National developer Time &amp; Place appears to have settled on a design for its long-anticipated Potts Point project.

After several years of back and forth with local council and the NSW Government, the developer, which has spent close to a decade targeting the former The Chimes site on Macleay Street, has now progressed its plans.

Following a concept design submission last year by SJB, Time &amp; Place has lodged a full State Significant Development Application with the NSW Government, this time for a scheme designed by Kerry Hill Architects.

<img alt="Time &amp; Place" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="504d2a27-d65f-4227-8189-1e35e3376e62" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-04-20%20at%209.38.24%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=_XqFKATYHF30KnVByPxhaI9UBzmkmfn7" />

The 16-storey proposal includes 44 apartments, 21 of which will be build-to-sell. These will comprise 19 three-bedroom apartments and two four-bedroom penthouses.

More than 50 per cent of the development will be dedicated to affordable housing, with 23 one- and two-bedroom apartments delivered in line with the NSW Government’s Housing SEPP.

Kerry Hill Architects said the proposal is driven by a strong response to place.

“Our proposal for a new residential building for Potts Point in Sydney is driven by a deep consideration of place,” the practice said in its submission.

“This operates on multiple levels, including a landscape approach that reinstates endemic flora of the Sydney peninsula and provides a ground-floor garden for residents, reconnecting the site to its pre-European history. A brick podium further strengthens this relationship to context, integrating planting and fine bronze detailing that references the predominant material language of Macleay Street.”

The three-level podium will be topped by a communal resident space, featuring a covered pool designed to receive direct afternoon sun in winter, a neighbouring reflection pool, dining and event areas oriented to maximise sunset views, and an outdoor exercise zone.

<img alt="Time &amp; Place" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8d3eedc1-babb-44a3-bd96-d8a42f3adf1f" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-04-20%20at%209.37.48%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=Ii7.4dvqNatu5GQi6bhqNjAswrMB998." />

The design also incorporates highly crafted shopfronts and a clearly defined residential entry to activate the street. Juliette balconies to the podium residences will provide passive surveillance and a strong sense of habitation.

Above, the larger apartments are housed within a light-coloured masonry and bronze tower.

“The tower steps back in a series of gently curved volumes that reference the rich Art Deco context of Macleay Street,” the architects said. “Carefully calibrated vertical fins frame the views while providing privacy and a sense of refuge.”

<img alt="Time &amp; Place" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6fab60f4-3140-4469-b47a-48c781e0a30b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-04-20%20at%209.28.44%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=e5XxrM3kzdASdKlcIACHAHbOSZhSKC9O" />

Time &amp; Place has been one of the most active developers nationally in the last 12 to 24 months. Late last year they completed&nbsp;The Queensbridge in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/southbank-vic-3006">Southbank</a>, a mixed-use tower with 353 apartments and a hotel. They are currently selling Park Modern, 246 apartments near the famous Botanic Gardens in South Melbourne.

The developer has approval for The Burke, a mixed-use project in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/glen-iris-vic-3146">Glen Iris</a>&nbsp;being delivered in partnership with Woolworths. The 60 apartments, positioned above a new Woolworths supermarket, are expected to launch in the coming months. Time &amp; Place is also progressing plans for the redevelopment of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/northcote-vic-3070">Northcote</a>&nbsp;Plaza, and have recently submitted plans for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/vic/time-place-unveils-plans-22-storey-south-melbourne-tower">22-storey tower</a>, another in South Melbourne.

In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/sydney-nsw">Sydney</a>, the developer has two projects in Manly: Two Tides, which is currently under construction, and an ultra high-end building on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/shoreline-manly-beach-89-90-north-steyne-manly">North Steyne</a>, fronting the beach. It is also continuing to work through the redevelopment of The Chimes building on Macleay Street in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/potts-point-nsw-2011">Potts Point</a>, as well as Marlborough House, the redevelopment of the original David Jones warehouse building in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/surry-hills-nsw-2010">Surry Hills</a>.

Joel Robinson

First look: Time & Place settles on design for The Chimes, Potts Point redevelopment

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/develotek">Develotek</a> is joining the likes of TOGA, Deicorp, and One Global Capital, betting on a boom in Five Dock ahead of the 2032 mooted opening of the Five Dock Metro Station.

