<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/consolidated-properties">Consolidated Properties Group</a> (CPG) is approaching the launch of its latest Brisbane riverfront development, Castile, on the dress circle Skyring Terrace in Newstead.

VIP buyers are now being engaged, with a full public sales launch coming later this year.

Positioned as the final opportunity to secure a new absolute riverfront residence on the East bank of Newstead, Teneriffe or New Farm, Castile at 47 Skyring Terrace has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a> as a timeless addition to the Brisbane skyline.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150489 project_image_fid=371113]

The name Castile draws on themes of permanence, sophistication and legacy, reflecting a broader vision centred on enduring architecture and timelessness in the rarest of riverfront positions.&nbsp;

CPG Chairman and CEO Don O’Rorke said the project had been envisioned as a future Brisbane icon.&nbsp;

“With 47 metres of direct river frontage and never to be built out views, 47 Skyring Terrace is the definitive address on the Brisbane River,” O’Rorke said.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150489 project_image_fid=371114]

“Rather than following trend-based apartment design, Castile draws inspiration from Brisbane’s great heritage buildings, reinterpreting classical architecture into a contemporary riverfront landmark designed to stand proudly for the next 100 years,” he said.&nbsp;

The approved development will comprise 227 apartments across a 25-storey tower alongside a boutique six-storey riverfront building of just 12 residences.&nbsp;

Construction is scheduled to commence in September 2026.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150489]

Joel Robinson

CPG unveils Castile Newstead ahead of upcoming sales launch

Australia’s online shopping habits have shifted dramatically over the last decade. As eCommerce volumes surged, so too did the frustrations that came with traditional parcel delivery: missed deliveries, long Post Office queues, parcel theft and the challenge of being home during business hours.

Australia Post’s Parcel Lockers emerged as one of the more practical responses to that changing consumer behaviour.

What started as a relatively niche delivery option has evolved into a nationwide network of more than 1,400 self-service Parcel Lockers positioned at train stations, shopping centres, supermarkets and Post Offices across the country. The system allows Australians to send, collect and return parcels 24 hours a day, fundamentally changing how many people interact with deliveries.

The appeal is relatively straightforward: flexibility.

Instead of waiting at home for a delivery driver or rushing to a Post Office before closing time, users can direct eligible parcels to a Parcel Locker location of their choice. Once the parcel arrives, Australia Post sends a notification with a collection code or QR access through the AusPost app, allowing customers to retrieve their package at any time within the collection window.

For apartment residents in particular, the system has become increasingly valuable.

Higher-density living has created logistical challenges around deliveries, especially in buildings without concierge services or secure parcel rooms. Missed deliveries are common, while parcel theft has become an increasing concern as online shopping volumes continue to rise.

Australia Post itself has repeatedly highlighted the growing issue of “porch pirates” during peak shopping periods, encouraging customers to use Parcel Lockers as a safer alternative to unattended home deliveries.

That security aspect is one of the key reasons the Australia Post Parcel Locker network has grown so rapidly.

Parcel Lockers are positioned as secure, monitored collection points that reduce the risk of theft while also improving delivery efficiency for Australia Post. Instead of multiple redelivery attempts, parcels can be consolidated into a single secure destination.

The Parcel Lockers themselves are free to use through a MyPost account and support a range of parcel sizes up to 16 kilograms and dimensions of approximately 35 x 44 x 61 centimetres.

Beyond receiving parcels, the system has increasingly become integrated into the broader eCommerce ecosystem.

Customers can now use Parcel Lockers to return online purchases, while retailers have embraced the model as a way to improve delivery success rates and reduce friction in the shopping process. Australia Post has actively expanded partnerships with major retailers and promoted Parcel Lockers as part of a broader out-of-home strategy.

The timing of that expansion aligns with broader changes in Australian shopping behaviour.

The acceleration of online retail during and after the pandemic placed enormous pressure on delivery infrastructure. Parcel volumes reached record highs, particularly during Black Friday and Christmas periods, with Australia Post delivering more than 100 million parcels during peak festive seasons.

That growth forced logistics providers to rethink the “last mile” of delivery, widely regarded as the most expensive and operationally difficult stage of the process.

Parcel Locker systems have increasingly been viewed as part of the long-term solution.

The concept itself is not unique to Australia. Parcel Locker networks have become common globally, particularly across Europe and Asia, where dense urban environments and apartment living create similar logistical challenges. But Australia’s geography and suburban sprawl made adoption slower initially.

Now, however, the convenience factor is driving mainstream usage.

For commuters, Parcel Lockers near train stations allow parcels to be collected on the way home from work. For apartment dwellers, they remove the uncertainty around access and missed deliveries.

The rise of the AusPost app has also streamlined the experience, centralising notifications, tracking and Parcel Locker access into a single platform. Australia Post has increasingly pushed customers toward app-based delivery management, partly as a way to combat phishing scams and fake delivery notifications, which have become more sophisticated in recent years.

The Parcel Locker model is also beginning to influence property development itself.

Parcel management has become a growing consideration in apartment building design, particularly as online shopping becomes embedded in everyday life. Many new residential developments are now incorporating dedicated parcel rooms or Parcel Locker systems into foyers and communal spaces.

For developers, parcel management is increasingly viewed as part of the broader resident amenity offering, alongside gyms, wellness spaces and communal work areas.

That reflects a wider evolution in how residential buildings are designed.

Apartment buyers are placing greater emphasis on convenience, security and operational functionality, particularly in higher-density urban environments. Parcel delivery, once considered a minor operational detail, has become an increasingly important part of that equation.

Australia Post’s Parcel Locker network sits at the centre of that behavioural shift.

