ABC News News HomeTrans woman detained at Villawood deported before Sydney holiday Share Trans woman detained at Villawood deported before Sydney holiday MBy Millie Roberts Sonya said she was "shocked" to end up at Villawood after trying to go on holiday A transgender woman visiting Sydney was sent to an immigration detention centre after being told she would stay in a hotel pending deportation Sonya was held in one of the male compounds at Villawood in Sydney's west and not told when she would be sent back to the Philippines A group advocating for Asian migrant sex workers says at least eight transgender people have been held at Villawood Immigration Detention Centre since last October Link copiedShareShare articleLooking forward to a sunny holiday in Sydney Sonya instead found herself in a detention centre The transgender woman from the Philippines said she was profiled at the international airport in February by the Australian Border Force (ABF) who took her phone and gave her "no option to say no" "They even looked through my intimate photos with my ex-partner and when they found an email from an [international] escorting website harassed me and forced me to sign a visa cancellation document," she said At least eight transgender people are thought to be been detained at Villawood since last October who was previously a sex worker and travelled to Australia on a tourist visa said the email related to an old advertisement She was held at the airport for 12 hours before being told she would stay in a hotel overnight to await a flight home Detainees can be accommodated in a hotel by the ABF prior to removal from Australia depending on individual circumstance Sonya was held in one of the male compounds at Villawood for three days "Someone from Villawood [Immigration Detention Centre] picked me up and they said they will put me into a hotel but then they put me to the detention centre," she said A group representing Asian sex workers said that Sonya is not alone in her treatment Sonya was held in one of the male compounds at Villawood in the city's west "The environment was highly uncomfortable .. there was an inmate there that threw hot water on us," Sonya said "I [also] experienced sexual harassment by a male Serco officer through pat downs." Officers are assigned to conduct pat searches on inmates according to their assigned gender at birth this means male officers are required to pat search trans women Serco rejects that its officers conduct their duties in a discriminatory or harassing manner The Migration Act does not set out a time period for deportation A trans man Sonya befriended was also moved to a female compound disregarding their gender identity as well "They [didn't] allow me to have my luggage .. I [didn't] have access to my hormones," she added Last year, the ABC reported on a trans woman at Villawood who felt under constant surveillance by Serco officers and the "threat" of male detainees "getting" her an Australian Human Rights Commission report called for better policy and procedural guidance relating to the accommodation security and management of trans detainees across the detention network Sonya said she wasn't given an exact deportation time despite offering to book her own ticket to the Philippines removals are conducted as soon as possible on a case-by-case basis "The ABF has violated my human rights "Staying in a detention centre is like a living hell The ABF said it did not comment on individual cases Immigration Minister Tony Burke was also approached for comment Serco said that detainees in their care were "treated equally "Our priority is the wellbeing of our people and those in our care," a spokesperson said 165 people were refused immigration clearance due to Operation Inglenook according to a Freedom of Information request The majority were from east and south-east Asian countries Operation Inglenook was established to identify criminals who exploit visa programs, and temporary visa holders victim to trafficking or modern slavery within the sex industry. Damien Nguyen, spokesperson for the Asian Migrant Sex Worker Advisory Group (AMSWAG), said stories about "invasive searches, coercive questioning, and unfair deportations [were] regular occurrences". "To implement these laws, border officials look out for migrants whose appearances they believe do not match their gender marker, or who border officials believe fit into the racist stereotype of the promiscuous Asian sex worker," he said. Kayla, whose name has been changed, is one of four transgender women transferred interstate into a New South Wales facility this year. AMSWAG said that since October 2024, there have been at least eight trans people who have been detained at Villawood, the majority being Asian migrants. Mr Nguyen said the alleged profiling of migrant sex workers at the border and in detention needed to change. "Despite sex work being decriminalised in New South Wales it is clear that there is still a hyper-focus on our community due to racist and sexist legislation," he said. "Regardless of legality, no-one should ever have to experience this." CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time which is 10 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) For information directly relating to bushfires please call the Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737 or visit the NSW Rural Fire Service Website here. [external link] We responded to over 150,000 incidents in 2023-24 The incidents displayed below are note-worthy incidents that have been published as media releases or tweets Details about incidents may change and should not be used as emergency information and/or advice North Parramatta | The fire at Dunlop Street, North Parramatta has been contained but is expected to smoulder through the morning. Because there may be smoke in the area, residents and businesses in the vicinity are advised to keep doors, windows, and vents closed. View on X [external link] Fire and Rescue NSW acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the land and acknowledges and pays respect to their Elders the three were pivotal in shaping his vision for a pirate ship on a massive man-made viewing hill with a giant 35-metre slide thrilling adults and children alike.  It sits within one of his Melbourne developments and is regarded by many as the best playground in western Melbourne.  The Villawood Properties founder and executive director is a collector of innovative ideas and travels widely to draw inspiration for his growing portfolio of communities – 73 of which are completed to date.  you need to travel and see what innovative people are doing overseas bring those ideas back and commercialise them,” Costelloe says.  I look at my photos and I visualise to consultants what I want to do.”  Community is the key pillar of Villawood Properties with many of the developments designed around everything from parks lounges and playgrounds to social clubs and groups.  “We excel at creating community,” Costelloe says “We think it’s our job to help people meet each other and people can see the kids in the pool or playing tennis and can grab a coffee 10 metres away.  build a community and be proud to call it home’ Most developers focus on how to develop a property to make money; we focus on creating great spaces and communities While Villawood Properties today has a dominant presence in residential land development It began 35 years ago when a small syndicate got together in Bendigo and put in $10,000 each to purchase a piece of land for $150,000 Its focus in the early years was surviving the recession it moved into the Melbourne market by joining forces with three other syndicates to purchase a 48-lot $2.6 million property.  made over 40% IRR and developed a relationship with Melbourne agents and contractors,” Costelloe says.  Villawood Properties was away and capitalised on a further 25 years of solid property demand.  The syndicate grew and continued to buy more land Its footprint continues to grow through state government and corporate partnerships “The residential land industry is very cyclical,” says Costelloe more nimble and responsive to take opportunities when they occur.  “The ideal partnership to serve our country’s long-term residential delivery needs is reputable skilled private companies who can deliver new communities coupled with the capital of super funds who share the long-term game plan and are not distracted by cycles We’re a top-six player in Australia now – a national brand.   which means we’ll be in all mainland states.”  the company has developed 20,000 lots and it has 26,000 future housing lots currently in the pipeline.   we have delivered a weighted average IRR of circa 22% to our partners and shareholders,” says Costelloe.  Villawood has developed a following for its community and sustainability focus It donates two blocks of land to national/state forests for every residential lot sold.  the Melbourne greenfields market went from selling 15,000 lots a year noting subsequent price rises and responding interest rate rises severely dampened demand in his home state.  “It’s been a real saviour to have a South Australian front as Victorian sales slumped.”  South Australia now provides 40% of Villawood’s sales “The South Australian market never got too expensive in the first place It is also pleasing the South Australian Government authorities have far less roadblocks than other states to facilitate development.” Costelloe says that apart from the need to reduce interest rates needs to cut its 3% home loan serviceability buffer to the pre-COVID-19 level of 2.5%   help desperate first home buyers and re-boot the market without adding to inflation.  With the ABS forecasting the country’s population will climb as high as 30.8 million by 2032 residential land developers are well positioned to cash in on exploding demand for affordable housing.  The Victorian Government’s strategy to accommodate the burgeoning population includes building public transport-central high-rises in Melbourne.   the sense of community he’s passionate about can’t be replicated in high-rise developments.  “I’m a fan of low-rise living because there’s no community in high-rise.   the chance of seeing anybody regularly is minimal; people keep to themselves.”  Costelloe’s other key objections to mass high-rise development include affordability and sustainability particularly the burden of large owners’ corporation fees.  “It’s about four times the price to build a high-rise building per square metre as it is a suburban house you can build up to six storeys with lightweight timber construction so you have a happier community and a much lower carbon footprint.”  how does Australia accommodate population growth without building vertically the solution is greenfield and regional areas,” Costelloe says.  People move there to live in a detached house and will drive as far as needed to find it The Federal Government is addicted to population growth to bolster GDP but there must be a balance between immigration and our ability to provide housing for them.”  Costelloe is preparing for what he expects will be a boom in demand for regional living by doing what he says he does best: creating communities people are proud to call home.  “If you create a really good product that the community wants to buy and live in I accept Forbes Australia's Terms and Privacy Policy Please check your inbox to confirm your subscription Get the magazine delivered with a Premium membership, find it at all good newsagents, or purchase previous issues online Malaysian and Sierra Leone national all received ‘appropriate mental health care’ before they separately killed themselves inside Villawood Three people who killed themselves in a Sydney immigration detention centre all received appropriate mental health care But it was unclear why detainees at Villawood detention centre routinely did not take their medication or attend medical appointments One such example was New Zealand woman Leah Jane Porter, 50, who hanged herself in Villawood in May 2022. Porter’s death was one of three detainee suicides examined by the New South Wales coroner’s court as well as a Malaysian and a Sierra Leone national – separately hanged themselves inside Villawood over a three-year period Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Porter moved to Australia from New Zealand in 2007 with her partner and two sons. She suffered from mental health challenges, including depression and borderline personality disorder. She had a history of suicide attempts, the inquest found. In 2021 Porter’s visa was cancelled due to criminal convictions. After finishing her prison sentence, she was transferred to Villawood in January 2022. While in detention, Porter regularly refused her medication for borderline personality disorder, the inquest heard. Her attendance of medical appointments was sporadic and worsened over time. “At some point Ms Porter adopted a stray kitten and became very attached to it,” the inquest found. “She was extremely distressed when detention staff took the kitten from her, reportedly for health reasons.” The inquest found Porter was not unusual in missing appointments and not taking medication: it was common across the centre. The inquest found the rate of detainees not attending health appointments was 39%. A higher rate – 65% – of detainees do not routinely take their medication. These figures reflected averages in community health care. Sierra Leone national Moses Kellie, 33, was also sent to Villawood after his visa was cancelled due to serving a prison sentence. He killed himself in January 2019. Kellie, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia, PTSD and substance dependence, had been detained for four years. The inquest also reviewed the death of Malaysia national Muhammad Hafizuddin bin Zaini, 29, who hanged himself in Villawood in 2020. Bin Zaini came to Australia in 2016 on a tourist visa. He applied for a protection visa, but this was denied. He continued to live in Australia. During Covid lockdowns, he was detained in South Australia and his bridging visa expired. While detained a psychiatrist found Bin Zaini had paranoid ideation and was likely schizophrenic. He repeatedly expressed his desire to return to Malaysia, particularly after learning his mother was unwell. However, he could not be deported due to Covid border restrictions. “This was a source of immense frustration and unhappiness for [him],” Elizabeth Ryan, the deputy state coroner, told the court while delivering the findings. The court heard Bin Zaini had mistakenly been given the impression by a psychiatrist he would be deported to Malaysia in September 2020. Bin Zaini hanged himself on 12 December 2020. Free newsletterGet the most important news as it breaks The inquest found that the number of people sent to Villawood from prison because their visas were cancelled after a conviction increased by up to 75% between 2019 and 2023. was operated by the private operator Serco at the time of each of the suicides and health services in the centre were managed by International Health and Medical Service The health services are now run by another provider, and Secure Journeys, a local subsidiary of Management & Training Corporation (MTC), will soon take over operation of Villawood from Serco The inquest recommended the federal government commission an independent study to examine why detainees routinely do not take their medication the inquest found he did not have the recommended daily follow-ups with a mental health nurse He also did not have any psychiatric assessments for more than a year in the leadup to his death this was due to Kellie not attending booked appointments The inquest said it was not clear if this was due to Kellie’s own non-attendance or due to a “system failure in booking arrangements” The inquest made a number of recommendations including removing ligature points which can be used by a detainee to hang themselves Share via...Gift this articleSubscribe to gift this article Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe Villawood and South Australian government agency Renewal SA will develop an 800-home net zero carbon community in the growing southern Adelaide suburb of Aldinga Construction on what will become a $400 million development is due to start in 2026 on the site, a 15-minute drive from McLaren Vale the heart of the Fleurieu Peninsula’s popular wine region SaveLog in or Subscribe to save articleShareCopy link Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe. Follow the topics, people and companies that matter to you. More than 1000 new homes could be built at Golden Grove following the listing of almost 54ha of mostly vacant land for sale Directly adjacent to the planned 1500-home Villawood development 5 Para Valley Road has already attracted considerable interest from developers and investors The land parcel currently has hills face zoning said the expected rezoning of the Villawood site could pave the way for a similar change in land use “If you can develop it’s worth $40 to $50m Mr Singh said the vendors were not interested in submitting a rezoning application themselves and were only seeking a fraction of its potential value industry sources estimate the site could fetch over $13m Stubborn Aussie neighbour sells to developers Surprise state where home approvals are lagging Landmark estate tipped to smash Hills $7m sales record Developers are eyeing off this massive Golden Grove property which sits adjacent to new housing The property currently serves as a private home and vineyard which supplies grapes to a major wine maker The property currently consists of a three-bedroom rental home about 1000 olive trees and numerous outbuildings Most of the site had been cleared and there were no heritage listings or significant tree protections in place He said the land could support more than 1000 allotments of 300sqm each “It’s not like you are putting houses on farmland where there’s nothing around All the infrastructure is already there (close by),’’ he said “The roads (leading to the property) are already there “It’s right next to The Stables Shopping Centre and literally a few kilometres from The Grove Shopping Centre “There’s already residential development right at the doorstep.’’ MORE NEWS: Who owns Australia’s most expensive homes this character home would likely be bulldozed It is estimated 1000 new homes could fit on the site Mr Singh said among those to express early interest in the land was a developer who had previously approached the vendors about buying off-market which has partnered with local developer YAS Property and Development applied to Tea Tree Gully Council in 2021 to have its site rezoned from rural living to master planned neighbourhood it could see 1500 new homes and nearly 4000 new residents at land east of Strachan Road A Villawood spokesman declined to provide an update on the rezoning application He also refused to comment on whether Villawood was among the developers to express interest in the Para Valley Road property third parties have written and supplied the content and we are not responsible for it completeness or reliability of the information nor do we accept any liability or responsibility arising in any way from omissions or errors contained in the content We do not recommend sponsored lenders or loan products and we cannot introduce you to sponsored lenders We strongly recommend that you obtain independent advice before you act on the content realestate.com.au is owned and operated by ASX-listed REA Group Ltd (REA:ASX) © REA Group Ltd. By accessing or using our platform, you agree to our Terms of Use. A fight over an $88,000 per dwelling levy on developers threatens to delay construction of thousands of new homes in Geelong’s northern and western growth corridor Major developers have turned to planning minister Sonya Kilkenny to intercede over the $1.6m per developable hectare development contribution levy which the City of Greater Geelong will earn $318m toward community infrastructure in the 345ha greenfields area at Bell Post Hill The Creamery Road precinct is the first to be developed in the corridor stretching from Batesford to Lara Striking Highton home earns top dollar in quick sale with the remainder reserved for public open space which will connect all major activity centres and key land uses across the growth areas to support bicycle lanes wide tree-lined pedestrian paths and rapid public transit Villawood Properties executive director Rory Costelloe said the developer contribution plan (DCP) would make building economically unviable “It’s just completely unrealistic and unworkable,” Mr Costelloe said Villawood Properties owns a large swathe of land in the first precinct due to development in Geelong’s western growth corridor The future urban structure plan for the Creamery Road precinct at Bell Post Hill “We’ve asked for ministerial interventions so there’s a fair bit of discussion going on between ourselves and the state government and council at the moment Mr Costelloe said Geelong developers had collectively approached the minister’s office to get involved and “get the levy back to a realistic number” we’d sell the blocks at the current price and make a loss Mr Costelloe said walking away wasn’t an option as the company had bought the land but warned of delays until a “logical outcome” was reached He said 56 per cent of the area being developable compounded the size of the levy per hectare “There’s a high shopping list of things to go in it which has partnered with the Lovely Banks consortium to deliver a 15,000-lot community near Lara said the DCP risked slowing the rate of development Villawood Properties executive director Rory Costelloe which includes the Lovely Banks development “We’re certainly interested to see where that gets to because the DCP is astounding.” He said the highest DCP at Armstrong Creek was $470,000 per developable hectare City chief executive Ali Wastie acknowledged the concerns of developers and hoped the minister would soon endorse the plans so that parties could make submissions “These submissions can be considered in a transparent and balanced way,” Ms Wastie said “Developers will have an opportunity to voice their concerns regarding costs associated with providing adequate open space and community infrastructure which form part of the DCP rate “Council also must ensure that infrastructure placed by the developers can be adequately maintained in a cost effective manner so as not to burden current and future ratepayers Submissions will be considered by an independent Standing Advisory Committee Panel The State Government has been contacted for comment Greater Geelong CEO Ali Wastie said developers can make submissions about the DCP once the Minister endorses the plans to be put on exhibition Revelations of the involvement of the minister’s office in the structure plan dispute comes after Premier Jacinta Allan released a 10-year greenfields housing plan amid a week of housing-related policy announcements Geelong has the biggest target for building new homes under the Victorian Housing Statement A land corridor capable of delivering 5000 homes at Bannockburn and a state-significant industrial and business park or “aerotropolis” surrounding Avalon Airport the northern and western growth corridor was not The Victorian Planning Authority is preparing the Bannockburn and Avalon projects whereas Geelong’s council assumed planning control over the city’s growth corridors Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny made a series of housing announcements this week landowners are seeking to leverage interest in properties surrounding the employment precinct near Avalon Airport has been put up for sale as sellers seeking to capitalise on the strategic holdings around Victoria’s second major airport The 3680ha area includes 1000ha of land supply for employment activities with properties inside or adjacent to the precinct offered for sale Two parcels within the precinct at 65 Beach Rd and 130 Pousties Rd are set to be rezoned for industrial use by November 2025 Melbourne developer MAB Corporation controls a 780ha site adjacent to the airport where a $3.3bn business park would create thousands of jobs A trans woman from the Philippines was detained in a men’s compound after Australian Border Force (ABF) officers reportedly profiled her in what advocates warn is part of a broader crackdown on Asian migrant sex workers a trans woman and former sex worker who arrived at Sydney airport on a tourist visa said ABF officers searched her phone and cancelled her visa over an old email linked to sex work “They even looked through my intimate photos with my ex-partner,” she told ABC News “When they found an email from an escorting website and forced me to sign a visa cancellation document.” Sonya said the email was from a past advertisement and unrelated to her trip officers told her she would stay in a hotel before