<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/draycon">Draycon Building</a> is nearing completion of Boutique Chevron Island, a 42-apartment development on the northern end of Chevron Island at 17–19 Parneno Street, with a limited-time offer of fully furnished apartments available.

Now more than 90 per cent complete, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/boutique-chevron-island-17-19-parneno-chevron-island-qld-4217">Boutique</a> has been shaped by one of the Gold Coast’s most tightly held island addresses, where riverfront outlooks and walkable access to Surfers Paradise converge.

For Draycon Building Managing Director Howard Dabit, the appeal of the site was immediate.

“I knew it was a good site as soon as I saw it,” Dabit said.

“The position and location on the north end of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/chevron-island-qld-4217">Chevron Island</a>, the way the river swirls around the site basically from the north to the east, it feels like the site is surrounded by the water. The height that we’ve got and the aspect looking north is beautiful. Eighty per cent of the apartments are looking north so they get that drenching sunlight coming in.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=89709 project_image_fid=360922]

That northern orientation places the development within a stretch of Chevron Island defined by open river aspects and skyline views, while remaining embedded in the suburb’s established village setting.

Chevron Island has increasingly drawn owner-occupiers seeking centrality without the intensity of high-rise beachfront living. Positioned at the geographical centre of the Gold Coast, the island offers direct access to both the beach and key cultural infrastructure while retaining a neighbourhood-scale character.

Connected by bridge to Surfers Paradise, Chevron Island offers walkable access to beaches, riverfront parklands and a revitalised foreshore boulevard animated by walkers and cyclists throughout the day. The Pacific Ocean is only minutes away, reinforcing the suburb’s dual river-and-surf identity.

At the same time, Thomas Drive forms the spine of the island’s village life, delivering cafés, wine bars, casual dining and everyday services within easy reach. Independent grocers, wellness operators and neighbourhood retailers contribute to a community atmosphere that remains distinct from the vertical scale of the beachfront.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=89709 project_image_fid=360915]

In the opposite direction, the Green Bridge links directly to HOTA – Home of the Arts – placing galleries, performance venues and parklands within walking distance. Weekly markets and major exhibitions draw visitors from across the region, while residents return to a quieter residential pocket at day’s end.

Public transport, including nearby bus routes and the G:link light rail corridor along the coastal spine, strengthens connectivity north and south. Griffith University, the Gold Coast University Hospital precinct and established private schools such as The Southport School are all within a short drive.

Ongoing investment across Surfers Paradise, HOTA and the broader Southport corridor has elevated amenity while preserving Chevron Island’s comparatively low-rise residential character. It is this balance, walkable village atmosphere paired with metropolitan-scale infrastructure, that continues to differentiate the suburb from higher-density beachfront precincts.

Boutique comprises just 42 residences, designed to maximise river and skyline outlooks within this tightly held island setting.

Boutique Chevron Island is slated for completion in April 2026, with prices starting from $1,220,000.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=89709]

Joel Robinson

Draycon Building’s Boutique Chevron Island places 42 residences at the heart of the Gold Coast

Sydney developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/deicorp">Deicorp</a> has secured planning approval for a $300 million residential development in Lindfield, marking the company’s second project on Sydney’s North Shore and its first on the Upper North Shore.

Located on Beaconsfield Parade and designed by DKO Architecture, the state significant development comprises three buildings of up to 10 storeys and will include 399 residences, including 59 affordable homes and 40 adaptable homes.

Residences will range in size from one, two and three bedrooms, with two-bedroom apartments accounting for over 60 per cent of the product make-up. Residents will have access to a broad suite of amenities, including a wellness area, indoor and outdoor recreational spaces, a pool, a gym, a community room and a golf simulator.

In line with Deicorp’s long-standing focus on creating transit-oriented communities, the project is located just 260 metres from the Lindfield Train Station, reinforcing its role in delivering well-connected housing close to established infrastructure, retail and local services.

The inclusion of affordable and adaptable housing supports greater diversity within the local market, while the mix of apartment types responds to demand from downsizers, young professionals and families seeking access to the Upper North Shore.

