No new taxes before the next election, declares PM
Published 7 August 2025, 9:03 am
The Prime Minister has all but ruled out any tax changes before the next election. There have been competing pitches for reforms ahead of the government's upcoming economic roundtable. One proposal is increase to the GST, but with every Australian to receive a cashback compensation.
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ABC News
15 minutes ago
- ABC News
Five-storey buildings could replace farmland on Sunshine Coast CBD block
Developers had their eyes on Maroochydore's Wises Farm for decades, and for good reason. The prime parcel of land on Queensland's Sunshine Coast lies mere minutes from the Maroochydore city centre and Alexandra Headland beach. The late Peter Wise's staunch stance against urban development made the 39-hectare site, bordered by the Sunshine Motorway and Wises Road, even more alluring and valuable. The recent purchase of the land by Brisbane-based firm QM Properties, for an eye-watering $93.5 million, has only served to thrust it back into the spotlight. Maroochydore's last remaining undeveloped private land was sold with preliminary approval for low to medium density housing, and a maximum of 570 homes, or a maximum of 800 units. Plans submitted to Sunshine Coast Council in May show large sections of the site could include housing up to 15 metres, or about five storeys. The plans also retain many of the existing trees that line a creek along the site, and make provisions for a park and a small shopping centre. But longtime Sunshine Coast councillor Ted Hungerford said the plans were still subject to change. "I'm waiting to see whether they [QM Properties] continue to the current application that is being assessed by our planners or whether they bury that or whether they want to go with a whole new plan," he said. QM Properties was unavailable for an interview. A spokesperson said they understood the public interest but were not in a position to provide further comment or answer questions. The company's website states that it was founded in 1976 and its projects are "thoughtfully located, engineered and designed to suit market demand". "Adopting best practice and innovative solutions ensures QM developments are sensitive to both people and the environment," the website reads. David and Joannne Ellaby have lived along Wises Road for 14 years and worry about the impact on traffic. Mr Ellaby said there was already a large church, school, funeral home and sportsgrounds further up the road. "Some afternoons when the school's coming out, there's a football or a sporting thing happening at the rugby league club — it's a mess," Mr Ellaby said. "Then you add another 10,000 car movements coming out [of the new development], so it would be nice to know what traffic mitigation the council and the town planners are thinking about putting in here." The couple said that while they understood the need for more housing, they were concerned about the direction the Sunshine Coast was heading with higher-density living. "So many people have said over the years that we don't want it to be another Gold Coast, but unfortunately now it's seeming that way," Ms Ellaby said. Mr Ellaby said he had concerns about how the local council was handling the extra growth. "It just needs to be done in a sensible way and they're not doing that. And I'm pretty sure most other people who live here would agree with that," he said. Val Moran, who also lives along Wises Road, said he supported the project as it would provide much-needed housing for the region. "I have seen the [preliminary] plans and I think they're quite good," Mr Moran said. "There'll be open space along this road and of course a creek going through, so the creek will represent another green area." Jackie Le Roux, from local business group 4556 Chamber, said the development provided "fresh opportunities". "It will actually increase foot traffic for retailers, tradespeople, service providers, hospitality operators," Ms Le Roux said. "From a business point of view there is a positive embracing of the vision because it does help the local economy." Nicole Bennets from the Planning Institute of Australia said the site was well-suited to urban development. "We don't get parcels of land like this very often at all in South-East Queensland … most other land coming to market sits on the fringe of cities," Ms Bennets said. "This piece of land has good proximity to existing roads and other infrastructure so it means less cost for governments to actually deliver all the infrastructure required." She said under the Sunshine Coast Council's draft planning scheme there was also requirements on future developments to ensure they were creating "complete" communities. "If you're starting to push up around 500 dwellings on a site like this, you would expect to see some local parks being delivered and other amenities for those residents," she said. "Providing the services and infrastructure and amenities that they need in order to live really well."
