Townsville Smart City Deal Exposed as National Security Threat

Mr Turnbull's entire economic policy and the reputation of the local Townsville Mayor and Queensland Premier, is based around the covert implementation of smart technologies as part of the Smart Cities Plan, Townsville City Deal.

The connection of which to the internet is a threat to Australia's national security, personal safety of its citizens and the country's sovereignty.

"Confirmed by an inside Council communication strategists, the Federal government's reason for not providing full public disclosure on the Smart Cities Plan is because it would lose public support."

Now while the ink is still drying on the Optus Telecommunications $20 million contract with the Townsville City Council, the Townsville Real Estate Blog's independent investigations reveal the real purpose of the Smart Cities Plan and catastrophic consequences to regional Cities.

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Under the cloak of an orchestrated media launch flaunting federal funding for big projects such as the North Queensland Stadium and Eastern Rail Link corridor, the Federal government has out-muscled Mayor Jenny Hill and the Hon. Premier Anastasia Palaszczuk.

Queensland's pioneering female politicians could become the sacrificial lamb of the Turnbull plan, laying on the line their integrity over the lust for political fame and fortune. As the employment prospects of the City continue to dwindle under the anticipated introduction of 'artificial intelligence' machines, while manifesting security breaches to service providers and citizens over the coming 10-20 years.

The "City Deal" launch last week drew people's attention to a glossy brochure announcing over $100 million in federal government funding called the Smart Cities Plan, Townsville "City Deal". However, the projects announced were nothing further from the truth because the stadium funding had already been committed by Mr Turnbull under an election promise. What local leaders had not secured funding for, and the obvious elephant in the room, was the critical water infrastructure problem threatening the City's lifestyle and industrial viability.

Yet the delivery of these large project funding announcements were depicted as depending on the "City Deal" and support by the Turnbull government. The truth is any funding deal depends on the authority of the sponsor just as it does the recipient. Therefore, going ahead of the "City Deal" was a mutual agreement between consenting parties.

To any seasoned sales professional, the staged media launch in Townsville of the Turnbull, Palaszczuk and Hill governments Townsville "City Deal" represents one of the best "bait and switch" sales pitch ever seen involving three incumbent political leaders. Seemingly flouting something that was 'too good to be true'.

So what is really going on behind the scenes?

Calling out the fraud of The Townsville "City Deal" delivered under the cloak of a retrospective big project funding announcement is a likely bombshell to the leadership of the Australian Liberal party, Queensland Labor and most importantly the citizens of North Queensland.

Knowing all too well the inherent threat to public safety and national security, these consortium states and municipalities are effectively sponsoring technologies, developed and road tested in the UK and India. The technologies are owned mostly by the USA and China. But the personal records of its citizens are being exposed to the Chinese government, exploitative multi-national companies, global terrorists and criminal hackers.

Confirmed by inside Council communication strategists, the Federal government's reason for not providing full public disclosure on the Smart Cities Plan is because it would lose public support.

Considering the high risk and possible threat to the personal identity of its citizens, why have two local leaders, and their departments, refrained from engaging in the consultation phase of the Smart Cities Plan unlike other cities, state departments and some individuals across the country who submitted their comments?

Is the political interest and personal legacy of the first female government leaders at both state and municipal levels in Queensland so important to not represent the interest of the people, and perhaps purposefully misinform or withhold critical information from them?

Or could the City's leadership be so desperate and dependent on Federal government funding, to the extent that they erred in their obligation to protect the community with proper disclosure of the risks and core purpose of the federal government's smart cities policy? Or could they have simply made an honest mistake?

Well the author of the famous Gonski report into Australian schools, and now Chairman of the ANZ Bank, put the matter into context at the bank's board meeting last week. "There is a large degree of resentment and frustration evident which is manifesting itself in disillusionment and disdain for politicians and for us in business" Mr Gonski said. (Australian Financial Review).

Sure innovation and trade is important to the economy. So is effective decision-making by our politicians. With or without a high stakes Internet of Things (IoT) network, under a political and government culture where diligent voter representation constitutionally exists, an infant could tell that the water and energy infrastructure of a growing City like Townsville is most critical.

So in the context of local politics, still the highest risk of the Smart Cities Plan is the personal security of its citizens, and of course intellectual property of the state and local commercial enterprises due to politicians’ poor decision-making and policy framework.