Deicorp Founder Fouad Deiri OAM said the approval represents an important milestone for both the company and the suburb

“This approval allows us to deliver well-designed homes in a location that is already supported by strong transport and community infrastructure," Deiri said.

"Our focus is on creating places that integrate into their surroundings and provide long-term value for residents, and the broader Lindfield community. Being within walking distance of the station ensures this project supports sustainable growth in the right locations."

Across its portfolio, Deicorp currently has 4,703 apartments under construction, playing a leading role in shaping connected, liveable communities across Sydney.

Its expanding portfolio of Metro-linked developments includes Tallawong Village, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kings-bay-village-five-dock-53-75-queens-road-five-dock-nsw-2046">Kings Bay Village</a> in Five Dock, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/hyde-metropolitan-sydney-133-141-liverpool-street-sydney-nsw-2000">Hyde Metropolitan</a> in Sydney CBD, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/falcon-alexander-crows-nest-8-alexander-street-crows-nest-nsw-2065">Falcon &amp; Alexander</a> in Crows Nest and Showground Village, Castle Hill.

Deicorp purchased the Beaconsfield Paradise site last year. Construction is scheduled to commence in Q2 of 2026 and will be completed in 2029.

Deicorp expands portfolio to nearly 5,000 apartments with Lindfield project

In a joint venture with The Trump Organization, Australia developer Altus Property Group has announced plans to bring a Trump International Hotel &amp; Tower to the Gold Coast, marking the first Trump-branded project in Australia.

"Trump International Hotel &amp; Tower, Gold Coast is our first official project in Australia and reflects our unwavering commitment to delivering world-class luxury experiences in iconic locations around the world," Eric Trump, Executive Vice President of The Trump Organization, said.

"This development exemplifies the Trump brand’s dedication to quality, sophistication, and unmatched service, and we are thrilled to bring this vision to the vibrant Gold Coast community."

The 91-storey building, which will become the tallest in Australia at 335 metres, will feature a&nbsp;285-room luxury hotel bearing the trademark Trump logo. It will also include 272 luxury residential apartments, a three-level podium with an exclusive Beach Club, and over 3,400 sqm of premium commercial, retail, and dining space, revitalizing the central Surfers Paradise precinct.

“Trump International Hotel &amp; Tower, Gold Coast will be a truly unique offering in the Australian market, bringing the prestige and allure of a world-class luxury brand,"&nbsp;Altus founder and chief executive David Young said.

"Altus Property Group is proud of its track record in delivering landmark developments across Australia, and our expertise ensures this project will be an outstanding success."

Trump Hotel heads for the Gold Coast to become Australia's tallest building

More than a century after the Corrimal Coke Works first opened in 1912, the industrial landmark that helped shape the suburb is being reinterpreted as a walkable residential neighbourhood, with Stage One of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-works-stage-one-27-railway-street-corrimal-nsw-2518">The Works</a> now underway at 27 Railway Street.

For 102 years, the site was central to <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/corrimal-nsw-2518">Corrimal</a>’s economic and social identity before operations ceased in 2014. Rather than erasing that legacy, developer Legacy Property has embedded it into the masterplan, retaining and reinterpreting elements such as the iconic 1912 brick chimney and sections of the original C1 Coke Oven Battery, alongside the adaptive reuse of the former powerhouse building.

Stage One will introduce 181 apartments across low-rise buildings, offering predominantly two and three-bedroom residences with completion targeted for mid-2027. The scale and configuration reflect a deliberate focus on owner-occupiers, targeting those seeking a lower-maintenance home in a prime location within the northern suburbs of Wollongong.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=143415 project_image_fid=359833]

Apartments have been designed to maximise natural light and cross-ventilation, with floor-to-ceiling glazing extending living areas onto generous balconies. Engineered timber flooring, induction cooktops and 900mm ovens in larger residences support everyday functionality, while two interior palettes allow buyers to tailor finishes to their preferences. The material selection draws on a restrained coastal language, intended to connect homes to their surroundings rather than compete with them.

