Brisbane-based developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/red-co">Red &amp; Co</a> has made a striking debut on the Gold Coast, officially unveiling its $250 million COMO development in Varsity Lakes, a lifestyle-driven residential project anchored by an extensive rooftop wellness and activity precinct.

Having recently launched to market, construction has already been fast-tracked by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/5point-projects">5Point Projects</a>, ensuring momentum continues on what is set to become a landmark residential address for the growing Varsity Lakes community.

Located at 22 Lake Street, Varsity Lakes, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/como-varsity-lakes-22-lake-street-varsity-lakes-qld-4227">COMO</a> will comprise 156 apartments across 16 levels, comprising one-, two- and three-bedroom residences designed for modern living. However, it is the project’s rooftop amenity offering that sets COMO apart.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135546 project_image_fid=363510]

Designed as a dedicated wellness and recreation hub, the rooftop will feature a 25-metre lap pool, fully equipped gymnasium, and multiple pickleball and paddleball courts - amenities rarely seen in boutique apartment projects.

Residents will also have access to a sauna and plunge baths, while landscaped gardens and relaxation zones will provide tranquil spaces overlooking sweeping panoramic views across the Gold Coast skyline.

The rooftop precinct has been designed to function as the social and wellness heart of the development, encouraging residents to embrace an active, balanced lifestyle within their own building.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135546 project_image_fid=363512]

Red &amp; Co director David Laverty said the amenity offering was central to the project’s design from the outset.

“Amenities were at the forefront of our decisions,” Laverty said.

“Buyers today are looking for more than just an apartment - they want a lifestyle that promotes health, connection and balance.

“The rooftop at COMO has been designed to be the epicentre of that lifestyle, with a suite of wellness and recreation facilities that are quite unique for a boutique development of this scale.”

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135546 project_image_fid=363514]

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bda-architecture">BDA Architecture</a>, the residences prioritise liveability, featuring spacious layouts, 2.7-metre ceilings and high-quality finishes throughout.

The development sits beside Bond University, placing residents within walking distance of education, retail and dining options within the vibrant Varsity Lakes precinct, including Robina Town Centre, Varsity Lakes Train Station and a range of leading schools.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135546 project_image_fid=363511]

Laverty said the location was a key driver behind Red &amp; Co’s decision to bring the project to the Gold Coast.

“<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/varsity-lakes-qld-4227">Varsity Lakes</a> was a clear choice for us to invest in as it’s a lifestyle hub that seamlessly blends lakeside living with urbanity,” he said.&nbsp;

“Como will capitalize on this great location, delivering a project that not only creates premium homes, but a lifestyle defined by community, wellbeing, and connectivity.”

Red &amp; Co has delivered more than 500 apartments and townhouses across 26 projects in Brisbane in recent years, with COMO marking the company’s first major Gold Coast development.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=135546]

Joel Robinson

Red & Co unveils amenity-rich Como development in Varsity Lakes

Gold Coast developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/big-projects">Big Projects</a> has secured approval for its second Mermaid Beach project.

The developer, currently selling <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-frederick-mermaid-beach-2265-gold-coast-highway-mermaid-beach-qld-4218">The Frederick in Nobby Beach</a>, has secured approval for its next project just 1.5 kilomnetres up the road.

The new development, dubbed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/glenelg-residences-2462-2472-gold-coast-highway-mermaid-beach-qld-4218">Glenelg Residences</a>, has been designed by BDA Architecture and&nbsp;will have just under 100 apartments across an 11-storey building&nbsp;at 2462–2472 Gold Coast Highway, on the corner of Glenelg Avenue just under 300m from the future Mermaid Beach Light Rail stop.

The apartments, a mix of two- and three-bedrooms, will sit above a retail-focused ground plane and under extensive rooftop resident amenities.

<img alt="Exclusive: Big Projects plot Mermaid Beach apartment development, Glenelg Residences" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_75/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Screen%20Shot%202024-06-11%20at%209.55.04%20am.png?VersionId=z6NV4izeuvhBSSVlY6vK6TPO1LxrFeaG" />

BDA said in its planning submission that the project is intended to support the area’s transition toward higher-density, mixed-use living. “This project offers the opportunity to generate appropriate higher-intensity development within the future Light Rail corridor of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/mermaid-beach-qld-4218">Mermaid Beach</a>,” the submission noted.

At ground level, Glenelg Residences will include eight retail tenancies designed to activate the street frontage, complemented by a basement bar offering an additional hospitality element. Above, residents will have access to a rooftop amenity deck featuring an infinity pool, hot and cold plunge spas, day beds, and barbecue facilities.

