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Author
  • Ken Morrison
  • Andrew Fletcher
  • Asher Judah
  • Brian Wightman
  • Catherine Carter
  • Chris Mountford
  • Daniel Gannon
  • Glenn Byres
  • Jane Fitzgerald
  • Jennifer Cunich
  • Kathy Mac Dermott
  • Luke Achterstraat
  • Mary Wood
  • Merlin Kong
  • Sandra Brewer

Opinion Pieces

2018

Three job creating ideas for WA's GST 14 Nov 2018 - Sandra Brewer Western Australians have been working hard for over a decade. We’ve been a net contributor to the Australian economy. Many of us feel we’ve been doing the lifting while the other states have been doing the leaning. Powerful people magnets 14 Nov 2018 - Ken Morrison For a country that has been built on growth, some of Australia’s political leaders seem to be increasingly ambivalent about the concept. Property policy changes will hit everyday Aussies where they live 7 Nov 2018 - Ken Morrison Property investors are mostly everyday Australians, spread across the community. Land tax grab a burden for all 31 Oct 2018 - Chris Mountford Many Townsville investors who own buildings or land assets in the region will have recently received their land tax notices. Fun, flexibility, freedom - a new way for Victorians to live 27 Sep 2018 - Property Council Lessons from east coast: Foreign buyer surcharge to housing affordability and jobs 17 Sep 2018 - Sandra Brewer Property Council of Australia WA Executive Director Sandra Brewer caught up with Cbus Property Group Chief Executive Officer Adrian Pozzo at the 2018 Property Congress in Darwin, to talk about the impact of the foreign buyer surcharge on th Charging foreign owners extra for property will cost Western Australian jobs 17 Sep 2018 - Sandra Brewer They say, “money makes the world go ‘round” and although it may seem crass and crude, it’s quite true. Incentivising Townsville’s economic development 12 Sep 2018 - Chris Mountford State Government, City Council and private sector decisionmakers are all united in their commitment to the vision of developing Townsville’s Waterfront. An expanded and vibrant CBD will create jobs, increase amenity and act as an engine roo Cottesloe foreshore highlights need for planning reform 7 Sep 2018 - Sandra Brewer, WA Executive Director Think of spectacular beachside locales in Australia: Manly, Byron Bay and our very own Bunker Bay. What do they have in common? Not portaloos – that’s for certain. Sunshine Coast Lunch 22 Aug 2018 - Property Council of Australia The second Property Council Sunshine Coast Lunch for the year, held at the Innovation Centre on Friday 10 August, explored the challenge of maintaining long term housing affordability in the face of an expected population boom over the next The Property Puzzle - Episode Two 22 Aug 2018 - Property Council of Australia ‘The Community Never Knew What to Expect of Greater Springfield’ is the Property Puzzle’s latest episode, featuring exclusive development insights and career advice from Springfield City Group’s Managing Director, Raynuha Sinnathamby. Actions come to fruition 22 Aug 2018 - Chris Mountford Over the last few weeks the Queensland Parliament has gone through the annual Budget Estimates hearings that are supposed to flesh out some of the detail of the programs set to be delivered across the financial year. Yeronga TAFE PDA 22 Aug 2018 - Property Council of Australia Economic Development Queensland (EDQ) declared the former Yeronga TAFE site a Priority Development Area (PDA) on the 10 August 2018. Combustible Cladding Update 22 Aug 2018 - Property Council of Australia The Queensland Government has launched a new website providing further information on the new obligations on owners of private and local government buildings to undertake a mandatory ‘combustible cladding checklist’. Time to be a little bold 8 Aug 2018 - Ken Morrison Townsville in the ‘metropolitan century’ 26 Jul 2018 - Chris Mountford Over the next 25 years, the population of the North Queensland region is expected to grow to 340,000 people – a remarkable 40 per cent increase. Learning from the New York story 25 Jul 2018 - Ken Morrison There’s an incredible energy and excitement to a world city which can be both exhilarating and exhausting. Planning for good growth 18 Jul 2018 - Ken Morrison The population debate has come back on to the political and media agenda in the lead-up to the ‘Super Saturday’ by-elections. Committing to diversity and inclusion 11 Jul 2018 - Kathy Mac Dermott Diversity among our workforce