Australia

Planning System Needs to Look at the 'Big Picture'

6 May 2008 - 1:00pm
The Age

Officials in Melbourne, Australia, are so frustrated with the city's lackluster planning process that they are pushing for the creation of a new planning authority -- one they hope will look at the "big picture".

Sydney Contemplating Tearing Down Freeway

2 April 2008 - 11:00am
Sydney Morning Herald

Sydney Mayor Clover Moore has suggested that the road be demolished, and a recent report from planning experts indicates the plan would not bring the city's traffic to a halt.

Funding Remains Uncertain for Sydney's 'Grand Project'

27 March 2008 - 8:00am
Sydney Morning Herald

A major plan to improve Sydney's walkability, urban design and public transit system have been applauded throughout the city. The only problem is figuring out how to pay for it.

Locals Apprehensively Excited About Sydney's Big Transit Plans

24 March 2008 - 7:00am
Sydney Morning Herald

A recently announced $12.5 billion metropolitan rail system plan for Sydney has many in the region excited about finally getting a good mass transit system. But they are also wary, as many other proposals promising similar services were never kept.

Traffic Calmed

19 March 2008 - 2:00pm
Streetsblog

This video from StreetFilm shows the extensive traffic calming efforts taken by one beach community in Australia.

Drought Hurts Global Wheat Supplies

15 March 2008 - 5:00am
BBC

A severe drought in Australia has cut into the country's wheat production -- and pushed prices up all over the world.

Australia's 'White Flight' and the Rise of the Aborigines

13 March 2008 - 9:00am
Sydney Morning Herald

The Aborigine population in Australia is on the rise, and the shift in demographics is posing problems for the country's school system.

City's 'Lungs' Paved Over

11 March 2008 - 10:00am
The Age

Urban projects have resulted in the paving over of significant chunks of parkland in Melbourne, Australia -- land set aside more than 150 years ago to act as the city's lungs.

Is Now the Time for an MPO in Melbourne?

8 March 2008 - 10:00am
The Age

With government plans to increase the amount of land used for affordable housing in Melbourne, Australia, some say it's time for a regional planning entity.

Is a Sprawling Future on Tap for Melbourne?

7 March 2008 - 6:00am
The Age

The city of Melbourne, Australia, is on track to surpass Sydney as the country's most populated. But the expected population growth may push the city into a sprawling and unsustainable future.

One in Five Want Out of Sydney

4 March 2008 - 9:00am
The Sydney Morning Herald

According to a recent poll, one out of every five people in Syndey, Australia, is considering moving out of town. Many city high costs and a loss of job opportunities in the city.

Sex Scandal in the Planning Department

25 February 2008 - 2:00pm
The Age

An Australian planner has confessed to having a series of affairs with prominent developers and subsequently approving their plans for major developments.

Australian High-Rise Projects Prompts Protests

5 January 2008 - 2:00pm
The Australian

A $1.7 billion high-rise development proposal that would jut out into the Brisbane River has prompted the protests of many planners and architects in Brisbane, Australia.

Sydney To Dedicate Parking For Car Sharing

29 November 2007 - 8:00am
The Age

Officials hope the new trial program will help increase the number of residents who join car sharing schemes.

Australian Urban Renewal Efforts Please Investors And Officials

21 November 2007 - 9:00am
The Australian

High returns on investments for housing developments in struggling and stagnant Australian city suburbs are helping to convince both developers and public officials to continue the outer-urban renewal efforts.

On The Importance Of Congestion

15 November 2007 - 12:00pm
Sydney Morning Herald

Congestion is one of the most common complaints about a city, whether it's L.A., New York, Beijing, or Sydney. This article takes a look at how congestion is important to making a city what it is.

Demographics Shift From Sydney To Melbourne

12 November 2007 - 2:00pm
Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Rising home prices and cost of living are steering more Australians away from Sydney and towards Melbourne, creating a boom in population that has put the city on track to become the country's biggest city.

Water Waste Turns Deadly

5 November 2007 - 8:00am
Reuters

An elderly man watering his lawn in drought-stricken Australia was recently berated by a passerby for wasting water. A fight then broke out and the man was beaten to death.

Man At Work

29 October 2007 - 10:07am
Seattle activist Jim Diers takes his expertise on cultivating neighbor power 'Down Under'.

Tear Down That Stop Sign!

19 October 2007 - 1:00pm
Sydney Morning Herald

A European experiment that removed traffic signs to improve pedestrian safety has spread to Australia.