The Works forms part of a broader 18-hectare masterplan that will ultimately deliver around 550 dwellings, new parks, and a heritage precinct celebrating the site’s past. More than seven hectares are dedicated to open space, including Southern Park and a Village Green with community gardens and recreation areas. The creek corridor is being rehabilitated with 150,000 native plantings, restoring biodiversity to the site and softening landscape.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=143415 project_image_fid=359841]

Positioned adjacent to Corrimal Station and within walking distance of Corrimal Town Centre, the precinct places daily essentials, rail connections and local retail within easy reach. Wollongong CBD, including the hospital, university and entertainment venues, sits approximately 6.5 kilometres to the south.

For buyers more familiar with North Wollongong, Corrimal offers a different proposition: a well-established coastal suburb framed by beaches to the east and the escarpment to the west, with a strong sense of local identity shaped in part by the former Coke Works. The Works seeks to reinforce that identity by creating a connected, walkable neighbourhood between coast and escarpment, rather than a standalone apartment complex.

Sustainability underpins the development approach. The Works is targeting Wollongong’s first 5-Star Green Star-rated community, with water-sensitive urban design, recycled materials and energy-efficient buildings integrated across the masterplan. For residents, these measures provide not only environmental benefits but also reduced operational costs and future resilience.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=143415 project_image_fid=359842]

With construction commenced and display materials available to view, prospective buyers can now engage more directly with the project’s vision, reviewing floorplans, material selections and the broader masterplan in detail. For many local homeowners weighing a move, the opportunity to experience how heritage, landscape and contemporary design intersect may help bridge the gap between familiarity and the next chapter.

As Stage One progresses toward its mid-2027 completion, The Works represents a significant chapter in Corrimal’s evolution, transforming a site that once powered local industry into a walkable residential precinct designed for its next generation of residents.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=143415]

Legacy Property’s The Works reimagines Corrimal’s century-old Coke Works

When it comes to developing in Melb​ourne's Bayside region, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/lowe-living">Lowe Living</a> knows exactly what buyers want.

With a longstanding presence in the area and a string of sell-out projects, Lowe Living consistently delivers developments that are as sought-after as their predecessors.

Their latest instalment is in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/hampton-vic-3188">Hampton</a><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/hampton-east-vic-3188">&nbsp;East,</a> the same postcode where they have previously delivered Hampton Hill and Oceano. The developer-builder recently commenced construction on its newest project,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/marella-hampton-31-35-alicia-street-hampton-east-vic-3188">Marella</a>, a collection of 32 apartments just five minutes from the beach.

Site acquisition is paramount to success. Lowe Living rarely brings a building to market that isn’t within walking distance of essential amenities, whether it be the beach, a prominent retail strip, or a train station. Marella is no exception, located at its Alicia Street address, less than a kilometre from the retail heart of Hampton Street and Hampton Station.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146197 project_image_fid=358495]

Equally important to Lowe Living is the architecture.

For Marella, they appointed <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cera-stribley-architects">Cera Stribley</a>, who explains that the architectural vision was to create a contemporary reinterpretation of the Californian bungalow, a style that’s iconic to Hampton’s heritage.

"By borrowing, abstracting, and reinterpreting elements of this quintessential style, such as strong datum lines, articulated columns, exposed structures, and roof tiles, our design strikes a balance between modernity and familiarity," says Cera Stribley.

"This approach ensures that the development is not only visually appealing but also contextually sensitive, resonating with Hampton's existing architectural landscape."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146197 project_image_fid=358499]

The building features terracotta brick, soft cream masonry, and exposed metal detailing, giving it a tactile presence that is intended to weather gently over time.

Internally, the focus on lasting quality continues, with two and three-bedroom residences anchored by sculptural stone kitchen islands, natural light, and clearly defined transitions between living, dining, and outdoor spaces.