What began as a simple alternative delivery option has evolved into a key piece of infrastructure supporting Australia’s growing eCommerce economy and changing urban lifestyles.

And as online shopping continues to expand, the role of Parcel Lockers is likely to become even more embedded in how Australians live, shop and receive goods.

How Australia Post Parcel Lockers changed parcel delivery convenience in Australia

Perth’s new apartment market recorded its strongest quarter of sales since Q4 2021, with 412 apartments sold in Q1 2026 and a record quarterly sold value of $537 million, according to Urbis’ latest Apartment Essentials results.

Urbis said the March quarter result reflects strong, highly product‑specific demand across both ends of the market, from more attainable projects delivering at scale, through to premium stock being absorbed by equity‑rich downsizers.&nbsp;

David Cresp, Partner at Urbis, said the key story in Perth is not demand, it is the market’s ability to convert demand into delivered housing.&nbsp;

“This is the strongest sales quarter since Q4 2021, and it reinforces that demand in Perth is real and it’s local,” David Cresp said. “But the task now is delivery, turning that demand into projects that can actually be built and completed.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110291 project_image_fid=302785]

<h2>Affordable product leads, premium demand remains resilient</h2>

Sales in Q1 were led by more affordable projects, with The Boulevard (SKS Group) recording 115 sales in the quarter, the presentation noting this is only the second time a single project has surpassed 100 quarterly sales. The project was able to offer more affordable housing product right next to a train station.&nbsp;

Palmyra West (Finbar) also delivered strong results with 28 sales in Q1, following 84 sales in Q4, with an average price of under $800,000, underscoring depth of demand for well‑located, attainable new stock.&nbsp;

At the premium end, Urbis said downsizer demand is continuing, with the results highlighting Romeo (Applecross, Finbar) recording 75 sales and reaching almost 50% sold in one quarter.

Jual (Shenton Park, Celsius Property) also posted a strong quarter with 28 sales, reaching 39% sold in one quarter.

Urbis noted that Perth apartment demand is not speculative, not investor‑led, and not uniform, describing it as localised, often equity‑driven and highly product‑specific, a pattern reflected in the polarisation between strong “attainable” performers and premium downsizer product.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=148957 project_image_fid=364102]

<h2>Prices underpinned by costs, and the delivery risk is growing</h2>

Urbis said pricing pressure is cost not demand‑driven: construction costs and delivery risk are now a central constraint, with the results noting build costs remain elevated and volatile, and that energy, fuel and labour uncertainty weigh on feasibility.

David Cresp said a growing challenge for private Build‑to‑Sell developers is simply securing a builder in the current environment.

“Developers are really feeling the pressure from a building market that was operating at capacity and securing a builder is challenging,” David Cresp said, adding that even where a builder can be secured, “trying to get to the price that makes the development financially viable is incredibly challenging in the current market.”&nbsp;

Urbis’ broader WA commentary also notes that industry remains at or above capacity with lot and housing creation, and that many builders are limiting new sales to manage stretched workforces and fixed‑price contract pressures, conditions that flow directly into apartment feasibility and delivery timing.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108869 project_image_fid=317905]

<h2>Supply: improving later, but still constrained, and Perth lags eastern benchmarks</h2>

While near‑term supply remains constrained, Urbis’ forecast shows completions lifting “Supply is forecast to be back above 1,500 apartments per annum for the first time since 2019”, with 1,775 completions forecast for 2026, and volumes remaining above that level over the following years.&nbsp;

Looking further ahead, completions are forecast to reach 2,500 in 2028, with the report noting 32% of that total is social/affordable, reflecting the role of government‑supported delivery in rebuilding the pipeline.&nbsp;

However, Urbis said Perth remains behind comparable markets on pipeline scale. In a national comparison of projects under construction, the report shows under construction Perth Build‑to‑Sell (BTS) at 3,446 apartments versus the Gold Coast at 7,922. Mr Cresp said “The challenge for Perth is how to we grow the delivery pipeline”.

Urbis’ conclusion is that Perth’s market is increasingly defined by product discipline and delivery certainty, with the research identifying “delivery certainty is key” and calling out builder risk and procurement models as core success factors, alongside “timing and staging”.&nbsp;

Perth apartment sales hit strongest pace since late 2021 as builder capacity tightens

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sammut-developments">Sammut Group</a> has secured development approval for its latest Brisbane apartment project, marking the Sydney developer’s next step in expanding its Queensland pipeline following the success of its debut Gold Coast development, Coast.

The approved project at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/44-glen-road-toowong-qld-4066">44 Glen Road, </a><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/toowong-qld-4066">Toowong</a> will deliver a 15-storey riverfront apartment building with 42 residences, significantly increasing the scale of the site’s previous approval for a smaller luxury scheme. Designed by Bureau^proberts, the development will comprise a mix of predominantly four-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments positioned to maximise Brisbane River and city views.

Sammut Director Julian Sammut said the group had been actively searching Brisbane for several years before identifying Toowong as the right fit.

“Brisbane was the right step for Sammut,” Sammut said.

“With the success of Coast we thought we should definitely look to do more in Queensland alone. We then pushed up to look at Brisbane. We've been looking for I'd say two to three years actually and it was hard to find the right location.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_75/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.14%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=dYAVIL7qdcGA8ojvkslSrLjczXFejSSx" />

Sammut said suburbs including New Farm and Teneriffe were considered before the group ultimately focused on Toowong due to its strong downsizer demographic and limited supply of developable riverfront land.

The site was acquired off-market after what Sammut described as a lengthy negotiation and planning process, with the developer pursuing an uplift to the original approval.

