Conference

2nd State of Australian Cities National Conference, 30 November - 2 December 2005, Brisbane, Australia

Owning Institution

The State of Australian Cities (SOAC) national conferences have been held biennially since 2003 to support interdisciplinary policy-related urban research. SOAC 2 was hosted by the Urban Research Program at the South Bank campus, Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University.

The principal theme of SOAC 2 was the sustainability and vulnerability of Australian cities. Providing a place of dialogue between leading researchers on the state of Australian cities and where they might be headed, SOAC 2 brought together participants from a wide range of fields, including: academics, researchers, policy makers, private and public sector practitioners, leaders in government, social commentators and the media.

Papers from all past and subsequent SOAC conferences can be found at the State of Australian Cities Conferences Collection on APO.

Conference paper

Rail infrastructure capacity constraints in Melbourne: an engineering problem or a political problem?

2 Dec 2005

Paul Mees

2nd State of Australian Cities National Conference, 30 November - 2 December 2005, Brisbane, Australia

This paper examines the claimed capacity constraints on the Melbourne rail system in detail, utilising throughput standards derived from current best practice, but also from past performance and planning in Melbourne, and concludes that the claimed constraints are not substantiated.

Conference paper

Labour market issues in Melbourne's north

2 Dec 2005

Anthony Kent

2nd State of Australian Cities National Conference, 30 November - 2 December 2005, Brisbane, Australia

Using the City of Whittlesea in Melbourne’s north as a case study, this paper presents background research on labour market change in Melbourne’s northern region.

Conference paper

The role of community education in developing environmentally sustainable cities

2 Dec 2005

Lynne McLoughlin

2nd State of Australian Cities National Conference, 30 November - 2 December 2005, Brisbane, Australia

What role can community education and reorientation of policy framing to incorporate community engagement play in ameliorating the impacts of increased population and development and in working towards the goal of sustainable cities with high quality environmental characteristics?

Conference paper

Representing marginalisation: finding new avenues for economic and social intervention

2 Dec 2005

Jenny Cameron,

Katherine Gibson

2nd State of Australian Cities National Conference, 30 November - 2 December 2005, Brisbane, Australia

Drawing on research into the diversity of economic practices that exist within our so-called capitalist economy and this paper highlights how those in marginalised areas can be portrayed as economically active citizens, contributing in diverse ways to economic activities that produce direct social benefit.

Conference paper

Exclusive suburban 'villages': master planned estate development and socio-spatial polarisation in Western Sydney

2 Dec 2005

Therese E. Kenna

2nd State of Australian Cities National Conference, 30 November - 2 December 2005, Brisbane, Australia

The research presented here analysed the constructions of exclusivity for a master planned estate (Glenmore Park) and the extent to which the constructed identity for Glenmore Park resulted in socio-spatial polarisation within western Sydney.