The Victorian Government has secured the passage of the Building Legislation and Treasury Legislation (Tax Relief) Amendment Bill 2026, introducing a suite of reforms aimed at improving consumer protection and confidence in the apartment market.

Resilience Insurance, Australia’s leading Latent Defects Insurance (LDI) provider, has welcomed the move.

The LDI elements of the Bill passed with bipartisan support and now moves to the Legislative Council where debate and passage are expected later this month. It represents a significant milestone in the national shift toward stronger, longer-term protection for apartment buyers.&nbsp;

The reform would deliver practical benefits across the housing system. Apartment owners will have stronger protection if major defects emerge, developers and builders will have a clearer quality framework to work within, and the State will reduce the risk of serious building failures becoming a long-term financial and social burden for households, communities and government.&nbsp;

LDI helps support apartment delivery while providing stronger protection for buyers and encouraging better construction outcomes.&nbsp;

Resilience LDI provides apartment owners with 10 years of insurance-backed cover for major structural defects from completion, with direct claim access to the insurer. This means owners are not required to first pursue developers or builders through costly legal action before accessing protection.&nbsp;

Resilience Insurance has been operating in Australia since 2022 and has already insured hundreds of development projects covering many thousands of apartments across Australia.&nbsp;

At approximately 1.8 per cent of build cost, it is a cost-competitive alternative to the traditional two per cent Strata Bond, bond while delivering significantly broader and longer protection.&nbsp;

“The Victorian Lower House vote shows that reforms like this succeed when they are practical, evidence-based and supported by industry," says Corey Nugent, CEO of Resilience Insurance.

"Victoria is moving quickly on a reform that will make a real difference for apartment buyers, while supporting better building outcomes and greater confidence in apartment delivery.

“This is step one. We look forward to the Bill completing its passage through the Legislative Council and to working with government and industry to implement the framework effectively.”&nbsp;

Fast Facts: What is Resilience LDI?&nbsp;

<ul>
	<li>Resilience Latent Defects Insurance (LDI): Covers major structural defects for 10 years from completion.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Consumer-first: Direct claim access, no need for lengthy legal action.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Cost advantage: At approximately 1.8% of build cost, LDI is typically priced below the traditional 2% Strata Bond while offering broader protection.&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Market leader: Resilience Insurance is the first approved LDI provider in NSW.</li>
</ul>

The Building Legislation and Treasury Legislation (Tax Relief) Amendment Bill 2026 has passed the Victorian Lower House, putting Victoria on track to become the first state to legislate an industry workable LDI framework as a formal alternative to the Strata Building bond. 

Joel Robinson

10-year Latent Defects Insurance for new apartment buyers set to land in Victoria

Just a few months after acquiring a prime Broadbeach site on the corner of First Avenue and Surf Parade, family-run developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/raptis">Raptis</a> has filed fresh plans for a new apartment development.

Raptis is seeking to deliver a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/17-19-first-avenue-broadbeach-qld-4217">29-storey tower with 73 apartments</a> on the 818 sqm site. It will be the developer's seventh project in the suburb, as they are approaching completion of The Sterling on George Avenue.

There will be a pool, barbecue and outdoor dining area, residents lounge and dining, sauna and steam room, gym, and a Yoga and Pilates studio.

<img alt="Raptis" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b554da3f-7344-49aa-b1c9-44cf459af0d7" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-05%20at%2010.41.45%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=zzjWu1iO1wnuYv4EV4fyOyf5nSXjGYut" />

Raptis Joint Managing Director, Evan Raptis, says they remain&nbsp;committed to developing quality infill sites across the Gold Coast in the lead-up to the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.

"This project continues our long track record of delivery in Broadbeach, and we look forward to bringing another premium development to this thriving precinct."

The announcement follows strong delivery momentum for Raptis, with The Sterling Broadbeach nearing completion and construction well underway on the final stage of the Waterpoint community adjacent to Harbour Town. The developer's continued investment in the Gold Coast reflects confidence in the region's apartment market fundamentals, underpinned by sustained Southeast Queensland population growth.&nbsp;

The outlook for the region is further bolstered by infrastructure investment tied to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games, which is expected to drive continued economic and population growth across the SEQ corridor.&nbsp;

Subject to a favourable response from Gold Coast City Council, construction on the new First Avenue tower is targeted to commence before the end of 2026.&nbsp;

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/it-s-all-in-the-family-four-decades-later-raptis-continues-to-shape-the-gold-coast-skyline">It’s all in the family: Four decades later, Raptis continues to shape the Gold Coast skyline</a>

