With almost three decades of professional experience, Rob has had a variety of public and private sector roles, including in strategic planning, property research, development management and urban economics.
Rob’s expertise lies in his understanding of the relationship between population, planning and property, and has a detailed understanding of the social and economic forces impacting these.
With vast experience in developing project research methods and strategies, Rob is committed to working with his clients to find solutions to the most challenging questions.Whether it be for major retailers, health and well-being providers, local councils, state government departments, residential developers, or not-for-profit agencies,
Rob draws on his astute insight and generalist skills to provide informed and unique advice. He is regularly sought after to provide his insights at industry forums, conferences, project workshops, and boardroom strategy sessions.
Qualifications:
Bachelor of Arts (Urban Studies)
Master of Built Environment (Urban Design)
Leadership Victoria (ExperienceBank)
Expertise:
Population Forecasting & Demographic
Trend Analysis, Stakeholder Engagement,
Spatial & Location Analysis, Project
Strategy, Housing Monitoring & Forecasts.
Rob's Publications / Insights
Latest News
Bridging the Infill Gap, Challenges to Realise the Potential in Melbourne’s Missing Middle
Quantify Strategic Insights’ new report, “Bridging the Infill Gap, Challenges to Realise the Potential in Melbourne’s Missing Middle” has just been released. New dwelling approvals in the Established suburbs of Melbourne over the past three years are short of the official Victoria in Future 2023 forecasts, and well short of the draft dwelling […]
Estimating population of persons living with a disability for small areas
Quantify Strategic Insights recently provided small area estimates of the population living with a disability for a Victorian City Council to assist with the development of its inclusiveness strategy. Quantify’s estimates were based on a model that was drawn from Census data, the Australian Bureau of Statistics Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers, and the […]
Migration to the regions increasing
After subsiding in the immediate post-COVID aftermath, the level of net internal migration to the regions re-accelerated in the twelve months to March 2024. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that net internal migration inflows outside of Australia’s capital cities increased by 24%, from 25,140 in the year to March 2023, to 31,190 in the […]
Plan for Victoria Submission
Quantify Strategic Insights and Oliver Hume, recently joined forces to prepare a submission to the Victorian Government’s ‘Plan for Victoria’. Download report here: Plan for Victoria Submission Combining a wealth of experience and deep expertise in greenfield markets, population and demographic analysis, urban development, property research and strategic planning, the submission underscores the urgency of […]
Household sizes on the rise as affordability challenges bite
Understanding trends in household formation is important to understanding how population growth translates to housing occupancy and new dwelling demand. The COVID-lockdown period and immediate aftermath saw big changes in living situations in Victoria that are now steadily unwinding. Growth in the population living in group households, as related individuals (typically siblings), and as non-dependent […]
Does it pay to get a degree?
Does it pay to get a degree? If we only take home ownership as soon as possible as the desired outcome, there is almost no difference whether you work in a trade or have a degree as a young adult, with almost half of 30-34 year olds of each being recorded as owner occupiers at […]
In Praise of Sprawl
Urban growth restrictions are the real reason housing is too scarce and too dear, writes Rob Burgess in the IPA Review To see the article, click on the link below. In Praise of Sprawl – IPA Review
Quantify in the News
To see what Quantify’s Angie Zigomanis says about deteriorating affordability as reported in this Domain article, click on the link below. How high interest rates nipped a housing market ‘supernova’ in the bud (domain.com.au) To find out more please feel free to contact Angie Zigomanis at angie.zigomanis@quantifysi.com.au or Rob Burgess at rob.burgess@quantifysi.com.au
Student Accommodation vs Rental Growth
Correlation is not necessarily causation, but… Rental growth in capital city rental markets since international borders re-opened in December 2021 has been inversely related to their provision of Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) beds relative to international students. That is, those with the lowest provision, such as Sydney and Perth, have experienced the largest increases in […]
Quantify in the News
See what Quantify’s Angie Zigomanis says about about what rising rent mean for Melbourne’s housing market as reported in this Domain article. To find out more please feel free to contact Angie Zigomanis at angie.zigomanis@quantifysi.com.au or Rob Burgess at rob.burgess@quantifysi.com.au The Victorian suburbs where landlords haven’t been able to raise rents (domain.com.au)
Australia’s Changing Fertility
Growing social stratification is becoming increasingly evident in the spatial distribution of fertility rates across Australia. Fertility rates reflect a complex interplay between economic stability, government policy, urbanisation, employment trends, housing affordability, marriage patterns, dwelling preference, cost of living, and social norms. While much is made of the nation’s declining national fertility rate, now at […]
Population Update
A quick snapshot of the March 2023 National Population data release today shows that population growth continues at its furious pace. Australia recorded a record net overseas migration (NOM) inflow of 152,000 in March quarter 2023. This in turn took annual NOM to 454,000 in the year to March 2023, which is a massive 50% […]
Interstate migration flows revised upwards
The ABS has released final rebased population estimates for June 2021 based on the 2021 Census. The final rebased population estimate draws together all outstanding population data available since the preliminary estimates were published to lock in a final population number in June 2021. The release also revised Net Interstate Migration (NIM) data as part […]
Is Build-to-Rent poised to come of age?
Significant demographic headwinds over the next decade will reduce the pool of ‘mum and dad’ investors able to drive new rental supply, which in turn will pave the way for a greater presence of Build-to-Rent (BTR) product in the market to fill the void.
Where are all the rentals?
New dwelling supply was relatively healthy through the COVID pandemic, while net overseas migration went backwards. Yet vacancy rates are tightening. Why is this happening?
Growth Areas Bad, Infill Good: Planning’s Perennial Problem
If, as a nation, we are genuine about improving the dire state of housing, then the “growth areas bad, infill good”, mindset, simply needs to stop.
Millennials worse off. But Why?
Have we have succumbed to the notion that younger Australians will necessarily be worse off than their parents?
Net Overseas Migration Roaring Back
Interesting results from the September quarter 2022 population release published today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Remote working for Sydney CBD workers on the rise
Analysis of 2021 Census data indicates that the number of Sydney CBD workers living out of the Metro area has increased significantly
Melbourne CBD workers flee the city
The 2021 Census indicates a rise in the number of Melbourne CBD workers now living out of the Greater Melbourne area.
Births on the rebound in 2021
This ABS release on 2021 births shows that the dark days of a dismal 1.59 national total fertility rate (TFR) are officially behind us, with the latest figures showing a return to a buoyant 1.7 - a slight, but positive increase on the pre-covid (2019) TFR of 1.67.
Migratory Millennials – Marching from the Metropolis
As stories of new migration patterns and movement across Australia’s cities and regions abound, updated population data shows that what initially appeared to be a pandemic-induced blip is instead the beginning of a reversal of a long-term trend. Emergent patterns of internal migration, together with the rise, and living preferences of the Millennial cohort, now […]
COVID Impacts on households
The COVID pandemic and associated lockdowns resulted in many re-assessing the way they think about their lifestyle and their homes. This has largely been characterised by a desire for more space, both external and internal, to capitalise on the increased ability to work from home. This has in turn had an impact in household formation and housing demand (both rental and purchaser).
International student arrivals
International students are the main driver of net overseas migration flows into Australia, and in pre-COVID times accounted for just over 40% of the country’s net overseas migration. Many international students move on to graduate visas and eventually become permanent residents.