While a politician's risk is losing public support for such a risky policy at the ballot box. The personal legacy risk of selling out voter interests ahead of the personal interests of two pioneering politicians smashing through the glass ceiling of generational sexual discrimination would be a heavy burden. Making no engagement in consultation, knowing the severity of personal risk to the local leaders, sets the scene for a perfect case of purposeful ignorance.

But if the public and voters did not know what they are risking, in this case malicious attack by cyber hackers and the theft of their personal identify data, than the political risk is negligible. And in three years when the first review of the "City Deal" implementation occurs, 'operational commercial confidentially' provides the cover to justify not disclosing the deal again to the public or even conscientious employees or whistle-blowers within government departments.

The Optus Telecommunications contract signed today with the local Council is the first seed of infinite commercial-in-confidence reasons why there is no turning back if the community get "cold feet”. The reason hence with the Smart City policy is being securely and secretly directed from within the Prime Minister's office.

The glossy launch of the Townsville "City Deal" was designed to bribe and coerce local Council leaders with large funding projects. In a desperate economic environment, seducing a shell-shocked public with cash promises to bring prosperity and fortune.

To a non-technology savvy generation, it brings back memories reminiscent of the 1980s when the truth was an inconvenience to the creation of government and business schemes, many of which were financially devastating to ordinary people.

To the general public, power and money is the perfect aphrodisiac for poverty and pain. For a leader it is statesmen-like and powerful. Surely it enhances the political image and brand. Money and jobs are a smart marketing mix to create the mesmerizing affect necessary to counter the political bravery of dealing with a voter backlash.

Any economists would agree, non-greenfield fixed asset investments like the stadium and rail link are replacing existing facilities and does not really bring meaningful additional Gross Domestic Products (GDP), profits and jobs in the medium to long-term, unlike the private investment of the Adani Coal mine or a new industry player in the market.

Imagine the likes of Australian-owned iterations of Intel, Google, Microsoft and Apple establishing their headquarters in Townsville. Well the emerging great irony of the Turnbull, Palaszczuk and Hill smart city consortium, if their interest is creating an economic powerhouse in Northern Australia, is a potential resources boom. But to who’s benefit?

On one hand a mining operation that is the largest and oldest dirty energy commodity being fossil fuel coal, while on the other hand Optus, Intel, IBM, etc. are mining the cleanest energy commodity of human evolution, the intellectual property and meta-data of people. And in a "big data" world, large corporations need large databases with habits, preferences, locations and spending priorities of consumers indexed for monitoring and analysis.

And perhaps the later example is the ultimate objective. But the design technology and change management plans are putting the safety and security of Australians in danger in a global environment where threats to civilizations are becoming increasingly more catastrophic and the economic interests of our businesses are even more ambiguous.

Stayed turned for more information around this breaking story as TREB reveals further facts about the events, people and corporations behind Smart Cities Plan. Leave a comment below and engage with the discussions by sharing this blog.

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Townsville sold out by PM Turnbull Smart City Deal

On the face of the Turnbull Government's Smart Cities Plan and the execution of the first "City Deal" in Australia by the Mayor of Townsville, Jenny Hill and Premier of Queensland, Annstacia Palaszczuk, the residents and property investors of Townsville can be justifiably excited by the promise of more jobs and prosperity.

Now with a solid commitment of Federal funding, accompanied by the personal attention of Australia's commander in chief, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, executing a nationally strategic innovation reform in the midst of a struggling regional City brings with it invaluable public influence and political power.

Grasping a sharp looking glossy brochure focusing on big funding project deals, and a well orchestrated signing ceremony coordinated purposefully in front a national Canberra press gallery, the first "City Deal" of its type was indeed an epic event in local political history and a moment to savior for two pioneering female leaders.

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However by deed of acquiesce or maliciousness, voters are being deceived or woman-handled with the undisclosed detail of the underlying program being a "citizen-centric" data gathering technology, which could be robbing people of their own property rights using personal identity information.

"..become an unintended volunteer in the largest civil and commercial integrated network of digital and robotic systems ever conceived in Australia."

The average local taxpayer is being lead to believe that department heads and their silo cultures will be picking up the phone more often than usual. Department line managers and technical experts sharing files with each other on an as free basis. It is a lot more sophisticated than the usual glossy political funding announcement of projects like the North Queensland Stadium and Townsville Eastern Access Rail Corridor.

