The Federal Government is now conducting an ‘Inquiry into the Australian Government’s role in development of cities’. In recent weeks, members of the Committee on Infrastructure, Transport and Cities conducting the Inquiry have been holding public hearings in major Australian cities, meeting with individuals and organisations that made an effort to participate in the Inquiry. … Continue reading
In recent years, Australia has experienced unprecedented heat, including heatwaves and record-breaking hot days, months, seasons and years. Australia has a naturally variable climate, but recent studies show that our recent extremes are already being influenced by climate change. Even if the Paris agreement to limit the global temperature rise to below 2C is met, … Continue reading
What are we as planners doing to address housing un-affordability for our elder generations…in particular the elder women? There have a been a number of media articles and social media groups highlighting the plight of a growing yet largely unspoken group that are entering homelessness…aging women. Two well presented video articles from SBS Insight bring … Continue reading
There are many examples of Ecovillages all around the world. In many cases they are showing repeated triple bottom line wins – ecologically, economically and socially. For inspiration here is a simple video about Ecovillages. What would it take for this to be a widespread initiative in Australia? Continue reading
I guided a tour of 12 laneways in Brisbane city this week for the World Symposium on Transport and Land Use Research. These spaces are hidden treasures for sanctuary and walking ‘short cuts’ that enable empathy through the sharing of city space. BUT they could produce so much more than coffee consumption. They are limited … Continue reading
Oh dear, did I just write ‘brothel’ in a School blog post? Well, it is a legitimate land use, isn’t it? Anyway. The original version of the title quote comes from the French author Jacques Seguela, and refers to working in advertising, not planning, but aren’t we planners a lot like publicists, anyway? Let me … Continue reading
Novels that are based in cities can illustrate the evolution of urban planning. By describing and re-creating a place, these stories can grasp details that lie beyond the scope of formal urban planning research. They might also provide, I guess, more powerful explanations than academic articles of the role of planning in a given city. … Continue reading
When people live in a communal like situation they have happier lives. And interesting they also tend to be more caring of their ecological impact. Hmmm. Not a surprise here. Quality of life and happiness in Intentional Communities. Yet why then is the range of modern communal living such as ecovillages, co-housing, co-living, co-operative houses so … Continue reading