Quick questions on Planning and management of rural and urban places: HSC Geography 2022 Focus Area

Australia's planning system is constitutionally state-based (each state and territory has its own planning legislation). The Commonwealth has limited direct planning powers but exerts significant influence through funding, environmental approval (EPBC Act 1999) and infrastructure investment.

State governments produce metropolitan and regional strategic plans that sit above the statutory instruments:

Transport investment is one of the most powerful tools available to planners, because transport access shapes land value, density and accessibility.

Housing affordability is the dominant urban planning challenge of the 2020s in Australia. Sydney and Melbourne consistently rank among the world's least affordable cities relative to local incomes per Demographia surveys.

Sustainability themes increasingly run through planning frameworks:

Rural and regional Australia receives policy attention through dedicated programs:

Planning is multi-stakeholder by nature.

Queensland (Planning Act 2016, planning schemes); WA (Planning and Development Act 2005, regional and local schemes); SA, Tasmania, NT, ACT have their own systems with broadly similar architecture.

A new underground rail line through the Brisbane CBD, expanding capacity through the city and opening up new station precincts. Major infrastructure investment funded by the Queensland state government with federal contribution.

Twin tunnels through the CBD with five new underground stations; expected to open from 2025. Increases capacity through the busiest rail bottleneck.

A multi-decade orbital rail project connecting Melbourne's middle suburbs; staged delivery.

Melbourne-to-Brisbane freight rail, under construction, reshaping freight logistics and providing infrastructure investment in inland regional towns along the corridor.

Increase housing supply through rezoning, density along transit corridors, infill, and greenfield release. The NSW Transport Oriented Development (TOD) program and NSW Housing Diversity SEPP are recent examples. Plan Melbourne's activity-centre policy is the Victorian counterpart.

Inclusionary zoning requirements (a share of new development reserved for affordable rentals); social housing investment; community housing providers.

First Home Buyer schemes, shared-equity programs (state and federal), changes to stamp duty (NSW transitional moves), Build-to-Rent reform.