The Victorian Government has announced that effective from 1 July 2015, it will change the way it collects contributions towards the provision of infrastructure from developers.

At present, developers of land may be required to pay infrastructure levies at different rates and using different methods of calculation depending on whether the land is in a development contributions plan (DCP), the use of the land, the area of land being developed, and other criteria determined by the municipality in which the land is located. It is widely believed that the existing system is onerous, expensive, lacks flexibility and accountability and delays the development approval process.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has released a warning to the real estate industry regarding recommending self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs) as an investment vehicle to acquire real property.

On 3 May 2013, the Supreme Court of Victoria handed down its decision in Lockwood v PSP Investments Pty Ltd [2013] VSC 10 (Lockwood).

This decision considers a critical issue in off the plan developments – what amendments can be made to a proposed plan of subdivision between the time that a contract is entered into and registration of the plan of subdivision, without giving a purchaser a right to terminate their contract?