Herald Sun
18 minutes ago
- Herald Sun
Revealed: Where to find Victoria's best lifestyle suburbs
Victoria's best lifestyle suburbs have been revealed, from beachside bargains to up-and-coming Melbourne pockets. And with some of the best areas for families to get the right mix of transport, schools, childcare and beach or park access currently below their price peak, there's a rare chance to bag a bargain in an idyllic spot. Areas such as Armstrong Creek in Greater Geelong and Winchelsea on the Surf Coast topped the list. RELATED: Downsizers flock to beach suburbs as Baby Boomers gain access to superannuation Newport: AFL dynasty's renovated family home seeks $2m+ Revealed: Australia's 50 supercharged suburbs for price growth With median house prices in the low-to-mid $600,000s, the Geelong suburb and town with a population of 2400-plus are cheaper today compared to a few years ago. Newtown, also in Geelong, as well as nearby Barwon Heads and Torquay also made the list — but come with seven-figure median house prices. In Melbourne, south eastern suburbs were highly-ranked alongside inner city Port Melbourne and Williamstown, as well as Newport in the west, all with typical house values above $1m. The research was commissioned by MCG Quantity Surveyors using data from real estate analytics company SuburbTrends. MCG Quantity Surveyors director Mike Mortlock said the report aimed to uncover Australian suburbs with the best long-term growth potential and lifestyle offerings, based on factors such as access to amenities such as childcare, schools, beaches and open space,and 10-year median price growth. 'They're attributes that help markets outperform over the long haul – we know buyers will pay a premium to have them,' Mr Mortlock said. According to PropTrack, Armstrong Creek is now tens of thousands of dollars cheaper than when its median house price hit $728,000 in 2022. And Winchelsea's typical house price hit a five-year peak of $720,000 just 12 months ago. Despite the chance for a bargain, Melbourne-based buyers' advocate and Property Investment Professionals of Australia board member, Cate Bakos, cautioned buyers thinking of relocating and commuting to Melbourne would add hours of travel time to their week. But places like Newtown and Geelong West could be ideal for people wanting to work from home while enjoying lifestyle benefits and proximity to a train station, Ms Bakos noted. 'Geelong as a city, it's diverse – it's got a good economy, and there's lots going on there, it's food and wine scene and its weekender appeal is growing,' she added. Armstrong Real Estate director Megan Rovers, who also co-hosts the property industry podcast Built For This, said working from home allowed many buyers in the region 'to have the best of both worlds' while commuting to Melbourne for part of the week. 'They can have the house with the backyard to enjoy and the lifestyle to enjoy on the weekend,' she said. Ms Rovers said a wide range of buyers were attracted to Armstrong Creek for its schools, shopping centres and access the beach, nearby train stations to travel to Geelong or Melbourne and the Geelong Ring Road. 'What we find is first-time buyers are buying because it's affordable, downsizers are coming and following families,' Ms Rovers said. 'So if there's a family that are choosing because of the schools or the lifestyle that it offers, then the grandparents or parents will come and try and live close by.' Closer to Melbourne, Newport has a $1.205m median house price and Williamstown $1.52m. Real Estate Institute of Victoria director and Compton Green Inner West director Adrian Butera said Newport featured the 33ha Newport Lakes Reserve and two train lines running through its station. He said while Newport was not as highly-regarded as some of Melbourne's other inner western suburbs, plenty of buyers were now starting to cotton on. 'If you pull out a calculator and pull out the per square metre rate of Newport versus, say, Yarraville or Williamstown, Newport is so beautifully positioned yet is reasonably affordable,' Mr Butera said. 'In perspective, you get more bang for your buck in Newport than you do most other suburbs in the inner west.' White Fox associate director Cheyne Fox said Port Melbourne's parks, schools, shops, restaurants, friendly community and nearness to Melbourne's CBD meant many locals looked to upsize or downsize within the suburb. Ms Fox said the 'slightly softer' market was now allowing buyers to purchase homes in the suburb they might not have been able to afford three to four years ago. 'So whereas something might have been sitting on $3m or just above a few years ago, it's now dipping down to $2.6m, $2.7m and it's making it more achievable for those people,' she said. 'And I'm seeing some savvy purchases who are aware of that fact snapping up some really good properties at very reasonable prices given what they were a few years back.' Port Melbourne's median house price is $1.55m, according to PropTrack. VICTORIA'S TOP LIFESTYLE AREAS Armstrong Creek, Barwon Heads: median house prices from $653,250 to $1.49m Winchelsea: median house price $600,000 Newtown: median house price $1.085m Cheltenham, Highett: median house prices from $1.19m to $1.425m Mentone: median house price $1.325m Newport: median house price $1.205m Port Melbourne: median house price $1.55m Beaumaris: median house price $2.05m Torquay: median house price $1.175m Williamstown: median house price $1.52m Areas listed are regional statistical area level 3s, as defined by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. They are home to between 30,000 to 130,000 residents each. Source: MCG Top Suburb Lifestyle Index July 2025, MCG Quantity Surveyors, SuburbTrends, and PropTrack. Additional reporting by Aidan Devine Sign up to the Herald Sun Weekly Real Estate Update. Click here to get the latest Victorian property market news delivered direct to your inbox. MORE: Expert reveals blast risk for new 15,000-home Melbourne suburb Melbourne tipped to lead 2026 property boom | KPMG Young Melb family's clever move pays off
