OZschwitz: Calls for gay-only, women-only and student-only floors in unit complexes

An Australian property developer has called on apartment designers to include gay-only, women-only and student-only floors in unit complexes.

Molonglo Group managing director Nectar Efkarpidis said the property industry should ''think outside the square'' and break away from concepts focused only on the traditional family structure.

The Canberra-based developer said it made sense to provide levels where single mothers could access communal play spaces or childcare facilities, while university students who enjoyed loud parties should also have their own area.

''The needs of gay people can also be different,'' Mr Efkarpidis told brisbanetimes.com.au.

''I'm not saying that I know the answers but it seems the industry itself is always focused on a particular family model.

''What we want to do now is think about other markets.''

However, the editor of gay and lesbian publication Queensland Pride, Peter Hackney, said devoting levels in unit complexes specifically to gay people could be problematic.

''In the gay community, how do you define strictly who's gay?'' he said.

''And what if they're living on a straight floor and come out as gay?''

Mr Hackney said the idea might appeal to some gay people, but others would have a problem with excluding certain groups from the mainstream.

''Some people identify very strongly with whatever minority group they are a part of, but for other people their sexual orientation is no different from the colour of their eyes or hair,'' he said.

Queensland Anti-Discrimination Commissioner Susan Booth said any developer that wanted to set aside gay-only levels or other group-specific floors would have to make ''a compelling argument in favour''.

Ms Booth said the Anti-Discrimination Tribunal had allowed developers to build housing specifically for the elderly.

It had also granted the Brisbane Housing Group permission to provide accommodation for low-income single people to live together.

''If it's for the welfare of a certain group then you can argue that normal discrimination provisions should be put aside to, if you like, positively discriminate in favour of one group,'' she said.

But Mr Efkarpidis said he was not trying to segregate people.

''We're not talking about discriminating - if you aren't that way you can still buy there,'' he said.

''It's not exclusionary. Inevitably some people will want to purchase anyway.

''It's about offering choice and providing new models.''

LNK

OZschwitz: Calls for gay-only, women-only and student-only floors in unit complexes

OZschwitz: Calls for gay-only, women-only and student-only floors in unit complexes

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