Fern Place, Woollahra." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="86626941-772d-49c5-8d31-a8e42f44cdcc" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Fern%20bldg%20st.png?VersionId=tWIzXYX9gD60nP1L3..Z0BFbY5mafb36" />

According to the planning documents submitted to the Woollahra Council, the development responds to the complex interface of heritage fabric and urban infrastructure with two mid-rise residential buildings oriented to the north and designed to capitalise on sweeping views over Sydney Harbour and Bellevue Hill.&nbsp;

“The proposal aims to hero some of the brick detailing of Woollahra, celebrating the existing datums of Fern Place, whilst embracing the strong verticals of the Holy Cross Church and Bondi Junction with a nod to the historic iron works and iron rich soils of the area,” Woods Bagot noted in their Design Report.

&nbsp;

Only three car parking spaces are proposed, alongside 33 bicycle bays, in a move that leverages the site's proximity to Bondi Junction train station, just 400 metres away.

Architecturally, the material palette incorporates Corten steel and face brickwork to reference the site’s industrial past and local geological character. Landscaping features include a communal garden bridging the two buildings at ground level, landscaped setbacks to protect visual privacy, and a small corner park intended to soften the public interface.

<img alt="4A Fern Place, Woollahra." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f71766d6-aa14-44df-9bc5-42f91890fd4a" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Fern%20bldg%20rear.png?VersionId=uh7u1rJ6NJF5OqyRs9iNJcy6R9ssgaXU" />

Ryser said Sorelle "brings together the best of both worlds, the intimacy of village life with the amenity and luxury of modern design."

The developer said the project marks the first of three developments they will be announcing shortly, a key step in their&nbsp;evolution as a builder-developer delivering meaningful, high quality urban outcomes across Sydney.

The expectation is the Woollahra LGA will become popular for developers with the signal from the NSW Government they will deliver&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/sydney-nsw" target="">Sydney</a>’s first new heavy rail station in more than a decade – enabling up to 10,000 new homes by rezoning land around&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/woollahra-nsw-2025" target="">Woollahra</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/edgecliff-nsw-2027" target="">Edgecliff</a>&nbsp;stations.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/next-stop-woollahra-train-station-delivering-up-to-10-000-new-homes-in-the-heart-of-sydney">Next stop Woollahra train station - delivering up to 10,000 new homes in the heart of Sydney&nbsp;</a>

Joel Robinson

First look: Ryser plans two apartment buildings on Woollahra, Bondi Junction border

ASX-listed developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/cedar-woods" target="">Cedar Woods</a> didn’t miss a beat when the opportunity arose to acquire a prime residential development site in one of Perth’s most popular suburbs. In 2019, the developer secured the former Wembley TAFE site, a 1.4-hectare parcel perfectly positioned on the western edge of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/subiaco-wa-6008" target="">Subiaco</a>’s vibrant centre.

The first stage, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/incontro-subiaco-133-salvado-road-subiaco-wa-6008">Incontro Townhomes</a>, delivered 41 contemporary homes that embrace the suburb’s unique blend of nature and urban energy. Now, Incontro Apartments continues that story, offering a collection of new residences in a market limited with new residential stock. The rarity of a development in such a prime pocket hasn't been lost on buyers, with more than 60 per cent already sold in the early stages of construction.

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Set on the tree-lined Bishop Street, in a quiet pocket within Western Subiaco, Incontro Apartments offers convenient access to several lush parks and recreation spots.&nbsp;

Within the estate is Incontro’s Little Green, a linear park that connects the Incontro townhome precinct with the future apartment building. This peaceful stretch of landscaped parkland features shaded seating and communal spaces for residents to relax and interact close to home.&nbsp;

Less than 400 metres away is find Henderson Park, a perfect spot for morning walks, weekend picnics or casual exercise. Neighbouring Henderson Park is Mabel Talbot Park, home to Jolimont Lake and a playground, while just a little further lies Pat Goodridge Park, offering a large sports field and another playground.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108869 project_image_fid=325604]

For something closer to home, Subiaco Common provides a peaceful green retreat right on your doorstep - ideal for reading under the trees, walking the dog or relaxing with friends.

