February
The former Packer lawyer who built a $20b housing business
It’s been a roller-coaster ride for the “nerdy” lawyer whose rental housing platform faced disaster when Australia shut its doors on foreign students.
US property giant buys into Perth’s student housing boom
East-coast capitals have so far absorbed much of the momentum in the fast-growing student housing sector. Now it’s Perth’s turn.
January
Foreign students have a target on their backs
In a supercharged debate, Labor knows the risk of high immigration numbers being blamed for housing shortages, rental costs and overstretched infrastructure.
Our unis are helping overseas students abuse the visa system
Completely non-genuine international students are turning to the nuclear option to buy more time: an onshore application for asylum under the humanitarian visa stream
November 2025
Japanese investor splashes $600m on student housing giant UniLodge
Samty Holdings’ move for the operator of student accommodation is the latest in a surge of Japanese capital into Australia’s property sector.
Australia’s immigration debate is not immune to populism
The key to a successful immigration program is broad-based community support that prevents the issue from becoming a political lightning rod.
October 2025
Labor to overshoot migration forecast by 15pc
The decision to upgrade the risk ratings of 13 universities to speed up international student visa processing will add to migrant numbers.
Headwinds hit $51b education sector, but Australia in pole position
An American expert says that “a dark winter is coming” for the international industry, but some nations will flourish.
First year of Australia’s 1.2m housing target falls 66,000 homes short
While economists, industry and even the government say the aspirational target is unlikely to be met, this country has to up the pace in delivering new housing.
Sydney University request for more overseas students denied
Most universities will be allowed to enrol more international students next year, but one got knocked back.
The US rentals giant with a plan for 10,000 student beds
The target might look ambitious, but it would still be just a fraction of the 1 million rental units that Greystar has under management globally.
September 2025
International student numbers plunge as government visa fees bite
Overall new student enrolments in the year to June 30 were down by 16 per cent, with the English-language college sector down by 38 per cent.
North American BTR heavyweight circles student housing player UniLodge
The sales pitch talked up UniLodge’s capital-light model, in that it doesn’t own the real estate. Rather, it manages it for third-party owners.
Universities are not businesses and can’t be run like one
When non-profit organisations are managed as if they were for-profit firms, problems emerge. Economists have long warned of this.
Australian universities crying poor masks the reality. Here’s why
More than half the public universities manage to run deficits despite revenues expanding at double-digit annual rates and the government’s generosity.
Australia should step up to become Asia’s education hub: Matos
It was the hot-button political issue that became a nightmare for Labor. Now one big business boss wants international students back.
Victoria’s taxes put student accommodation at risk: Property Council
The southern state has the biggest pipeline of new beds, but also the biggest taxes – and that means many of them may not be built, the industry body warns.
UTS told to pause staff cuts because of ‘psychological harm’ risk
The workplace regulator has intervened in a redundancy process at the University of Technology Sydney in what experts say is rare but could become more common.
August 2025
The government is facing the ‘impossible trinity’ in higher education
The sector faces its own structural crisis as the federal government sets out to institutionalise caps in the international student market.
IDP Education sees massive profit drop as students find visas hard
The country’s largest listed provider of international education services says it will focus on earning more money for each placement and cutting costs.