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Shock rankings for Victoria's best lifestyle suburbs
A new index confirms the Geelong region offers Victoria's best lifestyle suburbs for people looking to buy a home on a budget. The MCG Quantity Surveying Four-Pillar Lifestyle Index reveals four areas across the Geelong region are among the top 10 lifestyle markets in Victoria. Among the SA2 regions, which are typically bigger than individual suburbs, Barwon Heads-Armstrong Creek tops the list, followed by Winchelsea and Newtown in second and third. Torquay ranked ninth. First-time buyer wins race for former Winchelsea presbytery The suburbs outranked Melbourne bayside areas where home prices were higher. The rankings underscore the region's longstanding lifestyle drawcards of beaches, established urban amenities and family friendliness, but comes out on top when combined with the relative affordability of residential real estate. A median price of about $700,000 across Barwon Heads-Armstrong Creek takes in the higher priced, popular seaside village with the affordability of Geelong's biggest active urban growth corridor, where homes, shopping and schools are all expanding. Landlocked Barwon Heads has a $1.5m median house price, while Armstrong Creek's typical homes sell for $650,000. The index, which uses SuburbTrends data, measures the liveability of every market, scoring beach access, natural environment, urban amenity and community depth before overlaying price metrics such as 10-year median price growth. Beach access is an obvious advantage in Geelong where even Newtown's proximity to the Corio Bay waterfront is seen as a benefit for homebuyers, not to mention world-class surf beaches from 13th Beach to Bells. But MCG Quantity Surveying director Mike Mortlock said features deemed the most desirable and sought out by home seekers year after year included easy access to beaches, amenities, jobs hubs and top schools. 'They're attributes that help markets outperform over the long haul. We know buyers will pay a premium to have them.' Victoria's best lifestyle markets were often more influenced by education than in the rest of the country, Mr Mortlock said. 'Schools make a big difference to the Victorian lifestyle,' he said. 'The proportion of people wanting to go to private or top public schools with a small catchment is much higher and makes a much bigger difference.' Bellarine Property agent Peta Walter said most people relocating to Barwon Heads were seeking a lifestyle change. 'It's a small town and small community and for young families and people who are new to the area I think they do like it being a smaller town because if you don't know anyone it's pretty easy to immerse yourself in the community,' Ms Walter said. 'There's lots to do in terms of sporting or arts, so many different groups that you can join within the town.' But new public and private schools has helped coastal communities such as Barwon Heads and Torquay become even more attractive. 'Obviously you have got your junior years (in Barwon Heads) but for secondary school the bus services are great to any of the schools in Geelong, Catholic, private or other schools that have now just opened up in Armstrong Creek,' Ms Walter said. 'And then you have got all the infrastructure that's going into Armstrong Creek as far as shopping and bigger supermarkets, that's just making it more accessible.' While Oberon High School and Iona and Geelong Lutheran colleges are relatively new secondary schools in Armstrong Creek (with more to come), the city's historic private schools have always been the top reason people buy in inner city Newtown, Whitford agent Heidi Trempel said. Newtown is home to Chilwell, Newtown and St Roberts primary schools, and top private schools The Geelong College, St Joseph's and Sacred Heart colleges. 'When we do speak to people, 90 per cent of the time they're coming to Newtown for the schools,' Ms Trempel said. 'Without a doubt it's the biggest drawcard.' The leafy, blue-chip suburb is known for its vibrant lifestyle, with plenty of parks, cafes – especially along Pakington St – and recreation, such as Barwon River paths. Newtown's $1.1m median house price includes range of housing options, from historic homes to modern developments. 'You do get the bigger homes and you also get that history. It's something that's more sought after,' Ms Trempel said. 'If they're coming to Newtown, they are coming for those schools really. 'If it's primary school and they don't want to go to one of the private schools, they come for the zoning because they've got a great reputation.' There's been a shift in the buying demographics in Torquay, particularly as the state government raised the cost of owning investment and holiday properties, McCartney director Tim Carson said. 'Now it's probably people downsizing and people looking to move,' Mr Carson said. 'The investors and holiday home people have certainly been a lot slower purely because of the interest rates, land tax and compliance laws. We are seeing a real shift to more people that are moving down here.' Mr Carson said the development of more suburban housing and local private schools (both in Torquay and Armstrong Creek) opened the door for more people on the coast. Mr Carson said families often followed each other to the coast, encouraging more downsizing as a new wave was stepping up from Geelong's outer suburbs. 'A lot more people that have lived in Grovedale or Armstrong Creek are taking that next step to sell their place for $600,000, $700,000 and take that leap into the $900,000 to $1m price tag,' Mr Carson said. 'Now that interest rates have come down a little bit, they've got more confidence they can sustain it. 'The schooling is good and the infrastructure is improving all the time, it just seems to be a really good destination.' Winchelsea's surf coast hinterland location 20 minutes southwest of Geelong had created a lifestyle hot spot with affordable housing in town, Hayeswinckle director Michelle Winckle said. 'It's half an hour to everything – it's so central – Winchelsea has got so much potential because it's sitting right there.'
