In the media – National

Native title and mining leases co-exist
The High Court of Australia has made a landmark ruling in favour of traditional owners following a long-running native title dispute in Western Australia's Pilbara region. On Wednesday the High Court dismissed the appeal and determined that native title rights were not extinguished by 50-year-old mining leases (13 March 2014). More...

NRAS Should Be Improved, Not Scrapped
The Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) is calling on the Government to make changes to improve the operation of NRAS and ensure that the program, which is fundamentally sound, isn't unnecessarily abandoned (14 March 2014). More...

Chinese buyers to invest $44b in Australian real estate: analysts
Global investment bank Credit Suisse expects Chinese nationals to sink around $44 billion into Australian residential real estate over the next seven years (05 March 2014). More...

CEFC finance to lift green retrofits for commercial property
Commercial property owners now have access to significant additional Environmental Upgrade Agreement (EUA) finance through agreement by Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC), National Australia Bank (NAB) and Eureka Funds Management (EFM) (13 March 2014). More...

NBN provisioning and rebate rules up for review
The Federal Government is currently examining the cost efficiency of the previous Government's National Broadband Network commitments and roll-out plan. Any changes to these commitments will have an impact on NBN roll-out to new residential developments and could include provisioning and contract arrangements and rebate payments (06 March 2014). More...

In the media - Victoria

Land supply to boost Victoria's economy
Victoria's Minister for Planning Matthew Guy announces a 50,000 lot land supply target for Melbourne in 2014 to boost confidence in the Victorian construction industry (06 March 2014). More...

Coalition delivers further fire services levy reforms
The Victorian Coalition Government has introduced legislation which will reduce the Fire Services Levy on over 60,000 residential rental properties and over 860 outdoor sports grounds across Victoria from 1 July 2014 (05 March 2014). More...

In the media – Queensland

Queensland's planning landscape set for positive change
The Planning for Queensland's Development Bill will significantly simplify Queensland's planning and development system and will replace the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 (13 March 2014). More...

New valuations reflect softening rural values
A summary of Queensland's property market released recently, ahead of the March 12 issue of the 2014 annual statutory land valuations, reflects the softening of rural values and evidence of increasing values in some urban areas across Queensland's property market (10 February 2014). More...

The largest area of Queensland ever drought declared
Emergency aid and funding will be made available to another 15 shires after 79 per cent of Queensland was declared in drought, the largest area ever recorded (07 March 2014). More...

Nineteen bidders vie for integrated resorts
A total of 19 national and international developers have registered their interest in delivering up to three new world-class Integrated Resort Developments in Queensland. Proponents now have until 31 March to make a formal Expression of Interest (05 March 2014). More...

Published - articles, papers, reports - National

Public infrastructure: draft report
Author: Productivity Commission
Finding an abundance of flaws, mythologies and forgone opportunities in infrastructure financing, funding and procurement, this draft report argues for a comprehensive overhaul of Australian public infrastructure processes (13 March 2014). More...

Continued strength in dwelling approvals for January
Author: Australian Bureau of Statistics
ABS Building Approvals show that the number of dwellings approved rose 1.3 per cent in January 2014, in trend terms, and has risen for 15 months. NSW increased by 1.5 per cent, Victoria increased by 1.4 per cent, Queensland increased by 2.6 per cent (04 March 2014). More...

In practice and courts – Victoria

Announcements, Draft Policies and Plans released 2014

Reformed Zones Standing Advisory Committee
The Reformed Zones Standing Advisory Committee has been established by the Minister for Planning (27 February 2014). More...

In practice and courts – Queensland

Announcements, Draft Policies and Plans released 2014

2014 statutory land valuations
The Valuer-General has released valuation notices to approximately one million landowners in 41 of Queensland's 62 rateable local governments in accordance with the Land Valuation Act 2010 (12 March 2014). More...

Consultation: Proposed QDC: commissioning and maintenance of fire safety installation and equipment
The Department of Housing and Public Works has released proposed amendments to the Queensland Development Code (QDC), Mandatory Part 6.1 (MP 6.1)-Commissioning and maintenance of fire safety installations . It is intended the proposed amendments to MP 6.1 will help achieve a reduction in red tape and provide savings for the fire safety maintenance industry and property owners, while still protecting the safety of building occupants. Consultation closes on 11 April 2014.

Current consultations

Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning
Draft Cape York Regional Plan – 25 March 2014

Maroochydore City Centre Priority Development Areas: Consultation
Public consultation has opened on the development scheme for the Maroochydore City Centre Priority Development Area (PDA). The proposed development scheme is open for consultation until March 17 2014. More...

[Draft] Logan Planning Scheme 2014: consultation
In accordance with the changes in local government boundaries, the draft scheme replaces three existing planning schemes; the Beaudesert Shire Planning Scheme 2007, Gold Coast Planning Scheme 2003 and Logan Planning Scheme 2006. The planning scheme is open for comment until 30 April 2014. More...

Cases – Victoria

Portbury Development Co Pty Ltd v Ottedin Investments Pty Ltd & Ors [2014] VSC 57
REAL PROPERTY – Issue estoppel – Anshun estoppel – Privies – Whether nominee and guarantors are privies – Effect of rescission notices – Sale of Land Act 1962 (Vic) ss 29A(1) and 29O(2) – General conditions 25, 26 and 28.4(c)(ii) – Mitigation of damages – Implied term to resell property in a reasonable manner – Effect of Global Financial Crisis on market for englobo land – Valuation – Vendor acted in a reasonable manner on resale – Loss due to deficiency in price on resale – Award of damages. More...

M&J Developments Pty Ltd v Brimbank CC [2014] VCAT 183
The application under s 185AA of the Local Government Act 1989 is dismissed. The Bunting Road special charge scheme is not invalid by reference to any of the grounds advanced by the applicant in this proceeding. More...

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