Much of the commentary on urban change in recent years, both in Australia and internationally, has been concerned with the rather vaguely defined "forces" of globalisation or postmodernism. This paper, one of a series looking at global changes resulting from neoliberalism, supports the conclusion that these "forces" are largely due to specific initiatives or "reforms" in national and local policy resulting from changes in the prime economic paradigm. The paper looks broadly at labour markets, capital and financial controls, trade, urban and housing policy and their impacts on spatial form, population, social security, urban and housing market conditions in Australia over a 25-year period. Australia has not suffered as much as other countries from the effects of neoliberalism, despite adopting fairly stringent policies, and the reasons for this are articulated.