Develotek, which is currently developing Bianca on the Drummoyne waterfront and has plans approved for a tower in Chatswood, has filed a State Significant Development Application for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/79-81-queens-road-five-dock-nsw-2046">two-building project in the evolving Kings Bay precinct</a>.

The buildings, one more boutique just five storeys and the other 26 storeys, will rise from an 3,158 sqm site across&nbsp;79–81 Queens Road and 2–8 Spencer Street, will home 134 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, above ground-floor retail and five basement levels of parking.

A key component of the proposal is the inclusion of 15 per cent of residential floor space as in-fill affordable housing, unlocking additional height and density under the Housing SEPP.

<img alt="First Look: Develotek lodges State Significant shop top housing project in Five Dock precinct" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3ee31bf7-75ba-4bc5-b190-49885193219f" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/podium_2.png?VersionId=730UbrduuwK3C1sO28RHjiLPUPqXqjkh" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/plus-studio">Plus Studio</a>, the scheme adopts a podium-and-tower configuration, with a five-storey street wall along Queens Road transitioning to a 26-storey tower set deeper into the site. The ground plane prioritises activation and permeability, with retail frontages and a new through-site link connecting Queens Road to Spencer Street.

At the upper levels, the tower façade has been conceived using a modular system to support prefabrication and reduce construction waste, while improving build efficiency. The splayed form draws on the geometry of surrounding industrial rooftops, reinterpreting the area’s heritage in a contemporary expression while also helping to reduce solar heat gain to east and west-facing apartments.

“This project aspires to transform a former industrial site into a connected, resilient and people-focused urban community, grounded in Country, shaped by history, and designed to enrich everyday life within the evolving Kings Bay Precinct,” said John Walsh, Principal at Plus Studio.

The proposal reflects the broader transformation of the Kings Bay Precinct under the Parramatta Road Corridor Urban Transformation Strategy, marking a shift from its industrial past to a higher-density, mixed-use urban neighbourhood.

<img alt="First Look: Develotek lodges State Significant shop top housing project in Five Dock precinct" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="abde734c-1e31-4a97-a1d2-fa9bcf31c380" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/building%20podium.png?VersionId=fNUupP6u146yEytQT31kKVRxwtACgPpP" />

Develotek is emerging as an active participant in the state’s affordable housing-led uplift pathway. The developer recently secured approval for a 34-storey mixed-use tower in Chatswood, where it similarly leveraged the in-fill affordable housing provisions to increase scale and deliver a 101-unit scheme with dedicated affordable apartments.

Their entry into Five Dock places them alongside a growing list of developers targeting the suburb ahead of its anticipated transport uplift, with Sydney Metro set to extend into the area. Major players including TOGA, Deicorp, and One Global Capital are all progressing large-scale precinct-style developments nearby, collectively reshaping the low-rise industrial fabric into a higher-density mixed-use corridor.

The Five Dock site sits within the Kings Bay Precinct, a key renewal area under the Parramatta Road Corridor Urban Transformation Strategy, where planning controls support significant uplift tied to affordable housing delivery. The consolidated 3,158 sqm site is currently occupied by low-rise industrial uses, including warehouses and vehicle workshops, earmarked for transition.

First Look: Develotek joins in Five Dock apartment boom

Ascot’s Racecourse Road continues to be a hive of activity for Brisbane developers.

Following Fortis and GRAYA, which are both preparing new projects along the key strip connecting Kingsford Smith Drive and Eagle Farm Racecourse, local developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/skyhold">Skyhold</a> is the latest to lodge plans for its own development.

The group is proposing One One Two Residences, a boutique project comprising just seven apartments, named after its address at 112 Racecourse Road.

The proposal outlines a five-storey building on an 810 sqm site. The built form slightly exceeds the four-storey expectation under the neighbourhood plan, aligning instead with the emerging character of the strip. As the planning report notes, “the locality is characterised by a transition toward medium-rise residential development, with a number of recent developments… above the stipulated height limits.”