The layouts have been carefully designed. Open-plan zones extend to private balconies, with light-filled interiors and generous kitchen proportions, supported by Miele wall ovens, induction cooktops, and integrated fridge-freezers. These are not small apartments rebranded as luxury; they have been designed at scale, with ample storage, hotel-style entry access, and secure basement parking provided as standard.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146197 project_image_fid=358492]

At the uppermost level, Marella’s Signature Collection penthouses offer city or bay views, large entertaining terraces (some with outdoor spas), and elevated finishes, including fully wrapped stone kitchen benches and a Liebherr wine fridge.

Flexible room arrangements allow for a fourth bedroom or secondary living space, sought-after by both empty nesters who want the space when family visits and families with older children.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146197 project_image_fid=358498]

A residents’ lounge on the ground floor reinforces the project’s small-community feel. With a fireplace, private dining area, and adjoining terrace, it’s one of several shared spaces that balance amenity with privacy and scale.

Construction has commenced, with completion expected in early 2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=146197]

Lowe Living continues Bayside legacy as Marella rises in Hampton

Wellbeing

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Australians are feeling much happier about their general health and wellbeing than they are about their finances, a new study has revealed – with home ownership being a key stress point.
A national Colmar Brunton survey has found that only 35% of Australians are satisfied with their financial wellbeing, while 59% are satisfied with their mental wellbeing, 50% with their social wellbeing and 45% with their health and physical wellbeing.
<h2>Renters more financially stressed than property owners</h2>
Owning a property versus renting a property has a direct effect on financial wellbeing, the study revealed, with renters (45%) much more likely to be dissatisfied.
According to social researcher Mark McCrindle, owning your own home or property is a perceived milestone that often affects people’s sense of satisfaction.
“Individuals compare themselves to their peer group and home ownership has been the wealth vehicle they have used,” Mr McCrindle told News.com.au. “Costs of living are going up and if they are still renting, rather than owning a house, it can add to their insecurities.”
<h2>Australians feeling unprepared for the future</h2>
One in three survey respondents said they did not have the financial freedom to make choices that would allow them to enjoy their lives.
A further 29% do not feel prepared for any potential financial setbacks or emergency events.
Funding retirement was top of mind for many respondents with 43% feeling their superannuation is not on track to allow them to maintain their standard of living into retirement.
The data also revealed that 36% of Australians believe they will need to keep working past the age of retirement.
<h2>A taboo topic</h2>
<a href="http://www.ironfish.com.au/blog/2018/05/31/advocating-financial-literacy-wellbeing-workplace/" target="_blank">Experts agree</a> that the journey to financial wellbeing starts with education. And yet financial education is notably lacking – it is not commonly taught in schools, or the workplace – and therefore an individual’s financial education is completely dependent on social, familial or community structures and resources.
“Wealth is a taboo topic,” says Ironfish CEO &amp; Founder, Joseph Chou. “It’s not taught in school, we don’t talk about it amongst ourselves, or with friends or colleagues, generally speaking. And yet, we know from experience that wealth can be learned.
“That’s why it’s so important to us at Ironfish to inspire people to take ownership of their finances and achieve the financial freedom they need to enjoy life now and feel more confident about their future.”
<h2>From renter to owner</h2>
In our experience, most people already believe that property is a great investment and has a strong link to their sense of financial wellbeing.
Most people probably also wished they’d bought property years ago but lacked the confidence to make a decision about which particular property to purchase or felt it was too far out of reach.
At Ironfish, our aim is to simplify investment concepts, provide quality education, investor tools, service and properties – and share our collective investment experience to help you achieve your property goals.
Over 86% of our staff are property investors<a name="_ftnref1" href="http://www.ironfish.com.au/blog/2018/07/13/aussies-feeling-fit-well-just-not-financially-new-research-finds/#_ftn1">[1]</a> including first home buyers and <a href="http://www.ironfish.com.au/blog/2017/10/16/thinking-beyond-sydney-rent-vesting-works/" target="_blank">rent-vestors</a> – so we have walked the path before.  
 
