Measuring the impact of urban regulation on housing affordability in Australian cities and regions. Urban planning must ensure that development meets new environmental goals, but stringent regulation may reduce housing supply and affordability. This project uses new local planning data and econometric studies to quantify and monitor planning regulation impacts on housing supply and affordability in Australian cities and regions.
Regional resilience to economic shocks: Australia’s COVID Economic slowdown. This project is designed to analyse how employment outcomes in Australian regions respond to economic shocks such as that caused by COVID-19. Set within the emerging literature dealing with employment resilience, the project uses unique data (Payroll Jobs index) to measure employment resilience and understand the factors that impact diverse regional outcomes. Understanding these patterns is significant as a region's ec ....Regional resilience to economic shocks: Australia’s COVID Economic slowdown. This project is designed to analyse how employment outcomes in Australian regions respond to economic shocks such as that caused by COVID-19. Set within the emerging literature dealing with employment resilience, the project uses unique data (Payroll Jobs index) to measure employment resilience and understand the factors that impact diverse regional outcomes. Understanding these patterns is significant as a region's economic performance has the potential to impact the well being of individuals and their families, as well as the sustainability of local economies and communities. The project will result in a nuanced understanding of regional employment performance that will inform policy in both government and non-government sectors. Read moreRead less
Community Self-determination in the Era of Automated Home Delivery Systems. Urban environments in Australia and internationally are on the cusp of major disruption resulting from impending proliferation of home delivery services using autonomous vehicles in the form of trucks, shuttles, bots, and drones. As witnessed in the case of ride-share services, socio-technical changes can permeate society before effective regulation is introduced unless swift anticipatory action is taken. The aim of this ....Community Self-determination in the Era of Automated Home Delivery Systems. Urban environments in Australia and internationally are on the cusp of major disruption resulting from impending proliferation of home delivery services using autonomous vehicles in the form of trucks, shuttles, bots, and drones. As witnessed in the case of ride-share services, socio-technical changes can permeate society before effective regulation is introduced unless swift anticipatory action is taken. The aim of this project is to deliver the critical information inputs required to empower and protect communities in a future characterised by the widespread use of automated product deliveries. Outputs will include modelled scenarios and negotiated policy recommendations that reflect meaningful community consultation.Read moreRead less
Assessing absolute sustainability of global cities. The project aims to create a quantitative modelling framework for assessing the absolute sustainability of cities by combining global multi-region input-output analysis with the 'safe and just space' concept for human development. The model will allow assessment of the full supply chain environmental and social impacts of urban economic activities against biophysical planetary limits as well as social foundation thresholds defined in the litera ....Assessing absolute sustainability of global cities. The project aims to create a quantitative modelling framework for assessing the absolute sustainability of cities by combining global multi-region input-output analysis with the 'safe and just space' concept for human development. The model will allow assessment of the full supply chain environmental and social impacts of urban economic activities against biophysical planetary limits as well as social foundation thresholds defined in the literature. The project will advance sustainability science methodology and will greatly benefit worldwide initiatives for urban sustainability. Case studies on Australian cities will assess where interventions can be most practically, realistically and effectively implemented.Read moreRead less
Hidden housing crisis? Urban planning and informal housing supply. Affordability pressures are increasingly forcing low income renters into substandard or ‘informal’ housing arrangements ranging from share accommodation through to backyard ‘granny flats’ and unauthorised dwelling units. This project aims to uncover how this ‘hidden’ housing is produced within formal systems of urban regulation, and risks or benefits for residents. By exposing the significant but often ignored role of informality ....Hidden housing crisis? Urban planning and informal housing supply. Affordability pressures are increasingly forcing low income renters into substandard or ‘informal’ housing arrangements ranging from share accommodation through to backyard ‘granny flats’ and unauthorised dwelling units. This project aims to uncover how this ‘hidden’ housing is produced within formal systems of urban regulation, and risks or benefits for residents. By exposing the significant but often ignored role of informality within housing systems, the project expects to advance the fields of housing and urban studies; lead international scholarly collaboration; and build research capacity. Project outcomes are intended to enhance local planning practice and improve housing standards and choice, particularly for low income renters.
