Australia’s housing debate has rarely been more urgent. The National Housing Supply and Affordability Council forecasts the country could fall around 262,000 homes short of housing needs by 2029, underscoring the scale of the challenge facing planners, governments and developers.

In response, much of the conversation has centred on high-density towers around transport corridors and strategic centres.

Diversified developer Coronation Property, while also focused on well-located, strategic sites, is incorporating an arguably underutilised typology, the terrace.

Difficult to integrate into true high-rise developments, terraces have become a defining feature of Coronation’s lower-rise portfolio, including projects in Ashbury and Erskineville. <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/ashbury-terraces-165-171-milton-street-ashbury-nsw-2193">Ashbury Terraces</a> places a stronger emphasis on this housing type, forming part of a broader community mix.

At its Erskineville development, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/lillian-erskineville-9-metters-street-erskineville-nsw-2043">Lillian</a>, terraces are more limited, with just a handful&nbsp;included within the wider, predominantly apartment-led precinct, one of the first developments to launch in Erskineville in several years.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135149 project_image_fid=368392]

Terrace residents at Lillian benefit from many of the same advantages as apartment owners, the lock-up-and-leave lifestyle and access to shared amenities like the rooftop wellness space, but with significantly more space.

Spanning multiple levels, the terraces also feature front and rear courtyards, providing direct access to the central landscaped gardens within the precinct.

<h3 data-end="212" data-section-id="1n97jye" data-start="191">The terrace model</h3>

Terrace housing has long been part of Australia’s urban fabric. From Paddington and Surry Hills to Glebe and Annandale, rows of terrace homes have shaped neighbourhood streets, offering a housing form that sits between detached houses and apartments.

The contemporary terrace, however, addresses many of the limitations of older designs, where narrow staircases and constrained layouts often compromised liveability.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135149 project_image_fid=368157]

“Terraces represent one of the city’s most intelligent housing models,” says Joe Nahas, Managing Director of Coronation Property.

“They deliver density without losing the human scale that makes neighbourhoods liveable. In many ways, they provide a bridge between the Sydney we know and the Sydney we need to build. If Sydney is going to grow well, it can’t rely on towers alone.”

<hr data-end="1090" data-start="1087" />
<h3 data-end="1124" data-section-id="1a7l0gw" data-start="1092">The evolution of the terrace</h3>

That thinking has shaped Coronation’s approach at Ashbury Terraces, where the terrace typology has been reinterpreted for modern living.

Designed by SJB, the project recently received recognition at the 2026 Better Future World Design Awards, acknowledging its architectural clarity and response to the surrounding suburban context.

SJB Director Adam Haddow says the intent was to evolve a familiar housing form rather than reinvent it.

“The terrace is one of Sydney’s most familiar housing forms, so our approach at Ashbury was to reinterpret that typology in a contemporary way,” Haddow says.

“The homes are designed to sit comfortably within the existing neighbourhood while introducing more light, landscape and shared spaces that support modern living.”

Ashbury Terraces combines terraces, apartments and penthouses across a series of low-rise buildings, integrating contemporary architecture with landscaped communal spaces and resident amenity.

That same typology is now being carried into Coronation’s Lillian development in Erskineville, where a smaller number of terraces sit within a predominantly apartment-led precinct.

<hr data-end="2269" data-start="2266" />
<h3 data-end="2289" data-section-id="cazuws" data-start="2271">Buyer response</h3>

Coronation’s decision to include terraces at Lillian was informed by strong buyer feedback from Ashbury Terraces, where purchasers were drawn to the flexibility and scale the housing type offers.

One resident, Sweta Pursem, purchased a terrace as a single buyer, citing its long-term versatility.

“As a single buyer, it might seem surprising that I chose a terrace over an apartment, but I was thinking long term,” Pursem says.

“The terraces are incredibly versatile, catering to a range of lifestyles while still offering the space and privacy of a house.”

For Pursem, the multi-level layout provides a level of functionality not typically found in apartment living.

