One of the most persistent ideas I see in urban policy is that the physical environment should be designed to provide more opportunities for casual and random interaction between people who’ve never seen or heard of each other before. The “stranger multiplier” – the concept that accidental contact with complete strangers can significantly increase social [...]
We’re used to the idea that large cities are melting pots of diversity where exposure to difference and new ideas promotes innovation and creativity. However according to a report in The Wall Street Journal, a new study suggests bigger cities not only don’t promote diversity but seem to lead to its opposite, uniformity. The bigger [...]
The Courier Mail reported the death of a son and his elderly mother in their Brisbane home earlier this month under the headline “Left to die a lonely death in the suburbs”. Their bodies were not discovered for at least a week. The paper said that “at some point before Mark Thomas died in his [...]
By Alan Davies
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Tagged ACF, Australian Conservation Foundation, Courier Mail, David Harvey, Hugh Stretton, Ian Craven, M/C Journal, suburbia, suburbs, Sue Turnbull, Terry Flew
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Crikey readers who live in the outer suburbs should sit up and take notice – according to this Fairfax editorial, urban sprawl is making you sick. Moreover, it is “imposing a massive cost on taxpayers, in the form of chronic health and social problems in the new suburbs”. The main villain is car dependency, which [...]
One of the most enduring and pervasive ideas in urban policy is that cities should consist of numerous self-contained and self-sufficient neighbourhoods. With urban villages anchoring each neighbourhood, residents could work, shop, study and play locally, thereby saving on travel and building a strong sense of neighbourhood community. I’ve long been dubious about this romantic [...]
February 22, 2012 – 7:03 pm
Almost 60% of Australian adults reckon there’s at least one social disorder issue in their local area. Top of the list are concerns about noisy vehicles, dangerous driving, rowdy behaviour and offensive language. These findings are from the latest release of the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ (ABS) national Crime Victimisation Survey. It was conducted from [...]
By Alan Davies
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Tagged ABS, Anthony Albanese, Australian Bureau of Statistics, buses, Crime Victimisation Survey, health, motorcycles, neighour, noise, social disorder, traffic
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February 17, 2012 – 9:09 am
This remarkable exhibit shows the quaintly named “Great Gatsby Curve”. It indicates the economic prospects of the next generation are strongly correlated with the degree of inequality of the country they and their parents live in. It is adapted from a speech given last month by the Chairman of President Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers, [...]
November 19, 2011 – 7:15 pm
In his new book, The price of civilisation: reawakening American virtue and prosperity, progressive Columbia University economist Jeffrey D Sachs argues that the relationship between income and happiness is not as strong as people often imagine. Above a (lowish) minimum level, income doesn’t make a big difference. But money could make us happier if only [...]
November 9, 2011 – 7:53 pm
The drive for status is a powerful force that shouldn’t be ignored by urban policy-makers, not least those with an interest in cities. It explains much about the way people behave in urban areas, like why they might live in a McMansion or drive a Prius (I’ve written about status a number of times before [...]
August 31, 2011 – 7:09 pm
The good thing about ‘winning’ the World’s Most Liveable City gong is that it might help market Melbourne to overseas tourists, students, investors and maybe even buyers of our services. Unlike the Grand Prix, it costs us nothing. And while it won’t stop some Melburnians from pissing in trains (like this guy in case you missed [...]
By Alan Davies
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Tagged Adelaide, Auckland, Cities of Opportunity, Economist Intelligence Unit, livability, Liveability Ranking Report August 2011, Mercer Quality of Living Survey, Perth, Pricewaterhousecoopers, survey, Sydney
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