“We are DA approved now which is very exciting,” Sammut said.

“We've had our change approval come through and we've obviously doubled the height, 15 storeys plus rooftop. We've got 42 amazing apartments that are going to be coming to market soon.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.26%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=ohkRkY0dIZlqdfME2EZePsCQavRiBadE" />

Bureau^proberts said the design responds to Toowong’s evolving urban character, balancing contemporary apartment living with the area’s established residential identity.

“A place where traditional Queensland living has taken place for centuries; Toowong is seeing a shift of contemporary influence, commercial and retail hubs mixed with well-considered residential offerings – all the while maintaining its character and charm,” the architect noted in planning documents submitted to Brisbane City Council.

The architecture practice said the project’s form was shaped by its riverfront setting, flood considerations, neighbouring building scales, and view corridors.

“They said the mix of four and two-bedroom apartments capture the ‘fundamental qualities of Queenslander living,’ translated into the context of a contemporary subtropical building.”

The development sits just off Coronation Drive within walking distance of Toowong’s retail precinct and the upgraded Regatta ferry terminal, while also benefiting from proximity to the incoming green bridge connection to West End. Sammut said the accessibility and amenity offering were central to the site’s appeal.

The approval adds to growing residential activity along the Toowong riverfront, joining nearby projects including Consolidated Properties’ Monarch Residences and Spyre Group’s ARC Residences.

Sammut secures approval for debut Brisbane apartment development in Toowong

Developer Lanevick is heading back into Sydney’s apartment market after focusing more heavily on the luxury townhouse and terrace sector in recent years.

Lanevick, founded and directed by Steve Maroun, is expecting to receive approval in the coming months for a new apartment development in Gladesville, with the aim to launch it to the market later this year.

The 51-apartment project, designed by Studio Johnston, will comprise a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments positioned toward the Hunters Hill downsizer market.

“Traditionally it’s been difficult for people in that market to downsize because there just hasn’t been the right product available,” Maroun said.

“We’re targeting buyers who might have 30 to 40 per cent of their house value sitting in the bank after downsizing.

“They still want good spacious entertaining areas, they still want quality design, but they also want flexibility and the ability to enjoy life a bit more after working hard for a long time.”

The project sits near Boronia Park and within close proximity to the Parramatta River foreshore, an area Maroun says offers more of a Hunters Hill lifestyle than a traditional apartment precinct.

“From a lifestyle perspective, it’s really more Hunters Hill than Gladesville,” Maroun said. “You’re close to the foreshore, close to parklands, and still connected back into the village precinct.”

From level four and above, apartments will capture water views&nbsp;toward Sydney Harbour. Communal amenity will include rooftop entertaining areas, wellness spaces, and a gym tailored toward owner-occupier buyers.

“We’ve really designed these apartments around that buyer coming from the Hunters Hill LGA and what they’re actually looking for in their next chapter.”

The proposed development has also been designed to respond to the changing character of the broader Gladesville town centre, where a growing number of mixed-use and residential proposals are expected to emerge over the coming years.

“Gladesville presented a rare opportunity to deliver a genuinely design-led residential project within an evolving lifestyle precinct, just moments from the growing Gladesville town centre, and we’ve approached the project with a strong focus on architecture, liveability and long-term community value,” Maroun said.

Maroun said Lanevick saw a first-mover advantage within the precinct as planning controls continue to evolve to accommodate greater housing density.

“We think there’s a real opportunity there that hasn’t really been serviced properly yet,” he said.

“There’s going to be a broader evolution of the whole Gladesville village precinct over time, particularly with more activation and mixed-use outcomes.”

The Venus Street proposal will include a commercial and retail component at ground level designed to contribute to that evolving streetscape activation.

“A big part of the thinking was how do you activate that area properly and create more vibrancy and amenity, which is what Hunters Hill has been looking for,” Maroun said.

Lanevick’s focus since 2020 has largely been on smaller-scale luxury townhouse and terrace developments. The developer recently completed Royale Randwick, also designed by Studio Johnston, where prices reached $3.65 million. The project was featured in the UDIA NSW 2026 Professional Development Prospectus and was also named a finalist for Development of the Year.

&nbsp;

Lanevick to cater for Hunters Hill downsizers with new Gladesville apartment development

Land Tax

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Queensland's state government has decided to tax foreign landowners with a 1.5 percent absentee land tax surcharge on land worth more than $350,000, following NSW and Victoria's moves to levy more taxes on foreigners.
The absentee land tax surcharge comes on top of the 3 percent transfer duty surcharge, which was introduced in 2016.
The new levy is expected to generate revenue of $20 million a year from 2017-18. 
Queensland Treasurer Curtis Pitt was quoted as saying by The Courier Mail that the “surcharge ensures that absentee owners of land are making a fair contribution and it has no direct impact on Queenslanders.”
Earlier this month, New South Wales announced it would double its foreign investors stamp duty surcharge to 8 percent as part of premier Gladys Berejiklian’s moves to address housing affordability ahead of the budget. 
And Victoria announced it would impose a tax on homeowners who leave their properties vacant in a bid to make housing more affordable in and around Melbourne
Victoria's Vacant Residential Property Tax will be levied at 1 percent, multiplied by the capital improved value of the taxable property. 
In May's Federal Budget, the Australian government also announced a new tax on any vacant properties owned by foreigners in a bid to improve housing affordability.
The new charge is expected to bring in $16.3 million over the forward estimates being monitored by the Australian Tax Office.
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Queensland to slug foreigners with absentee land tax surcharge