being removed and flown back home they transferred her to Villawood Immigration Detention Centre and placed her in a men’s compound Sonya remained in a male compound located west of the city where she says she experienced harassment amid unsafe conditions “The environment was highly uncomfortable…there was an inmate that threw hot water on us,” she said She also alleged sexual harassment during pat-downs by a male Serco officer Serco officers conduct searches based on assigned sex at birth meaning trans women are searched by male officers Serco denied any misconduct from their officers Authorities also transferred a trans man Sonya befriended to a female compound I didn’t have access to my hormones,” she said an Australian Human Rights Commission report warned about violence and mismanagement of trans detainees healthcare and accommodation to protect their welfare Between November 2022 and August 2024, ABF refused entry to 165 people under Operation Inglenook, targeting visa exploitation in the sex industry, according to an ABC Freedom of Information request Those most affected were migrants from east and southeast Asia The Asian Migrant Sex Worker Advisory Group (AMSWAG) says Sonya’s case is far from isolated and unfair deportations are regular occurrences,” AMSWAG spokesperson Damien Nguyen told ABC News He said border officials target migrants based on whose appearances don’t conform to their assigned gender markers or racist stereotypes of ‘the promiscuous Asian’ sex workers “The government uses the false idea that we are by default victims of trafficking to justify mass visa cancellations Villawood has detained at least eight trans people “Despite sex work being decriminalised in NSW our community remains hyper-policed due to racist and sexist legislation,” Nguyen said saying officers refused to tell her when she would be deported “I offered to book my own ticket to the Philippines ” I had no idea when I’d be able to leave.” deportation does not have a set timeframe and is handled case by case “Staying in detention was like a living hell—it was so The ABF said it does not comment on individual cases A Serco spokesperson stated detainees in their care are “treated equally This article was originally published on Star Observer Opportunity: Villawood Properties has welcomed the inclusion of Ravenswood as an investigation site in the city council's Managed Growth Strategy A MAJOR Australian property developer has hailed the inclusion of Ravenswood in a City of Greater Bendigo investigation into future housing sites as a positive move for the region Villawood Properties’ Victorian regional general manager Julian Perez said said Ravenswood presented a serious opportunity to attract the professionals and skilled workers Bendigo needs now and into the future The developer has previously called for the area’s consideration as a growth site “We’re very pleased the city council has decided to look south as it considers the crucial issue of Bendigo’s growth,” he said “Bendigo’s housing and economic growth needs greenfields sites such as Ravenswood in order to attract the doctors teachers and skilled labourers that Bendigo wants,” he said Villawood already has land for sale in the region and has indicated a desire to develop land at Ravenswood It has under management a parcel of land of more than 2000 hectares under a single ownership there Mr Perez’s comments follow the area’s inclusion last month as an investigation site in the City’s Managed Growth Strategy which is designed to guide residential growth in the municipality over the next 30 years It was included on a motion by Cr Margaret O’Rourke at the immediate past council’s final pre-election meeting in September She moved the Managed Growth Strategy be adopted but with the inclusion of Ravenswood as an area to be investigated Cr O’Rourke’s addition caused some dissent among her colleagues David Fagg and Jennifer Alden voting against Cr Fagg told the meeting that including Ravenswood would send a message to developers that the City was not serious about its desire for infill developments or its already designated preferred development areas where it’s appropriate and achievable and Bendigo needs a mix of both infill and greenfield growth,” he said and the 70:30 infill-greenfield ratio [the City’s preference] just won’t work.” Mr Perez also acknowledged immediate past mayor Andrea Metcalf’s support for Ravenswood’s inclusion as a study site “Cr Metcalf acknowledged there were few impediments to development at Ravenswood as well as the significant early infrastructure – clubs retail – Villawood has provided in its master planned communities elsewhere,” he said “She noted the 10 minutes from Lansell Square and one hour 15 [minutes] from Melbourne plus the housing diversity and affordability Villawood offers “Other councillors showed similar support arguing the positives of Ravenswood were well worthy of further investigation.” Mr Perez said Ravenswood had the potential for 4000 new homes A fire has broken out at a recycling centre in Sydney's west with 16 fire trucks and dozens of firefighters working to bring the blaze under control Crews are on the scene of a major fire at Top Dollar Metal Recyclers' facility on Miller Road, Villawood which broke out about 12.30pm on Monday, according to Fire and Rescue NSW.  Large quantities of shredded mattresses are 'well alight' and the fire has taken root deep inside the facility in multiple areas.  '(Fire and Rescue NSW) received multiple Triple Zero calls to a fire just after 12.30pm and firefighters observed large volumes of thick black smoke en route to the incident,' a spokesperson said.  More than 60 firefighters are battling to prevent the flames from spreading to an adjoining warehouse.  Firefighters say strong winds and problems with their water supply are complicating the operation. 'Firefighting efforts are being hampered by water supply issues and strong winds are pushing smoke in a northerly direction,' the spokesperson said.  A NSW Ambulance spokesman confirmed paramedics and one ambulance were on scene, but no injuries have yet been reported. Fire and Rescue warned wind has blown smoke from the facility over the surrounding residential area and urged locals to take precautions. 'Wind is pushing smoke northward, prompting (Fire and Rescue NSW) to advise nearby residents to stay away and keep doors, windows, and vents closed,' a spokesperson wrote. Evacuations are underway in the immediate area.  Miller Road and Sir Thomas Mitchell Road are currently closed.  The cause of the fire remains unknown. Top Dollar Metal Recyclers confirmed they have been cooperating with fire crews throughout the day but have not yet determined how the blaze began.  In December of last year, a scrap metal yard in St Mary's, also in Sydney's west, an estimated 500 tonnes of scrap metal burst into flames in a factory. Thick, toxic smoke billowed from the pile of steel, copper and cars for five hours as firefighters battled to contain the fire. It took 50 crew, 14 trucks and staff from the metal yard to bring the burn under control. The yard's own excavator even assisted in breaking apart the smouldering heap. In June this year, another metal warehouse fire in Auburn, nearby to Villawood, demanded a similar number of crews. Fire and Rescue NSW took 50 crews to battle the blaze in order to rotate the firefighters' shifts safely. Major terror attack 'was just HOURS away' before it was foiled by the special forces and police:... 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No one seems to have shared their thoughts on this topic yetLeave a comment so your voice will be heard first. {{message}} Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time Australia has quietly ditched its $4.6 billion immigration detention contract with controversial British multinational Serco after 15 years and is finalising a deal with a new company to run its onshore facilities The Albanese government last week told Serco it had been unsuccessful in its fresh bid to provide immigration detention facilities in Australia ending a partnership that began in 2009 and has been ridden with scandal The company told the London Stock Exchange it would lose £165 million ($322 million) in revenue and £18 million ($35 million) in profit because of the decision “Our performance levels have been high on the current contract and we submitted what we believed to be a compelling bid that would have delivered continued strong performance to the Australian government as well as meeting our framework for achieving margins appropriate for the services we deliver,” it said “We will now work to ensure a smooth transition of these critical services to the new provider.” The change comes as Australia’s onshore immigration detention regime has been thrown into disarray following last year’s High Court ruling that it was unconstitutional to detain people indefinitely if they could not be deported. The ruling has released 215 people with criminal records into the community and the legal ramifications are ongoing A new contractor will next year take over for the first time since Serco started providing immigration detention services in 2009 Serco signed its latest contract to run the onshore system in 2014 the same year that laws made visa cancellations mandatory for non-citizens sentenced to more than 12 months in prison increasing the portion of immigration detainees with criminal convictions There were 984 people held in Australian immigration detention at the end of September More than 800 detainees have a criminal record and just over 100 are people who arrived unlawfully by boat An investigation by this masthead last year interviewed dozens of current and former Serco guards and detainees, many of whom claimed understaffing was entrenched, leading to violence, allegations of sexual assault and an illegal drug trade that puts both detainees and staff at risk Two refugees who died in their cells at Sydney’s Villawood Detention Centre in 2019 had a history of self-harm and substance abuse when they were transferred from prison into immigration detention yet processes to manage these risks either did not exist or were not followed Detainees also claimed that drugs were easily accessible Some were openly growing marijuana plants in their rooms at Villawood while a Serco employee was criminally charged during a corruption investigation into drug trafficking in Melbourne’s immigration detention centre Data requested by Greens senator David Shoebridge showed there had been 714 incidents of self-harm in the past five years and 1965 incidents where self-harm was threatened Shoebridge said Serco had profited from running a “brutal immigration detention regime” that separated families and subjected people to deeply harmful conditions or some other global punishment corporation immigration detention in Australia is toxic It needs urgent and systemic change,” he said people rarely stay longer than two months in immigration detention; in Australia “Australia has a highly respected legal system that protects people’s rights through detention and private companies like Serco Serco will finish its contract on December 10 after which there is a transition period of up to 180 days A spokesman for the Home Affairs Department said it was finalising the tender process for a new immigration detention contractor and to ensure a fair and equitable procurement process the department will not be providing any further information,” he said “Serco’s performance of the onshore detention contract is governed by an existing contract which is closely managed by the department and [Australian Border Force].” Both the private companies that have run Australia’s detention centres under multibillion-dollar contracts for the past decade – Serco with responsibility for security and non-health welfare services and International Health and Medical Services which runs medical care – will no longer operate them The federal government has entered a new $866 million contract with Healthcare Australia A Home Affairs official told Senate estimates last week that the new contractor would provide a “different type of service with a range of different supports like telehealth increased hours of clinical teams being on site in centres Cut through the noise of federal politics with news, views and expert analysis. Subscribers can sign up to our weekly Inside Politics newsletter The company told the London Stock Exchange it would lose \\u00A3165 million ($322 million) in revenue and \\u00A318 million ($35 million) in profit because of the decision \\u201COur performance levels have been high on the current contract and we submitted what we believed to be a compelling bid that would have delivered continued strong performance to the Australian government as well as meeting our framework for achieving margins appropriate for the services we deliver,\\u201D it said \\u201CWe will now work to ensure a smooth transition of these critical services to the new provider.