“Having a separate living area from the bedroom and home office makes everyday living feel both functional and comfortable. When friends and family come to visit, the layout gives a sense of privacy while still feeling open and spacious.”

Her terrace also supports a more connected, lifestyle-driven way of living.

“I love entertaining, and the courtyard is ideal for relaxed weekend drinks with friends. I tend to use each level differently throughout the day, it creates a natural rhythm between work, downtime and entertaining, which I didn’t have in apartment living.”

Ashbury Terraces is now complete and ready to move in, while Lillian in Erskineville is under construction and expected to welcome residents in mid-2027.

Joel Robinson

Coronation champions terraces as a key piece of Sydney’s housing mix

Private equity real estate firm Conquest has entered into a $220 million partnership with Woolworths’ development arm, Fabcot, to deliver its long-awaited Waterloo project on Bourke Street.

The Bourke Street development was first flagged by Fabcot back in 2021 as part of its push into Sydney’s residential market. However, progress has since stalled, with no activity on site amid a number of design revisions in consultation with the City of Sydney.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/conquest">Conquest</a>, which is actively planning more than $6 billion worth of new developments, predominantly mixed-use precincts, is now set to move the project forward.

The current plans include between 110 and 120 apartments across two buildings designed by Bates Smart at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/923-935-bourke-street-waterloo-nsw-2017">923 Bourke Street</a>. The scheme will incorporate a portion of apartments reserved for key workers, alongside premium commercial space at ground level, including a full-line Woolworths supermarket.

Construction is expected to commence in the second half of 2026.

Michael&nbsp;Akaawi, CEO of Conquest, said the partnership reflects the firm’s commitment to "convenience-led" urban renewal."

"We are preparing to commence construction in the second half of this year," Akaawi says.

"Along with Woolworths, we look forward to delivering the first major supermarket to the growing Waterloo community, integrated with premium new apartments and specialty retail shops. Our focus is on creating a seamless lifestyle hub where essential services are at the doorstep, saving residents time and enhancing their quality of life."&nbsp;

<img alt="Conquest" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d8beee83-ef9b-446b-a3b3-1e2fe596512b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-01%20at%2011.08.46%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=raYhGepiLUJfx4InLPRRJduA3ftDJ_kS" />

The news comes just a week after Conquest went to the NSW Government to upsize its plans for Castlecrag's Quadrangle Shopping Centre.

Conquest purchased the site for just shy of $70 million last year, with existing plans in place for a mixed-use residential and retail precinct comprising 38 luxury apartments.

Those plans have now been significantly expanded, with the developer lodging a State Significant Development Application with the NSW Government’s Housing Delivery Authority for 150 apartments across two 11-storey buildings. The apartments will sit above a four-storey podium, incorporating specialty retail tenancies and five levels of basement car parking, on the 5,166 sqm site at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/100-edinburgh-road-castlecrag-nsw-2068">100 Edinburgh Road</a>.

Conquest has been increasingly active in the development space in recent years. The group acquired the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/eastlakes-nsw-2018">Eastlakes</a>&nbsp;Shopping Centre redevelopment, where it plans to deliver more than 1,000 apartments above a new retail precinct, and has also lodged a $900 million State Significant Development Application for a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/conquest-unveils-900m-stanmore-village-vision-for-landmark-inner-west-site">mixed-use precinct in Stanmore</a>.

Conquest partners with Woolworths to deliver mixed-use Waterloo project

A shift away from Sydney’s industrial past has left parts of the inner south defined by contrast, brick warehouses repurposed into dining precincts, former factory streets softened by landscaping and pedestrian activity.

Rosebery is one of those suburbs. Over the past decade, it has undergone significant gentrification, anchored by The Cannery, which has helped reposition the area as one of the inner city’s most sought-after lifestyle pockets.

What hasn’t kept pace with that transformation is new residential supply, which has remained relatively limited. Builder-developer Deicorp identified that gap early, securing a site in 2019 and delivering what is now one of the suburb’s most architecturally distinctive developments.

To realise the vision, Deicorp engaged Candalepas Associates to design The Rothschild, a project that is immediately recognisable from the street.

