October 2024

The Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) says a new research report from the Property Council of Australia (PCA) highlights the need for the review of state property taxes and charges to be taken out of Treasury and into independent hands. The report indicates 33,000 new homes and tens of thousands of jobs have been lost due to Queensland’s tax settings towards international institutional investment. The REIQ has long-opposed both the Additional Foreign Acquirer Duty (AFAD) – now an eight per cent surcharge on stamp duty, and the Foreign Land Tax Surcharge (FLTS) – now a three per cent surcharge on land tax. REIQ CEO AntoniaRead More →

The Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) CEO Antonia Mercorella has now been named a finalist in the prestigious 2024 Lord Mayor’s Business Awards in recognition of her leadership and business acumen. Making history as the first female and youngest leader of the REIQ in its century-long history, Ms Mercorella has been credited with transforming the Institute into one of the most progressive and high-profile professional peak bodies in Australia.  Her visionary leadership has earned her a place as one of four finalists in The Courier-Mail Business Person of the Year Award category, with the winner to be announced on Friday, 25 October 2024. REIQRead More →

Queensland’s property market is warning of a further hit to rental availability, as the Government fails to rule out any further rent controls ahead of the election. The housing industry peak bodies, Property Council of Australia Queensland, Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ), and Urban Development Institute of Australia Queensland (UDIA) have expressed alarm that the notion that rent controls are back on the table, saying it will reduce the number of houses available for rent by further undermining the confidence of investors. They argue that without a clear commitment to rule out all forms of rent control – including rent caps, rent freezes andRead More →

The Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) is alarmed by reports today suggesting that the Federal Government may be considering changes to negative gearing. REIQ CEO Antonia Mercorella emphasised the potential repercussions of such changes, particularly in the current housing climate. “As repeated studies have shown, there is a minimal link between negative gearing and higher house prices,” Ms Mercorella said. “To make a major change to the rental sector during a time of low vacancy rates across Australia and long social housing waitlists could be catastrophic for the housing sector. “It would be unwise for the Federal Government to seek to eliminate what isRead More →