and industry leadership means we can benefit from the insight, experience and capability of the whole community. The road to zero carbon 4 Jul 2018 - Ken Morrison Governments around the world have committed to the Paris Agreement. For Australia this effectively means transitioning to a zero carbon economy by 2050. Earning and retaining our social license 27 Jun 2018 - Ken Morrison This week I had the opportunity to attend the Crawford Leadership Forum at the ANU in Canberra, listening to leaders from across business, academia and government on the issues and trends which are creating new challenges and opportunities Places for people 20 Jun 2018 - Ken Morrison Whether it’s a new family home or an opera house, our industry designs, builds and manages physical assets which have a profound impact on people’s lives beyond their built form. Innovation acceleration 13 Jun 2018 - Ken Morrison It can be invigorating to take a step back from the day-to-day demands of operating a business or looking after your customers to reflect on the game-changing trends shaping our industry. Doing the hard yards in reform 6 Jun 2018 - Ken Morrison You often hear the lament that Australia seems to have lost its appetite for the big picture, nation-building reforms of previous decades. Honouring our industry trailblazers 30 May 2018 - Ken Morrison In 1932 the premier of New South Wales, Jack Lang, opened the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Australia’s population was around six and a half million people. Great leaders and great cities 23 May 2018 - Ken Morrison Our industry is fortunate to have some truly great leaders, past and present, who have left a legacy for generations of Australians through the places and communities they have created. Creating great Australian cities 16 May 2018 - Ken Morrison The world is embarking on a ‘metropolitan century’ and Australia is no different. Taxes and Budgets 2 May 2018 - Ken Morrison We all have a ‘love/hate’ relationship with tax. We understand that our taxes pay for our roads, police, schools, defence, a social safety net and lay the foundations for a prosperous economy and a fair society. Plan now to avoid housing shortages in next boom 30 Apr 2018 - Lino Iacomella It sounds strange now to write about housing shortages in WA but two big announcements this week compel us to do just that. Let’s not undermine our course on growth 30 Apr 2018 - Jane Fitzgerald Sydney is growing just as it has always grown. To plan and make the best from this growth we need to give the Greater Sydney Commission Property tax hikes will hit economy hard 28 Apr 2018 - Chris Mountford The state government's planned property tax increases, due to come into effect on July 1, risk wiping the state off the global investment map. The power of memory and places 24 Apr 2018 - Kathy Mac Dermott If I asked you about some of your earliest memories of childhood, I expect you would tell me mostly about people and places. Launching a new strategy 18 Apr 2018 - Ken Morrison Today we are launching our three-year Strategy. It’s a Strategy that has been developed over seven months, with considerable input from our board, division councils, corporate leaders and staff. Precision matters 11 Apr 2018 - Ken Morrison In our industry, precision matters. Numbers, calculations and measurements are the foundation of what we do. Build-to-rent projects can ease our housing crisis 10 Apr 2018 - Mike Zorbas Victoria is growing, and fast — by 12,000 people a month. That’s 35,000 more people a year than NSW. And Melbourne is growing faster than any other Australian city. Change and continued effort 21 Mar 2018 - Ken Morrison The work of engaging, consulting, driving new ideas, and participating in the debates that shape communities is something that is about continual effort. Sometimes change is fast, other times slow, but mostly, change is the result of conti A multitude of voices 14 Mar 2018 - Ken Morrison Our industry is not shaped by having unanimity in views. Rather, we grow, innovate and change by hearing alternate views. A big deal 8 Mar 2018 - Ken Morrison The Property Council has championed the idea of city deals because evidence from the UK and other countries show they work. They are a way of bringing disparate governments – and their often more disparate departments – together to align on A long term game-plan for our cities 7 Mar 2018 - Ken Morrison It was in 1889 in the little town of Tenterfield that Henry Parkes had Australia’s