<img alt="First Look: Skyhold lodges plans for boutique Ascot apartments as Racecourse Road revival gathers pace" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ec577631-8c51-4163-960e-e7b3a77d655b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Ascot.png?VersionId=iAzQ46D4Uu1UqiS0mVnlcy9jeFKBpJIj" />

Designed by 111 with landscape architecture by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/paul-bangay-garden-design">Paul Bangay Studio</a>, the scheme adopts a layered architectural approach with strong articulation and a subtropical response. Deep balconies, integrated planters, and a mix of masonry and textured finishes define the façade, while upper-level setbacks reduce perceived bulk. The architectural statement describes “a series of horizontally expressed layers, defined by deep balconies and a consistent robust material palette,” aimed at delivering a refined streetscape presence.

Apartments are configured as large-format residences, including multiple three-bedroom layouts and a full-floor penthouse, supported by ground-level parking. A rooftop terrace will provide communal amenities including a pool and landscaped recreation areas. The design prioritises privacy, natural ventilation, and greenery, with planting integrated across all levels to soften the building form and contribute to the public realm.

<img alt="First Look: Skyhold lodges plans for boutique Ascot apartments as Racecourse Road revival gathers pace" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1e1219bd-b45a-4d7f-bbc7-7207d7b2fc94" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Ascot%20entry.png?VersionId=JIoUOLMgQ5xWpEF0etEI3ffIoIVjD7gO" />

The proposal sits within the Racecourse Road precinct, a key mixed-use spine in Ascot that continues to attract renewed development interest.

Later this year national developer Fortis will launch its own boutique development, which, pending council approvals, will be 16 apartments designed by Koichi Takada Architects, just down the street.

“Racecourse Road is going through a massive revitalisation and we’re proud to be a part of that transformation,” said Fortis's QLD General Manager, Dan Boman.

Nearby, GRAYA is advancing its larger-scale The Gallery, a mixed-use shop-top housing project designed to act as a “catalytic project for Racecourse Road.”

First Look: Racecourse Road, Hamilton revitalization to continue as Skyhold joins the party

Twenty-five years after launching one of Australia’s most visionary and successful masterplanned beach communities - Casuarina on the Northern NSW Tweed Coast - developer Consolidated Properties Group has unveiled plans for an $800 million sister project located 10 kilometres south, at Cudgera Creek near the coastal town of Pottsville.

CPG has taken the wraps off Caldera, a 78-hectare masterplanned village that builds on the legacy of Casuarina and aims to help address Northern NSW’s coastal housing shortage via the delivery of 550 homes built in a sustainable manner and addressing affordability and housing diversity, while also focusing on architectural and ecological merit.

Caldera is being brought to life by the same creative team that delivered Casuarina, led by Consolidated Properties CEO and chairman Don O’Rorke, Hutchinson Builders chairman Scott Hutchinson and renowned urban designer Brian Toyota, of architectural practice Bureau Proberts.

CPG has lodged a rezoning application with Tweed Shire Council for the Caldera site, which has been designated since 1991 as the Dunloe Park Urban Release Area, the final land release area within the Pottsville locality and one of only four remaining growth areas along the entire Tweed coastal strip. Preliminary plans for Caldera feature a 13-hectare retail and commercial precinct at the core of the village, surrounded by meticulously planned residential areas comprising around 550 homesites.

The retail hub will be anchored by a Coles Supermarket and will offer 7000 sqm of retail and 23 commercial lots designed to serve the local community and bring together curated shopping, dining, gym, wellness, childcare, medical and other essential services.

<img alt="Cons prop" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fca7dc71-4b71-45b1-bb04-5a60bd7158d0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-04-20%20at%208.34.04%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=vAKwIvLuwmTKj6blHJRYIEeXS_8lCgUx" />

The project will create more than 1500 jobs over its development cycle, according to its economic modelling, and significantly address the shortage of employment land in the Tweed.

The residential areas will encourage a sense of community via a cohesive urban design that encourages walking, cycling, enhanced resident connectivity and reduced reliance on cars via bike paths and pedestrian-friendly streets.