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No one needs to do more about housing affordability than the NSW State Government. Sadly, no one is doing less.
The Victoria State Government has made an encouraging start to tackling some of the issues in Melbourne. The Northern Territory Government is doing plenty to help first-home buyers in Darwin.
Even in Tasmania, where Hobart prices are so low relative to other cities you wonder why they feel the need, the State Government is taking decisive action to help young buyers and the housing industry generally.
But in Sydney, the location with the biggest problems, the NSW Government has to date done nothing.
It has contributed mightily to the problems by ripping obscene amounts of revenue out of the housing industry and imposing major regulatory burdens on the development industry. But despite the rhetoric of Premier Gladys Berejiklian (who, as a former state treasurer should have some understanding of the issues and the numbers), the State Government has done nothing to assist.
In NSW stamp duty receipts have reached a record high. Official figures show that $1.98 billion in stamp duty poured into government coffers in the March Quarter alone – a $315 million increase on the first quarter of last financial year.
Stamp duty from all property transfers has risen $859 million so far this financial year, compared with the same period in 2015-16. This represents a 10 percent increase in stamp duty on residential property, outpacing the Treasury forecast of a 4.8 percent rise for 2016-17.
That’s a major part of the problem. The State Government has built a Budget surplus on the back of revenue from real estate, thereby adding to the costs that burden buyers, while claiming to care about affordability issues.
In considering what it can do ease price pressures, the NSW Government might ponder this question: why does residential land in Sydney cost twice what it does in Melbourne? The median price for a home site in Sydney in 2016 was double that of Melbourne’s, according to the recent State of the Land report.
One possible explanation is that Melbourne brought far more residential land to the market last year than Sydney did. Indeed, 40 percent of the new land marketed in capital city Australia in 2016 was in Melbourne.
Increasing supply is regarded by some as the silver bullet solution. It’s not, but it’s certainly part of range of measures that jointly might create improvement.
And certainly the Property Council has “turbo-charging housing supply through increased land supply and planning reform” at the top of its five-point plan to address affordability issues in Sydney. If Melbourne can create so much new housing land for sale, what’s holding Sydney back?
Increasing the supply of housing won’t help affordability if the new dwellings are expensive, because it costs so much to create them.
Which is why next on the Property Council wish list comes “reforming state property taxes and reducing fees, charges and red tape”.
It’s been reported many times but it’s worth repeating: research indicates that 40 percent of the cost of creating the average house-and-land package comprises government fees, charges and taxes.
That reinforces my view that the politicians who rage against foreign investors and negative-geared Australian investors are themselves the problem. Every time a state government in Australia announces its annual Budget, affordability in that state gets worse.
Some of the most vocal critics of the affordability problem in Sydney have been NSW state politicians, when they themselves are the people best placed to create remedies. They can start by reducing the cost burdens they place on the process of building and buying new homes.
Meanwhile, their populist scapegoating of foreign investors, and multiple measures by federal and state governments to nobble offshore buyers, are making the affordability problems worse.
The most effective way to cause property prices to fall – indeed, in my experience, the only way – is to create an oversupply. Some of our major cities have been heading unwittingly down that path recently, notably in the inner-city apartment markets in Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane.
But major projects made viable by the prospect of selling some of the product to foreign buyers will not proceed because of a range of measures by federal and state governments to make investment by offshore buyers unattractive, if not unviable.
They’ve made matters worse for young buyers while claiming to be improving their chances.
Don’t be surprised if one of the few measures the NSW State Government will introduce in its next Budget will be extra taxes and charges on foreign buyers. It will be another cash grab, dressed up as policy to “level the playing field for young Australians”.
Terry Ryder is the founder of <a href="https://www.hotspotting.com.au/" target="_blank">hotspotting.com.au</a>. You can <a href="mailto:%20%3Cscript%20type='text/javascript'%3E%20%3C!--%20var%20prefix%20=%20'ma'%20+%20'il'%20+%20'to';%20var%20path%20=%20'hr'%20+%20'ef'%20+%20'=';%20var%20addy38821%20=%20'ryder'%20+%20'@';%20addy38821%20=%20addy38821%20+%20'hotspotting'%20+%20'.'%20+%20'com'%20+%20'.'%20+%20'au';%20document.write('%3Ca%20'%20+%20path%20+%20'/''%20+%20prefix%20+%20':'%20+%20addy38821%20+%20'/'%3E');%20document.write(addy38821);%20document.write('%3C//a%3E');%20//--%3E/n%20%3C/script%3E%3Cscript%20type='text/javascript'" target="_blank">email him</a> or follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/hotspotting" target="_blank">Twitter.</a>
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terryryder-YECXbqmri2

Why does residential land in Sydney cost twice what it does in Melbourne?