best idea: instead of six colonies, why don’t we become one country and solve our problems together? Hobart 2030 5 Mar 2018 - Brian Wightman Right now, Hobart enjoys a wonderful reputation. It is the flavour. Misdiagnosing our cities 28 Feb 2018 - Ken Morrison The one thing worse than not getting an ailment treated, is getting it mistreated. Misdiagnosis can make problems worse. Over the past week there has been plenty of debate about the growth of our cities. The eighth wonder of the world 21 Feb 2018 - Ken Morrison Albert Einstein is reported to have said, “Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it ... he who doesn't ... pays it.” Energising Communities 14 Feb 2018 - Ken Morrison Every organisation needs to find its fountain of good ideas. Listening to our members 7 Feb 2018 - Ken Morrison Have you ever used an etymological dictionary? It will tell you the original meaning of a word, where it has come from, and how it has evolved. Five steps to prosperity 1 Feb 2018 - Property Council of Australia The state election presents an opportunity to ensure that the major parties continue to have strong economic policies and a will to implement them. Creating for Generations 31 Jan 2018 - Ken Morrison When you look at the cranes, bulldozers and hi-vis vests around our cities at the moment, it is so apparent that our industry is a driver of the growth we are now seeing across the economy. Supply key for housing affordability not new taxes 30 Jan 2018 - Brian Wightman The property industry in Tasmania pays $927 million dollars in taxes annually, $869 million in wages, creates almost 14,000 direct jobs, and contributes $2 billion in Gross State Product. In the engine room of Australia's growth 24 Jan 2018 - Ken Morrison Our industry is in a good place. While construction peaked in many areas in 2017, the outlook is still remarkably strong. Starting the year with confidence 17 Jan 2018 - Ken Morrison The property industry starts 2018 with confidence. The ANZ/Property Council Survey released last week highlighted the fact that across Australia our industry has a pipeline of work covering a range of sectors. What WA property owners and investors are looking for in 2018 3 Jan 2018 - Lino Iacomella For good reason WA property owners and investors have high expectations in 2018 after a run of lean years.

2017

Approaching 2018 with confidence 20 Dec 2017 - Ken Morrison 2017 is passing before our eyes. Another year of surprises and twists and turns is coming to an end – and for most of us, we are in good shape. Property tax hikes will hurt all Queenslanders 19 Dec 2017 - Chris Mountford Nothing is certain except death and taxes. Giving back to the community 13 Dec 2017 - Ken Morrison The finish line of 2017 is in sight! In past weeks, over 6,000 people have attended Property Council Christmas events around Australia. The return of wooden escalators 6 Dec 2017 - Ken Morrison When you live in a big city, it takes a lot to be surprised – and even more to be truly delighted. Tuning in to the community's voice 29 Nov 2017 - Ken Morrison All bar the final counting, the Queensland election is over. The government is now readying for its second term which includes its eleventh hour announcement that it will increase land tax and foreign investment taxes. The economic case aga Planning decisions and good governance 22 Nov 2017 - Ken Morrison Making planning decisions is a complicated business. Shake-up transport planning to achieve policy ‘hattrick’ 21 Nov 2017 - Lino Iacomella ​Fixing WA’s planning and local government laws alone will not be enough to achieve the level of community support the state is seeking for its ambitious and necessary growth plans. WA’s omnipotent transport agencies and systems also need Creating competitive advantage 15 Nov 2017 - Ken Morrison Almost every business school in the world teaches the work of Harvard Professor Michael Porter. Housing for every stage of life 8 Nov 2017 - Ken Morrison Our housing should reflect where we are on our life’s journey – and our industry is great at developing options for every stage of life. Our blueprint for jobs and communities 1 Nov 2017 - Ken Morrison The starter’s gun has now been fired for the Queensland election. It marks the start of an election season, with the Queensland poll on 25 November, the crucial New England by-election on 2 December, the South Australian election on 17 Marc A productivity boost for our cities 25 Oct 2017 - Ken Morison It’s not an understatement