Everyone Gives is a charity campaign that allows participants to support causes they care about and multiply their donation through the power of personal social networks.

The eight-day global campaign kicked off on 22 February 2012 and involved more than 60 countries around the world.

Hundreds of charitable organisations joined Everyone Gives before the launch, including United Way, the Property Industry Foundation, Youngcare, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and OzHarvest.

Participants made a small donation to a charity of their choice through the Everyone Gives website, www.everyonegives.org, and then used their social networks to invite friends, co-workers, clients and family to give.

Every cent of each donation went directly to the charity selected by paricipants.

Everyone Gives grew from a seed planted by the founding sponsor of the event.

The idea grew through collaboration with other like-minded Australian and overseas organisations seeking to create sustainable good.

“It’s exciting because it’s never been done before,” John Kenny, said.

“This isn’t another one-off charity donation. This is about enabling individuals to engage their personal connections to give more to the charities they are passionate about, and watch as the power of one donation multiplies.”

Participants made a small donation, ideally $5, to a charity that’s important to them. They then told five friends and asked those friends to each tell five more.

“I think of it as a giving tree,” John said.

“One donation becomes five, five becomes 25 and 25 can become hundreds. And you can track your giving tree and your friends’ giving trees on the Everyone Gives website.”

For more information visit, www.everyonegives.org

Peter Matthews (third from right) with vendors and other agents involved in the challenge. He thought it would be an easy few hours to help out a good cause, but selling copies of The Big Issue turned into something much more for Peter Matthews.

Property auctioneers and agents from across Australia joined forces last month to help The Big Issue magazine celebrate its 400th edition.

Established 15 years ago, The Big Issue is a fortnightly magazine which is sold by people experiencing homelessness, mental illness, disability and long-term unemployment.

A total of 30 real estate auctioneers and agents teamed up with Big Issue vendors in a challenge to sell 400 copies of the magazine with all proceeds to go to vendors.

In a stellar effort by all involved more then 800 copies were sold across Australia, with Sydney agents selling 160 magazines.

Lower North Shore auctioneer Peter Matthews went up against four other Sydney agents in the challenge. And while he was happy to help out, Peter was not prepared for how much the experience would affect his outlook.

Peter was teamed up with a vendor in Pitt Street Mall who shared his story about homelessness, family turmoil and living with a disability.

“I knew it was homeless people who sold the magazine, but I really didn’t know much more about it,” Peter said.

“The vendors are out there seven days a week and they are not sales people, they are just trying to make some money to get by. They are really working hard for what they get.”

Peter managed to sell 44 magazines in 40 minutes, but what struck him most about the experience was how confronting it was to have people walk past him and not even acknowledge he was there. Being ignored is not something Peter is used to, but it’s a reality vendors face each day.

“It just made me realise what a difficult job it is for them,” Peter said.

“So many people just walked past, I tried to look them in the eye but I was just being ignored by a lot of people.

“What is amazing for me is I have worked in the city on and off for eight years or so, and I had been one of those people who just walk past because I thought I was too busy and just didn’t want to know about it.

“But now that I understand more about The Big Issue I will always stop and buy a magazine. It really has had a profound affect on me.”

The Big Issue CEO Steven Persson said the co-ordinated sales effort on city streets would help raise awareness of the fortnightly magazine.

“The magazine provides some of Australia’s most disadvantaged people with the opportunity to earn an income – it empowers them by giving them a hand up, not a hand out,” Mr Persson said.

Vendors buy copies of The Big Issue magazine for $2.50 and sell them on the streets for $5, keeping the difference. Since the magazine’s launch in 1996, more than six million magazines have been sold, generating more than $13 million in income for vendors.

RBA Governor Glenn Stevens said in a statement that the inflation outlook had provided scope for rate cut.

“The accretion of evidence over recent months suggests that it is now appropriate for a further step in that direction,” he said.

Stevens also noted that housing prices have shown some signs of stabilising recently, after having declined for most of 2011.

“But generally the housing market remains subdued,” he said.

The Housing Industry Association (HIA) was quick to throw its support behind the decision, highlighting the move as confidence boost residential construction and the wider domestic economy.

HIA Chief Economist Harley Dale said following this appropriate step taken by the central bank today, a further interest rate cut needs to follow in June.

“The immediate attention now of Australian businesses and households will be on the banks,” Dale said.

“It is drawing a long bow to use bank funding costs as an excuse for not passing on today’s RBA interest rate cut in full to both Australian businesses and households.

He said anything less than a 100 per cent pass-through will further dilute the effectiveness of monetary policy and damage confidence in this important policy lever.

This is the first interest rate cut for 2012 and follows rate cuts of 25 basis points in December and November 2011.

Tim McKibbin
REINSW CEO

All capital cities with the exception of Brisbane and Adelaide saw house prices rise, with Sydney and Melbourne both experiencing strong growth of +1.4 per cent and +1.6 per cent respectively over the first three months of 2012.



Brisbane is currently the most affordable of the mainland capitals with a median house price of $433,244, while Sydney remains Australia’s most expensive capital with a median house price of $641,037.



Capital city unit markets recorded mixed outcomes with Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne all recording significant falls in median prices over the March quarter.