Homesites will include a range of options from premium ridge-top homes to affordable housing options, ensuring a community that is inclusive of different income levels and designed to appeal to a wide demographic from baby boomers to families, singles and professionals. Architectural and planting covenants on home building will support the village’s built form and protect its character.

O’Rorke says CPG intends Caldera to be a model project delivered efficiently in a dedicated urban release area and ‘very much for this region and for this time’.

“Our vision for Caldera is to create a modern coastal village with its own unique northern NSW identity,” he said.

“Building on our legacy of Casuarina, 25 years on, this new village is designed to stand apart, offering the future of modern living, balancing the natural beauty of the region with contemporary amenities and convenience.

“Caldera will be more than just a place to live - it will be a welcoming, inclusive coastal village neighbouring Pottsville that invites visitors and embraces new residents. With its strong ties to the land, vibrant lifestyle and sense of place, Caldera will set a new standard for village living in Northern NSW.”

<img alt="CPG" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9a5a7cf4-5f76-4ddf-bd05-c8fb77d0a787" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-04-20%20at%208.33.59%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=J1CzCGD7kE7fcAMd41V4pKAf_sI4L5Jv" />

The project’s centrepiece is environmental sustainability, with comprehensive wetlands protection measures and planting of native trees, parklands, village greens and communal grounds to enhance the natural beauty of the area.

CPG will also deliver a developer-funded wastewater treatment plant to ensure zero ocean outflows and provide high quality long-term infrastructure for Tweed Shire.

A key focus is wildlife management planning, including extensive conservation controls for the West Pottsville koala population, aligned with Tweed Shire Council’s Koala Plan of Management and designed to enhance koala habitat connectivity and future population growth.

Caldera will extend the existing koala corridor by connecting koala precincts west of the Pacific Highway with populations in the north and east precincts. A koala underpass will be created under Pottsville Road to complete the connection of this important corridor. Native tree plantings will expand essential koala food sources, while approximately eight kilometres of exclusion fencing will be constructed to safeguard the koalas from urban threats.

The Caldera site is nestled in the hills of Cudgera Creek and benefits from its rich natural surroundings including the Pottsville Wetland, Cudgera Creek Nature Reserve and nearby Pottsville Beach.

It takes its name from the surrounding Tweed Shield Volcano and Caldera, the vast bowl-shaped depression stretching from Byron Bay to the Queensland border that 20 million years ago was the world’s largest shield volcano and which has shaped the region’s striking landscape, with Mount Warning standing as one of its most iconic features.

The development is a joint venture between CPG and Pottsville Development Corporation, which made its first investment in Pottsville more than 45 years ago and is the developer of Black Rocks By the Sea, a masterplanned community now part of the fabric of Pottsville and which was the catalyst for the construction of a bridge across the Pottsville Estuary, providing direct access to the beach.

CPG’s $1.5 billion Casuarina Beach township, 10 kilometres to the north of Caldera, commenced construction in 2000 and has become the model for modern Australian, eco-sensitive beachside development.

Consolidated Properties unveils $800m coastal village Caldera in Casuarina

Growing national developer Time &amp; Place has announced its fifth new apartment development.

With two projects in Manly and two upcoming in Surry Hills and Potts Point, the developer, which expanded beyond Melbourne just a few years ago, is now heading to Mosman. It is planning 53 new apartments on Redan Street.

The 3,233 sqm site, spanning <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/40-48-redan-street-mosman-nsw-2088">40–48 Redan Street</a> with frontage to Redan Lane, is located just under 400 metres from Spit Junction Town Centre. It is reported the developer paid around $100 million for the five-site amalgamation.

Time &amp; Place, founded by Tim Price and backed by James Packer’s private investment firm NPACT, has submitted the project as a State Significant Development through the NSW Government’s Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

Of the 53 apartments, 42 will be released to the market, with the remaining 11 allocated as affordable housing in line with NSW Government requirements.

fjc Studio has designed the building. In its Design Report, the architect said the diverse mix of dwelling types and sizes, including 11 two-bedroom affordable housing units, 40 three-bedroom apartments, and two four-bedroom residences, will support a broad demographic, including families, downsizers, and key workers.