\\u201D The change comes as Australia\\u2019s onshore immigration detention regime has been thrown into disarray following last year\\u2019s High Court ruling that it was unconstitutional to detain people indefinitely if they could not be deported The ruling has released 215 people with criminal records into the community and An last year interviewed dozens of current and former Serco guards and detainees many of whom claimed understaffing was entrenched allegations of sexual assault and an that puts both detainees and staff at risk who died in their cells at Sydney\\u2019s Villawood Detention Centre in 2019 had a history of self-harm and substance abuse when they were transferred from prison into immigration detention a Serco employee was criminally charged during a corruption investigation into drug trafficking in Melbourne\\u2019s immigration detention centre Shoebridge said Serco had profited from running a \\u201Cbrutal immigration detention regime\\u201D that separated families and subjected people to deeply harmful conditions It needs urgent and systemic change,\\u201D he said \\u201CAustralia has a highly respected legal system that protects people\\u2019s rights the department will not be providing any further information,\\u201D he said \\u201CSerco\\u2019s performance of the onshore detention contract is governed by an existing contract which is closely managed by the department and [Australian Border Force].\\u201D Both the private companies that have run Australia\\u2019s detention centres under multibillion-dollar contracts for the past decade \\u2013 Serco which runs medical care \\u2013 will no longer operate them A Home Affairs official told Senate estimates last week that the new contractor would provide a \\u201Cdifferent type of service with a range of different supports like telehealth Cut through the noise of federal politics with news The Coalition’s Housing Infrastructure Programme will help fast-track construction of up to 500,000 houses across the country Sarah Henderson this week joined Liberal candidate for Bendigo Matt Evans on a visit to Villawood’s Imagine Estate in Strathfieldsaye to discuss the benefits of the Dutton Liberal National government proposal “Labor’s cost of living crisis is causing real hardship for local residents So many people are struggling to pay the rent or mortgage or even find an affordable place to live,” Mr Evans said “Our visit also confirmed the programme has the potential to boost housing supply,” Mr Evans said said: “We would expect to be able to pass on savings to purchasers so it will be great for young families or downsizers looking to get into a new home.” Senator Henderson said the Coalition’s commitment to fast track the construction of up to half a million homes was in stark contrast to Labor’s failure to deliver for the Bendigo electorate Senator Henderson and Mr Evans also visited the Bendigo Art Gallery to discuss the proposed $54 million redevelopment which requires $15 million from the federal government  The City of Greater Bendigo is awaiting the outcome of two federal funding applications for this project vital road and rail upgrades or housing infrastructure Labor has been asleep at the wheel,” Senator Henderson said “Bendigo MP Lisa Chesters talked a big game in opposition but has delivered very little since the Albanese government was elected “The Housing Infrastructure Programme would fund power sewerage and other services as well as local roads to unlock housing supply and is a great example of practical action by the Coalition “We are determined to get Australia back on track which includes taking action on the issues which matter to regional Victorians,” Senator Henderson said Geelong Vic 3220Monday – Friday9am – 5pmPhone: (03) 5221 5900 Parliament HouseCanberra ACT 2600Phone: (02) 6277 3812 The Weekly SOURCE is published by DCM Media This is probably not the page you’re looking for but we don't want to lose you.\"}],[\"$\",\"div\",null,{\"className\":\"notfound-page__text-block\",\"children\":\"We recently updated the way we organise our articles 'div-gpt-ad-1511396693346-0').addService(googletag.pubads());\n googletag.defineSlot('/34178149/728x90_Leaderboard_Position_1' 'div-gpt-ad-1511394032333-0').addService(googletag.pubads());\n 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'div-gpt-ad-1511938773649-0').addService(googletag.pubads());\n googletag.defineSlot('/34178149/728x90_leaderboard_position_2' 'div-gpt-ad-1510792120057-0').addService(googletag.pubads());\n googletag.defineSlot('/34178149/300x250_Article-page_Position01' with at least 25 per cent providing affordable housing.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe development at the greenfield site semi-detached and townhouse projects up to three storeys with energy-efficiency measures including solar heat pumps batteries and a microgrid.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRenewal SA chief executive Chris Menz said the Aldinga project confirmed the organisation’s commitment to partnering with the private sector to deliver housing “particularly in the southern suburbs where supply is at a premium”.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“It’s pleasing to see strong focus on sustainability targets as well as affordable housing outcomes demonstrating that it is possible to achieve both across projects.”\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe development will achieve a minimum 5 Star Green Star Communities Rating with a target of achieving 6 Stars.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIndividual homes will target a minimum 7 Star NatHERS rating and display homes will aim to be completed to an 8 Star rating equivalent to help consumers understand the benefits of highly efficient homes.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eUnder the deal Villawood would also be responsible for the delivery of a community club sports courts and co-working spaces.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe all-electric development would also use light-coloured roofing to mitigate urban heat and incorporate water sensitive urban design including the use of recycled water for irrigation of reserves.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe project would comprise an over-55s lifestyle village on the site’s western parcel with one social connection and quality come together like this before in any mainstream housing project in Australia.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Aldinga is rewriting how new communities are designed Lendlease’s third residential building in the Collins Wharf precinct of Victoria Harbour.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe 28-storey building at 971 Collins Street in Melbourne’s Docklands will deliver 312 homes in a mix of one two and three-bedroom apartments as well as townhouses and penthouses.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAccording to Lendlease the project has already secured more than 50 per cent in presales.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHickory is the construction contractor—it completed the precinct’s first development in 2019 and is also working on LendLease’s second tower Regatta.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor Ancora Hickory is implementing several technical construction methods including various piling techniques and precast concrete solutions that enable a parallel-track construction program.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe building’s facade designed by architect Warren and Mahoney uses a three-stage design incorporating double-glazed glass and textured precast concrete with Reckli and brick finishes.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe structural design transitions from a solid podium base to lighter upper levels “reflecting a maritime theme” aligned with the Collins Wharf design objectives.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAncora will connect to the neighbouring Regatta development via a podium allowing resident access to shared amenities.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eDesigned as an all-electric building that includes electric vehicle infrastructure the development is targeting a 5 Star Green Star certification Completion is expected in 2027.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRegatta including build-to-rent and build-to-sell units.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eExtensive wharf works including remediation of pre-existing wharf piles installation of raker piles and construction of the extension to Australia Walk are also part of the project.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTechnical challenges include constructing on the finger wharf and co-ordinating extensive above-wharf road reserve and public parkland works.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Collins Wharf precinct will ultimately comprise six residential buildings of more than 1800 homes surrounded by over 5000sq m of parks and community space.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLendlease is developing the parkland concurrently with the residential components including the extension of Australian Walk that forms part of the City of Melbourne’s Greenline project.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLendlease executive director of development Adam Williams said Collins Wharf “is fast becoming a sought-after address .. which took just a handful of hours to emerge on Saturday night the Coalition’s failure to sway voters has come under intense scrutiny.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIts lack of policies around property that resonated with voters has been a large part of that criticism.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAmong those policies was a $5-billion infrastructure program to unlock up to 500,000 new homes was greeted with no small amount of scepticism.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Coalition also campaigned on its previously revealed plan to allow first home buyers to draw down on their superannuation giving access to up to $50,000 to help fund mortgage deposits.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhile that proposal had won some support it got the thumbs down from many of Australia’s top economists who said the measure could prove highly inflationary among other issues.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSimilarly its plan to allow mortgage interest for first home buyers to be tax-deductible was roundly criticised for its likely inflationary and regressive effects.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt has also been pointed out that the Coalition’s rejection of the Green’s policies around housing supply affordable housing and help for renters did it no favours.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe ALP went to the polls spruiking an extension of schemes introduced during its previous term including a $10-billion promise for its first-home buyers’ scheme to encourage 100,000 more homes.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt also had its Help to Buy shared equity scheme under which the Government pays up to 40 per cent of the house price to point to.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf it was these policies per se or the lack of detail and depth to the Coalition’s the nation's ready for the Albanese government to act.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhat is clear been endorsed to follow through on its policies and fix the crisis that is crippling the Australian property sector.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs Urban Taskforce Australia chief executive\u0026nbsp;Tom\u0026nbsp;Forrest has pointed out it is time for the Federal Government to get back to work.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Housing affordability and housing supply featured large during the campaign,” Forrest said.