Sydney was a solid performer in the unit market with median prices rising by 2.5 per cent to $462,145.



Hobart, Darwin and Canberra also recorded rises in median unit prices over the quarter. 



Australian Property Monitors Senior Economist Dr Andrew Wilson said increased buyer activity together with rising auction clearance rates has translated into improvements in median price outcomes in most centres.

“The Perth, Brisbane and Sydney markets remain the best prospects for growth over 2012, and although Melbourne’s performance has been encouraging so far this year, this may prove to be short-lived if the Victorian economy continues to deteriorate,” Dr Wilson.



“Early signs however are certainly positive for most Australian housing markets with the likelihood that buyer and seller confidence will continue to rise in 2012 after a subdued 2011.”

The 50 basis point fall comes on the back of evidence the economy is struggling with weaker-than-expected inflation figures released late last month.

The official interest rate is now 3.75 per cent.

It is good news for mortgage holders who were earlier this year hit with out-of-cycle rises by many lenders.

“This is quite a heavy cut and the Reserve will be hoping that it has maximum impact,” says Domain property expert Carolyn Boyd.

Each 0.50 per cent drop in interest rates slices about $120 off the monthly interest cost of an average Australian mortgage.

All eyes will be on the financial institutions to see if they follow suit, says Boyd. It is possible lenders could pass on a smaller proportion of the official drop to their own customers.

At least one bank will hold off announcing a decision for more than a week with the ANZ Bank set to release its move next Friday, the second Friday of the month.

If lenders do make cuts, Boyd says it is a smart idea for borrowers to maintain their current repayment levels.

“Many institutions don’t automatically adjust repayments down in line with lower rates, and if you think yours might, you should speak with them and ask for your repayment amounts to be kept as they are,” says Boyd.

“It is inevitable that rates will rise again in the future, so this is a golden opportunity to pay some extra money off your loan if you can afford to do so.”

Further details on what the decision to decrease interest rates to 3.75 per cent means to you and the Australian property market will be outlined in upcoming posts.

All capital cities with the exception of Brisbane and Adelaide saw house prices rise, with Sydney and Melbourne both experiencing strong growth of +1.4 per cent and +1.6 per cent respectively over the first three months of 2012.



Brisbane is currently the most affordable of the mainland capitals with a median house price of $433,244, while Sydney remains Australia’s most expensive capital with a median house price of $641,037.



Capital city unit markets recorded mixed outcomes with Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne all recording significant falls in median prices over the March quarter.



Sydney was a solid performer in the unit market with median prices rising by 2.5 per cent to $462,145.



Hobart, Darwin and Canberra also recorded rises in median unit prices over the quarter. 



Australian Property Monitors Senior Economist Dr Andrew Wilson said increased buyer activity together with rising auction clearance rates has translated into improvements in median price outcomes in most centres.

“The Perth, Brisbane and Sydney markets remain the best prospects for growth over 2012, and although Melbourne’s performance has been encouraging so far this year, this may prove to be short-lived if the Victorian economy continues to deteriorate,” Dr Wilson.



“Early signs however are certainly positive for most Australian housing markets with the likelihood that buyer and seller confidence will continue to rise in 2012 after a subdued 2011.”

The Australian Bureau of Statistics said the CPI rose 0.1 per cent for the quarter for an annual inflation rate of 1.6 per cent, down from 3.1 per cent.

This compares to the latest official forecast from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), in February, for annual inflation of 1.75 per cent for the year to June 2012.

HIA Chief Economist Harley Dale said the housing industry and wider Australian economy needs a further 75 basis point of interest rate cuts.

“There is nothing standing in the way of a 50 basis point move to get the ball rolling next Tuesday (1 May),” he said.

“That would, admittedly, be a bold move for the RBA, but it would be entirely appropriate given the pulse of the Australian economy is not beating as fast as the Bank earlier expected.

“The banks need to follow suit and pass any rate cuts on in full rather than hide behind the fallacious argument that higher funding costs somehow justify them holding some interest rate belief back.”

The RBA has kept interest rates steady at 4.25 per cent since cutting them in December and November 2011.

As at 30 June 2011, the state’s total population was 7,303,700 and is predicted to increase by more than 82,000, or more than 1.1 per cent, by the end of this financial year.

Population growth is the principal driver of demand for housing and without a new supply of housing to respond to that demand, prices for property will continue to increase beyond the reach of most. The rental market does not escape these influences either with rents constantly rising.

Right now, and for some time, the rate of construction of dwellings in NSW has simply not kept pace with demand. This threatens to impact on housing affordability and, as a consequence, leave many without suitable housing options.

The importance of affordable housing cannot be understated as it affects all aspects of our economy and society. It is a problem we all own.

If housing and construction in NSW continues at the current rate there will be a shortfall of more than 200,000 dwellings by 2020. In any market where demand exceeds supply, prices remain strong.

These projections must be addressed now though the introduction of government policy and strategy to meet the existing challenges and predicted demands for the future.

It’s never been more important for the NSW Government to become involved in stimulating housing construction. We must examine and rectify the various matters that are impeding housing construction and development, property taxes – and a convoluted and expensive planning system are stand out opportunities for action.