Beyond the parks and open spaces, Incontro residents are just moments from everything that makes Subiaco such an enviable place to live.&nbsp;

Down the road is Bishop Street Café, a local favourite for a morning caffeine fix. Subiaco’s Rokeby Road and Hay Street are lined with retailers, cafés, vibrant bars and some of Perth’s most loved dining spots, from long lunches at Refuge Small Bar or Juanita’s, to weekend brunch at Community Coffee Co. or Boucla Café. Add to that a strong sense of local community, regular markets, and the energy of Subiaco Square, and it’s easy to see why Subiaco continues to be one of Perth’s most liveable and in-demand suburbs.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108869 project_image_fid=325605]

Construction of Incontro Apartments is now underway by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/emco-building">EMCO Building</a>. With completion expected in mid-2027, buyers have the chance to join a thriving Subiaco community in the not-too-distant future. &nbsp;

One-bedroom apartments are now sold out, with only a selection of two-bedroom apartments and just three three-bedroom residences remaining. Each features generous layouts, stylish finishes and private balconies to enjoy the leafy outlook that makes this Subiaco address so special. Prices start from $925,000*.

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Over 60 per cent sold as Incontro Apartments captures Subiaco’s leafy appeal

Future Workplace

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Power imbalances are doing far more to change the way we work than are apps.
With all the hype around the future of work, you could be forgiven for thinking the biggest issue in the future of employment is the impending takeover of your job by a robot or an algorithm.
Talk about the workplace of the future has become fixated on technological displacement almost to the point of hysteria. There is little doubt that technological development will change the way we work, as it has in the past.
But for most Australians the reality will be much less dramatic. The biggest changes in the working lives of Australians over the past 20 years have arguably not been technological – few of us are sending our avatars to meetings or writing code.
Many of us are, however, lamenting the paradox of feeling overworked yet, at the same time, insecure in our employment. A significant proportion contend with <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-20/reserve-bank-philip-lowe-warns-of-low-wage-growth-impact/10515756" target="_blank">record low wages growth</a>. Others remain <a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/6202.0main+features10September%202018" target="_blank">less than fully employed</a>.
Some will say that the rate of insecure or non-permanent work has remained fairly constant over the past two decades. This belies the lived experience of workers. They have repeatedly been found to perceive their connections to the workplace and labour market as <a href="http://library.bsl.org.au/jspui/bitstream/1/2111/1/Shifting-Risk-report.pdf" target="_blank">precarious</a> and <a href="https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/theausinstitute/pages/2807/attachments/original/1528337971/Insecure_Work_Factbook.pdf?1528337971" target="_blank">laden with personal risk</a>.
Power has been shifting
The changes have often involved the fragmentation or <a href="http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674975446&amp;content=reviews" target="_blank">fissuring of work</a> through outsourcing, global supply chains, independent contracting, labour hire and digital labour platforms.
But there has been more to it than the tweaking of business practices. The relationship between business and the state has been subject to a fundamental realignment.
Since the industrial relations changes in the early 1990s, which moved the setting of wages and conditions away from centralised institutions towards the workplace, the locus of power in the labour market has undergone substantial recalibration.
Collective representation of workers has declined sharply. This is <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/bulletin/2017/mar/pdf/bu-0317-2-insights-into-low-wage-growth-in-australia.pdf" target="_blank">recognised</a> as contributing to the wage stagnation being felt in Australia and other rich nations.
A 2018 article in <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2018/05/31/if-wages-are-to-rise-workers-need-more-bargaining-power" target="_blank">The Economist</a> acknowledged this, noting that while politicians were scrambling for scapegoats and solutions, addressing stagnant wages required “a better understanding of the relationship between pay, productivity and power”.
A crucial aspect of understanding this relationship is recognising the impact that business consolidation has had. It has not only changed the experience of work, but also altered the balance of power between businesses and workers and between some businesses and other businesses.
The ascendance of global monoliths − such as Walmart, Amazon, Apple and Uber (and the big retailers and e-tailers in Australia) – has resulted in organisations that wield enormous economic and cultural power. This has led not only to a reduction in worker power but also to the creation of a crushingly competitive environment for the businesses that have to contend with contract terms dictated by the corporate giants.