Completed in 2025, The Rothschild comprises two buildings across Rothschild and Mentmore Avenues, delivering 176 apartments. The development replaces a former industrial site, retaining a material and structural dialogue with its past while introducing a more resolved residential framework. The scale is deliberate but not monolithic, broken into forms that engage both street frontages, with retail at ground level and two levels of basement parking below.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=106843 project_image_fid=221665]

From the street, the architectural intent is clear. Off-form concrete columns run through the façade, establishing a repeated structural rhythm that gives the building its visual weight. These are paired with deep-set arches and sections of exposed brickwork, creating a layered elevation that reads less like a typical apartment block and more like a reinterpretation of industrial architecture.

The material palette is intentionally restrained, with concrete left exposed and brick used to define mass rather than decoration. The result is a building that stands out through proportion and repetition, rather than height or glazing.

This approach continues internally. A central landscaped courtyard sits between the two buildings, anchored by an olive grove that acts as both a visual and spatial focal point. Rather than functioning as residual space, the courtyard is designed as a shared ground plane, where circulation paths, seating areas and planting come together to create a usable communal environment. Its positioning allows natural light to penetrate deep into the site while maintaining separation between residences.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=106843 project_image_fid=221666]

Within the apartments, the planning follows a clear and functional logic. Entry points lead directly into open-plan living areas, with kitchens positioned as central elements alongside dining and lounge spaces. These zones extend to balconies or external openings, maintaining a visual connection to either the courtyard or the street.

Kitchens prioritise practicality, with generous bench space, ample storage and European appliances configured for everyday use. Bedrooms are typically set back from the main living areas, creating quieter zones within each residence, with separation achieved through layout rather than material change. Bathrooms are compact but efficient, incorporating mirrored cabinetry and integrated storage to maximise space. Across all residences, the emphasis is on clarity of movement and functional planning.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=106843 project_image_fid=221669]

At ground level, retail and hospitality uses extend the building’s presence beyond its residential function. A café or restaurant space, alongside communal amenities such as a music room and rooftop areas, positions the development as part of a broader urban network rather than a standalone project. These shared spaces reinforce a lifestyle where the building operates as an extension of the surrounding neighbourhood.

Rosebery’s proximity to Green Square, The Cannery and nearby parklands supports this model of living, where much of daily life is within walking distance. The Rothschild sits comfortably within that network, contributing to the streetscape through its distinctive architecture, while internally organising space around light, structure and communal use.

The Rothschild is now complete and ready to move in, with limited residences remaining.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=106843]

The Rothschild reinterprets Rosebery’s industrial DNA into residential form

KTQ has unveiled&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/casilia-16-marine-parade-coolangatta-qld-4225">Casilia</a>, the final residential release within the Kirra Point precinct which really kicked off the boom in the area back in 2019.

The final stage comprises&nbsp;87 residences and marks the culmination of a long-term, family-led vision for Kirra Point, as the precinct moves toward completion in tandem with the development.

Around $100 million in sales have been achieved already, close to 35 per cent of the residences secured ahead of launch. There have been a significant number of buyers returning from the first stage of the development, Miles Residences, securing another property within Kirra Point.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152295 project_image_fid=368410]

Selling agent Tim Keenan from Keenan Byrne said the response reflects both the scarcity of the offering and Kirra’s growing reputation as a premium coastal market.

“This is effectively Kirra’s final act, the last release within what has become one of the Southern Gold Coast’s most tightly held beachfront precincts,” Keenan said.

“We’ve seen exceptionally strong pre-sale interest, from VIP waitlists through to off-market enquiry, which speaks to both the quality of the product and the confidence buyers have in the precinct. What’s particularly compelling is the number of buyers returning from Miles, either upgrading or investing again, which is a strong signal of how the precinct has been received."