Needless to say to local ratepayers enduring strict water restrictions, some of whom are watching their favourite plants dying before their eyes as the brown grass crackles under their feet, the most urgent and immediate need is the construction of greater water infrastructure for the City. Unlike the former two projects, this priority infrastructure has not received a funding commitment from any level of government apart from the typical preliminary impact studies.

Despite the fact the City has less than 15% of its water capacity remaining in the Ross Dam catchment, the Mayor and Premier have been caught sleeping at the "water wheel". So a glossy funding launch with the Prime Minister doesn't get any better then perhaps a photo opportunity at the local childcare centre during an election campaign.

In this climate of political sensitivity, a cash grab from the federal purse is a sure way to divert the media and public attention away from a highly emotive local services issue, including economic recession and an out of control crime report. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister gets to pull the wool over the eyes of the Mayor and Premier with his personal data-centric Smart City Plan.

If this isn't enough to ponder, the signature project of the Smart Cities funding announcement was the North Queensland Stadium and entertainment precinct. Queensland and the Commonwealth are contributing funds while the Council is offering the land. Yet the medium term economic value-add to the economy of Townsville from this project is nearly negligible. In fact local businesses report this week that tendering on the design and construction works was not feasible, confirming profits and jobs will not be filled by existing local residents.

Private business and investors have lost confidence and trust in the local leadership. Read the Townsville Real Estate Blog (TREB) article; North Queensland Stadium Vision Impaired here.

http://townsvillerealestate.blogspot.com.au/2016/09/north-queensland-stadium-vision-impaired_49.html

Downsizing the bureaucracy, treating the paralysis of administration and governance, and focusing on a stronger economy for the greater good is a refreshing concept for small to medium size business.

Achieving productivity and greater efficiency in the systems could be partly true of the Smart Cities Plan. But robust planning and development processes still require decisions to be taken by bureaucrats, officers and Ministers representing a wide variety of national and public interests.

So what is the practical vision of a "City Deal" that could bring sustained economic benefit?

Under a Smart Cities Plan, would the Adani Coal mine project been approved faster and in a more timely manner to enable better management of job stimulation? At least before the 15,000 workers abandoned the City after Clive Palmer's Queensland Nickel fell into administration would have been excellent management. 

Is it going to appease the political jousting, influence the Canberra or Brisbane-centric politicians to prioritize funding to safe seats over marginal seats, minimize the protest movement's capacity to disrupt development or speed up the court processes in the midst of a native title, heritage or environmental challenge?

In the absence of cynicism over healthy skepticism, a deeper, more secretive agenda is in motion as part of the Federal Government's economic strategy. And neither the Prime Minister, Mayor or Premier (Queensland's first female leaders in their respective entities) are willing to disclose the full exposure of the Smart Cities Plan to its citizens because of the possible fallout to their political skin and service legacy.

Effectively the Mayor and Premier have conceded to the Prime Minister that their departments and their own leadership is inadequately capable of making tough strategic decisions, hence the lack of autonomous influence in attracting private capital interests to the City, their bungled infrastructure and business services policies and now an acquittal of conscience or even malicious disregard for the people's personal security and safety.

The length to which all three levels of government are promoting a coordinated approach to Federal policy implementation in Townsville is unprecedented. It is refreshing to see, and if the "big data" depository and smart technology behind the Smart Cities Plan works, the size of government itself and the bureaucracy could be more efficiently outsourced due to advances in robotics, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital applications.

Again, more jobs lost yet more profit gained by multi-national corporations like IBM, KPMG, Intel, or Huawei, China's largest network and communication services provider who are inventing and manufacturing the technology. Yes these companies are the partners of the British inspired Smart City policy. Unless Townsville attracts the companies that design, build or distribute the technology, or win the owners of the networks to our region, the implementation of Smart Cities in a regional economy with less than 200,000 in population could be unfeasible.  

It is the plan of the Turnbull government to embed on every material object and person in the City micro sensors. If a person unknowingly acquiesce to an impromptu push notification on their personal device, they too will become an unintended volunteer in the largest civil and commercially integrated network of digital and robotic systems ever conceived in Australia.

Townsville Real Estate Blog is a strong advocate of building new technologies, creating new industries and sustainable economic opportunities for North Queensland. This has been reported openly on this platform and across various social media services.