Read more: <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/raptis-secures-prime-surf-parade-site-for-next-broadbeach-apartment-development">Raptis secures prime Surf Parade site for next Broadbeach apartment development</a> 
&nbsp;

Gold Coast developer brings seventh Broadbeach project to market, targeting construction commencement before year end

First look: Raptis lodges plans for new 29-storey Broadbeach tower 

Brisbane development veteran Kevin Seymour's Seymour Group is set to deepen its presence on one of Brisbane's most tightly held riverfront addresses, lodging revised plans for a luxury apartment development on Oxlade, just a few doors down from The Oxlade, which it completed in 2024.

The <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/70-72-oxlade-drive-new-farm-qld-4005">new project at 70-72 Oxlade Drive</a>, directly north of The Oxlade, will have 27 apartments across a seven-storey building&nbsp;overlooking the Brisbane River and Merthyr Park. It's a revision from a 2021-approved design.

Designed by bureau^proberts, the project has evolved from the previously approved 26-apartment scheme, introducing an additional penthouse level while maintaining a low-density, boutique character. The development will comprise 26 three-bedroom apartments and a single four-bedroom penthouse, supported by two basement levels with 86 car spaces and 34 bicycle spaces.

The architectural response is centred around two distinct building forms separated by a landscaped open-air atrium.&nbsp;"This dual composition captures and embraces Brisbane’s subtropical environment whilst breaking down built form and scale," the submission to the Brisbane City Council noted.

<img alt="First look: Seymour Group returns to Oxlade Drive with revised riverfront apartment plans in New Farm" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c12d84d0-bc11-4067-b46f-5bd2d786a34d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/new%20farm%20landscape.png?VersionId=YEPc2k5CAdh6aAPlu4uVpgZadh4MEfRd" />

A defining feature of the design is a deep landscaped void running through the centre of the building, creating what bureau^proberts describes as a "natural ravine" that enhances airflow, daylight penetration and resident amenity. The design report notes that the separation of the two building volumes is intended to maximise natural light, cross-ventilation and outlook while strengthening connections to the surrounding riverfront setting.

Curved balcony edges, integrated planting and extensive landscaping throughout the façade reinforce the subtropical design approach. The building's façade is softened by elevated gardens and planter beds, creating a green edge that complements the established landscape character of Oxlade Drive and neighbouring Merthyr Park.

New Farm has become one of Brisbane's most sought-after suburbs for developers delivering premium downsizer-focused apartments.

GRAYA has been particularly active in the precinct, completing both Chalk and York in recent years, while construction of Moray House, being delivered for Spyre, is now nearing completion. Architect-turned-developer Joe Adsett recently launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/arcilla-new-farm-by-joe-adsett-28-maxwell-street-new-farm-qld-4005">Arcilla on Maxwell Street</a>, an exclusive collection of just nine apartments.

First look: Seymour Group returns to New Farm's Oxlade Drive with riverfront apartment plans

A new residential tower will be the first piece of a broader mixed-use precinct set to reshape a prominent Newcastle West site, with local developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/gwh">GWH</a> bringing its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/cambridge-quarter-newcastle-west-12-denison-street-newcastle-west-nsw-2302">Cambridge Quarter</a> vision to market.

The first release, Tempo, will introduce 87 apartments across a 24-storey tower, marking Stage 1 of the residential component of a larger urban regeneration project planned for the western end of Newcastle's city centre, encompassing the former Cambridge Hotel site.

Positioned on Denison Street, Tempo has been designed as the inaugural building within Cambridge Quarter, a precinct that will ultimately combine apartments, retail activation and revitalised public spaces including the revamping of the Cambridge Hotel.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135876 project_image_fid=368853]

The tower will comprise a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments, including layouts with multipurpose rooms, catering to a broad cross-section of owner-occupiers. Apartment sizes range from around 60 sqm to 192 sqm, with a number of residences oriented to capture views across Newcastle Harbour, the city skyline and coastline.

GWH has emphasised liveability in the design, with open-plan layouts extending to generous balconies and terraces. Residents will have a choice of two interior palettes, while specifications include engineered stone benchtops, SMEG appliances, full-height bathroom tiling and secure building access. Premium upgrade packages will also be available.

