In the media
Composting food and organic waste and reducing
landfill
Eight Melbourne councils are set to reduce the amount of
food and organic waste they send to landfill, thanks to a new
composting facility supported by the Turnbull Government. The
composting facility will recycle approximately 120,000 tonnes of
food and organic waste per year and produce 50,000 tonnes of
high-grade compost for the municipalities' gardens and parks
(02 August 2018).
More...
The toxic face of PVC manufacturing exposed
The building design sector should be careful when
selecting building and furnishing materials containing PVC, with a
new report finding mercury, asbestos, PFAS chemicals and other
hazardous substances in the footprint of some chlorine-based
materials (02 August 2018).
More...
House price decline largest in six years
Australia's housing downturn gathered momentum in
July, with national dwelling values reporting the largest annual
fall since August 2012 (01 August 2018).
More...
Meriton to pay $3 million for misleading consumers on
TripAdvisor
The Federal Court found that Meriton engaged in misleading
or deceptive conduct and conduct liable to mislead the public by
implementing a practice of 'masking' email addresses.
Masking prevented guests Meriton suspected would give negative
reviews from receiving TripAdvisor's 'Review Express'
prompt email. This gave the impression Meriton accommodation was of
a higher standard than otherwise may have been the case (31 July
2018).
More...
End of NRAS means even less affordable housing
The first tranche of properties subsidised under the
National Rental Affordability Scheme will lose the subsidy paid to
investor owners this December. For the community housing sector
that means hundreds of affordable properties may soon become
not-so-affordable for low and medium-income tenants (31 July 2018).
More...
ASIC winds up five companies involved in Victorian land
banking projects
The Federal Court of Australia has made orders winding up
five companies for their role in the operation of two land banking
schemes. Four companies (the Project Companies) entered into
contracts for the purchase of land for rezoning and were involved
in the promotion of the schemes and received money from investors
(27 July 2018).
More...
Why narrow streets are the way of the future
Narrow streets are commonplace in city centres throughout
Australia; now urban planners are paving the way for skinny roads
in the suburbs (26 July 2018).
More...
Stapled Structures and Build-to-Rent legislative package
bring certainty
New rules that clarify the framework for institutional
investment in real estate, including allowing investment in
Build-to-Rent housing, have been warmly welcomed by the Property
Council of Australia, although tax levels for international
investors in Build-to-Rent remain a concern (26 July 2018).
More...
Victoria
PFAS - EPA updates East Gippsland consumption
warnings
Environment Protection Authority Victoria
(EPA) has added to its advice about fish
consumption from the Heart Morass area to include the Latrobe River
in East Gippsland following additional testing undertaken by the
Department of Defence in the Sale area (02 August 2018).
More...
'Unprecedented' bid to give 16yo Federation
Square heritage protection
Melbourne's Federation Square, which opened in 2002,
will be assessed for heritage protection in a move that could have
implications for the $11-billion Metro Tunnel train project and
plans for a controversial new Apple store (31 July 2018).
More...
Consideration for children in city planning
According to a new study from Deakin University, apartment
buildings must be introduced to family-friendly design guidelines,
with the number of families living in high-rise apartment buildings
increasing, along with potential health risks to children (30 July
2018).
More...
New South Wales
Applications open: Council Regional Capacity Building
Program
The contaminated land management Council Regional Capacity
Building (CRCB) grant program provides grants of
up to $140,000 per year for three years (24 July 2018).
More...
Queensland
Gold Coast office vacancy increases
The Property Council of Australia's latest Office
Market Report reveals an increase in Gold Coast office vacancy to
12 per cent over the last six months. This result can be attributed
to an additional 3,000sqm of B Grade stock coming online, as well
as a significant tenant move in Robina (02 August 2018).
More...
Positive signs for Brisbane CBD office market
The Property Council's July 2018 Office Market Report
reveals positive signs for Brisbane office space, with a welcome
decrease in vacancy recorded across the CBD. The report shows
Brisbane CBD vacancy has fallen from 16.1 per cent in January 2018
to 14.6 per cent in July (02 August 2018).
More...
Published – articles, papers, reports
REIA News – 23 July 2018
Property operators and real estate services; Schools
Auctioneering Championships – paving the way to a career in
real estate; How millennials can win the rentals race when
competing with baby boomers.
More...