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“The key now is for the Government to strike while the iron’s hot.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“If legislation is needed to support the delivery of Labor’s $10-billion 100,000 new homes commitment—then pass it through the parliament now and get on with it.”\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe states have made many changes to how they enable home development The Federal Government’s support of that is crucial to its success material supply assistance or any other factor that affects getting homes out of the ground.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis has been a pivotal election Then Cities for Total Fan Immersion\",\"slug\":\"billionaire-arsenal-rams-denver-nuggets-sports-anchored-precincts\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-04-30T00:00+10:00\",\"tags\":[],\"summary\":\"Why your next home might be stadium-adjacent; sports are the hook with at least 25 per cent providing affordable housing Renewal SA chief executive Chris Menz said the Aldinga project confirmed the organisation’s commitment to partnering with the private sector to deliver housing “particularly in the southern suburbs where supply is at a premium” demonstrating that it is possible to achieve both across projects.” The development will achieve a minimum 5 Star Green Star Communities Rating with a target of achieving 6 Stars Individual homes will target a minimum 7 Star NatHERS rating and display homes will aim to be completed to an 8 Star rating equivalent to help consumers understand the benefits of highly efficient homes The all-electric development would also use light-coloured roofing to mitigate urban heat and incorporate water sensitive urban design including the use of recycled water for irrigation of reserves The project would comprise an over-55s lifestyle village on the site’s western parcel with one Villawood entered the South Australian market in 2021 and now has more than 5000 homes in the pipeline Villawood chief executive Alan Miller said the project was “seriously ground-breaking stuff for South Australia” “It’s blazing a new path for mainstream sustainable housing and premium affordability for the entire country,” he said social connection and quality come together like this before in any mainstream housing project in Australia “Aldinga is rewriting how new communities are designed how lifestyle and climate considerations are factored into them and how homebuyers can far more easily access the property market.” The South Australian Government has preserved a corridor of land through Aldinga for a future extension of the Seaford rail line to the area Villawood would also deliver a north-south shared-use path along the eastern edge of the proposed rail corridor The project is bordered by Quinliven Road to the north Aldinga Beach Road to the south and How Road to the west Aldinga is the second partnership between Renewal SA and Villawood alongside its 1500-lot Oakden Rise development This net zero-carbon community will consist of a diverse mix of housing types including townhouses The South Australian Government has recently announced an ambitious project to develop an 800-home community in Aldinga with sustainability and affordability at the forefront of the development Villawood Properties has been chosen as the developer for the 45-hectare site which is situated conveniently close to the new Aldinga Payinthi College and framed by Quinliven Road and Main South Road Premier Peter Malinauskas said “This development will create a whole new community in a booming area of our city “It’s important this design incorporates affordable and sustainable housing options as well as a central community club and Lifestyle Village to create a vibrant community “This government is taking action to address the housing crisis and this is the type of master-planned development that will help us increase the supply of housing for South Australians.” The community will also feature an over 55’s Lifestyle Village recreational and wellness amenities such as a clubhouse with a variety of facilities including a pool Minister for Housing and Urban Development reinforced the need for an increase in housing options catering to both the young and old demographics “This all-electric development will be a sustainable and energy efficient community that will help the future residents live in comfort,” Champion noted A significant feature of the project is its environmental commitments which include a 16 percent allocation for open spaces and ensuring at least 25 percent tree canopy cover The community is designed to function as an all-electric and energy-efficient area utilising advanced technologies like solar power welcomed the development as a boon for the southern suburbs and Fleurieu Peninsula He said “This will be welcome news for people in the southern suburbs and Fleurieu Peninsula who are looking to continue to live in our wonderful local area the national housing shortage has had a detrimental effect on renters and people who want to own their own home “The community supports this development and is adamant that it had to be done in a sustainable way that everyone can be proud of and design and environmental factors aren’t given the highest priority.” described the project as a pioneering development in Australia for sustainable housing and affordability “Aldinga is rewriting how new communities are designed how lifestyle and climate considerations are factored into them and how home buyers can far more easily access the property market,” Miller stated the project will feature a north-south shared use path along the eastern edge of the preserved 60-metre-wide rail corridor enhancing connectivity and recreational opportunities for the residents Public engagement on Villawood’s draft masterplan is scheduled for later this year with construction expected to commence the following year Over 100 South Australian wine producers are showcasing their best to international importers this.. South Australian councils can now apply for a share of $1.4 million in funding.. Enjoy a fun and interactive dining experience where you can make your own Okonomiyaki.. We think we've found Adelaide's first guinea pig cafe Cosmo’s Pizza is opening beneath Hindley Street Music Hall this May relaxed contemporary dining and polished retail quite like King William Road.. Glam Adelaide is a news website dedicated to bringing you the best of South Australia we pride ourselves in supporting local business We would like to acknowledge the Kaurna people as the custodians of the lands and waters of the Adelaide region Get the latest SA news for free via our iPhone app here: https://apps.apple.com/au/app/glam-adelaide/id1626204930 Get the latest SA news for free via our new Android app here: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=glam+adelaide&c=apps&hl=en&pli=1 Glam Adelaide has today launched an app for readers all over SA Following a viral video showing tensions in the community Adelaide has become home to many a High Tea spots that are perfect for.. Stephen Noonan is bringing his much loved show The Boy and the Ball to.. Wrong Turn At Lungfish is of exceptional quality and an unmitigated stand out South Australia will see mixed weather conditions Joshua and Zoe Chiswell are ditching the city and moving west in a bid to own their own home Skyrocketing house prices and cost-of-living pressures are forcing first homebuyers like Joshua and Zoe Chiswell out of the big smoke are ditching the Glitter Strip and moving west in a bid to own their own home “When we started looking for a home two years ago we were faced with skyrocketing house prices and issues getting finance,” said Mr Chiswell “We soon realised we weren’t going to be able to afford a home where we currently live and work.” Villawood Properties’ $400m masterplanned residential community Eucalee at Gleneagle paid $304,900 for a 750 sqm block at Villawood Properties’ Gleneagle development Eucalee two-bathroom house with a yard for their border collie who works as a registered nurse on the Gold Coast hopes to secure a job in the region once their home is complete “We were initially drawn to Eucalee because we had a little knowledge of Villawood’s other developments and we liked the strong community aspect and the fact their communities are focused on high quality amenities and plenty of green space,” she said the couple took advantage of Villawood’s Care Worker Support Program where eligible care workers can save $10,000 on a new home at Eucalee MORE NEWS: Mega mansion sale wakes up Gold Coast suburb Inside Gold Coast House of the Year Calile Hotel inspires epic Gold Coast home Villawood Properties Queensland general manager Michael Williams said it was important essential workers were supported to settle in growing communities like Eucalee “Recent research shows that Queensland nurses and teachers among other essential workers now face up to a 30-year wait to get their foot on the property ladder indicating that wage growth for essential services has unfortunately not kept up with soaring property prices,” said Mr Williams “These statistics indicate that essential workers need a leg up to help them secure their own home and by doing so we are not only settling care workers within a community but we are also future-proofing a region to ensure it has the services it needs to be a vibrant and connected place to live.” Eucalee is being developed on an 83ha site in Gleneagle and will include more than 700 lots Looking for new properties? Check out our dedicated New Homes section Work has started on an exclusive $14 million resort-style in Tarneit which will set a new high-end benchmark for greenfield housing projects Developer Villawood Properties’ Club Alamora will host multiple features including swimming pools It is being built by The Jardon Group to a design by architects ClarkeHopkinsClarke and set to become the community linchpin of the 2000-lot Alamora It is scheduled to open in the first half of 2025 Plans and renders for the club show sleek contemporary aesthetics with a stunning white pixelated-style exterior with natural stone Alamora twins Aryan and Ashmit Singh were on hand to see the club’s slab pour an impressive construction affair with a total of 52 trucks delivering concrete to the site “We bought at Alamora because of this club,” Swaran said Rajni said: “We’re so glad we got our new house at Alamora we’re excited for its cafes swimming pools “The function hall will be an exciting venue for parties and friends to meet It’s so easy.We weren’t sure when they’d build the club but it’s moving so quickly Young neighbours Mayank and Dhriti Sriram were similarly impressed by the emerging club their parents Ram and Tarangini keen to make use of the club’s sports courts “We’re looking forward to using the gym and swimming pools but as a family also the function hall which can be hired because it’s easily available and near your home Many people will be excited to have these facilities as a clubhouse property does value that was one element we factored in when we were looking to buy. we looked at multiple places but this ticks all the boxes.” Villawood chief executive Alan Miller said Club Alamora offered the prospect of making every day like a holiday for residents “We have people who come to live here from all different suburbs,” he said “They don’t know who their neighbours are going to be They want to meet new people and make new friends “We try to provide them with a melting pot of activity a parents’ lounge where they can bring their kids and meet up –the pools Plus we have a function room where there will be lots of kids’ birthdays is Villawood’s eighth project in Wyndham and has sold more than 600 lots since its launch three years ago The Alamora facility is one of six clubs in the Villawood pipeline at present Two are planned for Sunbury with others in Adelaide and Cairns Villawood opened its Club Coridale at Lara in December Its Club Rathdowne at Wollert received a Great Place Award from the Urban Development Institute of Australia 12 months earlier Occupational therapist Beth Crosby able to buy land and build in Mount Duneed after receiving a $20,000 discount as part of Villawood’s Care Worker Support Package Geelong essential workers are being offered a $35,000 discount on land to build their dream home Developer Villawood Properties is slashing the cost of a block at its