Multiple rooftop resident retreats will provide communal outdoor space overlooking the harbour and city, offering an elevated amenity layer above the activity of the precinct below.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135876 project_image_fid=368851]

The broader Cambridge Quarter vision extends beyond the residential tower itself. Ground-level retail activation and landscaped public areas are planned throughout the precinct, creating a walkable neighbourhood environment connected to the surrounding renewal of Newcastle West. The Cambridge Hotel is also earmarked for future redevelopment into a family-friendly hospitality venue integrated with the new precinct.

The project is strategically positioned within walking distance of Newcastle Interchange, providing access to light rail, regional rail services and direct connections to Sydney. Residents will also be close to Honeysuckle, Newcastle Harbour and the city's beaches and coastal walkways.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135876 project_image_fid=368852]

For GWH, Cambridge Quarter represents one of its most significant Newcastle developments to date. The locally based developer, which has operated in the Hunter region since 1995, describes the project as a new chapter in the ongoing transformation of Newcastle West.

GWH Executive Director Jonathan Craig said the project had been shaped by a focus on creating lasting community connections.

"We take pride in creating places that last. Spaces where people feel connected, comfortable and a genuine sense of belonging," Craig said.

"Cambridge Quarter is something we are truly proud of, a place shaped by local knowledge, built with care and designed to be part of Newcastle's next chapter."

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=135876]

GWH unveils first release at landmark Cambridge Quarter precinct in Newcastle West

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/ss-projects">S&amp;S Projects</a>,&nbsp;Rainbow Bay's busiest developer,&nbsp;has officially lodged plans for the largest development in its booming local portfolio, seeking approval for a further 88 apartments on Boundary Street.

The proposal&nbsp;at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/209-213-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">209–213 Boundary Street, Coolangatta</a>,&nbsp;marks the next chapter in the developer's transformation of the southern Gold Coast beachside precinct. It will be its fifth in the area, having already delivered Flow, Awaken and Esprit, while construction continues on the 38-apartment Radia. The new project would rise 57 metres above a consolidated 1,518 sqm site, on the same street as Radia and Esprit.

&nbsp;

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cottee-parker-architects">Cottee Parker</a>, the proposed development comprises 88 two and three-bedroom apartments across a contemporary podium-and-tower form that integrates extensive landscaping from street level through to the rooftop.

The tower would be delivered above a basement and multi-level podium accommodating resident and visitor parking, with the residential component commencing from level three. The design incorporates cascading planting throughout the façade, landscaped podium edges, and deep planting zones along the Boundary Street frontage.

<img alt="First look: S&amp;S Projects lodges plans for 88-apartment wellness tower at Coolangatta's Boundary Street" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="677e6615-b5c0-4b6c-b4f9-efb14fcde1a6" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/ss%20da%20pers.png?VersionId=YOnPKQm7IFXv0M5H326djEpxk80500Hi" />

A key feature of the development is its expansive rooftop wellness and recreation precinct. Plans reveal a resort-style pool deck, gymnasium, sauna, steam room, hot and cold plunge pools, rooftop terraces, barbecue areas and landscaped relaxation spaces positioned to capture views across the southern Gold Coast coastline.

The rooftop wellness focus builds on the vision S&amp;S Projects first outlined when it acquired the site for $20.25 million last year.

"We are taking every advantage to create a truly unique rooftop wellness experience with a natural feel for residents, offering stone features throughout and an underlying theme that emulates a botanical garden," S&amp;S Projects founder and director Paul Gedoun said at the time.

The proposal seeks a 57-metre building height, representing a 50 per cent uplift on the site's mapped 38-metre height limit. Planning documents argue the additional height is consistent with recently approved and emerging towers in the immediate Boundary Street and Rainbow Bay precinct.

Urbis, acting as planning consultant, said the development would provide "88 dwellings, comprising a mix of two and three-bedroom apartments, contributing to housing choice and supply within an established medium to high-rise coastal urban neighbourhood."

The scheme has undergone extensive pre-lodgement consultation with the City of Gold Coast, with the design refined following feedback relating to architectural expression, landscaping, traffic access and podium treatment.

<img alt="S&amp;S" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0a2d70fd-62ac-4b83-97c6-b798fc1243dd" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-05%20at%209.16.31%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=yHmghUwKM3IVGpBktQU1mE.0Lpf3WimG" />

The architectural team is led by Brisbane-based Cottee Parker, one of Australia's most active residential design studios, with landscape architecture by Dunn + Moran. The consultant team also includes ADG Engineers, Windtech and Acoustic Works.