"Building a resourceful, resilient and technically superior enterprise culture in the City will ensure second and third tier employment and business growth for decades to come." (Townsville Real Estate Blog)

So what is the Smart Cities Plan really all about? How does a local public service leadership disregard their citizens personal identity risks? And, why isn't Townsville attracting private capital interest that create sustained Jobs in the City?

Stay turned for more insight and information about the Smart Cities Plan and other issues impacting the Townsville Real Estate market.

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Tenant Sub-Letting to Air BnB Accommodation Risks Landlord Properties

Queensland investors with Tenants sub-letting all or part of a dwelling to Airbnb customers could be left exposed unless special wording is applied to Residential Tenancy Agreements.

The issue has become a hot topic in Victoria because the Supreme Court had overturned the tribunal decision.

In the Victoria case, the tenant sub-let the entire premises through an Airbnb rental website. Upon receiving this knowledge, the Landlord served a termination notice on the tenant.

The Tribunal ruled in favour of the tenant, but subsequently the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the Landlord based on the fact that the Airbnb agreement between the tenant and the Airbnb guests was for occupation of the whole of the premises.

The supplier of real estate agent agreements and contracts ADL Forms said; "This may indicate a tenant occupying premises under a residential tenancy agreement in Victoria may be able to license a portion of the premises under an Airbnb agreement without the Landlord's permission."

The Forms and Agent Advocacy service provider together their legal teams, have put their "Tenancy Agreements, Australia wide, under the microscope to ensure they keep landlords protected against a tenant sub-letting and/or licensing all or part of a rental premises without the Landlord's permission."

It's the opinion of ADL that the existing RTA Form 18a does not adequately cover the Airbnb situation. Special terms therefore have been added to better protect the Landlord against unauthorised sub-letting or licensing in respect of Airbnb or similar online service.

In accordance with the ADL special terms:

"The Tenant may not grant other person’s a licence to occupy or use the whole or part of the premises for the Tenant’s commercial gain, whether by written or verbal agreement with the other person/s, without the Lessor’s consent having been first obtained. The Lessor must act reasonably."

Property managers are still advised to take their responsibly seriously and take action where unauthorised sub-letting or licensing by a tenant of one of their managed properties is detected.

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Landlords seeking to managed their own properties are warned of these risks. Especially if adequate general and special terms are not considered and executed in writing in accordance with relevant residential tenancy and/or rooming accommodation legislation.

Although some Landlords seek to minimise their costs to maximise profits, or don't have faith in professional managers, implementing a proper risk management system for your investment properties could save you more money then you could anticipate.

In some instances, damages or losses resulting from a tenancy not subject to proper risk mitigation principals by the Landlord could be jeopardising their insurance policies because of some of the fine print in the insurance policy.

Reserve Bank Interest Rate Announcement Sep 2016

The Reserve Bank of Australia announced today that the cash rate will be kept on hold at 1.50 per cent as many economists had predicted.

Real Estate expert and Rapid Realty Australia Principal, Aaron McLeod commented; "the RBAs decision is positive news for property investors and owner occupiers but regional markets were hoping for further stimulation with a rate cut".

Soft inflation data and a stubborn Australian dollar is the main reason the RBA chose to leave interest rates where they are as they wait and see what happens with the broader economy.

As the RBA likes to link its cash rate decisions to the quarterly Consumer Price Index (CPI) releases, the next rate decision is not expected until October. Even then many industry experts are predicting a steady as she goes approach or even a further drop in the cash rate before Christmas.

Corelogic Head of Research, Tim Lawless suggested that a November cut is likely particularly if inflation remains low. "If inflation was say 1.0 per cent year-on-year, that's a pretty good reason for another rate cut, he told The Adviser.

Although, the RBA had tried to engineer a further rate cut in the hope of reducing the Aussie dollar further to improve the country's balance of trading accounts.

The RBA seemingly are treading on egg shells trying to stimulate the economy yet be uneasy about firing up the housing market.

In the capital cities such as Melbourne and Sydney, lower rates could over cook these markets. While Brisbane, Perth, Darwin and regional areas like North Queensland, could benefit from a further cash rate cut.

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North Queensland Stadium Vision Impaired

OPINION: Townsville's future as a sports, entertainment and events centre for North Queensland has been secured with the announcement by all levels of government that the North Queensland Stadium will proceed to construction as early as May 2017 with expected completion before the 2020 NRL season.