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GUEST OBSERVER
Minister Dominic Perrottet’s proposal to replace the transaction tax of stamp duty with a broad based land tax will help housing affordability. 
The Urban Taskforce has previously advocated for the replacement of stamp duty with a land tax and it is good to see the NSW Finance Minister raising the potential for this to occur.
Adding around $40,000 to the cost of buying a home discourages sales and increases the cost of housing.
Clearly state governments have come to rely on stamp duty income with NSW expecting $8.7 billion this year. The stamp duty will provide more funds in boom times and this will diminish as the market slows down. A land tax however will give consistent income that grows with the value of land.
Land tax, especially if it is distributed across all land, is a good way for governments to capture value from the uplift in land value through the impact of new infrastructure like a metro rail line.
Stamp duty is also contributing to an even bigger issue by discouraging owners of large homes to downsize to a smaller home. NSW Planning Minister, Rob Stokes, has raised the issue of the large number of unused bedrooms in large houses occupied by one or two older people. The removal of stamp duty would be an incentive for these people to downsize leaving the larger home for a family.
Housing Affordability is clearly a big issue across Sydney and the Urban Taskforce has recently proposed an approach that could yield 4,000 new affordable rental homes a year by modifying the NSW Affordable Rental Housing SEPP. We also support a speeding up of the planning system to boost supply and the removal of stamp duty. These three measures, using the Affordable Rental Housing SEPP, speeding up the planning system and replacing stamp duty would go a long way to helping with housing affordability in Sydney.
Recent demographic data from the NSW Department of Planning has shown that the population is increasing faster than expected. This means Sydney must average 37,000 new homes a year but in the current boom times this should be around 40,000 homes. Last financial year only 30,000 homes were built which is 10,000 below what is needed. The Urban Taskforce proposal to allow housing projects to add 20 percent more area for affordable homes would also boost supply in Sydney by around 4,000 a year.
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The Urban Taskforce is keen to work with all levels of government to find ways to help with housing affordability. As the major providers of new housing stock it is the developers who must be incentivised to provide the thousands of affordable homes Sydney desperately needs.
Chris Johnson is chief executive officer of property development industry group Urban Taskforce and can be contacted <a href="https://www.urbantaskforce.com.au" target="_blank">here</a>.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Replacing stamp duty with land tax will help housing affordability

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Land ownership, site value and land use as at midnight 30 June each year is used to determine the land tax for the forthcoming financial year.
Land tax revenue assists in the provision of public services such as education, health and public safety.
RevenueSA is responsible for the collection of land tax under the Land Tax Act 1936, the Taxation Administration Act 1996and associated Regulations.
For details on how land tax is calculated refer to the <a href="https://www.revenuesa.sa.gov.au/taxes-and-duties/land-tax/forms/LTGxx_0515_54767-RevSA-LandTaxGuide.pdf" target="_blank">Guide to Land Tax</a> or the <a href="https://www.revenuesa.sa.gov.au/taxes-and-duties/land-tax/guides-to-legislation" target="_blank">Land Tax Guide to Legislation</a>.
You can also use our <a href="https://www.revenuesa.sa.gov.au/taxes-and-duties/land-tax/calculate-land-tax-new" target="_blank">calculator</a> to determine your land tax.
An <a href="https://www.revenuesa.sa.gov.au/taxes-and-duties/land-tax/exemption-from-land-tax" target="_blank">exemption</a> from land tax may be available depending on the use of the property and/or the owner of the property.
Where a property is held on Trust, the trustees can apply to have that property assessed separately from other land owned by the trustee in another capacity.
 
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Property 101: Guide to land tax in South Australia

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The practice of taxing foreigner property holdings at a higher rate than the locals is a world wide trend finally taken up by Australian legislators.
It looks like it will become the norm too in Sydney any day now. 
Just like the Labor Government in Victoria in 2015, overseas property investors look set to soon have to pay more to own a home in NSW under Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian’s upcoming state budget­.
The Daly Telegraph's state politics reporter Andrew Clennell says Ms Berejiklian is seriously considering a 1.5 percent foreigner land tax surcharge to "tackle housing affordability­" in the June budget.
It would mimic a 1.5 percent surcharge in Victoria, ­although there is a hint Ms Berejiklian could impose a slightly lesser rate of 1 percent, perhaps to obtain a competitive advantage over our southern rivals.
Victoria also imposes an extra 7 percent on stamp duty for foreign buyers but Ms Berejiklian is understood to have ruled that out.
In Victoria Premier Daniel introduced a 3 percent stamp duty charge and a 0.5 percent land tax levy for foreigners in his first 2015 budget and increased them to 7 percent and 1.5 percent this year.
Those measures are predicted to raise $486 million over four years.
Forget the tackling housing affordability, such measures are really just a cash grab against a buying group whose voice can't be heard at the ballot box.
Since words of the higher land tax emerged industry groups have been quick to suggest the proposals against foreign investors could actually slow down housing construction supply.
“The proposals by NSW Treasury to impose surcharge on land tax on foreign investors in housing will be a disincentive to invest in NSW,” says Urban Taskforce CEO, Chris Johnson. 
Johnson's taskforce says the Sydney region needs 33,200 new homes a year, but last financial year only 27,348 were built leaving a shortfall of nearly 6,000 homes.
"We must do all we can to boost housing supply and foreign investors have been contributing to this particularly through new apartments.
"To send a message that these investments are not wanted in NSW can only reduce the flow of capital into new housing.”
“Foreign investors often help make development projects become feasible by underpinning the pre-sales with up to 15% of purchases and this helps local purchasers buy into a viable project.”
But there has already been a slow-down in housing approvals in NSW inpart due to prior budgetry measures.
NSW lead the way on restricting first home grants for new builds rather than established homes, and this has contributed to record low recipients.
In the last budget NSW land tax revenues were forecast to rise at a faster rate than stamp duty revenues, rising from $2.49 billion this financial year to $3.11 billion by 2018-19.
This was based on no change in the tax rate, just reflecting growth in land values. 
The benchmark land tax base is the average of the last three years unimproved land value of all land owned above the indexed threshold for that year. The benchmark tax rate for the 2015 land tax year is $100 plus 1.6 percent of the land value between the thresholds of $432,000 and $2,641,000, and 2 percent thereafter.
Total stamp duty revenues were forecast to rise from $7.29 billion this year to $8.6 billion in 2018-19.
Property has become the constant cash cow for increasing desperate governments with just more than half of state and local government tax revenue now coming from property.
And it ain't ever going to ease off.
This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph.
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Taxing foreigner property holdings at a higher rate to become the norm