The development will rise to nine levels, a height encouraged by the NSW Government due to the site’s proximity to Spit Junction, which has been identified as a low- to mid-rise centre. Developments within a certain proximity to these centres are permitted increased height.

fjc said the project “achieves an appropriate density outcome for its setting by balancing increased housing supply with strong amenity performance,” adding that it “makes a measurable contribution to NSW housing supply targets through the delivery of additional dwellings and dedicated affordable housing.”

The new development will replace five existing two-storey homes.

“By aligning with the objectives of the Housing SEPP and applying careful architectural and urban design principles, the development provides high-quality residential accommodation that integrates sensitively within its established Mosman context and delivers enduring benefits to residents and the wider community.”

Mosman has become increasingly popular with developers in recent years.

Developer Abadeen has been particularly active, with Mosman Residences currently on the market and under construction on Clifford Street. It also has an upcoming Burran Avenue project, comprising just three apartments on the Balmoral Slopes, and recently secured the Midas and Honeysuckle nursery site on Military Road.

Prosker Property has a project on Redan Lane, just a few doors down from Time &amp; Place’s proposed development.

Developers including Toohey Miller, DARE Property Group, and WINIM also have projects underway in the area. In 2024, a five-year target was set for the Mosman LGA to increase housing supply by 500 dwellings by 2029.

Time &amp; Place entered the Sydney market with Two Tides, its under construction Manly development. Given its sales success, it has secured another development in the area, more boutique, facing the beach on North Steyne.

They are hoping to launch their redevelopment of The Chimes in Potts Point this year, and next year will look to take to market Marlborough House, an adaptive re-use of the landmark David Jones warehouse in Surry Hills.

Time & Place to take on Mosman apartment market

Property Settlement

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EXPERT OBSERVER
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Prospective Australian home buyers can breathe a sigh of relief, with industry experts predicting a drop in the costs associated with property settlement after the launch of new legal technology provider, The Search People. 
The entry of the first low-cost player in the Australian market offers an alternative to the notoriously expensive options that currently dominate the legal technology landscape. 
Numerous participants in the current technology market hold legal and conveyancing professionals hostage, with few providers offering a comprehensive suite of market-leading technology at an affordable price. 
The current price of some property information and legal technology providers is, to be quite honest exorbitant, and it’s consumers who suffer.
Lawyers and conveyancers are forced to pass on the high cost of this information and technology during the settlement process. 
Many of these buyers have already spent years saving for a deposit, and then have to spend thousands on the settlement process – it’s understandably disappointing. 
Professionals that choose The Search People to fulfil their technology and information needs can avoid high fees charged by other providers, and pass on this cost saving to consumers, making the Australian dream more achievable than ever before. 
We are proudly offering the best technology at an affordable price to disrupt the market and bring benefits to legal professionals and consumers alike. 
Consumers currently have two main ways to pay for property settlement services, and they should expect a reduction in costs under both payment models. 
The first option is for consumers to pay a lump sum plus the cost of property search fees to a lawyer, who manages the property purchasing process on the buyer’s behalf. 
The other option is for buyers to pay an all-inclusive price, which covers the conveyancer’s fees and includes the cost of property search fees.
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Regardless of which option buyers choose, they should see a reduction in costs if they choose to engage a professional that uses The Search People. 
Our technology provides legal and property professionals with the opportunity to gain a competitive edge and offer a lower price, so take advantage of this and shop around. 
Don’t be afraid to seek out a deal – consumers benefit the most from increased competition, and we are determined to stand up against the predatory behavior that has been accepted in the industry for so long. 
For buyers, that means more money in their pockets to pay off their mortgage sooner or furnish their new home.
Rafe Berding is the CEO of The Search People, an Australian technology provider offering online access to 5,000+ legal searches and access to the latest industry innovations, including electronic conveyancing, digital signing and Verification of Identity tools.
It is backed by leading technology company GlobalX and leverages the latest innovations available in the market. 
To find out more about The Search People, <a href="https://thesearchpeople.com.au/" target="_blank">click here</a>.
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