The campaign by local leaders has been relentless over the past couple of decades. Without question, the will and energy of the City, depicted by local sporting and arts personalities such as Country Music Legend, Adam Brand and sporting legend, Johnathon Thurston is infectious as illustrated in the following promotion video.

The North Queensland Cowboys NRL Grand Final victory in 2015 certainly did the "yes" campaign no harm. North Queensland's victory became the catalyst for Prime Minister, Malcom Turnbull to announce a $100 million Federal Government contribution, after NQ Cowboys co-captain, Johnathon Thurston, effectively lobbied the government in his podium victory speech.

"Building a resourceful, resilient and technically superior enterprise culture in the City will ensure second and third tier employment and business growth for decades to come.",

Townsville Real Estate Blog.

Artist Impression: www.morethanastadium.com.au

The Prime Minister commented in the Sydney Morning Herald, that the Townsville stadium will do for Townsville what the Sydney Opera House has done for Sydney. This could bring a massive transformation by the way the rest of the world will view the City, one of the largest regional cities in Australia 

Townsville Enterprise, North Queensland's commercial and marketing body, announced: "Expressions of Interest have opened today for principle consultants to put forward their design teams for the North Queensland Stadium."

The Townsville Enterprise press release identified the opportunity for local businesses to tender for the design and construction phase of the project with works estimated to cost $250 million, which will be administered by the office of the Minister for State Development, Dr Anthony Lynham.

Artist Impression: www.morethanastadium.com.au

The construction phase of this new signature North Queensland development is estimated to generate 750 jobs. Of course the local Mayor of Townsville, Jenny Hill is encouraging local businesses to 'strike while the iron is hot' to ensure the jobs and business revenues are returned to the Townsville economy. Yet the vision for global trading in the throngs of the current Information Age has been left out of the specific plans and objectives by the Mayor and State Minister. In fact, no international outputs have been considered despite the Prime Minister's reference to changing the way in which the international community views Townsville as a City. 

Based on a revised Integrated Stadium and Entertainment Centre (ISEC) economic impact analysis compiled by Townsville Enterprise, the following estimates were identified:

• $1.9B - ISEC will accelerate the development of the planned $1.9B waterfront redevelopment
• 1,650 jobs created in the construction phase
• $130M in wages and salary in the construction phase
• $675M in additional economic output in the construction phase
• $5M annual gross value add once ISEC is complete
• 37,000 new visitors to the region each year
• $2M annual visitor spend once ISEC is completed

The North Queensland Stadium has a scaled back scope, which will not include the Entertainment Centre, with less than half of the 1650 jobs being created as defined in the above estimates. This being said, an extra $1-2 million annual visitor spend once the project is complete is equivalent to the annual salary package of 50 full-time management employees.

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Artist Impression: www.morethanastadium.com.au 

We haven't seen the final designs but the location of the site is positioned on the waterfront of Ross Creek. The site is immediately adjacent to Reid Park, home of the annual V8 Super Cars Event. To the South is the southern access corridor (Saunders Street) into South Townsville and the City heart, and directly across Ross Creek from Honeycombs's Central and Holborn Apartment development on Blackwood Street, which includes a small cluster of existing food and entertainment shops. The head works footprint for the stadium is expected to connect these urban spaces to the stadium forecourts and promenades via a footbridge over Ross Creek.

The estimated 17-hectare parcel of land on the boundary of Saunders Street was owned by QR National, now purchased by the Townsville City Council, is the ideal site for a new international standard stadium. The 30,000 seat stadium would include 100 open-air corporate boxes and 25 enclosed corporate suites.

Of course, the big question for property investors is;

Will this national sporting and events stadium bring economic prosperity, and specifically, increased yields and capital growth to the local property market?

It will create jobs immediately which the City desperately needs. Townsville Chamber of Commerce, Stephen Motti said: "the stadium would boost businesses in and around the CBD" (Anthony Templeton, Townsville Bulletin).

Townsville's unemployment reached 13.9 percent in April this year. Due to the number of skilled tradesmen and workers leaving the City for greener pastures, the population dropped in the tens of thousands in the last 12 months since Clive Palmer's Qld Nickel refinery declared bankruptcy. Unemployment dropped sharply this month to 9.7% due to people, skilled workers, abandoning the City. Also, the City has the highest bankruptcy rate in the country.

A number of local developers are dusting off their plans for further residential development in and around the stadium site, including Honeycombs, Lancini Group, Parkside and others. For existing property owners of lower yielding apartments in the City precinct, the collateral developments are set to be rolled out by the local movers and shakers.