Armstrong and Coridale estates for nurses emergency services personal and other care workers The scheme is aimed at helping them connect them with housing in areas where their services are needed but where they struggle to afford a home RELATED: Sale of landmark Geelong church unlocks key development site Tudor-style Highton mansion sells after auction Aussie suburbs where it’s cheaper to own than rent Executive director Rory Costelloe said the $35,000 was a $15,000 extension to an existing grant his company had offered to care workers over across the past six years So far it has already handed out $4.6m to 300 care workers around the state with applicants means tested and required to live within about 11km of where they work Villawood noted Australia Bureau of Statistics data shows care workers are paid as much as $21,000 less than the average yearly wage The grants available at Villawood’s Armstrong estate in Mount Duneed Geelong occupational therapist Beth Crosby is among those who have already been given a leg-up by the Care Worker Support Program She moved into her new home in Mount Duneed after purchasing the discounted land the week before Covid hit and I was eyeing off Villawood and Mount Duneed and it did not look feasible for me,” Ms Crosby said “I worked five casual jobs in uni and the bank didn’t really see that as mortgage worthy “It is a bit more of a prime area in Mount Duneed and my price range was probably further out and then I saw this carers grant and it made it so accessible to me.” Ms Crosby had been eyeing off Mount Duneed but feared her budget wouldn’t stretch that far Means testing previously capped applicants’ salaries at $85,000 for singles or $135,000 for couples but that has now been increased to $125,000 per person and $195,000 per household The grants are capped at 25 lots at Armstrong and Coridale in Lara Villawood chief executive Alan Miller said research showed many care workers struggled to own their own home “This program is aimed squarely at helping achieve that It’s provided a mechanism to ensure they can live close to work and in a thriving Villawood Properties’ Armstrong Creek development is offering essential workers a discount to build their own home dream cops and firefighters are among the essential workers being offered a $35,000 discount to build their home dream Developer Villawood Properties is slashing the cost of a block of land in their estates for care workers in a bid to help connect them with housing in areas where their services are needed but where they struggle to afford a home Executive director Rory Costelloe said the $35,000 was a $15,000 extension to an existing offer his company had offered to care workers across the past six years RELATED: Aussie nurses on the edge of homelessness ‘Surprised’: Ex-treasurer’s multimillion-dollar Melbourne win Melbourne hotspots where a home ‘pays for itself’ and it wasn’t cutting the mustard now that prices have gone up,” he said “But you have to try and care for them if you are expecting them to care for you.” The scheme is available at estates in Melbourne’s north Occupational therapist Beth Crosby is among those to use the Care Workers Support Program and said she had dreamt of a house for four years before doing so but it wasn’t seen as full-time by the banks,” she said Even after she graduated and was working full time the entry-level wage of her profession meant she would have either had to delay her home dream or gone much further from her job But after moving into the now finished home midway through last year Beth Crosby took up the $20,000 discount offer on a block of land in a Villawood Properties estate that helped get her on the path to building a new home Ms Crosby said there could even be benefits in the government taking steps to assist young buyers who work for the benefit of their community I know a lot of young people aren’t looking at buying homes anymore,” she said She also lamented she was aware of other young would-be homebuyers who had lost their deposit after interest rate rises had cost them the borrowing capacity needed for their home dream Last week the nation’s biggest bank agreed to back buyers of off-the-plan apartments and townhouses with deposits as small as $10,000 The Commonwealth Bank will recognise the tiny deposit when used through developers signed up for a regulated trust account run by Coposit effectively allowing buyers to save the balance of their required deposit while the project is built 300 care workers have already taken up the offer with Villawood Properties Commonwealth Bank property and construction finance general manager Michael Bennett said for some it would mean being able to lock in a price rather than watch the market run away from them “Instead of someone have to save up that whole amount for a longer time they can instead save up during the construction period,” Mr Bennett said “It’s really to support those buyers who don’t want to wait 24 months to save a that deposit.” It should also mean faster construction starts for developments from townhouse complexes to apartment towers with the prospect developers would be able to get construction finance from the bank sooner than if they had to wait for buyers to save deposits Mr Bennett added that in the past few months they had seen an increase in tenders for finance from developers looking to start building “We do see that the development cycle will ramp up over the next three years,” he said The developer and bank moves are among the first to be made since both state and federal budgets offered no incentives to the homebuyers being asked to fund construction of hundreds of thousands more homes across Victoria in a bid to beat the state’s housing crisis Mr Costelloe said the state government’s goal to build 80,000 new homes a year for the next decade was “fanciful” particularly if they pursued current plans to build 70 per cent of those homes at in-fill sites and only 30 per cent on urban fringes He noted that in order to boost apartment numbers the government would need to bring in stamp duty concessions for off-the-plan homes and if increasing land supply for housing in affordable areas wasn’t a factor in the coming years home prices would surge and affordability issues would grow worse MORE: Victoria Racing Club’s CEO Steve Rosich and wife Melissa selling penthouse Generation Z OnlyFans stars buying up big in Australia’s property market Fitzroy: Tea brand T2’s first premises and Blackout Restaurant both for sale Fire and Rescue NSW acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the land and acknowledges and pays respect to their Elders, past, present and emerging. Victorian-based developer Villawood Properties has added more than $400 million of housing projects to its Queensland business after acquiring sites in Greater Brisbane The three deals follow the private developer emerging as the frontrunner to take the reins of the $500 million redevelopment of Adelaide’s Morphettville Racecourse, Read MoreProperty developmentProperty marketLatest In ResidentialFetching latest articles This map shows where immigration detention facilities are in Australia It does not include Alternative Places of Detention The second graph shows the number of people in Immigration Detention Centres and Immigration Transit Accommodation The largest populations are in Villawood IDC (in Sydney) and Yongah Hill IDC (in WA). Maribyrnong IDC was closed in December 2018 which is in a separate part of the Christmas Island detention facility They were transferred to community detention in Perth in June 2021 after the youngest child became severely ill and needed to be medevaced to a hospital in Perth In August 2020, the Australian Government announced that it would re-open the North West Point Immigration Detention Centre in Christmas Island to manage the surge in population of people in detention The first group of people were transferred two weeks after the announcement there has been a gradual release of people from Christmas Island there were no longer any people in this detention centre This graph shows the reasons people were released from detention from May 2022 from Christmas Island detention centre This graph shows the places that people were transferred to from Christmas Island Some people are held in what the Department of Home Affairs calls ‘alternative places of detention’ (APODs) Sometimes parts of detention facilities can be reclassified as ‘alternative places of detention’ Australian Human Rights Commission, The Use of Hotels as Alternative Places of Detention (APODs) There has been a gradual decrease of the use of APODs since then The next graph shows the number of people held in alternative places of detention across Australia according to the latest official statistics Other people are held in ‘community detention’ or under a ‘residence determination’. These people live in approved housing within the community, but are subject to restrictions that require them to stay in that housing overnight. They are also required to report to officers regularly, and are not allowed to work This graph shows where people in community detention have been living across Australia over time Where people are in detention Contents IntroWhere are people in detention in Australia?Where people are in detentionChildren in detentionLength of detentionRelease and removals from detentionReasons for.. 410 Elizabeth Street Surry Hills 2010 NSW Australia Phone: +61 (02) 9211 9333 Fax: +61 (02) 9211 9288 All election related material is authorised by P We acknowledge the traditional owners of the land we work on - the Gadigal people of the Eora nation and the Wurrundjeri people of the Kulin nation We pay respects to elders past and present and acknowledge sovereignty was never ceded We also acknowledge the unique role Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people have in welcoming refugees and people seeking asylum to this land [dummy text] We need you to sign up to … The election scorecard should have downloaded (even if you do not sign up) - DIBP response to VIDC inspection report This report contains an overview of key observations and concerns arising from the Australian Human Rights Commission’s inspection of the Villawood Immigration Detention Centre (VIDC) in April 2017. The rationale for the Commission undertaking such inspections is to identify problems in the way that detainees’ human rights are being protected and to suggest ways of addressing those problems. Hence, while the report is balanced and points to some good practices, its primary focus is on issues of concern identified by the Commission. The report reflects conditions as they were at the time of the inspection. The Commission also raised a number of additional issues with the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) and facility staff during and subsequent to the inspection, including individual cases of concern. The Commission acknowledges the assistance provided by DIBP and the Australian Border Force (ABF) in facilitating the Commission’s inspection. The Commission is grateful to the DIBP and ABF officers and detention service provider staff who assisted the Commission team during the inspection. A draft of this report was shared with DIBP in advance of its publication, to provide an opportunity for DIBP to respond to the identified issues. We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia, and recognise their continuingconnection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. initial-scale=1\"}],[\"$\",\"meta\",\"1\",{\"charSet\":\"utf-8\"}],[\"$\",\"title\",\"2\",{\"children\":\"Traders in Purple Files Plans for Villawood Second Stage | The Urban Developer\"}],[\"$\",\"meta\",\"3\",{\"name\":\"description\",\"content\":\"Traders in Purple the Sydney-based privately held property developer has filed plans for a second stage to its Villawood town centre which will eventually see 334 apartments in the mixed-use project west of the capital.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith the outcome of the project’s first stage still to be determined Traders in Purple are back before the Fairfield City Council seeking to build two eight to 11-storey mixed-use towers about 8km south of Parramatta.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe first of those will be 11 storeys with 158 residential units above a supermarket speciality retail stores on the ground floor and above-ground parking within the first and second levels.