S&amp;S Projects has become one of the most influential private developers operating on the southern Gold Coast. Since entering Rainbow Bay in 2022, the company has assembled a portfolio exceeding $1 billion in end value, establishing itself as a key player in the area's evolution into a premium apartment destination. Pezet Matheson will again handle the sales for S&amp;S.

Coolangatta is entering another wave of apartment development, following the delivery of several prominent residential projects in recent years.

John Kearney's Immerse Projects will launch&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kaiya-kirra-beach-5-haig-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Kaiya on Haig Street</a>&nbsp;soon, meanwhile, Palm Beach-based Sherpa Property Group is preparing to bring its debut Coolangatta development, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-viver-87-griffith-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Flourish Viveré</a>, to market later this year, subject to approvals.

First look: S&S Projects proposes 88-apartment wellness tower at Coolangatta's Boundary Street

Sales Fraud

<html><body>
Homebuyers and novice investors are being blindsided by spruikers masquerading as qualified property investment professionals, according to two peak industry bodies. 
The Property Investment Professionals of Australia (PIPA) and the Property Investors Council of Australia (PICA) have joined forces to warn consumers that unscrupulous operators could cost them their life savings. 
PIPA chairman Peter Koulizos said with property markets rebounding, fly-by-night spruikers were once more coming out of the woodwork with the aim of snaring the unwary. 
“PIPA has heard of buyers being offered ‘cash back’ deals of tens of thousands of dollars to encourage them to buy inferior properties,” Koulizos said. 
“Of course, the ‘cash’ isn’t real because it’s built into the sales price so, in essence, buyers are paying for their own supposed windfalls.”
PICA chairman Ben Kingsley said property investment charlatans often made their money by accepting huge commissions to promote substandard property investment stock to investors. 
“These fake advisers will also never disclose how they make their money if a consumer should ever ask, which should be a big red flag to anyone enticed by their slick marketing campaigns,” Kingsley said. 
“It’s quite common for developers to offer commissions of $50,000 or more as well as gold Rolexes for help to offload subpar stock.” 
Kingsley said while commissions were a common part of the property investment sector, a qualified adviser would also undertake significant research before recommending a property to clients. 
“Unfortunately, huge commissions are the sole motivation for faux advisers,” Kingsley said. 
“They are only thinking about their own bank balances and not the long-term financial consequences on consumers of their under-handed actions.” 
Koulizos said the lack of regulation in the provision of property investment advice meant that consumers often couldn’t recognise a con-artist from a professional.
As well as being members of PIPA, Koulizos said consumers should look for experts who have completed specialist education in property investment advice or are licenced buyer’s agents. 
“Because of the paucity of legislation, PIPA developed the Qualified Property Investment Adviser (QPIA) course to address the need for professionals in the industry to be appropriately qualified to give advice,” he said. 
“Consumers should only work with licensed buyer’s agents and advisers that have completed a QPIA, who are also members of PIPA, because of our strict code of conduct that includes full disclosure of commissions.”
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wdavis-8cCN98p7xp

Industry bodies warn against charlatan property agents

<html><body>
A former Wollongong real estate agent has been charged with multiple forgery, fraud and misappropriating offences.
Detectives from Lake Illawarra Police District, with the assistance of the Office of Fair Trading, commenced an investigation into the 53-year-old man following a complaint received in relation to the theft of funds.
Police allege between December 2017 and June 2018 the man made and submitted false documents to a business that provides real estate agents their entitled commissions up front.
The false documents included photoshopped emails and letterheads from solicitors and conveyancers located in the Illawarra, fabricated contracts of sales and agency agreements, false bank deposits and false signatures.
The documents were allegedly submitted on more than 12 occasions over the seven-month period, resulting in a financial advantage of $263,755.
The investigation revealed the man had also allegedly misappropriated more than $200,000 in funds from a sales trust account.
The 53-year-old man was arrested at Lake Illawarra Police Station last week.
He was charged with 12 counts of forgery, 12 counts of fraud and three counts of fraudulent conversion of money.
He was granted strict conditional bail and is due to face Wollongong Local Court on 5 November 2019.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Wollongong real estate agent charged over alleged fabricated contract sales

