The recent decision of the Victorian Supreme Court to rule in favour of the diverse use of class 2 buildings like most holiday and short term apartment buildings is a landmark outcome for Australia’s management rights industry.
The full impact of the decision is outlined by John Mahoney in his column piece [Legal Ease] as a member of the ARAMA legal advisory team.
This is the second major legal decision on the issue of building usage that has been the subject of a federal inquiry by the National Building Industry Authority begun six years ago and taken up by the Sydney City Council and other local authorities to restrict the mixed use opportunities in major complexes. The decision is extremely important at this time, when governments across the country are actively supporting Australia’s accommodation industry, for both permanent and visitor accommodation, as one the major features of stimulating our economy. New arrangements involving new airlines bringing tourists to our shores are just one example of the key interest the federal and state governments are driving, along with the support of diverse regional, state and national events to encourage international visitors to our shores.
The importance of the decision to ARAMA has been critical as it again reinforces earlier decisions in regards to mixed use development and the genuine need for many of our accommodation complexes to provide for owner occupiers and for investors who facilitate short term rentals and holiday letting. The management rights industry has been developed to provide that special 24/7 service needs to properly operate small, medium and large size complexes for all the occupants.
We in the management rights industry are well aware of the individual needs of the variety of owners and their requirements as we are of the visitors and holiday makers who flock to seaside based complexes and the city and regional centres. We are supportive of the major policy statements made by the Queensland government in its Four Pillars commitments that focuses on tourism and construction as two major drivers for the state’s economic growth in the next 30 years.
It has been the drive of Queensland’s holiday living lifestyle generated four decades ago that has stimulated Australians to embrace density living in many centres across Australia with new high rise complexes. And it has been the refurbishment of old historic sites in capital and regional cities, once factory and warehouse sites, to be remodelled as strategically located accommodation facilities, that ensure we make the best use of existing infrastructure and generate new life and vigour into previously decaying buildings in suburban environments.
One of the major pledges that ARAMA is driving within its membership is the need for ongoing education and training to ensure that as the responsible on site managers of the complexes, that we continue to focus not only on operational activities, but recognise the needs of all stakeholders and their individual needs. In many buildings, these are the permanent homes of people and while there needs to be tolerance in terms of the occupancy of short term guests, management has a key responsibility in maintaining a harmonious lifestyle.
ARAMA members recognise their responsibilities and I have been very pleased with the regular attendance rates that occur in the various monthly meetings of branches throughout that state and the support of the various government departments and agencies in addressing our members and embracing the ongoing development of the accommodation industry.
The new State Planning Act that is currently being developed will provide our industry with more opportunities to play a leading role in accommodating the growing population of the nation and the new challenges as a result of the diversity of small lot housing complexes under strata and community title and new high rise density living.
It is exciting to see that despite the tough economic situation in global terms that the spirit of development and opportunity is being stimulated in our region. We will continue our endeavours in supporting the drivers for growth and stability in the management rights industry.
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