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnother 64 apartments will be housed in a second above a childcare facility and medical centre on the ground floor.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe design is by DKO Architecture.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen finished the $90-million development will deliver a total 222 one two and three-bedroom apartments with parking for 400 cars.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe two stages will be built on an irregular-shaped lot of 16,371sq m with frontages to Villawood Road Kamira Avenue and what will be an extension of Howatt Street.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eStage two will be across 10,958sq m in the north of the site.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePart of the site—the lot at 16 Kamira Court as well as the internal road—is owned by Fairfield council and will be part of a land swap.\u0026nbsp; A voluntary planning agreement (VPA) has been lodged with the council under which the developers would create a 3000sq-m public park.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe new park will include a central green area for passive and active recreation as well as public art.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"2Z36ZbVTwCjBrzVYNaVCvw\"\u003e\u003cpicture\u003e\u003cimg src=\"//images.ctfassets.net/8pr762qjocl3/3hFD4str3oNAYxg1fopzAU/0a40a9a40e572e39e3e1cf3f2c8bb9bb/Villawood_Apartments_1_Mid.jpg\" alt=\"An artists impression of the project two and three-bedroom apartments with parking for 400 cars.\" data-mce-src=\"//images.ctfassets.net/8pr762qjocl3/3hFD4str3oNAYxg1fopzAU/0a40a9a40e572e39e3e1cf3f2c8bb9bb/Villawood_Apartments_1_Mid.jpg\"\u003e\u003c/picture\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan style=\"opacity: 0.8;\" data-mce-style=\"opacity: 0.8;\"\u003e▲ When finished two and three-bedroom apartments with parking for 400 cars.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eAbout 1300sq m will be given over to nine retail spaces with a similar gross floor area provided for the childcare facility The supermarket will take up 1147sq m and the medical centre about 250 square metres.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eWest Sydney town planners Think Planners—who filed paperwork on behalf of Traders in Purple—said fit-out works and operational details for the non-residential areas would be a subsequent development application.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Over the past 20 years Villawood town centre has suffered from a lack of redevelopment and investment built form and place-making actions to improve “the vitality and vibrancy of the town centre”.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe town planners have filed a Clause 4.6 variation with the council over breaches in maximum height controls for the two buildings Lift overruns mean one build exceeds the maximum allowable height of 27m by 600mm The other is 1.89m above the 39m height control.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"MwOqNKqfXGr26s2y7KgYD\"\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"MwOqNKqfXGr26s2y7KgYD\"\u003e\u003cpicture\u003e\u003cimg src=\"//images.ctfassets.net/8pr762qjocl3/4cyGT3ar7oJ0WMjK7m33Gm/925e772861356ed0d2458c31df4d5e06/Villawood_Apartments_2_Mid.jpg\" alt=\"An artist's impression of the retail area About 1300sq m will be given over to nine retails spaces \" data-mce-src=\"//images.ctfassets.net/8pr762qjocl3/4cyGT3ar7oJ0WMjK7m33Gm/925e772861356ed0d2458c31df4d5e06/Villawood_Apartments_2_Mid.jpg\"\u003e\u003c/picture\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan style=\"opacity: 0.8;\" data-mce-style=\"opacity: 0.8;\"\u003e▲ About 1300sq m will be given over to nine retail spaces who were known as “traders in purple”.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“In ancient times which will eventually see 334 apartments in the mixed-use project west of the capital With the outcome of the project’s first stage still to be determined Traders in Purple are back before the Fairfield City Council seeking to build two eight to 11-storey mixed-use towers about 8km south of Parramatta The first of those will be 11 storeys with 158 residential units above a supermarket speciality retail stores on the ground floor and above-ground parking within the first and second levels Another 64 apartments will be housed in a second above a childcare facility and medical centre on the ground floor two and three-bedroom apartments with parking for 400 cars The two stages will be built on an irregular-shaped lot of 16,371sq m with frontages to Villawood Road Kamira Avenue and what will be an extension of Howatt Street Stage two will be across 10,958sq m in the north of the site Part of the site—the lot at 16 Kamira Court as well as the internal road—is owned by Fairfield council and will be part of a land swap A voluntary planning agreement (VPA) has been lodged with the council under which the developers would create a 3000sq-m public park The new park will include a central green area for passive and active recreation About 1300sq m will be given over to nine retail spaces The supermarket will take up 1147sq m and the medical centre about 250 square metres West Sydney town planners Think Planners—who filed paperwork on behalf of Traders in Purple—said fit-out works and operational details for the non-residential areas would be a subsequent development application “Over the past 20 years Villawood town centre has suffered from a lack of redevelopment and investment despite it residing along a key arterial road network and suburban train station,” Think Planners said in the application “The current proposal will not only permit an orderly redevelopment of an underutilised site as per the staging plan but will facilitate and support the redevelopment of Villawood town centre.” Fairfield council commissioned an urban design study for the Villawood town centre in 2017 based on principles set out in the NSW government’s South West District Plan built form and place-making actions to improve “the vitality and vibrancy of the town centre” The town planners have filed a Clause 4.6 variation with the council over breaches in maximum height controls for the two buildings The other is 1.89m above the 39m height control “A development of a compliant height would have a similar visual appearance when viewed from the public domain and adjoining properties as shown on the elevations,” Think Planners said “The proposal does not breach the maximum building height limit to gain additional yield on the site.” Traders in Purple’s application for the first stage of the project—112 apartments in an eight to 10-storey mixed-use development— is under assessment via the Sydney Western City Planning Panel. The developers say it refers to Phoenician traders, who were known as “traders in purple”. “In ancient times, the dye to make purple was so rare and costly only the most distinguished could afford cloth of this colour,” they add. which will eventually deliver up to 400 apartments in the mixed-use project west of the capital.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eUnder plans approved by the Sydney Western City Planning Panel Traders in Purple in partnership with the NSW Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC) will develop a 10-storey residential tower with 112 apartments about 8km south of Parramatta.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eStrictly speaking the planning panel granted the partners consent with a “deferred commencement”.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe decision is conditional on a planning agreement being signed between Traders in Purple the LAHC and Fairfield City Council\u0026nbsp;over a land-swap deal.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe council owns part of the five lots that make up the 16,371sq m given over to the three-stage town centre development.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eUnder the deal the LAHC will acquire the 1624sq m of council land while Traders and Purple will pay about $1.8 million for landscaping and other facilities for new public open space And the partners will hand over 3984sq m of land most of which will be used for that new public area.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn announcing the details of the planning agreement Fairfield council said it would “make provision for public amenities and infrastructure to meet the demands created by the proposed development and to ensure that the community does not bear those costs”.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"xCjmah8HYUWXyjNMcJ5jo\"\u003e\u003cpicture\u003e\u003cimg src=\"//images.ctfassets.net/8pr762qjocl3/4A3HyHKf1rwKHvSZZe2AlO/35eb52eb460f5b3fa4f52467c55f8fd7/Villawood_Town_Mid.jpg\" alt=\"An artist's impression of the first stage of the residential development the New South Wales Land and Housing Corporation will acquire the 1624sq m of council land \" data-mce-src=\"//images.ctfassets.net/8pr762qjocl3/4A3HyHKf1rwKHvSZZe2AlO/35eb52eb460f5b3fa4f52467c55f8fd7/Villawood_Town_Mid.jpg\"\u003e\u003c/picture\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cspan style=\"opacity: 0.8;\" data-mce-style=\"opacity: 0.8;\"\u003e▲ Under a conditional planning agreement the NSW Land and Housing Corporation will acquire 1624sq m of council land.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe first stage of the development sits on 5413sq m or just less than a third of the parent property.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe design by DKO architects will include floor space for community use some public open space and parking for 119 cars The design has parking within a sleeved podium arrangement at the ground first and second floor.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAccording to data from BCI Central 25 of the apartments will be single-bedroom 64 will be two-bedroom and the remaining 23 will be three-bedroom.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThink Planners who filed the original documents with Fairfield said the current built-form and historical development pattern did not provide a strong or distinct character.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Over the past 20 years Villawood town centre has experienced very little redevelopment and investment despite the land being located along a key arterial road network and close to the train station,” the urban planners said.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“There are large vacant undeveloped land parcels however there are also a number of recent developments which combined with the proposed application is set to provide a steady pipeline of significant investment essential for renewal of the town centre.”\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe partners’ overall plan calls for three eight to 11-storey residential buildings with up to 400 apartments including affordable housing and social housing elements public parks and pedestrian links.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn October last year Traders in Purple filed plans for those two additional residential towers under the $90-million second stage.