Malaysian developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/s-p-setia">SP Setia</a> is the latest to jump into St Leonards booming Transport Oriented Development precinct.

The developer, which has previously delivered Sapphire by the Gardens apartment development in Melbourne, identified the Atchison Street site in 2023. It filed a Scoping Report around 12 months ago, and now has revealed the designs for the new&nbsp;40-storey mixed-use tower.

The State Significant Development Application covers <a href="https://next-portal.urban.com.au/projects/14650/summary">20-22 Atchison Street</a>, a 1,374 sqm site positioned between St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, the project would deliver 181 apartments, above a four-storey commercial podium, five basement levels, and new public domain works along Mitchell Street. The apartment mix comprises 35 one-bedroom apartments, 39 one-bedroom-plus-study apartments, 85 two-bedroom apartments, and 22 three-bedroom residences.

The proposal has been lodged as a shop-top housing development under the NSW Government’s TOD planning pathway, which allows increased density around key transport infrastructure. The site sits within the recently rezoned Crows Nest Accelerated TOD Precinct.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b799673d-48e2-46b0-801a-0e33a9330100" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20site.png?VersionId=dPh0UfwfaHpbFL1R7H1cbZNbIW0CHbCC" />

SP Setia acquired the Atchison Street site as part of its continued expansion into the Australian apartment market. In comments made to City &amp; Country (The Edge Malaysia) in 2023, SP Setia President and CEO Datuk Choong Kai Wai described the acquisition as “a strategic move” aligned with the group’s post-pandemic market recovery strategy.

“Our target for this exceptional development is local and overseas buyers, including first-home buyers, downsizers and investors,” Choong said.

The tower has been designed as a slender vertical form rising from a mixed-use podium, with COX Architecture positioning the development as a response to the evolving St Leonards and Crows Nest skyline.

“The purpose of the project is to facilitate the delivery of high-quality housing at a strategically located site and deliver a built tower outcome that is consistent with the desired future character of St Leonards and aligns with the TOD controls,” the design report stated.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1a85eee-76f7-436c-a6da-73ba827b9b13" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20entry.png?VersionId=dA9jHGPMcm.dDbwk4QfxqWiY5bfh3UVt" />

The podium would incorporate retail uses fronting Atchison Street, commercial tenancies, landscaped communal areas, and pedestrian improvements along Mitchell Street. Vehicle access and loading would be consolidated via Atchison Lane.

Residents would have access to more than 665 sqm of communal indoor and outdoor spaces, while the development proposes 96 parking spaces across five basement levels.

The proposal also includes a commitment for 10 per cent of residential floor space to be allocated toward affordable housing through a monetary contribution.

COX said the tower form responds directly to the emerging high-density character of the precinct while seeking to maximise solar access, cross ventilation, and outlook from apartments.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2163f85c-f63b-4be3-aafa-f8763976cec5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29_5.png?VersionId=WiAmtIKJ6.ZQ41EtYEQ1fol7AeorKBlL" />

“The building is orientated towards north,” the Apartment Design Guide compliance report noted, adding that the tower’s slim form was driven by the constrained inner-urban site dimensions.

The design also incorporates landscaped setbacks and communal open space at podium level, intended to soften the interface with surrounding streets and improve pedestrian amenity.

The project adds to a growing wave of redevelopment proposals reshaping St Leonards and Crows Nest following the opening of the Sydney Metro City line and the NSW Government’s push for higher-density housing around major transport nodes.

Last week Stockland filed plans just down the road. They want to build a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/601-pacific-highway-st-leonards-nsw-2065">52-storey tower on Pacific Highway</a>.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">First look: Stockland plans 52-storey, 538-apartment St Leonards tower&nbsp;</a>

Joel Robinson

First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> has revealed plans for a new mixed-use tower at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham, advancing a proposal that would reshape the southern gateway to Newcastle’s city centre with one of the city’s tallest residential buildings.