Keenan adds that at the same time, north-facing beachfront remains exceptionally rare in Australia, limited to places like Noosa, Byron and Kirra, which is underpinning long-term value.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152295 project_image_fid=368415]

Positioned along one of Australia’s few true north-facing beaches, Casilia offers a mix of two and three-bedroom residences with pricing ranging from $1.87 million to $7.15 million and two exclusive penthouses. Residences are oriented to capture varying outlooks, from uninterrupted Pacific Ocean views across Kirra Beach to hinterland vistas, with upper levels and shared amenity taking in sweeping perspectives along the Gold Coast coastline.

At rooftop level, a north-facing pool deck captures expansive, uninterrupted views over Kirra Beach and north towards Surface Paradise. The space incorporates a heated resort-style pool, mineral spa, sun lounges and a covered BBQ cantina.

Buyer profiles are broad, typically aged between 40 and 70, with a strong skew toward second-home ownership, drawn by a combination of lifestyle, relative value, proximity to Gold Coast Airport and lower congestion compared to more established markets such as Byron Bay and Noosa.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152295 project_image_fid=368414]

The project is being delivered by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/ktq-group">KTQ Group</a>, a family-owned Australian property group with a diverse portfolio spanning residential, hospitality and commercial developments. The group has delivered a number of notable projects across sectors, including the award-winning Elements of Byron resort, demonstrating its depth of experience across both hospitality and residential development.

Known for its long-term approach to place-making, KTQ Group retains a vested interest in its projects, often holding assets within its portfolio, which has also helped build trust among buyers and reinforced confidence in both the vision and delivery certainty of the precinct.

“Casilia represents the final opportunity to secure a residence within Kirra Point and brings to market the last release within our long-term vision for the precinct," KTQ Group's Jeremy Holmes said.

"Kirra Point has been more than a decade in the making, and that timeframe reflects the care behind each decision, it takes listening, balance and vision to arrive at something that feels right for the location.

“Our approach has always been to deliver Kirra Point as a destination in its own right, a connected coastal neighbourhood integrating residential, hospitality and wellness, rather than a standalone project. It’s a vision that respects place, pace and permanence, and contributes to a sense of community that feels authentic to Kirra.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152295 project_image_fid=368411]

Once complete, the Kirra Point masterplan will incorporate a mix of dining establishments, bars and cafés, alongside the Kirra Point Health Club and a future 91-room independent resort hotel, creating a walkable, integrated lifestyle precinct.

Architecutue and interiors at Casilia have been designed by the experienced design houses of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/little-boat-projects">Little Boat Projects</a> and O’Neil Architecture &amp; Interior Design, The design moves beyond the conventional coastal apartments, instead taking cues &nbsp;from the surrounding landscape - layering natural materials, soft curves and warm textures to create spaces that respond to light, airflow and the rhythms of coastal living.

Residences are designed with an array of floorplates, generous proportions and intuitive flow, while at ground level Casilia connects into the broader precinct, where future laneways, retail and hospitality offerings will contribute to a neighbourhood defined as much by how people live day-to-day as its beachfront position.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152295]

The final residential release within the Kirra Point masterplan is set to launch, as strong pre-sales signal sustained demand for the Southern Gold Coast

A decade in the making: KTQ launches Casilia at Kirra Point

South East Queensland developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/gardner-vaughan-group">Gardner Vaughan Group</a>’s entry into the Gold Coast apartment market has progressed from pipeline to market, with its Chevron Island project Bronze on Chevron now formally available to purchase ahead of a planned 2029 completion.

The 119-apartment development on Mawarra Street marks the Brisbane-headquartered builder-developer’s first residential play in the Gold Coast, following its expansion south from Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/bronze-on-chevron-8-mawarra-street-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Bronze on Chevron</a> comprises a mix of two-, three- and four-bedroom residences, with pricing starting from just over $1.5 million. The project is being delivered under Gardner Vaughan’s fully integrated model, with the group acting as both developer and builder, a structure it has consistently applied across its South East Queensland portfolio.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=107520 project_image_fid=367182]

Architecture has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cottee-parker-architects">Cottee Parker</a>, with landscape architecture by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/jeremy-ferrier-landscape-design">Jeremy Ferrier</a>. The building presents as a single-tower scheme, with a focus on maximising outlook across both the Surfers Paradise skyline and the Nerang River.