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe first building will be 11 storeys with 158 residential units above a supermarket which will eventually deliver up to 400 apartments in the mixed-use project west of the capital Under plans approved by the Sydney Western City Planning Panel Traders in Purple will develop a 10-storey residential tower with 112 apartments about 8km south of Parramatta the planning panel granted the partners consent with a “deferred commencement” The decision is conditional on a planning agreement being signed between Traders in Purple the LAHC and Fairfield City Council over a land-swap deal The council owns part of the five lots that make up the 16,371sq m given over to the three-stage town centre development most of which will be used for that new public area In announcing the details of the planning agreement and to ensure that the community does not bear those costs” The first stage of the development sits on 5413sq m or just less than a third of the parent property The design by DKO architects will include floor space for community use 64 will be two-bedroom and the remaining 23 will be three-bedroom said the current built-form and historical development pattern did not provide a strong or distinct character “Over the past 20 years Villawood town centre has experienced very little redevelopment and investment despite the land being located along a key arterial road network and close to the train station,” the urban planners said “There are large vacant undeveloped land parcels however there are also a number of recent developments which combined with the proposed application is set to provide a steady pipeline of significant investment essential for renewal of the town centre.” The partners’ overall plan calls for three Traders in Purple filed plans for those two additional residential towers under the $90-million second stage The first building will be 11 storeys with 158 residential units above a supermarket Safdar Ahmed’s Still Alive: Notes from Australia’s Immigration Detention System lands top prize and $30,000 alongside books by Tony Birch and Kate Holden A debut graphic novel documenting the stories of detainees inside Villawood immigration detention centre has been named book of the year at the New South Wales premier’s literary awards lauded by judges as “a labour of generosity” and “an unflinching critique of policy” Still Alive: Notes from Australia’s Immigration Detention System by Safdar Ahmed took out the annual literary award’s top prize, worth $10,000, on Monday night, having also won the $20,000 multicultural category earlier in the evening. Put out by tiny Melbourne publisher Twelve Panels Press Still Alive is going through a reprint after accruing significant critical acclaim Ahmed, an artist and writer, first visited Villawood in 2011. While recording video and audio is not allowed in the detention centre, he was able to take his pencils and sketchbooks in. Four years later he won a Walkley award for his web comic Villawood: Notes from an immigration detention centre. before learning he had won book of the year Ahmed said that it was “quite a surprise” to win the multicutural category “It is unusual for a comic or graphic novel to be nominated for a prize like this so I wasn’t expecting to even be shortlisted to be honest “I think people are still quite unaware just how cruel and punishing Australia’s policies are against asylum seekers and refugees Ahmed said he would be giving his prize money to his mother: “She supported me for many years Creative work is a big struggle as the arts are so underfunded a chronic illness which has made academic work quite difficult The senior judge for the NSW premier’s Literary awards said that this year’s judges had “grappled with 750 written works presenting a rich array of genres and styles which explore everything from the major themes of our times to the most intimate details of what it is to be human” The judges praised the shortlisted works for “provid[ing] considered and vociferous commentary about the challenges we must urgently address and reflect on as a multicultural nation” before naming Still Alive the overall winner “for its vision “Ahmed’s work stands out as an example of brilliant storytelling created with and through community It is an unflinching critique of policy and discourse that demonstrates the power of art,” the judges said Read moreDebut author Chloe Wilson won the $5,000 UTS Glenda Adams award for new writing, with her story collection Hold Your Fire. And Anita Heiss won the biennial Indigenous writers’ category, worth $30,000, for her novel Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray which was also nominated for this year’s Stella prize Nitram the 2021 film about the Port Arthur massacre killer Martin Bryant won the $30,000 Betty Roland prize for scriptwriting with judges praising Shaun Grant’s script as “a masterclass in screenwriting … a script of international quality.” Book of the year: Still Alive: Notes from Australia’s Immigration Detention System by Safdar Ahmed (Twelve Panels Press) Christina Stead prize for fiction: Dark as Last Night by Tony Birch (University of Queensland Press) UTS Glenda Adams award for new writing: Hold Your Fire by Chloe Wilson (Scribner) Douglas Stewart prize for nonfiction: The Winter Road: A Story of Legacy Land and a Killing at Croppa Creek by Kate Holden (Black Inc Kenneth Slessor prize for poetry: accelerations & inertias by Dan Disney (Vagabond Press) Patricia Wrightson prize for children’s literature: My Brother Ben by Peter Carnavas (University of Queensland Press) Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning Ethel Turner prize for young people’s literature: The Gaps by Leanne Hall (Text Publishing) Nick Enright prize for playwriting: Orange Thrower by Kirsty Marillier (Griffin Theatre Company and National Theatre of Parramatta/Currency Press) Betty Roland prize for scriptwriting: NITRAM by Shaun Grant (Good Thing Productions) Multicultural NSW award: Still Alive: Notes from Australia’s Immigration Detention System by Safdar Ahmed (Twelve Panels Press) The biennial Indigenous Writers’ award: Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray: River of Dreams by Anita Heiss (Simon & Schuster Australia) People’s choice award: The Shut Ins by Katherine Brabon (Allen & Unwin) is the second man to die at the Sydney facility this year Another man has died in immigration detention according to the refugee advocate Ian Rintoul The Australian Border Force confirmed “a male detainee passed away” at the centre, and said the death had been referred to the New South Wales coroner and other “appropriate agencies” for investigation. “As this matter will be subject to further investigation, it would be inappropriate to comment further,” the spokesman said. Read moreNSW police attended the incident on Monday evening The death was not being treated as suspicious and officers from Bankstown Area Command will prepare a report for the coroner It is the second death at Villawood this year On Friday 25 January another young man – from Sierra Leone – also took his own life Detainees told Guardian Australia he had been suffering severe mental health issues and was on suicide watch ABF also wouldn’t confirm details of his identity or circumstances and in both cases only told the public once asked about it by media The Sierra Leonean man’s death in January occurred amid rolling protests across the detention centre network calling for changes to increasingly harsh conditions and an end to practises including apparently random transfers interstate Last year 22-year-old Sarwan Aljhelie took his own life at Yongah Hill detention centre sparking riots and fires which destroyed part of the centre Aljhelie’s family told Guardian Australia he had been transferred from Villawood to Yongah Hill at short notice and without explanation This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. While Villawood may be known to some for its controversial immigration detention centre, to those who live there it is synonymous with family and community; of bonds forged through renewal and a love for a neighbourhood that has evolved into a vibrant and innovative centre now in demand among buyers locally and otherwise. “To me, I see opportunity,” said Jonathan Phong, the eldest son of parents who arrived there 50 years ago after fleeing the war in Vietnam. “I don’t really think of the centre. I know the area as home – after all, I grew up there – and now I see it as having changed so much. “Back when I was small, it was a pretty rough place. We lived in Housing Commission, and we got robbed four times. But now Villawood has changed completely.  “There are a lot of new developments that have come up, there’s lots more parks and retail and things to do. It’s now a really good location.” Phong, 31, is happy to put his money where his mouth is too. As well as living in the area, although his property has now been reclassified as Fairfield East, he’s also just opened up a business there: a new 41-seat Asian fusion restaurant, Hawker Eight. In addition, his Vietnamese-born mum has bought an apartment in a new development above his restaurant, and loves Villawood’s new identity – as well as the chance to eat regularly at her son’s eaterie and offer him tips. His Cambodian-born dad, separated from his mum, lives not far away. The $245,000 reason Australians are holding onto their homes for longer than ever before The one chart that shows the true state of distressed listings in Australia Thinking of buying with a friend? Where you can get on the property ladder, chipping in just $12,500 each “Villawood did always have a stigma to it,” Phong said. “When I said I was going to open a restaurant here, friends asked me if I was sure that would be a good thing. But I’ve seen the changes. It’s now a really good location in Sydney to be.” The Sydney property market evidently agrees. With a flood of new apartments being built in the suburb, between Parramatta and Bankstown, developers say prices have risen sharply, up more than 18 per cent over the year, reflecting not only the changes, but also how many more people are now keen to live there. They’ve left the prices of the older stock of houses far behind – and showing a 2.2 per cent price drop, on Domain research, to a median of $880,000. Latest Domain figures also show rents have shot up by 8.9 per cent over the past year for apartments, to a new high of $550, which is exactly the same as rentals for a house – after a rise of 6.8 per cent on the year. Domain chief of research and economics Dr Nicola Powell said those middle-ring suburbs are performing well during the property price upturn. “It’s being led by the premium suburbs, but the middle ring is being pulled up at the same time,” she said. “Rents also show no sign of slowing in that middle ring.” Among those responsible for helping renew Villawood and attract new interest – which is steadily pushing up apartment prices and rents of both apartments and houses – is developer Ahmad Diab, managing director of the ABA Group.  They have a major five-stage development as part of the rejuvenated town centre. Work, and pre-sales, have just started on stage 3, the 58-apartment Parklane Residences, after finishing on the first two stages, 888 Villawood with 71 units, and V1 Villawood with 160.  The last two stages of the 6-12-storey complex, designed by architect Tony Owen, will have 150 and 180 units respectively. “Villawood has a fantastic family feel these days and the shopping centre is robust and always busy,” Diab said. “Prices, and rents, have risen in Villawood, and it’s very up and coming, but it’s still affordable, compared to most areas in Sydney.” Diab says research has found apartment prices have risen over 18 per cent over the past year, with prices of his company’s new two-bedroom apartments averaging $620,000 in Parklane Residences.  But there are still some available in the high $500,000s, he points out. Of those in previous stages bought and rented out, there’s 100 per cent tenancy, and an average 5 per cent rental yield. “It’s great, as often young people grew up in Villawood with their parents, and then moved out as they started work and saved money,” he said. “But now they’re coming back, or staying. “We’ve also had people coming to buy here from outside the area, as they come and look and are shocked by how much it’s changed. It’s perfect for first-home buyers too as we’re still cheaper than many of our neighbouring suburbs.” The NSW government has also invested $326 million in the town centre, and is building a 3000-square-metre landscaped park, and partnering with developers Traders in Purple to deliver 365 apartments of which 55 will be social housing, as well as community spaces. Mark Saleh, director of Pace Property Agents says Villawood has changed dramatically in the past few years.  “It’s still an affordable area and that’s been attracting a lot of younger people,” he said. “We’re seeing it improve year by year. “It has great public transport with the train station and buses and plenty of amenity, while the new developments are bringing new people into the area and helping change the landscape.” As for Phong, he has no plans to move on from Villawood.  “It’s now a thriving community of like-minded people determined to live their best life,” he said.  “I love the area. It has such a great feeling to it. There is such a strong sense of community here. This area is rich in spirit, history, hope and determination.” The information on this website is intended to be of a general nature only and doesn't consider your objectives, financial situation or needs. where we are privileged to live and operate