Informing future Australian settlement planning through a national-scale suitability analysis

Abstract

Australia's population is projected to triple by 2101, yet the nation lacks coordinated planning based on systematic regional analysis. This paper documents a novel national-scale suitability analysis of Australia which identifies the most appropriate regions for future urban development. The central research question is 'Where should Australian federal and state governments encourage urban development to maximise climatic liveability, protect natural and cultural heritage, capitalise on previous infrastructure investments, and maximise economic productivity?' The results indicate that the south-east and south-west of the country, and Tasmania, are preferred. The federal government is yet to prepare a national settlement strategy and contemplates large scale urban development in areas to which it is not suited. Regional planning decisions not based on comprehensive, evidence-based analysis are likely to incur significant social, economic and environmental costs.

The Promise of the City. Adventures in learning cities and higher education. By David Wilmoth, Laneway Press, 2021, 350 pp., $39.95 (hardback), ISBN: 978‐0‐ 6450070‐3‐9 (hardback); 978‐0‐6450070‐4‐6 (ebook)

“…Suggesting a transition to the pre-COVID situation, the June quarter registered a 16.5% drop in this migration pattern (Li et al, 2022;Regional Australia Institute and Commonwealth Bank, 2022). Bolleter et al (2022) have canvassed the opinions of over 1,000 people as to exactly where they would support an additional 14 million residents living in Australia over the next 80 years. Their respondents voiced strong opposition to the continued growth of the capital cities but looked favourably upon the ongoing expansion of satellite cities such as Geelong, the Gold Coast, and Wollongong.…”

“…Bolleter et al (2022) have canvassed the opinions of over 1,000 people as to exactly where they would support an additional 14 million residents living in Australia over the next 80 years. Their respondents voiced strong opposition to the continued growth of the capital cities but looked favourably upon the ongoing expansion of satellite cities such as Geelong, the Gold Coast, and Wollongong.…”