Apartments have been planned with open-plan living zones extending to generous balconies, a response to the site’s dual-aspect positioning between river and ocean. Interiors follow a restrained coastal palette, with two colour schemes offered, and an emphasis on natural light and cross-ventilation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=107520 project_image_fid=367181]

Resident amenity is concentrated across more than 1,250 sqm and includes a resort-style pool, gym, yoga lawn and rooftop entertaining areas. A function space with catering facilities forms part of the upper-level offering, alongside north- and south-facing outdoor areas.

Ground level will incorporate two retail tenancies, intended to extend the existing village character of the surrounding streets.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=107520 project_image_fid=367200]

The project sits within walking distance of Thomas Drive’s established dining strip, while maintaining proximity to <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Surfers Paradise</a> beach and broader Gold Coast amenity. The location, positioned on Chevron Island between the river and coastline, has increasingly attracted mid- to high-density development in recent years as the precinct evolves beyond its low-rise origins.

Gardner Vaughan’s move into the Gold Coast was first signalled in 2025, with the group identifying the region as a natural extension of its operations. Chief Executive Officer Simon Betteridge described the expansion as both “strategic and natural”, citing demand for well-designed apartments in lifestyle-driven markets.

Construction is expected to complete in early 2029.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=107520]

Gardner Vaughan brings Bronze on Chevron to market as Gold Coast debut

Minister

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The change in leadership of the Commonwealth Government has brought new ministers to the portfolios that are connected with important housing, homelessness, cities and urban issues.
The Hon Scott Morrison MP (Liberal Party), the Prime Minister, has engaged closely with housing issues in his previous roles as Treasurer and Minister for Social Services.
Prime Minister Morrison also has a strong background in housing issues having been National Manager, Policy and Research, of the Property Council of Australia between 1989 and 1995.
The Hon Josh Frydenberg MP (Liberal Party) is Treasurer, a role that has a large impact on the work of those in Australia’s housing and homelessness sector.
The Treasury oversees the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation and the Bills relating to the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement, which enables the Commonwealth to provide financial assistance to the states for housing, homelessness and housing affordability matters. 
Senator the Hon Bridget McKenzie (The Nationals) is the Minister for Regional Services, Local Government and Decentralisation. As part of this Ministry, Senator McKenzie sees ‘getting people out of our congested cities and into our regions' as a core priority. 
The Hon Paul Fletcher MP (Liberal Party) is the Minister for Families and Social Services. Minister Fletcher has a background in the law, economics and the communications sector. Prior to his most recent Ministerial appointment, he was Minister for Urban Infrastructure and Cities. The Department of Social Services delivers services such as Commonwealth Rent Assistance, the on-going National Rental Affordability Scheme (NRAS) and the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness (NPAH).
The Hon Alan Tudge MP (Liberal Party) is the Minister for Cities, Urban Infrastructure and Population, the ministry that oversees the Smart Cities and City Deals programs which aim to bring all levels of government together to improve the productivity and liveability of Australian cities.
Minister Tudge’s background is in business, including several years with the Boston Consulting Group in Australia, Malaysia and New York, and running his own advisory business.
Senator the Hon Zed Seselja (Liberal Party), Assistant Minister for Treasury and Finance, studied Arts and Law at the Australian National University before joining the Commonwealth Public Service as a Lawyer. Previously, Senator Seselja was elected to the Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly in 2004 before resigning to stand for the Senate for the Australian Capital Territory. Senator Seseljia will support the Treasurer in a portfolio that has responsibility for the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation, amongst other programs.
The Hon Sarah Henderson MP (Liberal Party), the Assistant Minister for Social Services, Housing and Disability Services, has an extensive background as a journalist and lawyer, and won a Walkley award for her coverage of the Port Arthur massacre in 1996.
The inclusion of Housing in the Minister’s portfolio is a welcome addition to the Government’s frontbench, AHURI advised.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Who are the new Federal Government ministers who will look after housing and cities?