<html><body>
The property expert Cameron Deal, 46, has been sentenced to six months prison after pleading guilty to scamming the Geelong footballer Stewart Crameri in a hoax real estate venture.
The former real estate agent and buyer's advocate blamed alcohol and drug abuse for his circumstances, claiming he had been threatened by an armed drug dealer over a $114,000 cocaine debt. 
The 46 year old Deal (below) wept as the custodial sentence was handed down in the Melbourne Magistrates Court pre-Christmas.
His lawyer has indicated an appeal would be lodged, Fairfax Media reported.
With over 2,500 purchases, Deal very successfully promoted himself as "a respected media authority on all property matters" regularly offering himself to Melbourne media. 
The court was told Deal, who spent over 20 years as an agent and buyers advocate, enticed Crameri to invest in a St Kilda property in 2016.
He instructed the then Western Bulldogs footballer to deposit $96,250 into a trust account to which he was a signatory.
Crameri was provided with falsified documents for the Crimea Street property which was not on the market.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/1/8/deal.jpg" alt="">
The deposit was then taken by <a href="http://www.infolio.com.au/the-pointy-end/" target="_blank">the former regular property seminar speaker.</a>
Deal also pleaded guilty to unauthorised transactions on a credit card he stole from a buyer's advocacy firm that employed him briefly in 2016.
<div id="subscribe-newsletter" class="panel panel--subscribe is_fm-newsletter-subscription" data-channel-key="QeFV9eVnngJX9eFB2HyKgQ" data-newsletter-id="44" data-authentication-url="https://authman.f2.com.au/oauth2/authorise" data-subscription-url="https://api.myfairfax.com.au/services/v3/newsletters/newsletterIdPlaceholder/subscribe" data-newsletter-env="prod">
<div id="newsletterDisclaimer">
Deal narrowly avoided a prison sentence last January, when he pleaded guilty in the County Court to stealing $230,000 from the South Melbourne real estate business owned by his former wife. 
</div>
</div>
Another former business associate said he lost about $300,000 in a failed venture with Deal, which involved fraudulent sale contracts for three inner-city properties.
The money was only repaid after the dispute reached the "steps of court."
Over the past two years, Deal has been evicted from two apartments in Black Rock and Elwood over failure to pay his rent, while a Mercedes SL 500 was also repossessed.
It is understood several complaints about Deal's conduct have been forwarded to Consumer Affairs Victoria.
In 2010 the Melbourne Magistrate’s Court granted final orders against the South Melbourne real estate agency Infolio Corp Pty Ltd and its former director Cameron Deal briefly restraining them from operating as a real estate business without a licence.
The court found that the company had breached the Real Estate Agents Act 1980 by operating without a licence between September 2009 and 11 August 2010.
Consumer Affairs Victoria took out a temporary injunction against Infolio Corp Pty Ltd.
The company, which subsequently received its real estate licence, was ordered to pay $2500 costs.
In 2012 The Australian Financial Review cited Deal as an expert on property matters.
In 2012 he wrote on the rules and regulations regarding cooling off rights, then in 2013 Property Observer wrote of his weekend auction tactics. He was a big advocate of his local suburbs. He featured in numerous seminars. 
"The lies and misconceptions that I saw as a real estate agent to buyers really shocked me," he once advised on the reason he became a buyers' advocate.
In 2014 still at Infolio Property Advisors, which he was a co-founder in 2008, Deal was in the media after seminars billing himself as an "expert across the breadth of the home market – from million dollar plus properties to $400,000 investments."
One of <a href="https://joy.org.au/humpdaycrew/2009/06/thinking-of-buying-a-property-cameron-deal-talks-with-the-hump-day-crew-about-the-market/" target="_blank">his earliest mentions</a> was on Melbourne radio station Joy.
 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Fallen property buyers' agent Cameron Deal jailed for fraud

<html><body>
Estate agent Anthony Brancatella has pleaded guilty to misappropriation.
The amount totalled almost $2 million across 62 breaches.
The former director of the McDonald Real Estate franchise in Mulgrave pleaded guilty to 62 charges relating to fraudulently converting money he obtained from property deals.
The Victorian County Court heard Mr Brancatella cashed cheques from trust accounts where sale deposits were held for vendors, putting the money back into the firm’s business account.
The Herald Sun reported he also misappropriated deposits by never placing them into the trust account, often using them to pay off renovations to his own house, staff wages, and debts owed to other clients.
Prosecutor Daniel Porceddu said Mr Brancatella had defrauded clients of a total of $1,999,920, of which $508,000 was repaid via claims to the Victorian Property Fund, and almost $400,000 was repaid by the Brancatella.
Several victim impact statements were read out during the plea hearing which continues.
The offences occurred between December 2011 and June 2014.
The Brancatella franchise company was placed into external administration in the wake of the CAV investigation.
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