Fringe suburbs have historically always had fewer jobs than workers. What policy makers should focus on is providing good transport links to the more central parts of the city where most of the employers want to be
We can learn lessons from cities like Paris, but we must be alert to the dangers in importing solutions that might work well elsewhere but aren't well matched to local circumstances
It's a popular idea, but the revenue foregone from abolishing fares in a city like Melbourne would have a bigger impact if it were instead spent on making public transport more competitive with driving
Citizen Juries are generally great PR for agencies and businesses, but as this recent case shows, they're an artificial environment. The practical conclusions that can be drawn from their deliberations are limited
Discussion about cities
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Federal Labor's promise to contribute $10 billion toward the cost of the $50 billion Melbourne suburban rail loop shows it's prepared to see a generation or two of infrastructure funding pissed away if it offers a political advantage
Labor's policy on electric vehicles (EVs) is probably good politics but it offers little substance in support of its optimistic targets. And there's a lot it doesn't address
The federal Coalition's latest promise to spend up big on transport infrastructure and reform housing policy in cities looks more like electoral desperation than good sense
It says something truly awful about our political culture and the standard of public discourse, especially around cities and transport, that east coast High Speed Rail can still be trotted out to applause all round
Even with bullish projections for public transport growth, cars look set to remain the dominant mode in Australian cities. Much closer attention must be given to tackling motoring directly
Very few motorists are actively hostile toward cyclists, but many more don't see them as legitimate or equal road users. There's a role for government in helping to change negative attitudes
