A practical discussion with Ross Anderson, the Vice President of the Unit Owners Association of Queensland (UOAQ)

​In the 6th episode of the Let’s Talk Strata Podcast, Ross Anderson talks about the role of the committee and how committees can be enhanced by drawing upon the existing skill sets of the body of lot owners within the Community Titles Scheme.

Ross talks about the benefits of reaching out to the UOAQ and how this organisation assists lot owners through the dissemination of valuable information on the rules that govern bodies corporates in Queensland – both technical and practical.
​
On the role of the committee, and the UOAQ disseminating information to those stakeholders, Ross remarks:

A visionary view on the Strata industry with James Nickless, Vice President of Strata Community Australia Qld (SCA)​

In the 5th episode of the Let’s Talk Strata Podcast, James Nickless discusses the present and future needs of the Strata industry, elaborating on:
the need for more defined carrier pathways into the Strata industry;

• expansion of Strata education to practitioners and all stakeholders;
• technology and other innovations;
• possible directions in the termination of the schemes;
• ​James also discusses the role of Strata managers and how this key stakeholder is set to evolve in the future.

He discusses ways that managers can improve their skills to become a value-driven service provider, stating:

James finally talks about the things Queensland can learn from other States in honing its impending law reforms.
Jame Nickless profile

Listen to the 5th episode of the Let’s Talk Strata Podcast:

Practical insights into Strata relationships and disputes with Frank Higginson, Director and Partner at Hynes Legal

In Episode 4 of Let’s Talk Strata podcast, Frank Higginson discusses his experience in dealing with clients and the underlying instigators to body corporate disputes. Aside from the absolute need to communicate effectively, he raises the idea that disputing parties will often best serve their interest by “calming their farm”, engaging the right people and understanding the true nature of dispute.

Frank also talks about an ardent need to understand the true nature of the dispute at hand, in doing so he talks about knowing “where you are now, where you want to get to and how you want to get there”.
​
Frank also shed some light on his observations on Strata management industry and discusses the following topics, offering tips and practical suggestions:

• Management rights, managing that relationship and the interconnected expectations;
• Contentious By-laws, including those relating to:
  • hard flooring
  • hours of use of recreational facilities
  • smoking
  • pets
  • noise
  • towing
  • parking
  • short term letting

Frank Higginson contact details:
Emails: [email protected]
Phone: +61 7 3193 0588
Frank Higginson profile

Listen to the 4th episode of the Let’s Talk Strata Podcast:

A technical and practical discussion with Professor Michael Weir, Faculty of Law - Bond University

In this episode of the Let’s Talk Strata podcast, our guest delves into the complexity of the Body Corporate Law, its proposed law reforms and how these changes may impact lot owners, tenants, invitees and committee members.

Professor Michael Weir covers the following hot Strata topics:

• Property rights and what it means to be part of a Community Title Scheme;
• Achieving equitable outcomes in Body Corporate disputes;
• Building sustainable Strata developments and what it takes to build a good community;
• Controlling building defects;
• Tips when purchasing a Strata title property;
• The importance of Strata education for lot owners and practitioners alike.

​Professor Michael Weir also discusses his academic perspective on potential law reforms and analyses them against the current law, such as:

• Changes to the resolution without dissent threshold requirement;
• More equitable calculation of lot entitlements;
• Controlling nuisances such as smoking and parking. 

​Prof. Michael Weir contact details:
Telephone: (7) 5595 2031
Email: [email protected]​
Prof. Michael Weir profile
​
Listen to the 3rd episode of the Let’s Talk Strata Podcast:

A very insightful discussion with John Mahoney, director of Mahoneys Lawyers

Listen to the 6th episode of the Let’s Talk Strata Podcast:

The wait is over, the first episode of Let's Talk Strata is now available for download and listening on many channels.

The podcast episodes are recorded in a studio with the assistance of a professional sound engineer.  All the episodes are professionally edited and polished to create a pleasant experience for the listeners.

At Let's Talk Strata, we solely aim to raise awareness of important Strata issues in Queensland, with the view of helping different stakeholders with competing priorities find a platform to communicate with their target groups.
​

A relaxed discussion with the Body Corporate Commissioner, Chris Irons

The Body Corporate Commissioner’s office plays a vital role in the Strata industry in Queensland.

The Commissioner has a diverse role in dealing with an incredibly diverse group of people as stakeholders with strongly-held opinions and competing priorities.

The Commissioner’s office provides information and finds ways through the complexity of the jurisdiction to provide everyday Queenslanders with relevant and simplified information.

In this episode, Chris Irons, the Body Corporate Commissioner, outlines the dispute resolution avenues and how his office provides means for resolving matters that have not been resolved via the primary steps of dispute resolution.

There are currently more than half a million lots and 50,000 bodies corporates in Queensland and growing. The Commissioner’s office provides information (not legal advice) and Chris explains some of the challenges that his office grapples with.

Chris outlines the primary method that his office uses for pushing information out to people is Common Ground, a newsletter that goes out on a fairly regular basis and serves two purposes:

• an informative regular bulletin
• to advertise webinars, seminars or events

Subscribe here to Common Ground:

• https://www.qld.gov.au/bodycorporate

Contact the Commissioner’s office:

• Phone: 1800 060 119
• Website: https://www.qld.gov.au/bodycorporate

​Listen to the 1st episode of the Let’s Talk Strata Podcast: