Time to thank the unsung heroes of strata life
Since we last met under the mistletoe, as apartment residents, we’ve found ourselves in the odd position of presenting a very specific challenge to Health authorities, whose responses lurched from…
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Podcast: Tamarama drama and our new Minister
It was Monday morning and we had just finished editing the podcast when we got the word that NSW had a new Fair Trading minister. Meetings are cancelled, lunch is…
New Fair Trading Minister has scandal-plagued past
NSW appears to have a Fair Trading minister again, having ditched the cumbersome Innovation and Better Regulation title. However, it seems to also be returning the portfolio to its training…
Forum: A warning about issuing warnings
I have to admit I’m feeling unusually smug this week – but that’s what happens when you get things so precisely right it feels like there was a betting fix…
Podcast: Is this why Dave says he’s no messiah?
If there is one person in the strata sphere who’d say Building Commissioner David Chandler is not the Strata Messiah, it would be the commissioner himself. As we discuss on…
Govt. promises major strata fire safety revamp
There is a lot of confusion and anger in Strataland about fire safety, including who gets to choose what’s safe and what isn’t, and how a building that has passed…
Forum: Owner falls foul of strict window by-law
There’s a mixture of Forum posts this week – new questions and answers and some ongoing discussions. One fresh conundrum concerns an owner who’s fallen foul of by-laws related to…
Podcast: Developers’ cosy deals with cronies curbed
With two major chunks of strata legislation landing last week – Victoria’s new laws and NSW’s proposals for a revamp of theirs – we pick the bones out of the…
States play catch-up with strata law proposals
Anyone keeping even just half an eye on events in StrataLand for the past week or so would be forgiven for thinking our state bodies – Better Regulation in NSW…
New Vic strata laws target cronies and contracts
Strata laws have been given a major shake-up in Victoria – and it’s all about consumer protection. As well as including new rules for strata owners and committees, the new…
How investors can save over $10k a year in tax
Anyone who has ever bought a new car will know all about depreciation. The moment the front tyres hit the bitumen outside the car showroom, the vehicle’s value drops by…
How to find the perfect apartment to rent or buy
With record-high rental vacancy rates across much of Australia, tenants are suddenly able to choose how and where they live more freely than ever. But, despite all that, renters are…