Day One | Thursday, 19 February 2026
8:00
Registration Opens
8:45
Welcome to Country
9:00
Opening Address and Acknowledgements
INVESTMENT AND PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKING
9:10
Fireside Chat: Recipe for Access Unlocking Capability to Expand Housing Capacity
Defining the key ingredients for successful Build-to-Rent community projects through partnerships and long-term planning
De-risking projects to attract long-term institutional capital required for delivering development rapidly without sacrificing quality
Outlining what BTR housing investment means more broadly than stronger lease security and stability that Australian families need
Michael Camerlengo, Deputy Chief Investment Officer & Executive Leader Clients and Capital, Housing Australia
Puian Mollaian, Co-Founder, Investment Director, aptResidential
10:00
Keynote: Australia's First Wave of Build-to Rent Performance Unpacked
Analysing the real-world impact of interest rates, cap rates, and negative leverage on initial project returns
Insights on the true cost of delivery, from labour and materials to the hidden costs of planning delays
Benchmarking actual asset performance: Are lease-up velocity and stabilised yields meeting pro-forma expectations?
Matt Woodland, Managing Director, Greystar Australia
10:30
Morning Tea & Coffee
POLICY, PLANNING, AND TAXATION
11:00
State Differences: A BTR Legislative Comparison
A granular, state-by-state analysis of planning pathways and their direct impact on project feasibility.
Which states are getting it right? Identifying the specific policies that are successfully accelerating development.
What are the next critical policy reforms needed to unlock institutional investment at a national scale?
Who will build? Bringing together skilled trades through federal and state programs.
Luke Mackintosh, Partner, Project & Infrastructure Advisory, BDO
Veno Panicker, Partner Construction & Infrastructure, Hamilton Locke
11:45
Designing Investments for Community and Competitive Advantage
Suburbs beyond the CBD with the highest demand for quality rental products
What foreign capital wants: Understanding the specific performance and ESG metrics that global investors are underwriting
Designing for the entire lifecycle: How can one asset effectively appeal to demographics from young professionals to downsizers?
Tristan Quinn, Principal, Franklin St.
12:15
Keynote: Tax Structures for Operational Real Estate
A practical guide to accessing the 4% accelerated capital works deduction and the 15% concessional MIT withholding tax rate to support project feasibility.
De-risking Your Project & Understanding the Commissioner's Discretion: the practical steps for rectification to safeguard your project's eligibility in the face of unforeseen challenges.
An overview of the affordable tenancy requirements, lodgement processes, and the critical clawback provisions to ensure your project remains compliant.
Blake Sly, Senior Director, Australian Taxation Office
12:45
Networking Lunch
MASTERING THE DEVELOPMENT AND DELIVERY PIPELINE
1:45
Build-to-Rent Delivering Security, Quality, and Community
Analysing case studies of projects delivering quality housing for middle-income Australia in key urban corridors
Demonstrating the economic benefits of providing secure, high-quality housing as a requirement of the development
How can developers deliver affordability while still meeting institutional return hurdles?
Edward McAuliffe, Director of Residential Development & BTR Operations, Salta Properties Pty Ltd
2:15
The Depth on Leasehold Communities: Analysis of the Diverse Renter Market
Which markets are seeing the most demand for rental products? Which products are most desirable in these markets? Pinpointing which markets are seeing the highest demand for different BTR products
Understanding the performance and metrics that foreign capital is looking for in a BTR product
Developing housing that appeals to the entire renter lifecycle, from first-timers to downsizers
Anouk Darling, Chief Executive Officer, Scape Australia
Paul Savitz, Director Living Sectors Capital Markets, Cushman & Wakefield
3:00
Afternoon Tea
THE GLOBAL AND DOMESTIC CAPITAL LANDSCAPE
3:20
Forecasting BTR Demand and the Direct Impact of Migration on Housing
Analysing how current and future immigration trends are set to directly impact housing demand
Understanding the housing habits and preferences of new Australians to inform product design
A practical guide on how to factor economic changes into financial models to accurately underwrite future rent growth
Ben Burston, Chief Economist, Knight Frank
Ben Martin-Henry, Head of Private Assets Research, MSCI Pacific
4:05
Panel: Applying Global Urban Planning Lessons to Australian BTR
Examining how mature BTR markets like the UK and US have integrated BTR into urban planning
Key lessons learned from international markets on density, placemaking, and community integration
Applying global best practices to the Australian planning and development context
Marcus Greening, Associate | Residential Design Lead, i2C Architects
Julian Anderson, Director, Bates Smart
Mitchell Tayt, General Manager Build to Rent, Goldfields Group
4:50
Acknowledgements and Closing Statements
5:00
Networking Drinks
Day Two | Friday, 20 February 2026
8:20
Registration Opens
9:05
Opening Address and Acknowledgments
PRODUCT STRATEGY AND RESIDENT DEMAND
9:10
Keynote: The Sustainable Vision for BTR and the Future of the Tenant Experience
A practical outline of what a best-practice BTR model looks like from the regulator's perspective, from fairer lease terms to improved building quality and maintenance standards.