What has been the result of the combination of changing business models, reconfigured institutions and the onslaught of business consolidation?
We have seen hyper-competition based on low labour costs, management approaches that skirt worker protection laws, and weaker regulatory oversight.
It has manifested in almost weekly scandals regarding sham contracting, exploitation of workers and what appears to be an epidemic of underpayment in a roll call of some of Australia’s most “successful” companies, among them <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-stop-businesses-stealing-from-their-employees-83363" target="_blank">7-Eleven</a>, <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Education_and_Employment/AvoidanceofFairWork/Report" target="_blank">Caltex</a> and <a href="https://www.mwji.org/highlights/2017/11/14/report-released-wage-theft-in-australia-findings-of-the-national-temporary-migrant-work-survey" target="_blank">Domino’s</a>) .
We can shift it back
The policy prescription to remedy the scourge of work insecurity and exploitation is decidedly unsexy. It goes against the zeitgeist that seems to suggest that any change that disrupts an existing system, rule or institution should be hailed as “innovative” and be uncontested.
It requires some reflection and the rebirth of aspects of our industrial relations system that have been lost but have redeeming features.
Key among these old-fashioned remedies is the encouragement of workers and employers to organise and recentralise bargaining.
A stated aim of the federal <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C1904A00013" target="_blank">Conciliation and Arbitration Act 1904</a> was “to facilitate and encourage the organisation of representative bodies of employers and of employees”.
Granted, back then the act was also about keeping industrial peace by preventing lockouts and strikes. This is no longer much of an issue in our era of record low industrial action. But, in the current context of fragmented work, it is unrealistic to expect individual employers and employees to engage in endless rounds of labour-intensive productivity bargaining, with little to show for it.
The economies of scale that were part of a centralised system were lost when workplace-based bargaining system took over. These could be regained, to the advantage of both employees and employers.
While that policy prescription looks similar to the original Conciliation and Arbitration system, the rationale behind it differs markedly.
No longer would it be simply about addressing the power dynamics between employers and employees. It would also be about addressing the inequitable power dynamics between mega-corporations and businesses subjected to their might.
A challenge for left and right
Arguments relating to the need for flexibility and regulatory reform, which were the basis of the 1990s decentralisation, were not without merit. Global competition was accelerating and there was a real concern that the Australian economy would not be able to keep pace. So greater agency was given <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/speech/australia%E2%80%99s-experience-driving-economic-growth-through-competition-policy-reforms" target="_blank">to businesses so they could adjust and lift productivity</a>.
But we are now living in very different times. Neither excessive industrial action nor the spectre of poor productivity looms. It is neither intellectually or politically honest to use these as a basis for opposing proposals to recentralising bargaining.
Also, we need to acknowledge that the biggest beneficiaries of the disaggregation introduced in the early 1990s were the biggest businesses.
A more centralised system could allow employers and employees to combine their power to counter competitive pressures from mega-corporations that want to reduce labour standards. They have facilitated toxic workplace practices, including intensive surveillance, unrealistic performance expectations, avoidance of entitlements and exploitation of workers further down supply chains.
Constructing an industrial relations framework that tackles the insecurity that is being experienced now and the further insecurity that may be wrought by technological change is potentially confronting for both sides of the ideological divide.
Elements on the left may be reluctant to acknowledge that not all businesses are the same, that some are being squashed by the structure of the market. Some on the right might not be prepared to concede that the bright idea of the 1990s – reducing union influence and worker voices – has succeeded so well as to create perverse and economically unhelpful outcomes.
Both sides need to lift their gaze above the workplace. They need to recognise that earlier reforms are no longer the right ones now, admit that individual business might not be the best level at which to manage the technological change, and acknowledge where the new power lies, then act accordingly.
Sarah Kaine, Associate Professor UTS Centre for Business and Social Innovation, University of Technology Sydney
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-workplace-challenge-facing-australia-spoiler-alert-its-not-technology-111492" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

The workplace challenge facing Australia (spoiler alert – it’s not technology)

