The United States of Strata Australia - Part 4

The United States of Strata Australia - Part 4

By
Michael Teys
on
May 24, 2025
Category:
Governance

We are a nation that speaks 8 separate strata dialects, yet the basic strata concepts are the same across the nation. So are the issues that trouble us. As we seek to understand what unites us and what divides us, this week our focus is Queensland.

Queensland has 539,154 lots across 52,920 schemes. Here are some other highlights of the latest research about the Queensland strata market:

· 13% of the population live in strata (compared to 15%nationally).

· 61% of Queensland strata schemes contain 5 lots or fewer.

· 44% of residents are aged between 20 – 39.

What makes Queensland's strata laws distinctive?

  1. A modular approach to legislation which a different regulation for different types of strata schemes resulting in over 1250 pages of strata legislation for the state
  2. The overarching duty of bodies corporate  (the name for OCs in Qld) to act reasonably
  3. Long term management and letting rights contacts for up to 25 years able to be imposed and sold by developers
  4. Secret ballots and returning officers largely driven by conflicts about management and letting rights

Queensland's approach to strata governance demonstrates how regulatory frameworks can become captured by industry interests while simultaneously creating unique consumer protections, offering valuable lessons about balancing commercial development with owners’ rights. As we continue our exploration of Australia's diverse strata landscape, these regional differences highlight both our shared challenges and the unique approaches that have evolved to address them.

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Michael Teys

Michael Teys is the Founder and Chairman of The Strata Professionals Australia. He brings together more than 30 years of specialist strata law practice, a decade of strata business ownership, and an active programme of academic research into multi-owned property governance.