The State Significant Development proposal, now on exhibition, seeks approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/bowline-10-dangar-street-wickham-nsw-2293">43-storey tower</a> immediately adjacent to the Newcastle Interchange. The project would deliver around 200 apartments, including 42 affordable housing dwellings, alongside 99 co-living units, a 171-room hotel, retail space, and new public domain integrated through the site.

The scheme marks a significant escalation of plans previously approved for the site. Urban Property Group took over the prominent 2,904 sqm parcel, where excavation and demolition had already commenced under an earlier consent for a 14-storey mixed-use development.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="58a96dd9-407f-4d20-86b4-94e4bfeef74b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20podium.png?VersionId=LGlf08pdFGAZDzvx_CXC4XakHNZRuEE0" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, the tower has been conceived as a landmark transit-oriented development anchored to the Newcastle Interchange precinct. The proposal includes 245 build-to-sell apartments across a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom residences, as well as two penthouses. Fifteen apartments and one operational unit are earmarked for NDIS housing. The co-living component would add a further 99 units, while the podium would accommodate retail uses and hotel facilities.

SJB said the site presents “a valuable opportunity to anchor the precinct by setting the standard for design, active ground planes and character at the key southern gateway.”

The architecture responds directly to the site’s position beside major transport infrastructure and within one of Newcastle’s fastest-evolving urban renewal precincts. The tower form sits above a sculpted podium designed to frame new public spaces, including a through-site pedestrian link connecting Station Street to Hannell Street, landscaped plazas, and activated retail edges.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a7bd6ff0-f7db-4ce8-a6dc-ea56e72c6149" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20lanne.png?VersionId=xzf39VADyhj7zBQY2I9fx9vI62u2tuSb" />

The design report describes the project as part of the broader transition of Wickham into “a vibrant, high-quality mixed-use urban precinct” that leverages proximity to the station, open space, and regional connectivity.

A detailed public art strategy has also been prepared for the development. The strategy positions the project as “a transit-oriented development of state significance at the gateway to Newcastle’s city centre” and outlines a series of integrated artworks responding to Newcastle’s industrial and transport heritage.

Creative Road’s curatorial framework for the project, titled Unveil, draws on “stratified surfaces, carved volumes, and light-filled apertures” while referencing Newcastle’s transformation from an industrial city into a contemporary education and technology hub.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="77a882bb-14b1-4d28-99ff-9438e39508c0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20site.png?VersionId=cevgo_vN0eKPK78P8YcEu3mKPLkpFqE7" />

The proposal is being advanced through the NSW Housing Delivery Authority pathway after being declared State Significant Development in June 2025. The accompanying scoping report states the development aims to “maximise the site’s proximity to the Newcastle Interchange by delivering transit-oriented development” while increasing housing supply and affordable housing provision within the Newcastle LGA.

Urban Property Group’s plans align with the long-term strategic vision established under the Wickham Master Plan, which identified the interchange precinct as suitable for substantial uplift in height and density. The current proposal would significantly intensify that vision, positioning the tower among the tallest developments proposed for Newcastle.

The site sits immediately north of the Newcastle Interchange, bounded by Dangar Street, Hannell Street, and Charles Street. It is surrounded by a rapidly growing cluster of residential towers and mixed-use projects that have emerged following the completion of the light rail and transport interchange.

First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s latest tower at Wickham interchange

Bottega House has completed settlement of a landmark riverfront site in Macquarie Street, St Lucia, representing its first major Brisbane development.&nbsp;

Positioned on the banks of the Brisbane River, the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/180-macquarie-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">premium site at 180 Macquarie Street</a> features uninterrupted river frontage in one of Brisbane’s most tightly held residential precincts.&nbsp;

The proposed development, currently under assessment with Brisbane City Council, has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/plus-studio">Plus Studio</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/mim-design">Mim Design</a> and will deliver a boutique collection of premium residences positioned specifically for owner occupiers and downsizers.&nbsp;

The residences are set to redefine luxury apartment living in the area, with a focus on architectural quality, refined finishes, landscape integration and elevated amenities including curated wellness facilities, resort-style pools and recreation spaces rarely seen in the local market.&nbsp;

Exclusive sales for the project will be led by Keenan &amp; Byrne, ahead of an anticipated launch later this year.&nbsp;

Bottega House Managing Director Nick Malloch said the project reflects the group’s ambition to deliver a highly curated residential offering within one of Brisbane’s most tightly held precincts.&nbsp;

“This is an incredibly rare riverfront opportunity and one we have approached with a long-term perspective,” Malloch said.&nbsp;

“Our vision from the outset was to create a boutique collection of residences that feel more like private homes than traditional apartments, with generous proportions, refined finishes and exceptional amenity throughout."

