These are articles I’ve written for the Victorian and Tasmanian Planners’ publication, Planning News, over the last few years.
Wollongong, Wollongong, Wollongong, Dapto, Wollongong | Planning News February 2017
Place names are an integral part of land use. Sometimes they give us a clue to the history and the geography of a place, even if we’ve never seen it… more
Displacement: Refugee Camps | Planning News Apri 2018
Refugee camps are cities. The average stay for refugees in camps run by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is 17 years. Palestinian refugees have been living in camps since 1948… more
Russia: Some Planning Observations| Planning News September 2017
During a recent visit to several Russian cities and a journey on the Trans Siberian train from Moscow to Beijing I had many opportunities to think about planning in a communist state compared with planning in a property-owning democracy…more
Ethiopia: Urban Development | Planning News September 2018
Massive investment in housing and energy, sewerage and road infrastructure is transforming Ethiopian towns and cities... more
Neighbourhood centre and Heritage controls | Planning News July 2019
The City of Yarra in Melbourne’s inner north has received a record number of submissions about proposed controls affecting the Victorian era streetscape of Queens Pde in Clifton Hill…more
Garma and East Arnhem Land | Planning News December 2019
East Arnhem land, with its main settlement of
Nhulunbuy, is one of the most remote places in Australia. A visit to the indigenous festival, Garma, provided insight into the economic and political issues facing all remote indigenous communities…more
Ideas for a sustainable society | Planning News February 2020
Even before COVID 19 and the 2019 bushfires Australia was facing crises on all fronts. Climate change, reconciliation, youth unemployment, insecure water and energy supplies and failing political structures. Here are some suggestions/ discussion points for a new start…more
#stayathome | Planning News June 2020
Homeless people were accommodated in hotels and carparks during the COVID 19 epidemic when we were all told to #stayathome. Post COVID reconstruction could focus on housing them permanently. ..more
In Praise of the Census | Planning News February 2021
This year, 2021, is a census year. I’m excited. We have something certain and positive to look forward to apart from death and taxes. But, the census needs some good publicity…. more
Town Planning as an Olympic Sport
And the gold medal for town planning goes to…
Yes, town planning was once an Olympic event but no, it wasn’t a competition where crowds watched the contestants rolling up the sleeves of their cardies and licking their coloured pencils, even in the 1920s! .more