Melbourne Shaping Up as Australia’s Biggest City
Liveability Survey –
the third consecutive
year that the Victorian
capital has been at the
top of the influential
index, since taking the
title from Vancouver.
Melbourne consistently
scores highly in all
of the EIU’s criteria
and achieves perfect
scores in the areas of
healthcare, education
and infrastructure.
Ongoing investment in
Melbourne’s worldclass infrastructure
was highlighted in the
report for keeping
Melbourne at the top
of the index.
Melbourne is wellknown for its high
quality of life, with its
vibrant multicultural
community, renowned
arts scene and world
famous food and wine,
as well as Australia’s
best shopping and
leisure opportunities.
The Australian Bureau
of Statistics (ABS) has
projected that Melbourne
will overtake Sydney as
Australia’s most populous
city by 2053. However, due
to high migration and birth
rates, this may occur as
early as 2030.
Victoria has a population
of 5.6 million (2012). The
ABS has included a number
of alternative population
assumptions for Melbourne
around fertility rates, net
overseas migration and life
expectancy.
The Victorian Government
has acknowledged the
growth forecasts by
opening up housing
opportunities in urban
renewal precincts, growth
areas and in rural and
regional Victoria. The
Government’s Melbourne
Plan outlines action that
is designed to create a
State of Cities, not just a
city-state.
“The State’s skilled and
innovative workforce and
competitive business
environment each combine
to make Melbourne one
of the most dynamic cities
in the world. Victoria
contributes to almost a
quarter of Australia’s GDP
(Gross Domestic Product)
despite occupying just
3% of its land mass and
has maintained positive
economic growth for 20
years. It is also currently
the only state in Australia
to hold a AAA credit rating
with a stable outlook,” said
Victorian Commissioner to
South East Asia Tim Dillon.
Melbourne was also
recently named as the best
city in the world to live in,
according to the latest
Economist Intelligence
Unit’s (EIU) Global
Melbourne-Based Property
Developer Sets Up Malaysian
Office
Melbourne, Australia
Melbourne-based SPEC
Property has opened an
office in Malaysia, to mark
its maiden foray into the
Asean region.
Robert Evans, its
International Business
Manager, noted that the
opening of the Pan-Asean
SPEC Property office
was timely considering
the growing number
of customers from this
region that are residing in
Melbourne.
“We hugely value our
share of buyers and
we felt the time is right
to open a Pan-Asean
office to better serve our
customers in Malaysia
and the region,” he said.
“Instead of being
represented by agents,
where possible we prefer
to personally engage with
our buyers.
The property developer
said it targets to tap
Malaysia’s rising demand
for Australian properties
as the increasingly
wealthy populace scour
for potential investment
opportunities in quality
homes in Melbourne –
which is popular among
Malaysians for its lifestyle
and education.
“Mel