to say, our cities are the biggest drivers of growth and collaboration in the country. We need to get used to Sydney being a global city 19 Oct 2017 - Jane Fitzgerald In 50 years’ time in Sydney we will live closer, share more, move differently and will have changed some of our entrenched cultural biases Bringing the community with us 18 Oct 2017 - Ken Morrison Today 740 people from across the industry are travelling to Cairns for The Property Congress. This year’s Congress is our 40th – and our biggest yet. A lesson noticed nationwide 11 Oct 2017 - Ken Morrison There are newspaper articles that become fish’n’chips wrapping and there are newspaper articles that change the course of cities. Inspired by change 4 Oct 2017 - Kathy Mac Dermott “Change is the law of life,” said John F. Kennedy. By its very nature, it can’t be ignored. It forces a response from all of us. Property Sector Can Only Be Defined By It's People 1 Oct 2017 - Adina Cirson This week I was asked about what I thought of the ‘prevailing culture’ of the ACT Property Sector – the implication of course being that there was something wrong with it. Keeping the public's confidence 27 Sep 2017 - Ken Morrison We are currently living in what can euphemistically be called an ‘issues-rich environment’. Voicing our concerns 20 Sep 2017 - Ken Morrison The industry was alarmed by last week’s surprise announcement that the Federal Government intends to ban managed investment trusts from investing in residential property (except for affordable housing). Co-operative approach needed on flammable cladding problem 14 Sep 2017 - Ken Morrison Australians don’t often think of fire standards. That’s mainly because our standards are so high, and disasters are so rare. We’ve always understood that people are more important than an extra buck — and if we want to promote the benefits R U OK? 13 Sep 2017 - Ken Morrison Most weeks I write about the things that our industry is getting right. Today, I want to write about something we are getting wrong. It’s mental health. Every second day, our industry loses a worker to suicide. Let that sink in: Every. S Build to rent a double affordability dividend 12 Sep 2017 - Ken Morrison There has been a somewhat "glass half empty" perspective on build to rent – the potential new asset class that has the property industry sharpening its pencils and is turning heads in governments. But let's cast a more positive eye over thi Growth is the Word in WA Budget 11 Sep 2017 - Lino Iacomella It was telling that the Treasurer’s Budget speech this year used the word ‘growth’ 32 times and on all but eight occasions, it was used to describe the urgent need to drive economic prosperity in WA. This was a good start because growth is Taking a safety-first approach 6 Sep 2017 - Ken Morrison The fire safety of building products has been back in the public eye again this week, with the ABC’s Four Corners program airing a story on the subject on Monday night. Shared land agenda key to Perth City progress 4 Sep 2017 - Property Council When 350 people from all walks of life got together recently to discuss ideas to improve the Perth city centre it was land and its various uses and controls that was common in the top ideas. Getting housing and jobs back into kilter 30 Aug 2017 - Ken Morrison In every city of Australia, housing affordability means something different. WA property recovery on track with bumps on the way 23 Aug 2017 - Property Council of Australia The WA property sector is on track for a recovery but it looks like it will take a little longer to fully materialise according to the latest survey of business confidence in the industry. Growth matters for 21st century jobs 21 Aug 2017 - Lino Iacomella With the prospect of robotics and automation transforming work it was interesting to see a report recently comparing which Australian cities are best prepared for the changes ahead. And guess which cities are doing better, the fastest grow Pathway to security 16 Aug 2017 - Ken Morrison Buying a home is not merely a rational decision, though we all weigh up the pros and cons of possible purchases. Buying a home is something deeply personal and emotional. Keep WA growing 9 Aug 2017 - Ken Morrison Every city and region faces its challenges – our diversified economy means that it is rare for our states to be in sync with each other. Competition, collaboration and disruption 2 Aug 2017 - Ken Morrison It’s been a busy fortnight – with over 2,800 people attending Property