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

Aussies feeling fit and well – just not financially, new research finds: Ironfish

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We are a country that has become richer than we possibly ever could have imagined. We have had 29 years of unprecedented, <a href="https://www.austrade.gov.au/news/economic-analysis/australia-on-course-to-celebrate-30-years-of-growth-says-oxford-economics#note-1" target="_blank">world-record holding</a> economic growth.
Although economically things are a little <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-27/government-budget-surplus-threatened-by-coronavirus/12002704" target="_blank">precarious</a> in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak and our worst bushfires in recorded history, ahead of the first gross domestic product (GDP) announcement for the year, it’s worth acknowledging this remarkable achievement.
But what has it meant for people’s lives? The figures tell us little about <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/feb/23/fiona-stanleys-2020s-vision-please-can-we-move-beyond-gdp" target="_blank">whether life is getting better</a>.
In 1991, the last time GDP went backwards for two consecutive quarters, 258,226 babies were born in Australia.
Samantha and Andrew
Let’s call one of them Samantha, born in Bently, an area of high socioeconomic disadvantage in Western Australia, and the other Andrew, born in the suburb of Griffith in the Australian Capital Territory.
During the first two years of their lives, around one in 10 families with children were in a <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/2f762f95845417aeca25706c00834efa/855e6f87080d2e1aca2570ec000c8e5f!OpenDocument" target="_blank">jobless household</a>.
Andrew’s parents had jobs. Samantha’s didn’t.
By the time Samantha and Andrew were 25, in 2016, average household disposable income was twice what it had been when they were born, even after accounting for higher prices.
But it’s not hard to see that, despite economic growth, their lives were different.
Samantha had less education, was underemployed, in housing stress and skipping meals to feed her kids. Andrew had higher education, was employed full-time, lived with high-income parents and was saving for a deposit for a place of his own.
While economic growth made us wealthier as a country, it hasn’t been good for all of us.
We need a measure that sits alongside gross domestic product that tells us whether we are actually getting better off.
<h2>What matters is whether we are really better off</h2>
The idea of a broader measure of social progress isn’t new – a collaboration called the <a href="http://www.andi.org.au/" target="_blank">Australian National Development Index</a> has been underway a few years now, and the Australian Bureau of Statistics used to publish “<a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/1370.0%7E2013%7EMain%20Features%7EAbout%20MAP%7E2" target="_blank">Measures of Australia’s Progress</a>” until budget cuts in 2014.
<a href="https://treasury.govt.nz/publications/wellbeing-budget/wellbeing-budget-2019-html" target="_blank">New Zealand</a> introduced a “well-being budget” last year, targeting mental health, child welfare, Indigenous reconciliation, the environment, suicide, and homelessness, alongside traditional measures of productivity and investment.
Labor’s treasury spokesman, <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/measure-what-matters-labor-s-plan-to-track-the-nation-s-wellbeing-alongside-gdp-20200219-p5426n" target="_blank">Jim Chalmers</a>, has <a href="https://jimchalmers.org/media/speeches/measuring-what-matters/" target="_blank">promised</a> to do the same when Labor is next in office.
<a href="https://amplify.csi.edu.au/social-progress-index/" target="_blank">Australia’s Social Progress Index</a>, launched last month by the <a href="https://amplify.csi.edu.au" target="_blank">Centre for Social Impact</a> at UNSW Sydney and the <a href="https://www.socialprogress.org/" target="_blank">Social Progress Imperative</a> will go further, and much further than the national accounts to be released today.
It will enable the well-being and opportunities to be ranked and compared by location and time.