Malloch says there is a&nbsp;lack of premium owner-occupier stock of this quality in the market, particularly for downsizers wanting space, privacy and a true lifestyle offering without compromise.&nbsp;

"Demand is expected to be strong given the scarcity of premium riverfront opportunities of this nature within Brisbane’s inner-west."&nbsp;

Bottega House secures landmark riverfront site in St Lucia 

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The arrival of the first piling rig officially marks the commencement of construction at SIERA’s new beachside apartment development, Exhale, in Northcliffe.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/exhale-surfers-paradise-8-enderley-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Exhale</a>, a glass-encased tower featuring 54 large-scale apartments at 8 Enderley Avenue, is SIERA’s third Gold Coast development. It follows the recently completed PIPIS Bilinga beachfront project, which achieved suburb-record prices, and the soon-to-be-completed Chevron Island development, Tapestry.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359603]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/siera">SIERA</a> Founder and Managing Director Brent Thompson said the arrival of the piling rig represented a significant milestone for the development, which is scheduled for completion in late 2028.

Over the next month, around 260 piles are expected to be installed as work progresses on the basement structure. The building is anticipated to rise above ground level early next year, before unveiling its sculptural glass curtain wall, developed in collaboration with specialist façade engineers.

“The façade was designed to maximise panoramic coastal views while creating a distinctive architectural identity,” Thompson said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=355935]

Designed by BDA Architecture, Exhale will comprise just 54 two- and three-bedroom residences across 26 levels, a level of low-density living rarely delivered in this beachside pocket between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.

The project has been conceived as a resident-only building, with no short-stay accommodation permitted. SIERA says the model is intended to appeal to long-term owner-occupiers rather than transient holiday demand.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=361052]

Residences have been designed with large-format layouts and expansive glazing, with most apartments featuring more than 30 metres of glass frontage to maximise natural light and ocean views.

The amenity offering spans two levels and centres on wellness and lifestyle, including a heated magnesium pool, sauna, yoga and Pilates studio, gymnasium, private dining facilities, cinema lounge, and dedicated surfcraft storage.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359607]

More than half of the apartments have already sold. SIERA has also opened a sales gallery for Exhale at its Chevron Island commercial premises, near its Tapestry tower and the site of its second Chevron Island apartment development, which is slated to launch in early 2027.
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[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112661]

SIERA kicks off construction at Northcliffe tower Exhale

Local Little Bay residents, along with buyers from premium postcodes across Sydney’s affluent Eastern Suburbs, have dominated purchases in developer-builder Urban Property Group’s first Eastern Suburbs apartment development, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/este-little-bay-jennifer-street-little-bay-nsw-2036">ESTE Little Bay</a>.

The $250 million coastal project, one of the first new developments in the area in several years, has proven particularly popular with downsizers, especially those from Coogee and Bondi. One Double Bay downsizer paid $4.7 million for a four-bedroom penthouse, setting a new local apartment price record in the process.

Buyers have been attracted to the combination of coastal tranquillity, premium design and amenity-rich neighbourhood living. The walkable village setting, along with proximity to three of Sydney’s leading golf courses, New South Wales Golf Club, St Michael’s Golf Club and The Coast Golf Club, has also been a key drawcard.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112343 project_image_fid=352689]

Built across two low-rise buildings designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hill-thalis-architecture-urban-projects-pty-ltd">Hill Thalis</a> and set along a lush, landscaped green spine, designed by leading landscape architect <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/arcadia-landscape-architecture">Arcadia</a>, ESTE Little Bay offers a collection of one, two, three and four-bedroom residences with interiors by Richards Stanisich.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> Sales Director, Tom McIvor said the response to ESTE has been "nothing short of extraordinary."