The architectural approach adopts a restrained material palette of brick, textured concrete, and integrated landscaping, with cantilevered concrete frames and cascading planting intended to soften the built form. BDA described the design as aiming to create “a memorable sculptural mid-rise mixed-use building” that responds to both its coastal setting and urban context.

<img alt="Exclusive: Big Projects plot Mermaid Beach apartment development, Glenelg Residences" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screen%20Shot%202024-06-11%20at%209.55.45%20am.png?VersionId=cpjIVBqcT_sujmo2UMWkVyLcQ7WGJHaQ" />

The approval comes as the City of Gold Coast continues to plan for significant population growth, with regional targets requiring more than 100,000 new high-density dwellings by 2046.

<section data-scroll-anchor="false" data-testid="conversation-turn-36" data-turn="assistant" data-turn-id="request-WEB:55d7c6ac-8e6d-4881-ad49-0ed9bf66d1cc-17" dir="auto">
Big Projects, led by Matthew and John Barrett, is part of a growing cohort of developers that deliver construction in-house, providing a high level of confidence to prospective purchasers.
</section>

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150260]

Big Projects secures approval for Glenelg Residences in Mermaid Beach

Sherpa Group is ramping up its investment in the southern Gold Coast by lodging a development application for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-viver-87-griffith-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Flourish Viveré</a>, a new $350 million project in Coolangatta.

The move comes after the group’s $27 million acquisition of the 2,029 sqm site on the corner of Griffith and Warner Street, last year.

They will develop 194 apartments across a 26-storey tower, which will become Sherpa’s largest project to date.

Viveré will be the next chapter in the Flourish story, following closely behind Amargo, Oasis, and the Avenues in Palm Beach, as well as Symphony in Brisbane, all designed to deliver affordable housing in lifestyle-rich locations, giving locals a real chance to secure a residence close to the beachfront.

The HAL Architect-designed project will offer a diverse range of residences, from one-, two, and three- bedroom apartments to the premium Canopy range to luxury penthouses.

<img alt="Vivere" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c85f5a7e-a22f-4745-8def-400adb3c0b35" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-04-15%20at%209.53.43%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=OY.chur3BPExn1exQ2q8clHqWnW_CaBi" />

“The Gold Coast is undergoing a period of immense growth, with more people drawn to the incredible 
lifestyle that’s available, leading to strong growth in property prices,” said Christie Leet, founder of Sherpa 
Group.

“Our goal at Sherpa is to ensure locals are not priced out of the market in prime locations, which is why we 
created the Flourish collection.

“Flourish Vivere will form the next chapter in our portfolio, and we are so excited to be lodging the DA, marking our first project in Coolangatta.”

A signature of the Flourish developments is the communal rooftop. Flourish Vivere will showcase a private resident’s lounge, outdoor dining with barbecues and pizza ovens, heated pool, fully-equipped gym, and a wellness centre with sauna and steam room.

<img alt="Vivere" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c09372cc-aae6-4458-af2e-f291bd19a5e5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-04-15%20at%209.53.49%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=Sc_RLXl5jiff.tnadogXjQJ_WIpDjf3p" />

The project is strategically located to offer a walkable lifestyle, with the Strand shopping centre, cafes, restaurants, shops and the beach, all just a short stroll away.

“We have meticulously planned Vivere to build on the Flourish legacy, creating a truly special project,”&nbsp;Leet added.

“Wellness, lifestyle and community are at the forefront of every decision we make, and that has not 
changed for Vivere.”

With the DA now lodged with the Gold Coast City Council, Sherpa has moved quickly to secure LPS Group as the builder, offering buyers a level of certainty that is rarely seen in today’s market.

Sherpa has delivered 16 residential projects over the past seven years with a pipeline of $1 billion, with more under construction.

Sherpa takes Flourish brand to Coolangatta, lays plans for Flourish Vivere 

S&amp;S Projects is boosting its investment at Rainbow Bay to more than $1 billion after the prolific Gold Coast developer acquired a new site for $20.25 million and immediately laid plans for a new luxury apartment project in the sought-after precinct.

The site, which is the company’s fifth acquisition at Rainbow Bay in the past four years, will be home to the company’s largest project to date after delivering 3 sold-out projects and construction progresses on Radia worth a combined $215m. 
S&amp;S Projects is currently finalising plans for its latest strategic acquisition, a 1,518 sqm site located 209-213 Boundary Street in Coolangatta, with a development application expected to be lodged within weeks.

The luxury residential development will build on the company’s highly successful projects at Rainbow Bay, comprising Flow, Awaken, Esprit and Radia, with Radia currently under construction by Hutchinson Builders.

