Australian researchers to address urban opportunities and challenges

While Australian cities are highly regarded for their livability, they face significant challenges with urban planning and infrastructure in the future.

Those issues will be debated as part of the State of Australian Cities conference, to be held at the University of Melbourne, the first time the biennial conference has visited Victoria.

The conference brings together experts from around Australia, including researchers from twenty-one universities, two national research centres, local and state governments and the private sector.

Associate Professor in Urban Planning at the University of Melbourne and Conference Co-Chair Carolyn Whitzman said that the future of Australian cities is a topic that needs greater discussion.

"There is a significant gap between policy and research which must be addressed in an interdisciplinary way, with solutions that address interlinked social, economic, environmental, governance and infrastructure issues."

More than 80% of Australians and over half the world’s population lives in cities which accounts for nearly 75% of the world’s greenhouse gases. Access to affordable housing, job and education opportunities remains a challenge, especially so with depleting fossil fuel resources and increasing populations."

The opening session and plenaries wjll focus on everything from the disparities between rich and poor city-dwellers, the design and form of future Australian cities, and metropolitan governance. Key speakers include:

- The Hon Anthony Albanese MP, Minister for Infrastructure and Transport

- Andrew Tongue, Secretary, Department Of Planning And Community Development

- Professor Brendan Gleeson, Deputy Director of Regional and Spatial Analysis, National University of Ireland and author of Australian Heartlands: Making Space for Hope in the Suburbs

- Professor Billie Giles-Corti, Director, McCaughey VicHealth Centre for the Promotion of Mental Health and Community Wellbeing

- Professor Richard Weller, Director of the Urban Design Centre, University of Western Australia, and author of Boomtown 2050: scenarios for a rapidly growing city

- Jane-Frances Kelly, Cities Program Director, Grattan Institute

Over 300 delegates are presenting 175 research papers on topics as diverse as urban food security, governance for environmental sustainability, making public transport better, and crime in the night-time economy.

Event details
What: State of Australian Cities Conference 2011
When: Wednesday, 30 November - Friday, 2 December 2011
Where: The University of Melbourne, Parkville Campus (Architecture Building)

Official Program: http://soac2011.com.au/