“Buyers have been quick to recognise ESTE as a rare opportunity to invest in a coastal sanctuary that offers both seclusion and connectivity to the heart of Sydney,” McIvor said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112343 project_image_fid=352687]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/srm-residential">SRM Residential</a> Senior Director, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/srm-residential">Clayton Ross</a> said the local market has responded incredibly well, driven by ESTE’s exceptional location and the rarity it offers.

“We’ve seen strong interest from a variety of buyer groups, all of whom are drawn to the exclusivity and quality of the build and construction by the 4.5-star iCIRT-rated builder / developer, Urban Property Group. There’s truly nothing else like it along Sydney’s coastline.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112343 project_image_fid=352690]

The project also includes robust buyer protections, including Resilience Insurance’s Latent Defects Insurance, providing 10 years of structural cover, and an independent iCIRT-rating of the developer.

“The iCIRT-rating adds another layer of confidence,” Ross added. “Buyers see it as a safeguard for their investment and their lifestyle.” A highlight of ESTE’s offering is its exclusive wellness amenities, including a heated rooftop infinity pool and outdoor heated spa, a state-of-the-art Technogym fitness centre, and a sauna.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/este-little-bay-jennifer-street-little-bay-nsw-2036">ESTE Little Bay</a> is topped out and is on track to complete towards the end of 2026, with residents moving in before Christmas.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112343]

Eastern Suburbs buyers snap up ESTE Little Bay apartments

Hospital

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While the full effect of COVID-19 on the property market will take months to become clear, Herron Todd White's latest report found current evidence is showing that the predicted deterioration has just not occurred within the Newcastle area.
HTW valuer Liz McAllister said local builders are confirming that their work pipelines are remaining strong after a dip at the beginning of the pandemic. This has largely been due to to government support in the form of the HomeBuilder Grant.
"We have seen an increase in the price of vacant land within larger land developments with developers looking to capitalise on the grants," she said.
Despite some of the grants being also available for apartments, HTW is not as positive about the apartment market.
It warns owner occupiers and investors that new properties are very frequently being sold at prices exceeding their resale value.
It suggests there is an oversupply in the rental vacancy situation with overall demand for units deemed "soft."
These investment opportunities are the 41 ongoing or new residential developments on Apartments.com.au. 
In their August report HTW noted that whilst buyer uncertainty has not stopped investors purchasing property, the volume of quality houses on the market has not fully recovered but was on its way up.
"Property prices in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie rose ever so slightly in the last three month period even with the region shedding 24,000 jobs," the HTW valuer's said.
It was highlighted that agents have noted that investors from outside of the region are showing interest in purchasing investments. 
Major investment in infrastructure is under way including the newly revealed concept design for the seven-storey Acute Services Building for John Hunter and John Hunter’s Children’s hospitals.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the $780 million John Hunter Health and Innovation Precinct would drive significant economic growth in the Greater Newcastle region.
“John Hunter hospital is one of the busiest hospitals in NSW and this investment will provide enhanced health facilities ensuring the region has a world-class hospital to cater to its growing population,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“Construction of the precinct will support more than 3,000 jobs over the life of the project helping stimulate the economy, a key component of the NSW Government’s COVID-19 recovery plan.”
Early works on the new Acute Services Building are expected to commence in 2021 with main works construction scheduled to commence in 2022.
Observing the Newcastle commercial market, the workplace is described as pivoting as business leaders are seeing a reduction in business costs with staff working from home and for many this arrangement has become permanent.
Herron Todd White noted that companies are utilising less office space and using only meeting rooms and boardrooms, while hot desking and part time office use is becoming the norm.
However it did note this trend had yet to fully take hold in Newcastle.
"We see vacancy rates in some sectors rising in coming years as leases expire," Director Ed Thwaites said.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