"This additional residential construction activity will stimulate short-term demand in the City from construction activity, but long term further increase in supply in the City market could keep vacancy rates above the 2-4% threshold. At this range or less, demand driven value increases, filter through the supply chain impacting more favourably on yields", stated Mr McLeod, Director of Rapid Realty Australia.

Mr McLeod also commented; "Unless sustained employment growth and business start-up investment occurs on the back of the stadium development, local business confidence improves and cutting edge innovation and technology developments are leveraged, the stadium development could be an impairment, further pushing steady and even bearish yields for investors."

The momentum risk for the Townsville political and enterprise leaders is that they may get caught up in the media attention and buzz of an unprecedented development for the City. "Group think" among the usual influences, planners and administrators are evident in the stated objectives of the project. Thinking it will be the 'silver bullet' that will solve all of the City's economic adversities is a massive mistake. It is not the be-all and end-all, but still a very positive development in the City which is screaming for real employment, entrepreneurship and economic growth.

Artist Impression: www.morethanastadium.com.au

Existing unit and house owners in the immediate City and fringe suburbs will see increases in rental inquiries, causing a reduction in time on market statistics. But a sustained increase is unlikely to occur with rental prices. Already, suburbs in the immediate area of the site such as Railway Estate, South Townsville and Townsville City have seen an increase in buying inquiries. Immature and even scrupulous investors thinking they will reap rapid capital gains from Townsville's property market are kidding themselves.

But a prudent investor, disciplined for long-term returns, and knowledgeable with values and "street to street" targeting in Townsville at a median price of $336,000 compared to the national median of $800,000, is positioning themselves for favourable results in the long term. Townsville's median house price dropped 5.5% since June 2015.

Herron Todd White Townsville in Focus August 2016 Report

Herron Todd White, in their Townsville in Focus August 2016 Report commented that; "There is very little in the way of local stimulus or broader economic drivers that would indicate any short term change from this position". Broadly speaking the sentiment that had been building in the commercial and industrial markets has all but evaporated and these markets remain at the bottom of the market cycle."

The depth and breadth of the broader regional, national and international economic constraints, perpetuated by the conventional wisdom of politicians, economists and Townsville's mastermind groups that base policy on a scarcity of resources is a risk. Although counter-intuitive, this prevailing mindset is economic and political suicide in an Information Age. Leading international economist and author of multiple books including the "The Next Millionaire", Paul Pilzer, says the scarcity model is incongruent with the modern Alchemist Economic approach of accurate forecasting.

This conventional wisdom, in contrast to the Alchemical Economic models, is the belief that the region's resources are limited based the City's industrial niche of education, administration and management, real estate and manufacturing and of course mine processing. These sectors are the top sectors contributing to Townsville's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Artist Impression: www.morethanastadium.com.au

Change and innovation in technologies cause the expansion to economic capacity and capability, including infrastructure investment. Instead, state and local planners and policy leaders are seemingly fixated on government investment in "real estate" infrastructure as the treatment for sustained jobs creation. This is a short-term purpose, however, again programmed around a scarcity conscience, political agenda and time frame. This is evident in the constant appeal for government funding by local institutions like Townsville Enterprise, council, politicians and business influencers.

Just this week as a case in point, The Honorable Coralee O'Rourke, Minister assisting the Premier, The Honorable Annastacia Palaszczuk said; "In the future, footy fans will come to a North Queensland Cowboys game and stay for a holiday and the North will be able to attract a variety of events that will attract new visitors and investment to the region." Since 1995, Townsville has had an NRL events calendar attracting footy fans to the City. Many visitors stay with family overnight and then return to their home. By definition, this is not a holiday stay.

For property buyers, long-term investment in Townsville is prudent with the City likely to attract further lifestyle capital from the legacy of the principal stadium development, at least in the immediate City fringe precinct. Flow on investments, which will include boutique retail, residential and commercial developments in the City, and could extend South to the Dean Street precinct, including the old industrial railway yards. It too has been earmarked for an Integrated Entertainment Centre, indoor events and transport blueprint because the existing entertainment centre is aged and not certifiable.

Mr Turnbull's vision of a Sydney Opera House concerning the stadium is duplicitous. This vision statement is the type of statesmanship expected of a Prime Minister, but it could be seen as appeasing the Canberra elite. The City's civil leaders working locally but thinking globally is not enough. We need now, more than ever, to have an international thinking and working mindset.