Council events and another 1,700 people booked in to attend our Australian Office Market Report events tomorrow. Designing female-friendly cities 19 Jul 2017 - Ken Morrison The highest compliment that can be made about a suburb or a community is that it’s ‘a great place to raise a family’. Preparing for tomorrow 12 Jul 2017 - Glenn Byres In our daily lives, we all try to be on time. It’s not just polite, it’s the easier way to get things done. But in our professional lives, our defining challenge, is to be ahead of our time. The bad marriage that risks pushing up house prices 11 Jul 2017 - Jane Fitzgerald NSW has a relationship problem and it's not one that is going to resolve itself through therapy, long walks on the beach or candle-lit dinners. It's a relationship problem between our state government and local councils. It's a long-term re A creating and creative industry 5 Jul 2017 - Kathy Mac Dermott We often talk about “the property industry” as if there was one amorphous group of people which make up our industry. The truth is, it’s not. Do No Harm 4 Jul 2017 - Andrew Fletcher As the newly elected Premier of NSW, Gladys Berejiklian stamped housing affordability as her highest priority and identified increased housing supply as the key. Since then, the government has acted on several fronts, including $720 million A snapshot of Australia 28 Jun 2017 - Ken Morrison If there is a Christmas day for demographers and statisticians, it’s the day that the census data is released. Seven key shifts in the retirement living sector 26 Jun 2017 - Property Council of Australia Australians are changing how they retire. But rather than a seismic shift (such as Uber’s influence on the transport industry) the disruptions to retirement living are more complex, write the team at Plus Architecture. The Grenfell Fire 21 Jun 2017 - Ken Morrison The Grenfell Tower fire in the UK has sent a shudder through Australia’s property industry. The ground has been set 14 Jun 2017 - Ken Morrison We live in a world of the instant: constant email, fast-paced news, instant gratification, and demands met immediately. The Gordian knot 7 Jun 2017 - Ken Morrison Later this week, a vital report about the future of Australia’s electricity market will be released. Stick to the Plan 5 Jun 2017 - Property Council of Australia The state member for Newcastle, Tim Crakanthorp MP, decreed last week that any new masterplan for 63-hectares of land at Broadmeadow should exclude new housing. In doing so, he chose to bypass the Hunter Regional Plan 2036 and Labor’s pledg More diversity will solve Perth’s emerging housing crisis 1 Jun 2017 - Property Council of Australia Sydney’s housing crisis is getting all the headlines but there is a housing crisis emerging in Perth with affordability that is different to Sydney, however the solution is the same – fix the supply of new housing Debunking the myths about foreign investment 31 May 2017 - Ken Morrison For the last two days, our industry has been speaking with political leaders as part of the annual Property Leaders’ Summit in Canberra. Bringing leaders together 24 May 2017 - Ken Morrison Next week the Property Council takes the industry’s leaders to Parliament House in Canberra. Helping empty nesters 17 May 2017 - Ken Morrison For some, the old family house provides solace and memories of the family from years past, but for others, the big house is kept because any benefits from downsizing are exceeded by the costs. The Budget and housing 11 May 2017 - Ken Morrison Like the dreamboat you met at the party last night, sometimes budgets can look a bit cracked in the cold light of day. A truly creative industry 3 May 2017 - Ken Morrison On Friday night over 1,000 people from across the industry will gather for the annual Innovation and Excellence Awards Gala Dinner at Sydney’s International Convention Centre. Enabling Housing Affordability 27 Apr 2017 - Property Council of Australia New policy settings to ease the housing affordability crisis will be at the heart of Commonwealth and NSW budgets to be handed down in the coming weeks. Beating them both to the punch last month was Federal Labor, with the release of their Buildings that touch the soul 26 Apr 2017 - Glenn Byres Throughout time, the great buildings of the world have shared one thing in common. They have a capacity to touch the soul. Family homes and nest eggs 19 Apr 2017 - Property Australia While national home ownerships are off their peak, more than two-thirds of