Infrastructure decision-making principles
Infrastructure Australia: 24 July 2018
The Infrastructure Decision-making Principles provide
guidelines to drive greater transparency and accountability in
infrastructure decision-making. More...
In practice and courts
Department of Environment and Energy: Current
Consultations
Call for submissions of case studies on action underway on the
environment and energy Sustainable Development Goals
Closes December 31, 2018
Announcements, Draft Policies and Plans released 2018
SRO: Helping first home buyers, day and night
A new webinar explains: the First Home Owner
Grant – how much it is, eligibility requirements, and how
to apply and Land transfer duty (also known as stamp duty) on your
purchase and what exemptions and
concessions are available, such as the principal place of
residence concession, the first home buyer duty reduction, and
family exemptions and concessions (01 August 2018).
More...
From 1 October 2018...
All instruments or combinations of instruments available in PEXA
are to be lodged electronically. This applies to conveyancers and
lawyers acting for a party or for themselves, as well as PEXA
subscribers. Examples include a case comprising withdrawal of a
caveat, discharge of mortgage, and transfer and mortgage. In all
cases, practitioners need to be registered for
Duties Online and PEXA. The Land Use Victoria lodgement changes
do not change any existing State Revenue Office submission
requirements.
More...
NSW Revenue: Revenue Ruling: 2 August 2018
NSW Revenue has issued the following revenue ruling:
DUT 047: Consideration and GST Withholding. More...
Cases
Victoria
Ascott v Port Phillip CC [2018] VCAT
1200
Section 80 Planning and Environment Act 1987
– Port Phillip Planning Scheme – Neighbourhood
Residential Zone – Visual Bulk and Daylighting.
Turner v Greater Bendigo CC [2018]
VCAT 1198
Greater Bendigo Planning Scheme – Commercial 1 Zone;
Special Use Zone – Heritage Overlay – Design and
Development Overlay – Parking Overlay – Abuts a Road
Zone Category One – Demolition and alterations to a heritage
building – Use of land for place of assembly – New
buildings and works – Sale and consumption of liquor –
Signage – Waiver of parking – Bus parking –
Loading – Waste collection – Existing use rights
– Traffic – Amenity of nearby dwellings.
Icon Co (Jessamine Avenue) Land Pty Ltd v Stonnington CC
(Red Dot) [2018] VCAT
1134
NATURE OF CASE Demolition of C graded contributory
building in a Heritage Overlay.
LOCATION OF PASSAGE OF INTEREST Paras 33-73.
REASONS WHY DECISION IS OF INTEREST OR SIGNIFICANCE - APPLICATION
– significant, interesting or unusual use or development
– application of policy, provision or principle – or
circumstances Consideration of principles of integrated
decision-making in Boroondara City Council v 1045 Burke Road
Pty Ltd – whether need for additional residential
development outweighs objectives to conserve heritage in deciding
whether to grant permit for demolition of a heritage building in
the Heritage Overlay.
Queensland
Body Corporate for Mount Saint John Industrial Park v
Superior Stairs & Joinery Pty Ltd [2018]
QCA 173
REAL PROPERTY STRATA AND RELATED TITLES MANAGEMENT AND
CONTROL INSURANCE, FIRE SAFETY AND FINANCIAL MATTERS where the
appellant is the body corporate of a community titles scheme and
the respondent is the owner of one of the lots within the scheme
where the appellant claims that the respondent is obliged to pay
outstanding contributions under the scheme and commenced
proceedings to recover them, together with interest and costs, in
the District Court where the respondent successfully applied for
the summary dismissal of part of the appellants claim upon the
ground that it was made outside a limitation period which, the
primary judge held, was prescribed by s 145(2) of the Body
Corporate and Community Management (Standard Module) Regulation
2008 (Qld) where s 145(2) of the Body Corporate and Community
Management (Standard Module) Regulation 2008 (Qld) provides that
where the amount of a contribution or contribution instalment has
been outstanding for two years, the body corporate must, within two
months from the end of the two-year period, start proceedings to
recover the amount whether s 145 of the Body Corporate and
Community Management (Standard Module) Regulation 2008 (Qld), upon
its proper construction, prescribes a limitation period.
This publication does not deal with every important topic or change in law and is not intended to be relied upon as a substitute for legal or other advice that may be relevant to the reader's specific circumstances. If you have found this publication of interest and would like to know more or wish to obtain legal advice relevant to your circumstances please contact one of the named individuals listed.