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GUEST OBSERVATION<a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828"></a>
That casualisation and self-employment rates are not increasing is often trotted out to dispute perceptions that workplace insecurity is growing.
But retorts like this miss a few key points.
First, the real causes of growing insecurity aren’t the type of contracts people are on. While these things matter, the real causes of insecurity are the way organisations are being structured these days. This is designed to minimise costs, transfer risk from corporations to employees, and centralise power away from employees.
Second, aggregate data mask variations between industries.
Third (and least importantly) there are some measurement issues.
Reducing cost and risk
Large corporations want to minimise their costs and risks, avoid accountability when things go wrong and ensure products have the features they want.
This partially explains the dramatic increase in franchised businesses – the franchisee bears responsibility for scandals such as underpaying workers.
Other corporations call in labour hire companies to take on responsibility for their workers. This cuts costs and transfers risk down the chain – which means jobs are more insecure.
Some set up spin-offs or subsidiaries. Some just outsource to contracting firms.
Most people working for franchises, spin-offs, subsidiaries and labour hire firms are still employees. It’s more efficient for capital to control workers through the employment relationship than to pay them piece rates as contractors. That would run the risk of worker desertion or of shortcuts affecting quality.
Is casualisation the same as insecurity?
Even employees at the bottom of the supply chain might get annual and sick leave. Offering leave helps attract labour and might be cheaper than paying casual loading.
And there’s no need to hire someone on a casual contract if you can make them redundant when the work dries up — if, for example, you lose your contract with the main parent firm. If your firm can go bankrupt, then you often won’t even have to pay redundancy benefits.
There are also the measurement issues. The Australian Bureau of Statistics counts the number of “employees without paid leave entitlements”. People take this to mean “casuals”. On this measure, the share of casuals in the workforce has shifted little in a decade, after growing substantially earlier.
If we take the liberty of labelling people without leave as “casuals”, then the number of “casual” full-timers grew by 38% between 2009 and 2017. Labour hire workers are usually casual full-time workers.
“Permanent” full-timers (those with annual leave) grew by just 10%.
On the other hand, some organisations have found relying on part-time casuals counterproductive, as workers had no commitment and became unreliable. Some large retailers now use “permanent” part-timers rather than casuals.
So-called “casual” part-timers grew by just 13% between 2009 and 2016. “Permanent” part-timers grew by 36%.
A lot of variation between industries and periods is hidden by aggregate figures. Franchising has grown in retailing. Labour hire in mining. Outsourcing in the public sector. Second jobs in manufacturing. Spin-offs in communications. Casualisation in education and training. Global supply chains send jobs overseas to low-paid, often dangerous workplaces in a number of industries.
The ABS doesn’t measure the precarity of work experienced by people who now work in franchises, spin-offs, subsidiaries or contractor firms. But as their continued employment depends on the fortunes of their direct employer, more than the firm at the top of the chain, precarity is real.
Underemployment has grown
Many “permanent” part-time jobs may be good jobs. But the continuing growth of part-time employment is linked to another form of insecurity – underemployment.
Between 2010-11 and 2016-17, the number of hours sought, but not worked, by underemployed people grew by 31%. This is five times the total growth in hours worked.
Large firms don’t even need to spin off workers to smaller business units to make use of underemployment.
There are other important sources of worker insecurity. In Australia, for example, firms can seek to have enterprise agreements terminated, or get a handful of workers to sign new agreements, to cut pay and conditions.
Some firms seek to put employees onto contrived arrangements that make them out to be contractors. Often that’s illegal.
The growing insecurity and hence low power of workers – even those with leave entitlements – helps explain why wage growth is stagnating.
Indeed, the successful “war on wages” may be the biggest sign of worker insecurity.
And what about the gig economy?
The gig economy, or more accurately the platform economy, is a big challenge to the employment relationship. This is because virtual platforms provide a new, cheap form of control that may replace the need for the employment relationship.
But there are still limits to the use of cost cutting and of platform control. The gig economy will grow, but it won’t overtake the employment relationship.
Gig work is one form of self-employment and we should remember that, overall, self-employment is not increasing. Self-employment declined between 2000 and 2014 in 26 countries for which data were available, and increased in only 11 (see chart below).
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/229705/original/file-20180729-106521-3hokgi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Changes in self-employment, 2000-2014, various countries. OECD, Author provided
What’s more, even the relative importance of large firms in total employment is not decreasing. That’s probably because of another trend — the concentration of markets in the hands of those firms.
In short, large powerful firms are getting more powerful, but their directly employed workforces are not getting larger. The result is a lot of workers with insecure incomes and a lot of insecure small-business owners as well.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/100668/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">This means insecurity gnaws away, even while the employment relationship remains the dominant mode for deploying labour, and employment with leave entitlements remains its main form.
David Peetz, Professor of Employment Relations, Centre for Work, Organisation and Wellbeing, Griffith University
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/self-employment-and-casual-work-arent-increasing-but-so-many-jobs-are-insecure-whats-going-on-100668" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Self-employment and casual work aren’t increasing but so many jobs are insecure – what’s going on?