The <a href="https://amplify.csi.edu.au/social-progress-index/" target="_blank">online tool</a> enables anyone to explore how we are tracking on <a href="https://amplify.csi.edu.au/social-progress-index/methodology/" target="_blank">12 components </a> grouped into three domains: basic human needs, foundations of well-being, and opportunity.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/318218/original/file-20200303-18270-7wakux.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/318218/original/file-20200303-18270-7wakux.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Finding the components wasn’t easy.
We needed to consider data availability, data detail, sample sizes, and reliability. We considered more than <a href="https://amplify.csi.edu.au/social-progress-index/methodology/" target="_blank">400 possibilities</a>.
While it is by no means the only (or perfect) way of understanding Australian living standards, it pushes us significantly beyond GDP.
It asks and answers universally important questions, such as:
• Do people have adequate housing with basic utilities?
• Do people have access to an educational foundation?
• Are people free to make their own life choices?
• Is this society using its resources so they will be available to future generations?
<h2>Economic growth doesn’t tell us much</h2>
The results show a stark disconnect between economic and social progress. While our GDP has been rising, we have fared poorly on environmental quality and access to information and communications.
At a state and territory level, despite having high gross state product per capita, <a href="https://www.jtsi.wa.gov.au/docs/default-source/default-document-library/wa-economic-profile---february-2019.pdf?sfvrsn=538731c_4" target="_blank">Western Australia</a> and the <a href="https://nteconomy.nt.gov.au/economic-growth" target="_blank">Northern Territory</a> ranked 7th and 8th on most of the indicators.
The rising tide has not lifted all boats.
This is evident in Andrew and Samantha’s lives (the Australian Capital Territory ranks first overall, Western Australia 7th) and also in the aftermath of the bushfires.
People were cut off from <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jan/01/australia-bushfire-towns-supplies-power-houses-the-lot" target="_blank">power</a>, information, <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2020-01-13/are-australias-telecommunication-up-to-the-new-kind-of-megafire/11860238" target="_blank">communication</a>, and <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-06/fire-cuts-food-supplies-to-nsw-south-coast-towns-and-families/11842382" target="_blank">access to resources</a>. Many <a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/news/Pages/20191113_00.aspx" target="_blank">struggled to breathe</a>. We lost much of our ecosystem.
The economy is fundamental to improving our well-being and fuelling our social progress, but it isn’t everything and it isn’t necessarily inclusive.
If we had inclusive growth we wouldn’t be able to predict babies’ futures by the postcodes in which they were born. We would be able to meet basic human needs regardless of how much was spent and earned each quarter.
Today’s national accounts will be important, as a spur to asking other important questions, rather than as the final answer.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/132739/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kristy-muir-158422" target="_blank">Kristy Muir</a>, Professor of Social Policy / CEO, Centre for Social Impact, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-1414" target="_blank">UNSW</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/isabella-saunders-981654" target="_blank">Isabella Saunders</a>, Research Assistant at the Centre for Social Impact, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-1414" target="_blank">UNSW</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/megan-weier-151162" target="_blank">Megan Weier</a>, Research Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-1414" target="_blank">UNSW</a>
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/todays-gdp-figures-wont-tell-us-whether-life-is-getting-better-heres-what-can-132739" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Today's GDP figures won't tell us whether life is getting better -- here's what can