$780 million John Hunter hospital plans revealed amid continuing Newcastle construction

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Lendlease has been awarded the building contract for the new acute services building at the Prince of Wales Hospital.
The building is scheduled to open in 2022.
It is part of the NSW Government’s $720 million Randwick campus redevelopment.
The announcement follows more than 18 months of successful collaboration between Lendlease, NSW government and other key stakeholders.
Lendlease will be required to facilitate a ‘skills legacy pilot program’, in partnership with TAFE NSW, as part of the agreement.
It requires them to provide education, employment and training for women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the long term unemployed, and apprentices.
Lendlease will have 600 construction workers on the site at the peak period.
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wdavis-8cCN98p7xp

Lendlease secures Prince of Wales Randwick redevelopment contract win 

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GUEST OBSERVATION
The federal government has just promised to increase spending on public hospitals from A$21.7 billion in 2018 to A$26.2 billion by 2023. Expect more hospital promises in coming weeks. There is a long history of parties at both state and federal level pledging new hospitals during election campaigns.
Building new hospitals may at first seem sensible, especially as the population grows. But it will not cure the health system’s most pressing ailment. Instead, <a href="https://bcec.edu.au/assets/2018/12/BCEC-To-Health-and-Happiness-Report.pdf" target="_blank">our research</a> shows it’s more effective to focus health policy on people and prevention.
A problem of demand
It is true that hospitals in Australia aren’t keeping up with demand. Though supply of beds has increased, the population is growing while also ageing. This is increasing demand for all health-care services, including hospital beds.
The following graph shows the change in the number of beds per 1,000 people in all states and territories since 2006. Only in the Australian Capital Territory has the ratio improved.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/264557/original/file-20190319-28496-ii13jb.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/264557/original/file-20190319-28496-ii13jb.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Available hospital beds per 1000 population, by region, public hospitals (including psychiatric). <a class="source" href="https://bcec.edu.au/assets/2018/12/BCEC-To-Health-and-Happiness-Report.pdf" target="_blank">Bankwest Curtin Economic Centre | AIHA (various years), Australian hospital statistics, Health Services Series; AIHW (various years), hospital resources' Australian hospital statistics, Health services series.</a>
State and federal governments thus feel a lot of pressure to spend more on hospitals. In 2016-2017 it was <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/health-welfare-expenditure/health-expenditure-australia-2016-17/contents/summary" target="_blank">$69 billion</a> Australia-wide – $2 billion more than the previous year. The following graph shows expenditure on public hospitals by state over the past two decades.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/264579/original/file-20190319-60956-6i0qhw.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/264579/original/file-20190319-60956-6i0qhw.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Public hospital spending in each state since 1996. <a class="source" href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/health-welfare-expenditure/health-expenditure-australia-2016-17/contents/data-visualisation" target="_blank">Australian Institute of Health and Welfare</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" target="_blank">CC BY</a>
Queensland shows the greatest growth over the past two decades. In Western Australia, where we did our research, the proportion of government health budgets spent on public hospitals rose from 26% to 31%.
Preventive measures
We looked at why the hospital care is growing faster than the overall health sector, and what can be done about this.
Our conclusion: there needs to be more focus on the “unsexy” parts of the health-care system that treat people before they get sick enough to need a hospital. Prevention is cheaper and more effective than cure.
For example, it is estimated that A$9 million invested in <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18719075" target="_blank">anti-smoking campaigns</a> between 1997 and 2007 saved A$740 million on smoking-related illnesses like lung cancer.
Yet our breakdown of health spending in Western Australia shows just 1.7% is spent on preventive measures – called “public health spending”. Australia-wide the average percentage is even less, according to <a href="http://fare.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Preventive-health-How-much-does-Australia-spend-and-is-it-enough_FINAL.pdf" target="_blank">research</a> from La Trobe University and the Australian Preventative Partnership Centre.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/264563/original/file-20190319-28468-c37pcs.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/264563/original/file-20190319-28468-c37pcs.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Breakdown of health care spending in WA. <a class="source" href="https://bcec.edu.au/assets/2018/12/BCEC-To-Health-and-Happiness-Report.pdf" target="_blank">Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre | Authors’ calculations from AIHW health expenditure database.</a>