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GUEST OBSERVER
Stamp duty is a tax that discourages the buying of homes and it should be replaced by a broad land tax. 
State governments have become comfortable with the large income they get from stamp duty on the purchase of homes but they must look at better, more efficient ways to raise funds.
Sydney’s housing is among the most expensive in the world and this is partly driven by the various taxes and levies required by governments. A broad based land tax would spread the income base across all land owners rather than only focussing on the sale of homes.
Recent discussion in the media has advocated for the end of stamp duty, to be replaced with an ongoing annual land tax, and this move has gained widespread support from business groups, social service advocates and the development industry. 
Many economists, including the Prime Minister himself, and Ken Henry, author of the 2010 Henry Tax Review, have stated that a broad based land tax is the most equitable and fairest way to tax property owners and developers. Unlike stamp duty which imposes a huge up-front financial burden upon home buyers, a broad-based land tax, paid annually and spread over a wider base of people, provides a steady income stream to government to fund infrastructure and does not hurt home buyers the way stamp duty does. 
Increasingly, young people are finding it more and costly to purchase a home, and stamp duty adds thousands and thousands to the cost of their mortgage. A land tax ensures that a larger pool of people contribute a small amount of tax, rather than hitting a home buyers with huge financial burden. Who wants to see their children struggling to pay off all thousands of dollars of taxes when they buy their first home? 
Broad based land taxes are simple to administer and encourage urban consolidation as the tax paid is based upon the size of the land. This tax encourages a more environmentally sustainable urban form. 
This is an excellent tax reform and will provide huge benefits for home buyers and a steady income stream for the government to fund infrastructure. 
Chris Johnson is chief executive officer of property development industry group Urban Taskforce and can be contacted <a href="https://www.urbantaskforce.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=97&amp;Itemid=126#.Vdaart55dFI" target="_blank">here</a>. 
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A broad land tax should replace stamp duty: Chris Johnson

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GUEST OBSERVER
Increasing land tax as an alternative to raising the GST rate could have far reaching ramifications on both property owners and the broader property industry. 
Imposing land tax to all land owners from a state level should only be considered in line with the reduction or abolition of transfer duty. 
Failure to do this could cause the property industry, one of Australia’s largest earners and employers, to slow drastically.
Lifting the GST rate could potentially have a regressive tax impact. 
Lower income earners generally spend a higher proportion of their income on necessities. 
Land is already heavily taxed through stamp duty, such as transfer duty, landholder duty, rates, income tax, including capital gains tax and, of course, land tax.
If land tax was to be increased, it could dampen activities in the sector which could also affect those working in the industry and the wider economy, not just property owners. 
Making the ownership and transaction costs of property too expensive could reduce investment and development activities in the sector. 
We all know the impact of a property industry downturn, which affects a wide range of workers in the real estate and construction industries, not just property owners. 
Many property owners are just mum and dad investors, so increasing ownership costs through land tax could erode the viability of their investments, which may also trigger a potential depression in property investments. 
It is not fair to punish people for wanting to get ahead financially by investing in property.
BDO is committed to encouraging public debate and being at the forefront of discussions around Australian tax reform. From next week BDO invites participation in the annual BDO Tax Reform Survey.
Hung Tran is BDO Brisbane Real Estate and Construction partner and can be contacted <a href="https://www.bdo.com.au/en-au/our-people/hung-tran" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Land tax hike not viable alternative to GST reform

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GUEST OBSERVER
The major cities of Australia and New Zealand are experiencing an extraordinary wave of speculation in their respective real estate markets.
Over the past three years, the median house price to median income ratio has increased by 21.2% in Australia and 18.1% in New Zealand, a rate reminiscent of Ireland’s 20.5% before its housing crash at the time of the global financial crisis.
The rapid increase in property unaffordability on both sides of the Tasman has enriched a number of homeowners and speculators and made countless more eager to join the game. But it has had dramatic effects for businesses and landless families who find it exceedingly difficult to afford a place to live, work or operate.
Unsurprisingly, a lot of column space and political deliberation have been dedicated to finding a solution to the problem. Much of the analysis points to a lack of housing supply at a time of increasing demand as being the main driver of rising prices, resulting in a simple policy prescription: increase the supply of housing.
The main problem with this argument is it ignores the fact that it is land, not physical structures, that appreciates in value, making it an obvious area for speculation. Unlike houses or genuine capital, land does not depreciate or require maintenance. Instead, the value of land reflects its economic potential due to public expenditures on infrastructure (such as roads, schools or railway stations) in its vicinity and the effort and entrepreneurship of local workers and entrepreneurs.
When land prices soar, residential real estate becomes a more attractive investment opportunity than productive businesses. Land bubbles tend to produce two seemingly contradictory effects. Firstly, it produces urban sprawl as businesses and families are forced to seek cheaper land outside of the urban centres. Secondly, as owners are more interested in expected capital gains than any productive activities, much valuable land become idle.
Eventually, the burden of debt, lack of affordable land and investments based on wrong signals (e.g. luxurious condominiums promising high-profit margins) start affecting the real economy. As workers lose their jobs, they become unable to repay their debts and are forced to sell. Land prices finally stagnate and then fall, taking leveraged banks, speculators and people’s life savings with them. It is, therefore, clear that to escape this never-ending cycle, we need to focus on land.
Over a century ago, American economist Henry George suggested instead of taxing workers and entrepreneurs, governments should raise their revenue from land via a land value tax (LVT).
Indeed, both Australia (land taxes at the state level) and New Zealand (property rates at the council level) already have some taxation of land in place. But over the last century these taxes have become significantly debased due to the influence of various interest groups that secured exemptions or low rates. It is time to reconsider shifting the fiscal balance back onto land.
Unlike the land taxes already in place or the often suggested capital gains tax, LVT does not punish anyone for constructing houses or factories in the way that our current taxes do. As the supply of land is fixed, LVT becomes a cost of owning it. Consequently, it can bring in a decrease in prices as the owners of inefficiently used sites might feel compelled to sell or lease them to those willing to use them productively. Increasing the cost of owning land would drastically reduce the incentives for speculation.
Imagine central Auckland or Melbourne without vacant sites or dilapidated buildings. What is more, encouraging more efficient use of land is not only beneficial to economic growth and housing affordability, but also has a potential to substantially lower the costs of public infrastructure and encourage more efficient use of space and natural resources.
LVT would be a transparent and efficient alternative to our current taxes which are not only burdensome on businesses and families but also difficult and expensive to administer and enforce. It is impossible to hide land in a tax haven or a trust (trusts are not exempt from the current land taxes). Taxing it can be done cheaply and on the basis of publicly available information.
While LVT might persuade some modest-income earners to sell their valuable properties, most workers and homeowners would get net benefits from a reduction in taxes falling on their income (income taxes) and consumption (GST). Furthermore, a citizen’s dividend could be introduced in which part of the revenue raised from LVT is directly paid out to all citizens on a per-capita basis.
Given the multiple problems stemming from the rapidly expanding housing bubbles in Australia and New Zealand, introducing a tax on unimproved land values makes sense. Not only would it undoubtedly address house price inflation, it could also result in a more efficient use of land, mitigate urban sprawl, lower the burden on the natural environment and reduce the risk of real estate bubbles; all this without undermining the foundations of economic growth.
 