The Search People to offer home buyers cheaper property settlement services

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The ASX has announced it is partnering with Australian Technology Innovators (ATI), the parent company of InfoTrack, to create Sympli, a national electronic property settlement service.
The service will offer lawyers, conveyancers and financial institutions a more streamlined and comprehensive technology solution.
The ASX advises it will seamlessly integrate with clients' existing practices and systems.
The service, owned 50:50 by ASX and ATI, is, subject to regulatory approvals, expected to begin operations towards the end of the year.
The ASX says the electronic property settlement industry in Australia is estimated to have potential revenues in excess of $200 million.
ASX expects to invest around $30 million in the new venture of this and the next two financial years.
It will comrpise around $7 million in 2018, with further investments in 2019 and 2020. The ASX estimates Sympli will break-even in the 2021 financial year.
Below is the ASX executive summary. Click here <a href="https://edge.alluremedia.com.au/uploads/businessinsider/2018/05/asx-settlements.jpg" target="_blank">to enlarge.</a>
<img class="size_primary" src="https://edge.alluremedia.com.au/uploads/businessinsider/2018/05/asx-settlements.jpg" alt="">
ASX managing director and CEO Dominic Stevens said entering the electronic property settlement market is a natural evolution for ASX.
"We already settle approximately $70 billion in transactions electronically every day and have been the central settlement venue for the Australian financial market for decades," Stevens said.
"InfoTrack is the ideal partner as the market leader in legal and property search.
"It has 18 years’ experience and brings a deep understanding of, and connectivity to, the property conveyancing industry.
He said Sympli is an "exciting opportunity."
"Combining the experience and expertise of both shareholders will enable Sympli to provide a compelling offering, which we believe will allow users to easily realise the efficiencies of electronic property settlements.”
 
 
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ASX to create electronic property settlement platform Sympli

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SAI Global are reminding all of its customers to remain vigilant regarding suspicious emails and links.
It has recently been broadly publicised within the industry that fraudsters are working to gain access to law practice or conveyancing accounts with the intent to commit fraudulent activity. SAI Global has been made aware of an apparent attempt with one of its customers.
The customers were asked to reset their password from an email posing as SAI Global.
"We are currently investigating this incident as a matter of urgency."
It recommend actions to reduce instances of fraud and loss when it comes to property settlements.   "It is prudent to call (not email) all clients and warn them to not transfer funds based on electronic disbursement instructions purportedly from your business without first calling you (on a separately verified number) to confirm details.   "It is prudent to not transfer any funds from your practice (EFT or direct banking) before you confirm directly with clients (by phone call) any instructions received electronically purporting to be from them regarding the disbursement or receipt of funds."
Recent issues have emerged in SA and WA. 
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

SAI Global warn of heightened settlement fraud  risk

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Ian Romi, also known as Naim Rahimi, has been placed him on a good behaviour bond for two years after pleading guilty to the disposal of property sale funds prior to bankruptcy.
He pleased gulf to making a false declaration in his bankruptcy Statement of Affairs.
In July 2014, Mr Romi received $30,000 as a result of a property settlement.
Within two weeks he had withdrawn $24,000 in cash from his account, using $10,000 for a holiday and gambling the balance at a casino.
This money should have been used to pay his creditors, the Australian Financial Security Authority advised.
Rahimi was sentenced on 22 November 2017 at the Brisbane Magistrates Court. 
On 28 July 2014, Mr Romi filed for voluntary bankruptcy with debts in excess of $113,000.
He failed to disclose in his Statement of Affairs that he had sold a house in 2013, that he had made a profit in relation to the sale of another house and that he had transferred ownership of motor vehicles prior to bankruptcy.
In an interview with AFSA investigators, Mr Romi admitted he received the $30,000 prior to bankruptcy and just ‘blew it.’
Magistrate Quinn convicted Mr Romi and placed him on a good behaviour bond for two years. In sentencing, the Magistrate considered Mr Romi’s early plea which indicated his remorse, his cooperation and the fact that he had no previous convictions.
The matter was prosecuted by the Office of the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions on behalf of the Australian Financial Security Authority.
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Bankrupt failed to declare property sale proceeds pocketed before bankruptcy