all adult Australians own their own home or are paying off their own home. Serving you better 12 Apr 2017 - Kathy Mac Dermott Our members build the houses, schools, shopping centres, hospitals and infrastructure that keeps the country growing and people moving. Fresh approach essential for TasWater woes 31 Mar 2017 - Brian Wightman In 2015 there were more than 900, yes that's right, 900 spills of raw effluent leaching into the Tamar River Estuary from the Margaret Street Pump Station. Unacceptable you may say? Well a marked improvement on 1200 "incidents" a year earl The skyscraper of trees 29 Mar 2017 - Ken Morrison I don’t know if you have ever seen a redwood tree. The redwoods are known as the ‘skyscraper of trees’ because they can grow to up to 120 meters in height. They are so broad that roads have been (horrifically!) carved through them – and the Do the numbers stack up? 23 Mar 2017 - Ken Morrison This week marks the eighty fifth anniversary of the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Surprisingly, had we applied today’s infrastructure metrics it would not have been built. The Perils of Populism 21 Mar 2017 - Property Council of Australia Brexit and Trump were no accident. Both campaigns invested heavily in “Big Data” to predict human behaviour. Their leaders then used populist tactics to convince voters they should reject new-age politics and embrace protectionism. Welcome, dangerous and interesting ideas 15 Mar 2017 - Ken Morrison Have you ever been at one of those planning days when the moderator says “there is no such thing as a bad idea”? Well, how quickly things change 14 Mar 2017 - Property Council of Australia In the space of a few weeks, the state now has both major political parties committed to water and sewerage reform. Big data, sustainability and our cities 8 Mar 2017 - Ken Morrison For the last two days I have been attending our annual Green Cities conference which we run in partnership with the Green Building Council of Australia. Learning from the Brits 1 Mar 2017 - Ken Morrison Australians don’t like to think that we have much in common with ‘the Poms’. But they are facing similar challenges when it comes to housing affordability, increasing housing supply and encouraging greater institutional investment in housin Regional Diversity 22 Feb 2017 - Andrew Fletcher The property sector is Australia’s biggest industry and employs 1.1 million Australians. Across the Hunter, it contributes $3.6 billion to economic growth, pays $1.4 billion in wages and generates 23,190 jobs. Nine dangerous words 22 Feb 2017 - Ken Morrison Ronald Reagan once said that the nine most dangerous words in the English language were: I’m from the government and I’m here to help. Growth is never easy 15 Feb 2017 - Ken Morrison In our families, careers and businesses, growth is never easy. Growth brings new challenges. It can be exhilarating and occasionally painful, and requires us to expand our capabilities. And once we have grown, it is enormously satisfying as Small budget hit for big affordability gain 14 Feb 2017 - Property Council of Australia A lack of housing diversity is undermining attempts to make housing more affordable and new initiatives are needed before the market takes off again in Perth What is great architecture? 8 Feb 2017 - Ken Morrison We often think the great architects are the ones who create buildings of beauty. Yet it’s an incomplete view. Great architecture is mostly about resolving the conflicting demands of a client. Cities and ecosystems 1 Feb 2017 - Ken Morrison One of the myths of leaders – be they individuals or companies – is that somehow they emerge in spite of their environment. Buildings that shape us 25 Jan 2017 - Ken Morrison It was just over 70 years ago that London architects and planners considered the most unique heritage project of the times, the rebuilding of the House of Commons following the Nazi bombing blitz. A time for optimism 18 Jan 2017 - Ken Morrison Welcome to the first edition of Property Australia for 2017. New Years should always be a time for optimism – not just because the traffic is lighter and it’s easier to find a seat on the bus or the train, but because we should start a year Time for radical surgery 16 Jan 2017 - Andrew Fletcher With research showing a continued failure to meet demand will leave the Hunter 30,000 homes short by 2024, now is the time for radical surgery. Instead, NSW Planning Minister Rob Stokes has recently announced a new range of band-aids.