Nicholas Ross Smith is professional teaching fellow, University of Auckland and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicholas-ross-smith-201827" target="_blank">here</a>. Zbigniew Dumieński is lecturer, University of Auckland and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/zbigniew-dumienski-201829" target="_blank">here</a>. Both are authors for The Conversation.
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A land value tax could fix Australasia’s housing crisis

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Australia does not build enough new housing to support the growing population according to the Urban Development Institute of Australia with inadequate investment in urban infrastructure, high taxes and charges and excessive red tape on new developments driving the shortage in housing supply.
Whilst the overall rate of home ownership has only declined by a relatively modest 7%, from 71.3% of households in 1982 to 64.3% of households in 2011, according to UDIA, it masks the disproportionate decline experienced by younger generations, where rates of home ownership have collapsed. 
"The 25-34 and 35-34 year old demographics have seen the largest declines in the rate of home ownership, falling by 39% and 20% respectively. 
<a href="/images/2015/08/26/Screen%20Shot%202015-08-26%20at%209.31.53%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/08/26/Screen%20Shot%202015-08-26%20at%209.31.53%20PM.png" alt="">
In the submission to the inquiry into Home Ownership, UDIA says there is an urgent need for governments to take necessary action in order to resolve these issues and restore housing affordability.
"UDIA is strongly of the view that Australia has not built enough new dwellings to support population growth for many years, and that the country now suffers from a significant underlying shortage of homes, pushing up both rents and house prices. 
"Population growth must be planned for, with the necessary land, new housing and infrastructure to support population growth. Doing so will ensure that population growth is managed sustainably and for the benefit of the entire community. 
"Timely and sufficient provision of new urban infrastructure, such as transport, utilities, and community facilities is a particularly important factor for ensuring an adequate supply of new land. Infrastructure investment can act as a critical catalyst for development and new supply, by improving access and opening up new areas for urban growth."
UDIA made several recommendations to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics such as provide additional funding for investment in new urban infrastructure, in order to unlock land for development. 
"The Commonwealth should work with state governments to prepare comprehensive strategic plans for future urban infrastructure, land-use planning, and land supply, to align with forecast population growth. 
"Facilitate non-traditional methods of funding infrastructure, to increase the level of funding available for infrastructure investment at both a federal and state level."
UDIA believes that costs associated with the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act) are a concern for the development industry.
"The Commonwealth should work with State Governments to undertake planning system reform to reduce delays and increase certainty in planning, zoning, assessment and approval systems, and increase the flexibility with which they operate. 
"UDIA supports the creation of a single, streamlined environmental approvals system to reduce the red tape associated with duplicated systems, without harming environmental outcomes. The Government should continue with its plan to streamline the environmental approval process to create a ‘one stop shop’. 
"The Commonwealth should stop attempts to restrict development around airports and airport corridors beyond the current and existing standards. 
"Stamp duty on property purchases should be phased out, and replaced with more efficient taxes, such as a broadening of the GST. 
"Governments should avoid revenue raising through the application of up front developer charges, and should seek to fund infrastructure through recurring charges directly related to specific infrastructure investment, over extended time frames. 
"The Commonwealth should cease plans to shift the cost of providing the National Broadband Network to new home buyers through up front connection, network and backhaul charges. 
"Governments should commit to broadening the base and reducing the rate of land tax regimes over a number of years, as an efficient way to raise revenue and reduce reliance on up front developer charges. 
"Governments should ensure land taxes apply per land holding, not on an aggregate basis, to in order promote large scale land development. 
"Land taxes should be levied on only the unimproved value of land, to avoid distorting disincentives to invest in improvements. 
"Exclude state and local government taxes and charges from GST calculations on land development, to reduce double taxation and improve tax system integrity. 
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New housing needed to support population: UDIA