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/82154/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
Residents of neighbourhoods with good infrastructure and services often enjoy lower living costs and better wellbeing and life chances.
But access to education, health, transport and other public amenities and services is unevenly distributed in the city. 
Some suburbs are disadvantaged on multiple fronts, and it turns out these areas receive much more state funding in Melbourne than in Sydney.
From a social justice perspective, public funding of infrastructure and services should give priority to the most disadvantaged areas. This “redistribution” is seen as necessary to counter socioeconomic disadvantage and inequality. 
In both Sydney and Melbourne, our research shows more funding goes to moderately disadvantaged areas, on average, than to more advantaged areas. In Sydney, however, government spending in the most disadvantaged suburbs was very low compared to Melbourne.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/08/16/file-20170811-12395-tqo9ff.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<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/2017/08/16/file-20170811-12395-tqo9ff.jpg" alt="">
 
Average per capita investment by socioeconomic status of suburb. Author provided
<h2>Breaking down the funding distribution</h2>
Our study sought to understand how state funding is distributed in Melbourne and Sydney. We looked at the Victorian and New South Walesstate budgets from 1999 to 2015 to measure expenditure in different suburbs of both cities. This included transport, roads, health, education, justice, utilities, amenities, government facilities and community services.
In both Sydney and Melbourne we saw an overall redistributive pattern. Moderately disadvantaged areas received more on average than advantaged areas. 
However, state investment in Sydney’s most disadvantaged suburbs was very low. In contrast, such areas in Melbourne benefited from relatively high state spending. 
In Melbourne’s most socially disadvantaged suburbs, expenditure was higher than the metropolitan average in almost all categories of infrastructure and services. The exceptions were emergency services and amenities. 
In Sydney’s most disadvantaged suburbs, expenditure was lower than the metropolitan average in health, justice, roads, amenities, urban development and utilities. Only expenditure on community services and education was above the average. 
In both cities, expenditure on public housing development was relatively high in the most disadvantaged suburbs. Government investment in building more affordable housing in well-serviced areas is extremely important. A booming housing market has pushed disadvantaged people, including recently arrived immigrants, away from well-serviced suburbsthat were once affordable.
However, in Sydney, new public housing development occurs disproportionately in the most disadvantaged suburbs that also lack good public infrastructure and services. 
<h2>Inner city does best</h2>
The disadvantage of Sydney’s poorest suburbs can be attributed, in part, to a highly centralised pattern of government spending. It is disproportionately high in the inner city and progressively declines outwards. 
The majority of Sydney’s most disadvantaged suburbs are located well outside the metropolitan centre, and therefore miss out. 
Strategic plans for Sydney since 2005 have envisioned a shift towards a less centralised structure. Yet the pattern of infrastructure investment we observed is at odds with such rhetoric. 
Most recently, the Greater Sydney Commission has promoted a “metropolis of three cities”. The three centres are the CBD, Parramatta and the planned Western Sydney Airport in Badgery’s Creek. The impact of these strategies on infrastructure distribution will need close monitoring.
But, on its own, centralised expenditure does not fully explain why Sydney’s most disadvantaged suburbs miss out. Some of Sydney’s emerging outer suburbs benefited from much higher investment. And in Melbourne, despite a centralised pattern of investment (albeit less extreme than Sydney’s), the most disadvantaged suburbs did benefit from high expenditure.
We need to find other political and social explanations to explain these differences between Melbourne and Sydney. 
<h2>Finding a fairer balance</h2>
Despite the justifications for redistribution to the neediest areas, various political and economic dynamics work against it.
Public investment often favours other areas because these are expected to yield higher economic or electoral returns. Better resourced communities can also lobby government more effectively – pushing for or against facilities in their area, for instance. 
Nonetheless, state governments can play a crucial role in reducing social inequalities in Australia’s major cities. In Sydney, infrastructure allocation decisions by successive state governments have failed the most disadvantaged communities. 
Public spending on infrastructure and services will have to be redistributed to fix these problems. But simply channelling more funds to disadvantaged suburbs will not be enough. To maximise the transformative impact on such communities, the state must take the needs and wishes of diverse residents into account. 
Crucially, this must include more affordable housing. Otherwise, investments in better infrastructure and services may well lead to the displacement of the very people who are meant to benefit.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ilan-wiesel-303040" target="_blank">Ilan Wiesel</a> is Lecturer in Urban Geography, University of Melbourne.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/caitlin-buckle-399322" target="_blank">Caitlin Buckle</a> is PhD Candidate in Human Geography, UNSW.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/fanqi-liu-399272" target="_blank">Fanqi Liu</a> is PhD Student in Urban Geography, University of Melbourne.
All are authors for <a href="https://theconversation.com/au" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.
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Melbourne shows up Sydney in funding the most disadvantaged suburbs

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Australians are happier, with homes linked to a positive influence on wellbeing, according to the Wellbeing Index for Q3 from NAB Group Economics.
The index noted homes, local community and standard of living as a key driver in wellbeing for the majority of high income earners.
General finances and money was the single biggest detractor to wellbeing in low income earners.
<a href="/images/2015/10/30/Screen%20Shot%202015-10-30%20at%2011.10.30%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/10/30/Screen%20Shot%202015-10-30%20at%2011.10.30%20AM.png" alt="">
The survey of over 2,000 Australians found 23.4% indicated high levels of happiness, up from 22.7 per cent in Q2. The level of Australians recording a low level of happiness fell from 14.9% to 13.4% in Q3.
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