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Actor Russell Crowe has been busy over summer tidying up his property empire, as he works towards a belated matrimonial property settlement.
He has quietly sold his Kingsford apartment block, an investment he picked up 15 years ago.
It was the three storey, four unit Wallace Street block that he was allowing his former 30 Odd Foot of Grunts band mates to live in rent free.
Crowe secured $3.2 million in an off-market deal for the Wallace Street building that cost him $1,454,000 in 2001, four years before the band unofficially dissolved.
It has been bought by a company associated with Hunters Hill based, PWC Australia partner Jason Habak and wife Linda.
In November the Sydney Confidential gleaned that Crowe was finally proposing to turf out his former band mates who had been living in the 1912 apartment block prey much rent free for the last 15 years.
The Gladiator star is understood to have told the musicians four years ago that it would be used 'as part of a divorce settlement', with his now ex-wife Danielle Spencer.
One of the two bedroom apartments in the block has just been listed for rent at $725 a week, marketed as 'freshly renovated'.
Crowe and friend Billy Dean Cochran formed Roman Antix in the 1980s, which later became the more well known Australian rock band 30 Odd Foot of Grunts (also known as TOFOG).
In 1992 the band was formed and Crowe was the frontman, performing lead vocals and guitar. They played shows in London, LA and Texas in 2000.
There are whispers that the next property to go is Crowe's Riley Street commercial building in Darlinghurst.
Currently operating as 98 Riley Street Gym, the 667 sqm parcel cost Crowe $3,875,000 in 2004. The interior designer Blainey North has undertaken its fitout.
The Oscar award-winning actor has also listed his Woolloomooloo Wharf penthouse listing on which he had elevated price expectations - possibly even $30 million.
The luxury car dealer Neville Crichton, who sold his Point Piper home for $62 million in last year's biggest sale in Australia, was keen to buy the trophy apartment.
But Crichton, who wanted to downsize to spend more time in his homeland New Zealand, had hoped to pick it up for $25 million.
He has instead turned his buying intention to the $33 million Zamel home on the Point Piper harbourfront which Bill Malouf at LJ Hooker Double Bay had on his books. It had been for sale since 2014.
Western Australian mining magnate Andrew 'Twiggy' Forest also had a look around the Finger Wharf apartment which set a record in 2003 when Crowe and Danielle paid $14.35 million.
No other apartment comes close in size with some 1000 sqm at the tip of the Finger Wharf.
The offering includes a 35 metre marina berth and seven car spaces.
Crowe was only the second owner of the property, having bought the home from Nutrimetics founder Imelda Roche and her husband, property developer Bill Roche, who paid $9.8 million off the plan in 1998.
The recent relationship Danielle has with her beau Ad Long has triggered the decision to sell much of their property portfolio.
In 2011 Crowe and Spencer spent $10 million on the Rose Bay trophy home, Te Puke after a four-year search, which remains in both of their names.
It has been Spencer's home since their separation.
Crowe retains his 320-hectare property in Nana Glen, near Coffs Harbour.  
This article first appeared in the Daily Telegraph.
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Actor Russell Crowe sells Kingsford apartment block