This Turnbull vision would be better served in infrastructure that could add profound value to the global and domestic trading capacity of the City. Instead, the Sydney waterfront vision would be better directed to the waterfront at the entrance to the Townsville City port and Strand precinct.

This waterfront vision presents a great opportunity to demolish the "swamp", which is the name given to the ageing entertainment centre and home of the now defunct Townsville Crocodiles Basketball Team and develop an architecturally appealing Commemorative War, Marine Nature and Indigenous Arts Theatre on this Opera House style site.

The development would create a monumental signature image, unique in architecture, character and function on an international scale and appealing to our largest trading partners and markets in China, United States of America, Japan and Europe. It would also add attraction demand inflows for the tourism, arts, education and innovation sectors, instead of the narrow events and domestic tourism focus outlined for the stadium.

Sydney Opera House, Australia

The strengths of Townsville's location to the Great Barrier Reef, indigenous arts and heritage, and the strategic importance and operational role Townsville played during World War 2; battles of the Coral Sea, Kokoda and the broader Pacific campaigns is epic in a historical context. Yet this unique North Queensland story is not showcased anywhere in the nation expect the National War Memorial in Canberra, some 4000 kilometres away. 

This harbour-side location, which includes the existing "The Ville" Casino, offers a unique and unprecedented opportunity to attract tens of thousands of tourists to Townsville from all over the world, and capitalise on a massive $9 trillion and growing travel industry.

The North Queensland Stadium in good time will be famous for its beloved NRL stars. But more potent would be the stadium's catalyst impact creating an additional lifestyle and functional economic developments with a far-reaching international appeal. A gauge of the appeal of Townsville's military history will be tested on 15th of October 2016 with the Defence Air Show.

Below is the objectives on the Queensland State Development website http://www.statedevelopment.qld.gov.au/major-projects/north-queensland-stadium.html for the stadium project.

Queensland State Development Stadium Objectives

Attracting more people to the City to be amused, entertained and educated is fine economic commentary. Building a resourceful, resilient and technically superior enterprise culture in the City will ensure second and third tier employment and business growth for decades to come. Unfortunately, the Queensland State Development Objectives fall short of this bold vision.

Visionary leaders could emerge and flourish in this environment of adversity and infinite opportunity. Following are some of the favourable conditions for Townsville's competitive advantage, including;

• Northern Australia development zone investment maturing
• Free trade arrangements with China and the United States not long dry completed
• Federal Government seeking private capital sponsorship for better terms of trade infrastructure
• Scaling back of the Aquis Resort and Casino Development in Cairns due to casino licensing restrictions.

Property investors are encouraged to maintain a diligent lookout for either civil, political or business leaders that have the courage, purpose, plan and associations to leverage the political, trade climate and economics necessary for contemporary infrastructure investment, both digital and "real".

With seemingly impaired vision at all levels of leadership, the Townsville property market is not expected to flourish off the back of a national sports stadium development. By and large, the existing 1300 SMILES Stadium, which hosted concerts and sporting events at Willows, is being replaced. The North Queensland Stadium is far from being a "greenfield" development.

Significant value-added trading infrastructure, resources and technologies, combined with innovative digital information and entrepreneurial industries, must be leveraged within the next 5-10 years.

Bringing back the 20,000 people that have left the City in the past 12 months, reducing unemployment and cultivating a digital and industrial driven economy is critical. A positive sign for property investors is not government funding program announcements, but the cultivating of more digital business Joint Ventures with international, national players and local business and institutions. 

This must be acted upon in order for Townsville investors to decide the feasibility of a short to medium term trigger. Otherwise, the Townsville property market long-term investment and holding strategies will continue into the foreseeable future.


References:

• Queensland Government Statisticians Office - www.qgso.qld.gov.au
• Townsville Bulletin - www.townsvillebulletin.com.au
• Sydney Morning Herald - www.smh.com.au
• Integrated Stadium and Entertainment Centre (ISEC) - www.morethanastadium.com.au
• Rapid Realty Australia - www.rapidrealty.com.au
• Herron Todd White, Townsville in Focus August 2016 Report
• Paul Pilzer, "The New Millionaires"
• McLeod investments and Consultancy
• Matching Pear Holidays - travel and tourism data

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