Early medical attention is another way to reduce the need for hospitals. In analysing data from around Western Australia between 2009 and 2016, we generally found that increasing visits to general practitioners reduced the incidence of avoidable deaths (deaths that could have been avoided with better treatment or prevention).
People-centred approach
Limited prevention and early detection comes back to the way we fund health care. Australia’s health system is funded using a “<a href="https://beta.health.gov.au/resources/publications/australias-health-landscape-infographic" target="_blank">hospital-centred</a>” rather than “people-centred” approach.
This means hospitals are funded by the number of patients cared for and the type of procedures done. Hospital and GPs are funded separately. There is no incentive to cooperate and keep people out of hospitals.
A people-centred approach, on the other hand, would give funds based on patients’ health outcomes, rather than their particular treatments. GPs would be paid to manage patients, with the goal of keeping them out of hospital.
This system would particularly help people living in remote and rural regions, including Indigenous Australians, who are disadvantaged by the relative lack of resources being spent on local and preventive health.
The Canterbury model
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/268298/original/file-20190409-2905-15ie8ak.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
The Canterbury region in New Zealand. <a class="source" href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c9/Position_of_Canterbury_Region.png" target="_blank">English Wiki</a>
The best example of such a people-centred system is New Zealand’s <a href="https://www.cdhb.health.nz/about-us/key-projects-and-initiatives/international-report-encourages-health-systems-to-learn-from-canterbury-dhb/" target="_blank">Canterbury model</a> – named after the Canterbury region on New Zealand’s South Island (which includes Christchurch).
Instead of separate budgets for GPs and hospitals, Canterbury created a “one system, one budget” approach. This led to new programs that weren’t possible under the old system. An example is <a href="https://www.kingsfund.org.uk/publications/quest-integrated-health-and-social-care" target="_blank">Healthpathways</a>, which brought together GPs and specialists to decide on treatement programs for individual patients.
In working to make hospitals the last resort, more time and resources have gone to GPs. There are now more 24-hour clinics, for example, making it easier to get treated by a local doctor when needed.
A <a href="https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/6/5/e010709" target="_blank">study of the Canterbury system</a> showed that between 2007 and 2014 the number of people being hospitalised declined from 6.59 to 5.83 per 1,000. While an 11% decline may not seem huge, it represents a significant financial saving, given the high cost of hospitalisation.
Canterbury shows what can be achieved by rethinking how health care funding works. Australia has the opportunity to reimagine its health care system in a similar way.
New hospitals get a lot of attention. Politicians can point to them as concrete evidence they’re doing something to help. But emphasising hospitals as the most important part of the health system comes at a cost, and will only get more so as the population ages.
It’s time to discuss alternatives. Putting more resources into prevention and people is the right medicine for our future health needs.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/111084/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
Steven Bond-Smith, Research Fellow, Bankwest-Curtin Economics Centre, Curtin University
Alan Duncan, Director, Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre and Bankwest Research Chair in Economic Policy, Curtin University
Astghik Mavisakalyan, Associate professor, Curtin University
Yashar Tarverdi, Research fellow, Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre, Curtin University
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/more-hospitals-will-not-cure-australias-ailing-health-care-system-theres-a-more-efficient-way-111084">original article</a>.
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More hospitals will not cure Australia’s ailing health-care system. There’s a more efficient way

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The NSW Liberals &amp; Nationals Government said they are investing $750 million for the redevelopment of the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.
It is the largest investment in the hopsital's 137-year history.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said, "this $750 million commitment for the Stage 1 redevelopment of RPA is a game changer for medical staff and patients."
The Stage 1 redevelopment will include expansion of the Emergency and Imaging departments, reconfiguration and expansion of operating theatres and integration of ambulatory care services.
Mr Hazzard said the Liberals &amp; Nationals Government is investing more than $8 billion in health infrastructure over the next four years, and has invested nearly $10 billion since 2011.
“The NSW Liberals &amp; Nationals Government has already built or upgraded more than 100 hospitals and other health facilities across the State and now RPA is getting its turn"
Redevelopment commenced with the transformation of the Professor Marie Bashir Centre opened in 2014, and the $34.6 million staff car park opened in 2018, in addition to its ongoing support of Chris O’Brien Lifehouse.
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Royal Prince Alfred Hospital set for $750 Million redevelopment