“We have been unflinching in our commitment to Rainbow Bay and the transformation we have helped drive in this incredible part of the Gold Coast, which is among the city’s most desirable residential locations,” said S&amp;S Projects founder and director Paul Gedoun.

“Our fifth project will reflect the best of what we have done so far to create a lifestyle precinct that is second to none.”

The latest development, which has yet to be named, is proposed to accommodate 88 luxury apartments in a design that will immerse residents in a unique wellness lifestyle that expands on the legacy of S&amp;S Project’s earlier developments at Rainbow Bay.

The development will feature an expansive rooftop garden and wellness centre with a resort- style pool, among a host of lifestyle amenities planned for residents.

“Rainbow Bay, with its beautiful, protected beach and alongside one of the world’s best surf breaks at Snapper Rocks, is the natural wellness heartland of the Gold Coast,” said Gedoun.

“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.”

The latest acquisition comes as S&amp;S Projects is at the completion of Esprit and construction continues on Radia, which are part of their significant portfolio undertaken by the company at Rainbow Bay since 2022.

The $215 million Radia, which comprises 38 apartments, is currently the flagship development by S&amp;S Projects at Rainbow Bay which is expected to be completed in 2027.

Jayde Pezet, of Pezet Matheson, which has managed sales and marketing for S&amp;S Projects across their Gold Coast portfolio, emphasised the developer’s commitment to continuous improvement and excellence.

“S&amp;S Projects continue to elevate the benchmark of luxury with each development," Pezet said.

“We have worked with S&amp;amp;S on their 4 other projects in Rainbow Bay and their approach reflects a team that is constantly learning, refining, and pushing the standard higher.

“Their hyper-local knowledge and deep expertise within the luxury property sector are what truly set them apart, allowing them to deliver projects that feel both globally sophisticated and authentically connected to their coastal environment”

S&amp;S Projects plans to officially launch its latest project at Rainbow Bay in the second half of this year.

“As we embark on our largest project yet, we have pulled out all stops to create another landmark development that truly reflects the relaxed southern Gold Coast lifestyle,” Gedoun added.

S&S buys $20m Rainbow Bay site for fifth beachside apartment project

Japandi, an emerging design trend that combines Scandinavian functionality with Japanese rustic minimalism, remains relatively untested in Australia’s residential development market.

As developers look to differentiate their projects and offer something distinct to buyers, Brisbane-based developer Lantona has embraced the hybrid style for its recently launched Toowong apartment project, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/koya-residences-6-josling-street-toowong-qld-4066">Koya Residences</a>, with early response to the design proving positive.

Lantona entrusted Red Door Architecture and interiors practice Luma Design Co with delivering the Japandi brief. The approach blends Japanese minimalism with Scandinavian functionality, emphasising warm, restrained interiors, natural materials and clean lines. Drawing on the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi (beauty in imperfection) and the Scandinavian principle of hygge (comfort and cosiness), it creates serene, uncluttered and sustainable living environments.

These design principles are expressed throughout the Josling Street development, both in its exterior form and across the 40 one-, two- and three-bedroom residences within.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150787 project_image_fid=366229]

Koya reflects a deliberately scaled approach, with the five-storey form designed to align with the surrounding residential streetscape rather than dominate it.

“Koya is conceived as a building that sits comfortably within its surroundings. Every decision, from material selection to spatial planning, has been guided by long-term liveability and enduring relevance,” the developer said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150787 project_image_fid=366243]

Positioned within an established inner-west neighbourhood, the development sits near riverfront parklands and the Bicentennial Bikeway, while remaining within walking distance of Toowong Village and multiple public transport options connecting to the CBD, St Lucia and West End.

Lantona said the location was central to the project’s conception, pointing to Toowong’s balance of green space, transport access and proximity to major education institutions.

“<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/toowong-qld-4066">Toowong</a> combines river access, walkability, immediate CBD connection and a strong educational presence. That balance made it the obvious setting for Koya.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150787 project_image_fid=366230]

Communal amenity is concentrated on the rooftop, where a shared retreat will include a pool, dining areas and outdoor spaces oriented towards neighbourhood and city views. The design allows for both private use and small gatherings, extending the living environment beyond individual apartments.

Koya enters the market at a time when smaller-scale developments are becoming less common in established suburbs, with many recent projects in the suburb shooting for the sky.

In a nod of confidence,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/brisbane-builders">Brisbane Builders</a>&nbsp;has already commenced construction on the building, which is slated for completion in early 2027. Keenan &amp; Byrne is marketing Koya.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150787]

Japandi-inspired Koya Residences launch in Toowong

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.
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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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