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GUEST OBSERVER
When Malcolm Turnbull became prime minister last September and announced there was to be a minister for cities and the built environment, many were pleasantly surprised. 
The Coalition’s 2013 election platform made the briefest mention of cities and proposed only a program of investment in urban roads and national highways to ease congestion. It seemed then that the traditional antipathy towards urban policy from the conservative side of politics was set to remain.
So, Turnbull’s innovation agenda, which included this new focus on cities, was welcomed in many quarters. Perhaps now we would see concerted policy attention given to the places where most of us live, work, study and play.
Over the next few months, the new cities minister, Jamie Briggs, undertook extensive consultation and discussion around Australia. But this process had not produced a clear statement of government policy by the time he was obliged to offer his resignation, just after Christmas.
One of Briggs’ last major speeches was to the State of Australian Cities conference in December. He described his ambition for greater co-ordination among federal agencies and between levels of government and greater collaboration between government, the private sector and urban researchers.
However, apart from Briggs’ passing references to trying to capture some of the value uplift associated with public investment in infrastructure, we were none the wiser about the substance of an embryonic national urban policy.
A new broom?
Briggs’ successor is Angus Taylor, who enjoys the slightly different title of assistant minister for cities and digital transformation, sitting within the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet rather than in Greg Hunt’s Environment Department.
With Taylor having been in the job for less than a month, we have not yet heard much detail of his views on cities and urban policy. But he has said:
I’m the assistant minister for cities, not the assistant minister for inner cities, or even capital cities …
And to fulfil his “deep belief that consultation and proper public debate gets to wise outcomes”, what advice might we offer to the new assistant minister? Here are some suggestions to be going on with.
Dear assistant minister,
Congratulations on your appointment. Many who recognise the importance of cities to how well we live are pleased that the prime minister continues to show a commitment to building policy in this field. We trust that you will be able to lead this process and overcome the policy neglect that has been evident for some time.
You have rightly pointed out that Australian cities are many and varied and although we do not have a clear definition of what constitutes a city, we should not be preoccupied with what happens within the inner areas of some of our capital cities.
No doubt you will be aware that previous federal urban policy initiatives have tended to focus on what happens within our cities and this is important. But too often it has been at the expense of any serious attention to the overall pattern of settlements across the country and to relations between cities.
Now would be a good time to rectify this and develop a truly national policy on settlements and cities.
We expect that Australia’s population will double by 2075 if current assumptions about fertility, life expectancy and migration hold. While the validity of these assumptions will always provoke public debate, it is unlikely that the population will not continue to grow.
It is incumbent on the federal government to think about where this growing (and ageing) population will live and work; you have a critical role in stimulating this thinking.
You might take the view that the market is best placed to anticipate where people want to live and provide accordingly. But those decisions have consequences, especially for the provision of infrastructure such as roads, public transport, schools and hospitals.
And you have already indicated that the distribution of economic activity – and especially access to local jobs – is one of the biggest challenges facing Australia’s cities, large and small.
A national spatial plan is needed
Local councils and state and territory governments already prepare spatial plans for their areas. These aim to anticipate where growth might occur and what its wider impacts might be. These plans and strategies enjoy varied success, but few would argue that we should abandon spatial planning.
There are no obvious reasons, therefore, why the federal government should not also develop a spatially-aware national policy for settlements. This does not mean that you, minister, should be responsible for approving state or local government plans, or for signing off on development approvals – unless they were of national significance. But it might mean that you are able to build a national perspective within government on where growth should be encouraged or discouraged and where government investment in critical infrastructure might be targeted.
The government already has a plan for northern Australia. You have the opportunity to help it develop a settlement and investment plan for all of Australia.
This will not be an easy task. Many believe the federal government has no role to play in the planning and governance of our cities. This overlooks the fact that your colleagues in government make decisions every day that have spatial implications and urban impacts.
The new policy commitment to cities that you embody provides an important opportunity to make these processes more explicit and to plan accordingly. I wish you all the very best in this difficult task.
 