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The financialisation of older persons residential parks and rental villages. The project aims to explore and explain contemporary change in the residential parks and communities (PC) and rental villages (RV) sectors, and to set out policy implications, including for housing affordability; housing legal rights; ageing support and care; and financial services consumer protection.
Pitched to older persons as affordable alternatives to homeownership and to retirement villages, PCs and RVs are chang ....The financialisation of older persons residential parks and rental villages. The project aims to explore and explain contemporary change in the residential parks and communities (PC) and rental villages (RV) sectors, and to set out policy implications, including for housing affordability; housing legal rights; ageing support and care; and financial services consumer protection.
Pitched to older persons as affordable alternatives to homeownership and to retirement villages, PCs and RVs are changing, with new large corporate proprietors introducing new business models and housing offers. Financialisation perspectives offer new critical insights into the sectors, including their relations to wider housing and economic dynamics, the strategies and operations of sector organisations, and the everyday lives of residents.Read moreRead less
The role of investor landlords in restructuring Australia's major cities. With their property acquisition activity reaching record levels, investor landlords are now key players in Australia's housing market. This has sparked vigorous public debate on the contribution of this activity to a 'housing price bubble' and the crowding out of first home buyers. Given new research indicating private rental provision growing fastest in the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods, another effect may be to exace ....The role of investor landlords in restructuring Australia's major cities. With their property acquisition activity reaching record levels, investor landlords are now key players in Australia's housing market. This has sparked vigorous public debate on the contribution of this activity to a 'housing price bubble' and the crowding out of first home buyers. Given new research indicating private rental provision growing fastest in the most disadvantaged neighbourhoods, another effect may be to exacerbate the socio-spatial polarisation of our major cities. This project will therefore investigate the drivers and consequences of growing private rental investment in Australia's major cities, especially in disadvantaged areas. Project findings are expected to inform national housing, planning and urban policy.Read moreRead less
What makes a community resilient? Examining changes in the adaptive capacities of Brisbane suburbs before and after the 2011 flood. This project will be the first study to examine the key community processes and structures associated with community resilience both before and after the 2011 Brisbane floods. Drawing on a longitudinal study of Brisbane suburbs, it will critically assess the conditions under which suburban communities respond to and recover from a major disaster.
Innovating urban governance: practices for enhanced urban futures. Across the world, innovations in urban governance are emerging as cities seek to address complex urban challenges. This project poses much needed critical questions of these innovations: who do they involve; how do they work; how do they intersect with longstanding practices of governing the city. It aims to build new understandings of urban governance by delineating the scope, mechanisms, limits and potentials of these innovati ....Innovating urban governance: practices for enhanced urban futures. Across the world, innovations in urban governance are emerging as cities seek to address complex urban challenges. This project poses much needed critical questions of these innovations: who do they involve; how do they work; how do they intersect with longstanding practices of governing the city. It aims to build new understandings of urban governance by delineating the scope, mechanisms, limits and potentials of these innovations. Through integrating insights from Australian and international cases, project outcomes include new knowledge to inform urban governance innovation for the Australian context and enhanced capacity to facilitate the future prosperity, wellbeing and democratic inclusiveness of Australian cities. Read moreRead less
Volumetric urbanism. This project aims to explain how global built environment and development firms ‘push the envelope’ of urban space. In cities worldwide, governments are faced with the problem and possibilities of ‘volume’: stacking and moving people within booming central business districts, especially around mass public transport nodes. This project will examine the prototypes, calculative devices and mediating technologies that are used to redefine cities and maximise development values. ....Volumetric urbanism. This project aims to explain how global built environment and development firms ‘push the envelope’ of urban space. In cities worldwide, governments are faced with the problem and possibilities of ‘volume’: stacking and moving people within booming central business districts, especially around mass public transport nodes. This project will examine the prototypes, calculative devices and mediating technologies that are used to redefine cities and maximise development values. It will analyse the justifications for high volume urban development projects, and assess how transnational business and design models shape city redevelopment. This project expects to provide insights into interpreting complex urban megaprojects in Australia and internationally.Read moreRead less