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GUEST OBSERVER
When even teachers and police workers need to travel to the city fringes to find an affordable home that strikes us as a sign of a deeply dysfunctional housing system. Our research shows key workers are being squeezed out of Sydney by a housing market which has left them behind. Yet Sydney stands out among global cities, like New York, London and San Francisco, for having neglected the housing needs of its essential workforce.
In our study, we identify five strategies to tackle the problem. These could make a real difference for key workers and other moderate income earners.
Forced out to the fringes
Unaffordable housing is creating a growing spatial mismatch between where teachers, police, health and emergency workers live and work. Although their jobs are spread throughout the metropolitan region, a majority of Sydney’s 156,000 teachers, nurses, police, firefighters, ambulance and emergency workers now live in outer ring areas.
Our study shows key workers are more concentrated on the metropolitan fringe compared to the labour force generally. And this trend is intensifying.
Over the decade 2006-2016, we found that inner areas of Sydney as well as middle ring areas, including Ryde and Parramatta, lost up to 21.4% of their key worker populations. The largest influxes of key workers were in far-flung Illawarra (a net gain of 10.5%), Hunter Valley (13.6%) and Southern Highlands (17%).
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/205868/original/file-20180212-31377-178trgy.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Some areas of Sydney have lost many of their key workers. Key Worker Housing Affordability in Sydney, Author provided
Barriers to buying a home
Professionally qualified and often with a university degree, key workers typically earn moderate, rather than high incomes.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/205869/original/file-20180212-31355-p7z1f2.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Key workers are on moderate salaries. Key Worker Housing Affordability in Sydney, Author provided
They’re not getting rich while teaching our children or caring for our sick, but the stability of their service-oriented professions usually meant home ownership was a realistic expectation. However, over the past decade, younger key workers have faced new barriers to home ownership.
One of these is the deposit gap. This refers to the number of years it takes to save a deposit on a median-priced home. Most lenders now require a 20% deposit.
Single key workers now need nearly nine years to save a deposit for a dwelling in Sydney’s outer suburbs. Couples on two incomes need to save for more than five years.
Where can key workers afford to live?
To examine where key workers can afford to buy a house we used affordable price thresholds, based on bank lending criteria and assuming a 20% deposit. Again, this analysis showed key workers have very limited choices. Even a senior constable earning around A$98,000 a year is limited to outer Sydney, with the closest options being Penrith and Campbelltown.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/205861/original/file-20180211-51727-pmhycu.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Key workers simply can’t afford to live close to the inner city. Key Worker Housing Affordability in Sydney, Author provided
Their limited housing choices are forcing many key worker households into long car-based commutes.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/205870/original/file-20180212-31359-365gu1.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Key workers face longer-than-average commutes. Key Worker Housing Affordability in Sydney, Author provided
These long commutes take a toll on their families and finances. Sydney high school teacher Kim Timmins explained in a recent opinion piece:
"We made the difficult decision last year to leave our network of family and friends and make the move to the uppermost parts of the Central Coast, the closest place we could afford to buy a home big enough for our growing family. … Our commute is a mix of car and train throughout the week … a complete drain before the day at school and hospital begin, and an economic disadvantage in terms of car travel costs."
What should be done
Several local councils are pursuing important initiatives to provide more affordable rental housing. In our study, we also propose five ideas to help key workers get into home ownership in Sydney.
In particular, the stable employment conditions and moderate incomes of key workers open new possibilities for improving their affordable housing options, without needing additional government subsidy or significant policy change.
Reduce the deposit gap
Key workers have traditionally aspired to, and achieved, home ownership. But those not already on the property ladder face a median house price of around A$900,000 in Sydney. An affordable price for most key workers would be around A$650,000.