Paul Burton is professor of Urban Management and Planning &amp; Director, Urban Research Program, Griffith University and author for The Conversation.
He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paul-burton-5155" target="_blank">here</a>.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Memo to the cities minister: what needs to be done

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GUEST OBSERVER
The resignation of Australia’s first minister for cities and the built environment after just 99 days is a setback for federal leadership in these areas. Yet enough momentum and goodwill have been generated to keep the flag flying. The greatest hope is that an urban consciousness in national public policy will be lodged permanently.
Even before state planning ministers assemble within months to hammer out the ground rules for federal engagement, the mutual understanding will be that the states are Australia’s primary urban governments.
In August 1945, a conference of Commonwealth and state ministers in Canberra confirmed that arrangement. The states rejected a generous proposal for a central planning bureau to provide advice, training and information resources plus cover half the costs of employing technical experts to assist local authorities.
Prime Minister Ben Chifley’s summation sealed the fate of the bold reconstruction initiative hatched by Nugget Coombs: the matter ought to be left to the states.
<h2>How cities became ‘orphans of public policy’</h2>
Regardless, the federal government has retained a periodic interest in cities, with mixed outcomes. Historically, most initiatives have been linked to Labor.
Gough Whitlam’s Department of Urban and Regional Development (DURD, 1972-75) injected valuable locational and equity perspectives into policy. However, a big-spending command, control and co-ordinate mission proved problematic.
Bob Hawke delivered AMCORD and Green Street as best-practice guidelines for residential development. This helped change the culture of the development industry. But the Hawke government’s main legacy, driven by Deputy Prime Minister Brian Howe, was Building Better Cities, centred on strategic housing, environmental and infrastructure projects.
Paul Keating gave us the Urban Design Task Force (1994) and the Australian Urban and Regional Development Review (1995) of federal programs for infrastructure, planning and transport.
By the time of the Rudd-Gillard governments, an actual National Urban Policy emerged to guide public intervention and private investment. Its quartet of themes remain widely accepted: productivity, sustainability, liveability and governance.
The Coalition’s contributions have been more muted.
The enduring love affair was between Robert Menzies and Canberra. The capital received extraordinary largesse to become an exemplar of modernist architecture, design and planning. Most everywhere else was ignored.
Late in his term, William McMahon instituted a National Urban and Regional Development Authority, which lingered as a commission for new cities alongside DURD.
The Fraser government wound down Labor’s perceived excesses but still found a rationale for inquiries into the Commonwealth and the urban environment (1978) and a pioneering study on urban environmental indicators (1983). John Howard offered various charters and best practice initiatives, notably the Development Assessment Forum (1998).
Cities have been called “orphans of public policy”, so the decisive and acclaimed entry of the Turnbull government into the fray is remarkable. Malcolm Turnbull has the credibility, nous and drive to supplant Tony Abbott as the first infrastructure prime minister. In a sense, Abbott ignored cities – except to champion motorways – at his peril.
<h2>Turnbull invigorates urban agenda</h2>
Turnbull’s transformative move has been to declare officially what has been long known: cities are “crucibles” of innovation and enterprise.
Productive cities are smart, innovative, prosperous and great places to live. Less productive cities are accordingly less liveable, sustainable and connected.
While a new cities minister will lay claim to one ear of Turnbull, wife Lucy will command the other. A former lord mayor and “city expert” adviser to the COAG Reform Council, she chairs both the Committee for Sydney and the NSW government’s new Greater Sydney Commission.
The problems of Australian cities are well documented: density (the drawbacks of low joined by the challenges of high), transport (needing greater mass transit connectivity and walkability while reducing dependence on cars), housing (affordability and variety), inequality (divided by income, health and mobility), the spatial mismatch between jobs and homes, fractured metropolitan governance, open space, environment, heritage, design.
Australia’s “broken cities”, to quote the Grattan Institute report City Limits, are "caught between the three tiers of Australian government, hardly registering on the agenda of many politicians".
<h2>What to do next?</h2>
