A recent announcement by the Australian government declaring new fees and penalties on foreign property buyers drew censure from the property council, developers, and real estate agents, reports The Australian (26 February 2015). Under the new ruling, foreign buyers pay a minimum fee of $5,000 per purchase, thus increasing with the price of the sale. Besides that, a penalty for illegal property purchase has also been proposed. According to Simon Henry, Co-CEO of Juwai, such measures could potentially divert foreign investors from auction sales in Sydney and Melbourne to other capital cities instead, where private sales dominate. [This article is available in print only.]