Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

FOKE sends its very best wishes to you and your family for a safe, restful Christmas and New Year.



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Email: info@foke.org.au
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PO Box 584, Gordon NSW 2072

FOKE AWARDS:

  • 2016 NATIONAL TRUST HERITGE AWARDS HIGHLY COMMENDED
  • 2009 NATIONAL TRUST HERITAGE AWARDS HIGHLY COMMENDED
  • 2008 NSW GOVERNMENT HERITAGE VOLUNTEERS AWARD
  • WINNER NSW HERITAGE OFFICE AWARD
  • “HERITAGE WATCH OVER OUR PLACE OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE – KU-RING-GAI”

19 December 2025

Who will BENEFIT from massive housing developments?



One of the main reasons touted for the State Significant Developments (SSDs) targeting our suburbs is the lack of
affordable housing for essential workers and low wage earners.

However, the majority of developments are not only marketed as luxury units, but many are being sold to overseas buyers, with a historically high proportion being left vacant.

Our Federal Government cites the need for overseas investment to improve housing supply, but the real result is that it has pushed up house and apartment prices as a result of increased demand. Resulting in both house price inflation and rent inflation with no benefit to Australians.

The Federal Government has banned foreign investors, including temporary residents, from buying  existing residential property for 2 years until 2027. Of course this is irrelevant as the majority of our suburbs are being inundated with new highrise apartments.

The restrictions to prohibit purchases of existing properties is completely irrelevant as established residences are being purchased and demolished for new residences in order to meet this requirement.

Often foreign residential  investment is deemed as insignificant, at 2% of Australian housing stock, however this obscures the fact that purchases by foreign investors are predominantly in Sydney and Melbourne, and usually concentrated in certain Local Government Areas, such as Ku-ring-gai. Accurate figures are difficult to obtain, however Sydney CBD, coastal areas such as Manly, eastern suburbs and the north shore are heavily targeted. In these areas the proportion of homes being purchased by foreign investors can be up to 15% or more.

Foreign investors have definitely added to already high housing demand.

This is not just an Australian problem.

In January 2025, the Canadian government voted to extend their ban on foreign investment of residential property for another two years. Canada had exhibited similar problems with housing affordability and low vacancy rates post-Covid as Australia. One of their solutions was to ban foreign residential investment in January, 2023 for two years. This has now been extended. Why? Because this action was seen as significantly assisting in reducing demand and hence reducing house prices.

The Canadian Government Finance Minister stated “By extending the foreign buyer ban, we will ensure houses are used as homes for Canadian families to live in and do not become a speculative financial asset class.”

The NAB Residential Property Survey Q2 2025, asurvey of around 250 property professionals, highlighted a continuing strong market for Australian residential property by foreign residents.

In new home markets, foreign buyer activity share in NSW has remained unchanged (10.8% vs 11% previous quarter) and continues above the survey average (8.7%).

For the established home market, there was a moderate increase in share in the June quarter (3.3% vs 3.1% previously).

Allowing our increasing scarce housing stock to be bought by foreign investors as an investment, will only ensure additional demand driven housing price inflation. This is to the detriment of all those seeking to rent or as owner-occupiers.

Time to contact your Federal Member of Parliament and demand a stop tp Foreign Residential Property investment in the middle of a housing crisis.



Stay in Touch

Sign up for FOKE E-News HERE
Email: info@foke.org.au
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/friendsofkuringgai/
Website: www.foke.org.au
PO Box 584, Gordon NSW 2072

FOKE AWARDS:

  • 2016 NATIONAL TRUST HERITGE AWARDS HIGHLY COMMENDED
  • 2009 NATIONAL TRUST HERITAGE AWARDS HIGHLY COMMENDED
  • 2008 NSW GOVERNMENT HERITAGE VOLUNTEERS AWARD
  • WINNER NSW HERITAGE OFFICE AWARD
  • “HERITAGE WATCH OVER OUR PLACE OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE – KU-RING-GAI”



19 December 2025

DON’T SELL HILLVIEW

The Minns Government has announced it will sell Hillview Community Health Centre, 1334 Pacific Highway, Turramurra by selling this 10,000m2 heritage conservation site to private property developers. This land was purchased by the NSW Government in the 1970s for strategic health, road and transport reasons. We need this open space/heritage site/ community facility more than ever!

Write to Chris Minns at: https://www.nsw.gov.au/nsw-government/premier-of-nsw/contact-premier







Stay in Touch

Sign up for FOKE E-News HERE
Email: info@foke.org.au
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/friendsofkuringgai/
Website: www.foke.org.au
PO Box 584, Gordon NSW 2072

FOKE AWARDS:

  • 2016 NATIONAL TRUST HERITGE AWARDS HIGHLY COMMENDED
  • 2009 NATIONAL TRUST HERITAGE AWARDS HIGHLY COMMENDED
  • 2008 NSW GOVERNMENT HERITAGE VOLUNTEERS AWARD
  • WINNER NSW HERITAGE OFFICE AWARD
  • “HERITAGE WATCH OVER OUR PLACE OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE – KU-RING-GAI”

19 December 2025

Thank you Bendigo Bank

Left to right: Sharon Franke, Bendigo Bank Community Development Manager, Janine Kitson, FOKE Vice-President and Christiane Berlioz receiving the $1000 from the Staff and Grants Nights.

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Ku-ring-gai GeoRegion Update

2025 has been a very productive year for the Ku-ring-gai GeoRegion project that highlights Ku-ring-gai’s region for its world class geology, significant flora and fauna and cultural heritage.

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