The solutions are wickedly challenging. In December, the then-minister, Jamie Briggs, distilled the state of play in his keynote address to the State of Australian Cities conference. The Commonwealth was not set to take over from the states, create new bureaucracies or become a “planning approver”. Rather, there would be better co-ordination between federal agencies and across all tiers of government.
Briggs flagged collaboration with the private sector, researchers, and the wider community. He spoke of the need to secure “better outcomes” and “measure our performance”. The gaze was on the long run and locking in agreed planning and co-ordination of projects.
Smarter, more flexible and adaptable financial arrangements will come into play. The buzzwords “value uplift” and “value capture” pinpointed the need to extend federal intervention beyond cash handouts. This is code for differential tax increment financing to tap into revenues generated by rising property prices from infrastructure improvements.
Labor’s National Urban Policy framework will need to be revisited. The way forward is through intergovernmental agreements that link specified outcomes to robust and streamlined planning systems. These will need to connect up issues of housing, employment, environment and infrastructure.
This agenda has been taking shape for some time. Bellwethers include:
<ul>
<li>Productivity Commission inquiries into planning, zoning and development assessments (2011) and public infrastructure (2014), and the Harper review of competition policy (2015), all highlighting the need to reform land-use planning;</li>
<li>Tomorrow’s Cities Today (2014) by Consult Australia;</li>
<li>the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC) report, Investing in Cities (2015), aimed at “maximising the benefits created by the world’s most urbanised nation”; and</li>
<li>COAG’s review of metropolitan planning strategies to ensure matching and orderly infrastructure provision (2011).</li>
</ul>
Several seers lit the ideological torches for the new infrastructural urbanism. Ed Glaeser’s Triumph of the City is a paean to proximity, density and light-handed regulation. In The Rise of the Creative Class, Richard Florida broadcast the competitive advantage of attracting human capital. Enrico Moretti’s The New Geography of Jobs (2012) demonstrated the multiplier effects of urban “brain hubs”.
In the UK, the Cameron government’s City Deals policy highlights an attractive model of bespoke multi-target programs for competing cities. It is aimed squarely at economic growth underpinned by enhanced tax revenue from development.
While the cities component of the new portfolio is crystallising publicly, what of the built environment? In exploring a model that works for the Coalition another exemplar is the UK’s Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (1999-2011). Although emasculated in a purge of quangos, it was widely respected as an adviser and advocate for quality design and valuation of the public realm.
Run leanly and through a similar mix of design reviews, publications, research forums and an adviser network, an Australian adaptation could assume a timely leadership position. It would be a vehicle for many voices to be heard, not just the property and development sector. Turnbull tacitly recognised the value of this when he announced that his summer reading included Marcus Westbury’s primer for DIY urbanism, Creating Cities.
Quite a few federal activities might be connected under this umbrella. These include State of Australian Cities reporting; the National Australian Built Environment Ratings System (NABERS); various environmental policies including management of national and Commonwealth heritage lists; leased federal airports, which have become development hotspots; the National Capital Authority; the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) and the Australian Urban Research Infrastructure Network (AURIN).
Given the importance of evidence-driven policy, it is unfortunate that urban-related research is under-supported by the Australian Research Council. It barely registers in its research priorities.
Urban policy is complex because it potentially links up and intrudes into many arenas of government. The cities ministry and the new interdepartmental taskforce sit within the Environment Department overseen by Greg Hunt. As shadow minister for cities, Anthony Albanese has warned of “convoluted administrative arrangements”, with five ministers sharing responsibilities for cities and infrastructure policy.
Former professor of public administration Martin Painter identified the “impossibility of urban policy” because of insoluble administrative problems flowing from taking too comprehensive a position. His advice was “the simpler the better”.
Briggs' successor will likely continue down the same path with a discussion paper, a national forum with the prime minister speaking, and that meeting of planning ministers to talk through approaches and decisions. There are now huge expectations that a new urban age has dawned in Australia.
 
Robert Freestone is professor of planning, Faculty of Built Environment, UNSW Australia and author for The Conversation. He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/robert-freestone-168551" target="_blank">here</a>.
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