To bring home ownership into reach, a shared equity model would allow key workers to buy up to 75% of the home’s value. This would reduce deposit requirements to between 5% and 10% and also make loan repayments more manageable.
Shared equity schemes are offered in South Australia under the government’s HomeStart finance organisation. This has helped many low and moderate income earners into their first home.
Collaborative development models
“Collaborative” development and financing models provide an alternative to conventional multi-unit housing developments. Under these models, individuals are supported in collectively developing a residential project.
The group members collaborate to acquire a site, appoint an architect and manage professionals through planning and construction. Groups are able to save on developer premiums. They can also customise their building and apartments in ways that save on both capital and recurrent costs.
The Nightingale projects in Victoria are an example of this approach. Participants in these schemes can save around 10-12% on prices for comparable apartments.
Alternative tenure arrangements
Alternative tenure arrangements, such as community land trusts, can separate the cost of a dwelling from the cost of land (retained by government or the trust). Under this model, homes are purchased with a conventional mortgage and/or the land component is rented at a marginal rate. Community land trusts are well established in the UK and US, but yet to attract serious policy support in Australia.
Save on construction
Savings in housing design and construction could help increase the supply of affordable homes, provided these savings are passed on to eligible buyers. Innovations in design and construction, as well as reduced requirements for facilities such as car parking (in accessible locations) could reduce costs by up to 25-35%. That equates to savings of A$75,000 to A$100,000 for two-to-three-bedroom units or townhouses.
Increase inclusionary planning targets
Inclusionary planning requires that a proportion of new housing development be affordable for moderate or low income groups. This approach can support various combinations of affordable housing, to be made available as permanent rental housing or sold on the market. Mandating that 20% of dwellings in all major new housing developments are affordable for moderate income earners, including key workers, could deliver 6,000 to 7,000 affordable “start-up” homes per year in Sydney.
Housing slowdown won’t solve key worker exodus
Governments seem to be hoping that slowdowns in Sydney and Melbourne prices, combined with first home buyer stamp duty concessions, have fixed the housing affordability problem. It’s true that regulatory intervention to restrict interest-only loans to 30% of new residential mortgage loans has cooled some investor demand.
However, the housing boom added 70% to Sydney prices from the trough to the peak. This disrupted the home-ownership trajectory of key workers, and in turn added to pressure on the operation of our essential services.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/91476/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">Key workers who don’t own homes may increasingly opt to leave Sydney’s unaffordable housing market. Ultimately, they may seek work in regional New South Wales or elsewhere in Australia. Sydney can ill afford to lose them.
Nicole Gurran, Professor of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Sydney
Catherine Gilbert, Research Assistant and PhD Candidate, Urban Housing Lab, University of Sydney
Peter Phibbs, Director, Henry Halloran Trust, University of Sydney
Yuting Zhang, Research Associate, Urban Housing Lab, University of Sydney
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/key-workers-like-nurses-and-teachers-are-being-squeezed-out-of-sydney-this-is-what-we-can-do-about-it-91476" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Key workers like nurses and teachers are being squeezed out of Sydney: Academics

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Real estate firm Laing+Simmons Parramatta has raised some $3000 for medical research in the first month of its campaign as part of its 21st birthday celebrations. 
From every property sold from July to the end of the year, $300 will be donated to the Westmead Medical Research Foundation.
Ray Fayad, group principal said with five months to go he expects this amount will increase dramatically as sales are boosted by the recent interest rate cut combined with the seasonal spring increase in property market activity.
“Buyer demand for western Sydney property remains strong and our vendors are taking their properties to market with confidence, while also helping us to do our bit for an important cause,” he said.
“They make a real difference to people in need of care and their families, and we’re delighted to be able to support their work as our way of acknowledging our 21 year association with the area.”
The money raised will go towards critical care and research. 
 
For more information, click <a href="https://www.wmrf.org.au%20" target="_blank">here</a>.
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