Conference

5th State of Australian Cities National Conference, 29 November–2 December 2011, Melbourne, 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 5 was held in Melbourne and hosted by the University of Melbourne, RMIT University, Monash University, Swinburne University of Technology and Latrobe University as well as the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute and the Grattan Institute, the Victorian State Government and the City of Melbourne.

Three plenary panels brought researchers from across the country to address ‘big issues’: place-based disadvantage, the design and form of Australian cities, and metropolitan governance. Over 175 papers, in 46 themed sessions, cover topics ranging from planning and governance for environmental sustainability, to housing affordability and adequacy in the context of an ageing population. Healthy communities, better public transport, high quality open space, participatory planning, and issues affecting the peri-urban fringe are also strong sub-themes within this conference. All published papers have been subject to a peer reviewing process.

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

Conference paper

Contrast in participants' realities on democratic planning - compare the cases from Australia and Bangladesh

2 Dec 2011

Mohammad Shahidul Hasan Swapan

5th State of Australian Cities National Conference, 29 November–2 December 2011, Melbourne, Australia

In this paper, we focus our discussion on the participatory practices followed in urban planning. In urban planning, participation is conceptualized and practiced within the framework of the ‘efficiency of sustainable planning process’ through a concentrated understanding of communities’ demand and transformation of commitments with stakeholders into planning actions.

Conference paper

Residents' perspectives on living in inner city medium density housing

2 Dec 2011

Tom Baker

5th State of Australian Cities National Conference, 29 November–2 December 2011, Melbourne, Australia

This paper joins recent research into the lived experience of newer medium and high density housing by reporting on what residents themselves claimed to be important to their residential experience.

Conference paper

Resource boom times: building towns and cities in remote places

2 Dec 2011

Fiona Haslam McKenzie

5th State of Australian Cities National Conference, 29 November–2 December 2011, Melbourne, Australia

This paper examines Western Australia's population growth and what consequences this may have for rural towns across the state.

Conference paper

Population change and internal migration in Australia

2 Dec 2011

Sadasivam Karuppannan

5th State of Australian Cities National Conference, 29 November–2 December 2011, Melbourne, Australia

This paper attempts to explore short-distance and long-distance migration in Australia. Typically short distance moves are regarded as motivated by housing preference while longer-distance migration primarily by employment considerations.

Conference paper

Evidence on the relationship between poor housing and poor health

2 Dec 2011

5th State of Australian Cities National Conference, 29 November–2 December 2011, Melbourne, Australia

This paper examines the relationship between poor health and poor housing affordability for Australians, to answer two essential questions for Australian policy makers: Does poor health lead to unaffordable housing?