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GUEST OBSERVER
The time taken from the commencement of proceedings in the Family Court of Western Australia was 108 weeks for the 12 months ending August 2013, 92 weeks for the 12 months ending August 2014 and 89 weeks for the 12 months ending August 2015.
Rather than wait almost two years for your case to be heard and determined by a judicial officer of the Family Court, you can take control of the outcome of your case by participating in a mediation-style conference.
Mediation does not require the preparation of expensive court documents and your attendance at court. Mediation may potentially achieve a prompt outcome.
Participating in mediation before commencing proceedings in the Family Court is not mandatory.
However, in 2012 the Family Court of Western Australia issued a directive to family law practitioners which confirmed that at the first Court hearing for property settlement matters where all parties are legally represented, practitioners would be expected to:
have considered arranging private mediation style conferencing;
provide to the presiding judicial officer the timeframe for the conferencing to allow an appropriate adjournment date to be given; and
if such conferencing is not considered appropriate, advise the presiding judicial officer of the relevant reasons.<a href="https://www.carrco.com.au/mediation-property-settlement-cases/#_ftn1">[1]</a>
Who will be the mediator? 
Mediation can be conducted by:
<ul>
<li>a Government funded organisation; or</li>
<li>a private mediator (a person trained and qualified to conduct mediation).</li>
</ul>
Many family lawyers are also trained and qualified mediators. If a family lawyer is appointed as your mediator, you can expect that they will have a sound understanding of the issues in your case.
The practice in Western Australia amongst family lawyers is that one party nominates a pool of mediators that they propose be appointed. The other party then selects from the pool or in some cases, proposes alternative mediators. The parties ordinarily agree the identity of the mediator. In some cases, however, the Family Court determines who will conduct mediation if the parties cannot agree.
Who attends mediation? 
The parties, their family lawyers and the mediator attend mediation.
It is possible to have a support person present at the location where the mediation occurs, but that person does not directly participate in the process.
Do I have to be in the same room as my ex?
Ordinarily mediation occurs with the parties, their family lawyers and the mediator in one conference room.
Throughout the course of the mediation there are numerous scheduled breaks where parties ‘break out’ into separate rooms to consult their family lawyer privately to obtain advice, discuss options and settlement proposals.
Mediation can be conducted on a ‘shuttle’ basis, which means that the parties are in separate rooms and the mediator moves between the rooms during the mediation. A ‘shuttle’ mediation is usually reserved for exceptional cases.
If you are concerned about your safety or being in the same room as your ex, you should ask your family lawyer about your options, but a ‘shuttle’ mediation may be appropriate.
How long will mediation take? 
Mediation is generally scheduled for a half-day or full-day session.
The process of agreeing a mediator, scheduling a convenient date to all parties, preparation and participating in mediation may take several weeks, or in some cases months.
Both parties and their respective lawyers meet with the mediator individually for what is known as an ‘intake session’. This allows the mediator to meet the parties, to obtain an overview of the issues in dispute, assess any risk factors and explain the mediation process.
It is possible for more than one mediation session to occur if there are matters that need to be discussed further or reviewed.
How much does mediation cost?
The cost of engaging a mediator varies according to:
<ul>
<li>whether mediation is to take place for a half-day or full-day; and</li>
<li>who is engaged.</li>
</ul>
You could expect the costs of engaging a mediator for a full-day conference to be between $2,000 – $5,000 (plus GST).
Some mediators offer mediation services for reduced fees in cases involving a modest pool of assets (below $750,000).
Who pays for mediation?
In most cases the costs of engaging a mediator are shared equally between the parties.
There is no regulation which stipulates that the costs are to be shared.
In some instances a financially superior party will meet the costs of engaging a mediator. Sometimes a financially inferior party contributes their share of the mediator’s costs out of their property settlement.
What will mediation achieve?
If an agreement is reached your family lawyer will assist you to evidence an agreement, for example by preparing a minute of consent orders that the parties can sign. The consent orders will then be lodged at the Family Court to make the agreement reached binding.
If the parties are unable to reach an overall agreement to resolve all matters in dispute, mediation can achieve agreement in relation to:
<ul>
<li>obtaining valuations;</li>
<li>partial property settlement; or</li>
<li>how the matter will progress to a trial in the Family Court.</li>
</ul>
Benefits of mediation:
Some of the benefits of mediation include:
<ul>
<li>it is confidential;</li>
<li>it is a fast and effective first step to resolving a dispute;</li>
<li>if an agreement is reached it saves the time, money and potential stress of Family Court proceedings;</li>
<li>it is a more structured and dynamic form of dispute resolution than ordinary negotiation;</li>
<li>it increases the control the parties have over the decision – if a dispute goes to Court, the decision will be left to the judicial officer;</li>
<li>compliance with agreements reached through mediation are usually high due to the fact that the decision was mutually agreed; and</li>
<li>the option of commencing proceedings in the Family Court will not be compromised if mediation is unsuccessful.</li>
</ul>
For further information contact Carr &amp; Co <a href="https://www.carrco.com.au/">here</a>.
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