Herron Todd White (HTW), Australia’s largest property valuation, insights and advisory firm, welcomed a record attendance of more than 650 industry professionals to its 38th Annual South East Queensland Property Overview Breakfast, held at The Star Brisbane on Thursday, 29 October 2026.
One of Queensland’s leading property industry events, the breakfast brought together senior representatives from Australia’s major banks, institutional lenders, property developers, investors, government and professional services to examine the economic and property market forces shaping the region.
Hosted by HTW Group Chief Executive Officer Peter Maloney, the event featured a keynote address from Dr Jonathan Kearns, former senior Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) executive and current Chief Economist and Head of Regulatory Affairs at Challenger; Cameron Kusher, HTW Chief Economist; Alistair Weir, HTW Director, Commercial; and Gavin Hulcombe, HTW Managing Director, Commercial, Agribusiness & Government.
Together, the speakers explored Australia’s economic outlook, inflation and interest rates, residential and commercial property market conditions, housing supply and the opportunities emerging across South East Queensland.
Economic Outlook and Interest Rates
Opening the presentations, Dr Jonathan Kearns drew on his 28 years at the Reserve Bank of Australia to provide an assessment of Australia’s economic outlook, inflationary pressures and the future direction of interest rates.
With annual headline inflation reaching 4.3 per cent, Dr Kearns examined the prospect of further monetary tightening and the implications of a higher interest rate environment for households, investors, businesses and the broader property sector.
His presentation highlighted the importance of understanding economic conditions and monetary policy when making property investment, lending and development decisions.
Residential Property Market Outlook
HTW Chief Economist Cameron Kusher examined the changing dynamics of South East Queensland’s residential property markets, including housing affordability, buyer demand, population growth and the outlook for property values.
The presentation explored the economic and demographic forces influencing market activity, alongside the challenges associated with housing supply and affordability.
With significant population growth, ongoing infrastructure investment and preparations for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, South East Queensland continues to present substantial long-term opportunities for residential development and investment.
Commercial Property Market Insights
HTW Director, Commercial, Alistair Weir provided an update on the region’s commercial property sector, examining market conditions, investment activity and the factors influencing property values.
His presentation explored the impact of financing costs, changing market demand and broader economic conditions on commercial property, providing valuable insights for investors, developers, lenders and property owners.
The analysis reinforced the importance of independent market intelligence and local valuation expertise in navigating changing market conditions and identifying emerging opportunities.
Housing Supply, Investment and Development
HTW Managing Director, Commercial, Agribusiness & Government, Gavin Hulcombe examined the changing economics of residential property investment, housing supply and development activity.
His presentation highlighted the significant shift in Queensland’s rental market, with HTW analysis revealing that $500 per week secured a newly leased four-bedroom house at the median rent in December 2021, compared with a one-bedroom unit in June 2026.
HTW modelling also demonstrated the increasing costs associated with residential property investment, while valuation data identified changing investor participation across South East Queensland’s house-and-land market.
The findings highlighted the importance of maintaining investment confidence, improving development feasibility and supporting new housing supply to meet the region’s growing needs.
Leadership, Investment and the Road to 2032
Addressing the record crowd, HTW Group CEO Peter Maloney highlighted the importance of strong industry leadership, investment certainty and greater collaboration between government and the private sector to support Australia’s housing needs.
“Housing targets don’t put roofs over people’s heads. Building homes does. Governments need to stop measuring success by what they announce and start measuring it by what actually gets built.”
With Brisbane preparing to host the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the region has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to accelerate infrastructure delivery, unlock development and generate lasting economic benefits.
While economic conditions and housing affordability present challenges, the presentations reinforced South East Queensland’s long-term growth potential and the importance of coordinated investment, infrastructure and planning to support its future.