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<div>The NSW Government has approved a new office accommodation policy that will encourage greater workplace flexibility for government sector employees.</div>
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<div>CEO of Property NSW, Brett Newman, said the office accommodation policy contained principles to inform government office spaces of the future, with a focus on co-locating agencies in government office hubs in key strategic Sydney CBD, metropolitan and regional centres.</div>
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<div>“With the Government reducing its Sydney CBD office footprint and moving to a fully flexible government sector workforce, we’re committed to ensuring our property portfolio can deliver improved outcomes for workers and better value for money for taxpayers,” Mr Newman said.</div>
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<div>“At present, government office accommodation across the Sydney CBD, metropolitan and regional areas is highly fragmented, costly and of varying quality."</div>
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<div>“Our hubs strategy will focus on co-locating staff across departments with shared facilities, helping to break down silos and ultimately encouraging better collaboration across government.”</div>
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<div>The hubs strategy will initially focus on Sydney’s CBD, where the NSW Government has more than 300,000sqm of leased space across 50 buildings.</div>
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<div>Property NSW has been tasked with developing the policy</div>
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<div>Between now and 2020, the Government is planning on delivering more than 140,000 sqm of collaborative office space across metropolitan and regional locations.</div>
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<div>This includes new or refurbished office space in Phillip St and 4 Parramatta Square, Parramatta; Macquarie Park; Gosford; The Rocks; Sydney Olympic Park; Orange, and Liverpool.  </div>
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NSW government's new policy to create flexible work hubs

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What will the building of the future look like?
Engineering and infrastructure advisory company Aurecon has released a white paper on the topic, including what’s driving demand, challenges inherent in reaching ‘intelligent building’ status and what some of the next steps in this journey might be. 
Titled 'Buildings of the Future: science fiction or science fact?', the white paper is based on interviews of industry professionals who were asked to imagine what Buildings of the Future might look like and how they might be created.
“The major drivers identified in the paper have the potential to reshape the built environment industry in the next 30 years,” said Peter Greaves, Aurecon’s Buildings of the Future Leader.
Author Arthur C Clark once said that sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. In a way — this captures the essence of what technology installed in Buildings of the Future should aim to achieve. The technology should ‘just work’ without the user understanding how. 
It says that 3D printing technology will have a huge impact on the design engineering industry.
“The 3D printer is significantly disrupting the traditional design role held by the structural engineer but, at the same time, presents exciting new opportunities in how building designers will create, relocate and shape Buildings of the Future,” said Greaves.
A ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to Buildings of the Future is becoming less palatable nowadays while new, flexible construction materials, including composite materials, additive manufacturing concrete, solar polymers and carbon fibre balsa, is fuelling new design approaches. 
“These options are unlocking the architectural limitations of size, weight and shape that the building and construction industry works within today,” he said. “To bring this to life, the thought processes, measurements and methods commonly used in our industry will also have to evolve.”
It said another innovation in the building management field was developing shared services in facilities management within a precinct.  
Greaves said innovators would work on the idea of shared building maintenance hubs, which would be designed to provide facilities for all local buildings to centrally monitor electricity, water, energy storage common areas and integrate other aspects of maintenance and management of operational efficiencies.
The Western Sydney Airport and Greater Sydney’s development could become a prime example of an opportunity to implement this, says the paper.
It highlighted the ‘whole of precinct’ approach to the management of facilities and wider infrastructure assets and stressed the 2017-2018 Federal Budget’s commitment to several large infrastructure projects in the area, including high-speed rail to Western Sydney.
“If we’re going to help design Buildings of the Future, we have to be able to envision them,” said James Bennett, Aurecon’s managing director, Built Environment. “Aurecon wants to be a forerunner in helping our clients identify the opportunities this presents and facilitating these changes.”
“Those who shape Buildings of the Future will be those who, firstly, realise that our world is changing and have the boldness to not only let go of, but question, the status quo so that working with government and economic leaders, we might reimagine our physical spaces and infrastructure. Engineers need to lead such conversations,” asserted Bennett. 
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Buildings of the future: science fiction or science fact? 

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Workspaces of the future must be designed to be better than any alternative, according to Tim Lovitt, Associate Director of Digital Intelligence, PwC Australia.
He recently suggested said the firm could take up co-working space in future in the new building at Barangaroo. 
“PwC has been experimenting for over a year with co-working space," he said.
"We have diverse partnerships, including Facebook and LinkedIn, tailored to solving specific problems for individual projects.
"This is our focus, and we will build our workspace around that.”
Lovitt said workspaces of the future must be designed to be better than any alternative. 
“Workspaces of the future will need to be incredible spaces that people wish to work in, that are better than the alternatives – such as our lounge rooms or the local coffee shop,” concluded Mr Lovitt. 
He made the comments at Knight Frank Australia's Global Cities: The 2017 Report launch which investigated the future of real estate in the world’s leading cities. 
According to Knight Frank’s Head of Research and Consulting, Australia Matt Whitby, disruption is set to equal demand in the real estate sector. 
“Yes, jobs are being lost across sectors globally due to automation and technology, but humans are getting more interesting careers doing what humans do best – problem solving. This will be similar for property professionals, who need to embrace changes in the sector and the economy and become more advisory – offering greater intelligence and idea generation to clients," he said.
“New jobs being created are offering a flow-on effect into other sectors, including property. For example, the Fintech sector, including cashless payments and other financial technology, has created a complete new industry. This is prompting new demand in other sectors, including real estate. Newly-created, high-value jobs in programming or app design are creating demand for expensive, trendy offices.”
Whitby agreed co-working will be one of the biggest growth sectors in the global city office markets, with Sydney and Melbourne leading the way here in Australia. 
“It will not just be start up, incubator, or collaborative businesses. Demand for co-working space will expand to the large, corporate occupiers who require growth or project space on an as-needed basis.”
Whitby said WeWork is the obvious example as in Sydney, WeWork has gone from zero space six months ago and will occupy 22,000 square metres of space by next year.”
In October WeWork Martin Place opened in the heart of Sydney’s central business district surrounded by Australia's financial institutions in an historic Sydney building, the Moneybox Building.
Designed by WeWork, along with local external consultant TomMarkHenry, the design takes cues from the building’s banking history as the hot desks on the main floor were inspired by the old bank teller desks that can still be seen in the lobby. Murals and paintings from local artists Tristan Kerr and Dina Broadhurst adorn the inside of the building.
Last month WeWork, the space, community and services provider based in New York, opened its second Sydney location, at 100 Harris Street, Pyrmont (above). 
WeWork currently has around 70,000 members, located in 100+ physical locations in 30+ cities and 12 countries around the world.
WeWork Pyrmont is located in a former 100 year old woolstore and presents a unique opportunity for one of WeWork's spaces.
The issue of pets in the office was addressed by Savills International.
"Popularity for bringing <a href="https://www.savills.com.au/blog/article/147357/australia-articles/pets-in-the-office--is-it-just-a-fad-or-a-does-it-deliver-real-benefit-.aspx" target="_blank">pets to the workplace</a> seems to be increasing around the world," it noted.
"In the United States, a 2015 Society for Human Resource Management survey found that 8 percent of American workplaces allowed employees to bring pets to work (up from 5 percent in 2013).
"Within Australia, the uptake for large corporations has not been very high, although the types of companies that have embraced this new fur-friendly culture tend to be creative or industries such as fashion, tech, IT, media and start-ups," the Savills report noted. 
It noted the location of the workplace can also greatly affect the likelihood of the company to include pets in the office.
"We are seeing companies on the city fringe and suburban locations more open to the idea of pets in the office, as there is plenty of space in the surrounding areas for the animals to have a break outside of the office."
Savills wondered did the trend deliver real benefit to your company, or is it just a distraction? 
What are the benefits?
For the employees: Employees who bring their pets to the office often have less stress and a healthier work-life balance
For the workplace: It can be a great improvement to the workplace culture - pets are a great conversation starter and can help strengthen working relationships
For the business: Having pets in the office can encourage employees to stay longer hours and businesses have shown a lower rate of employee absenteeism. Plus, pets in the office can be a drawcard for attracting new employees
For the animals: The animals get benefits too, including being out and about (instead of cooped up at home) and socialising with new people 
Things to consider
When considering drawbacks to having animals in the workplace, the number one concern is usually allergies. Depending on the type of allergy, one way to lessen the trigger of an allergy is to ensure the pets are clean &amp; groomed. Alternatively, employees should set up pet-free zones, or keep their pet close to their own workstations
It’s also important to select the right types of pets to bring into the office – overly animated or energetic animals can serve as a distraction in the workplace  
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