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Land tax is a tax levied on the owners of land as at midnight of the relevant date of each year depending on the state in which the property is located (refer below for dates for respective states).
Land tax may apply to land regardless of whether income is earned from the land depending on the state jurisdiction applicable. Each state is responsible for the calculation and collection of land tax and it is only applied to land held in a respective state.  (The tax is not applied to cumulative holdings of land across Australia.)
Assessment Dates     
<ul>
<li>   NSW – 31 December</li>
<li>   VIC - 31 December</li>
<li>   QLD – 30 June</li>
<li>   SA - 30 June    </li>
<li>   WA - 30 June</li>
<li>   TAS - 30 June</li>
<li>   ACT - 30 June</li>
</ul>
Note: NT does not apply land tax
Land Tax Registration
It is a requirement for individuals and entities to register their interests in land with the respective State Revenue Office (OSR).  
In some states this a requirement regardless of whether the individual or entity is below any land tax threshold. For example, many self-managed superannuation (SMSF) trustees have acquired investment property during the past few years (this includes SMSFs that have acquired their own business premises).  
The acquisition of one investment property would often result in the land value of this investment being below the respective land tax threshold. Regardless the SMSF trustee may be required to register the entity’s interest in the property with the appropriate OSR. The same principle applies for all individuals and entities. 
It is not essential to derive income from a property to have it subject to land tax. A holiday home used exclusively by the family may be subject to land tax and be subject to registration.
Land Tax Thresholds and initial rate for values above threshold
<ul>
<li>  NSW: $432,000  -  $100 + 1.6% per $ (scaled)</li>
<li>  VIC: $250,000    -  $275 + 0.2% per $ (scaled)</li>
<li>  QLD: $599,999   -  $500 + 1% per $ (scaled)*</li>
<li>  SA:  $316,000    -  0.5% per $ (scaled)</li>
<li>  WA: $300,00      -  0.11% per $ (scaled)</li>
<li>  TAS: $24,99       -  $50 + 0.55% per $ (scaled)                           </li>
<li>  ACT: $1             -  0.41% per $ (scaled)</li>
</ul>
Refer to the respective state Office of State Revenue (OSR) for further information (website details set out at the end of this article).
* (individuals only)
Other state specific exceptions:
<ul>
<li>  NSW - Special trusts – zero land tax threshold</li>
<li>  NSW - Fixed property trust – individual land tax threshold</li>
<li>  VIC - Special trusts - $25,000 land tax threshold and separate scaled rates</li>
<li>  QLD - $349,999 threshold for trusts, companies and SMSFs.</li>
</ul>
NSW &amp; Victoria apply different rates and thresholds for trusts.
In NSW, trusts (with the exception of fixed property trusts (FPT) and SMSFs) do not receive a land tax threshold and are described as “special trusts”. These include: discretionary, hybrid, unit and Property Investor trusts. Land tax is applied at a rate of 1.6% from the first dollar up to the premium land tax threshold and then at 2% thereafter.
A FPT enables the unit holder(s) to utilise their individual land tax threshold in determining the land tax applicable. In some instances it is possible to have a “special trust” altered to a FPT to obtain the benefit of the land tax threshold in future years.
In Victoria, if you own land as trustee of a trust you are required to pay land tax at the surcharge rate (subject to various exclusions) if the aggregate Victorian land holdings of the trust is valued at or over $25,000. The surcharge rate is 0.375 per cent above the general land tax rate for land holdings valued between $25,000 and $1.8 million. The surcharge rate tapers away for trusts with aggregate land holdings valued between $1.8 million and $3 million and for land holdings valued at or over $3 million, the surcharge rate is the same as the general land tax rate.  Victoria does not differentiate between the type of trust other than SMSFs.
Queensland has a separate land tax threshold for non-individuals (i.e. SMSFs, trusts and companies). Land tax is assessable for land values in excess of $349,999 at $1,450 + 1.7% per dollar (scaled).
OSR Land Tax audits
Some states are undertaking land assessment audit activities.  With the enhancement of computerisation of land records State Revenue Offices are able to cross match land holdings and ownership changes.  We have experienced a considerable increase in NSW OSR audits in recent times.  Interest penalties may be applied to prior year assessments if land tax payment has not been made.
We encourage all clients to check their land holding values and the appropriate jurisdictions website to check whether they should be registered for land tax.
State Office website addresses:
<ul>
<li>NSW:  <a href="https://www.osr.nsw.gov.au/" target="_blank" title="OSR - NSW">https://www.osr.nsw.gov.au</a>
</li>
<li>VIC:    <a href="https://www.sro.vic.gov.au/" target="_blank" title="OSR - VIC">https://www.sro.vic.gov.au</a>
</li>
<li>QLD:   <a href="https://www.osr.qld.gov.au/" target="_blank" title="OSR - QLD">https://www.osr.qld.gov.au</a>
</li>
<li>SA:     <a href="https://www.revenuesa.sa.gov.au/" target="_blank" title="OSR - SA">https://www.revenuesa.sa.gov.au</a>
</li>
<li>WA:    <a href="https://www.finance.wa.gov.au/" target="_blank" title="OSR - WA">https://www.finance.wa.gov.au</a>
</li>
<li>TAS:   <a href="https://www.sro.tas.gov.au/" target="_blank" title="OSR - TAS">https://www.sro.tas.gov.au/</a>
</li>
<li>ACT:   <a href="https://www.revenue.act.gov.au/" target="_blank" title="OSR - ACT">https://www.revenue.act.gov.au</a>
</li>
</ul>
Clive Nelson is a senior partner at <a href="https://www.chan-naylor.com.au/parramatta/" target="_blank">Chan &amp; Naylor Parramatta</a>.
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