Exploring management models to ensure BTR developments provide well-maintained homes for a diverse mix of residents, including low-income renters and secure long-term leaseholders.
Trina Jones, NSW Rental Commissioner, NSW Fair Trading
9:40
Getting Ahead When Housing and Land Supply is in Crisis
Can state-level intervention break the hold of local councils to unlock land supply?
Discussing new models and potential conversions to lower the prohibitive upfront cost of delivery for developers
Articulating the economic case for BTR to governments as a key driver of housing and rental supply
Exploring the key urban corridors where there is great opportunity for BTR developments and what stakeholders need to come together to make these visions a reality.
Paul Nicolaou, Executive Director, Business Sydney
10:20
Morning Tea & Coffee
11:00
Blending Social and Specialist Housing for Impact and Profit
A practical guide to integrating social or disability housing into a BTR project
How mixed-tenure models can de-risk planning approvals and unlock government incentives
Demonstrating how to deliver both strong financial returns and measurable social impact
Nicola Lemon, Director - Enterprise (National Social and Affordable Housing Lead), KPMG
Emile McPhee, Partner Finance & Community Housing, Hamilton Locke
Mark Hayward, Executive Group Director- Homes, Housing Choices Australia
11:45
The Ownership Rebrand and the appeal of BTR Lease agreements for the Ideal Resident
Strategies for creating a powerful brand identity that attracts and secures the ideal resident
Leveraging technology and data to optimise the leasing process and reduce vacancy rates
James Eadie, Senior Sales Manager, REA Group
12:20
Unlocking Debt & Leverage for BTR Projects
What the banks need to see: A frank discussion on the key factors dictating funding availability, from developer track record to project pre-sales
A deep dive into underwriting: How are rising insurance, construction, and operational costs impacting lender models and LVRs?
Bank vs. Non-Bank: Understanding the differences in risk appetite, cost of capital, and structuring flexibility
Ashley Reed, Chief Financial Officer, MODEL
12:50
Lunch
OPERATIONS, CAPITAL, AND ASSET MANAGEMENT
1:45
Op Cos In-House & Third-Party Management
Defining the essential capabilities in operating large scale development from resident experience and tech integration to financial reporting and how to find the right management team
At what point does an in-house operating platform become more effective and financially viable than a third-party model?
A practical guide to structuring management agreements to ensure alignment and performance
Lizzie Wheeler, Executive General Manager, Essence Communities
2:30
Leveraging Technology for Productivity in Build-To-Rent Delivery
This session unpacks the building technology and methodologies that are non-negotiable for the next wave of BTR.
Assessing the real-world ROI of modular construction in the BTR context and digital platforms that provide certainty for management from groundbreaking to operations.
How to integrate smart housing solutions (access, energy, security) during the build phase to reduce long-term operational costs, enhance the resident experience, and create a more valuable, future-proofed asset.
3:00
Build to Rent vs Build to Sell: Which works and for who
The Capital Question: Comparing the long-term, stable income of BTR against the upfront returns and capital gains of BTS
The Investor Lens: Why negative gearing and tax benefits work for individuals but create fundamental hurdles for institutional capital
The Market Cycle: Which economic conditions, locations, and interest rate environments favour one model over the other?
Paul Zahara, Director, Austar Finance
3:30
Summit Closing Remarks and Key Takeaways
3:45
Closing of Summit