Building better after the bushfires

Rebuilding the homes lost to bushfires offers an opportunity to use more resilient designs, but some areas may be better abandoned, given Australia’s fast changing climate conditions.

Do we need a bushfire royal commission?

The prime minister has announced that the cabinet will consider a royal commission into aspects of the ongoing fire disaster once the bushfires are under control, so how might this be organised to ensure it produces results?

The bushfire threat to drinking water

Regional and metropolitan areas around NSW are facing water quality concerns in the face of the bushfire crisis.

Water decision making: Are politicians performing?

Australia’s record on delivering good public policy outcomes in water is laudable. But increasingly, in the face of climate change, we need to improve that performance.

Rewrite the road rules to put walking first

Changing state road rules to give more priority to pedestrians would help reduce deaths and injuries, and encourage more people to walk the pavements, rather than drive on the roads.

Politicians give transport models a bad rap

Transport modelling has been tarnished by its use to justify the predetermined projects politicians favour. But, if used more transparently, it’s a valuable tool for planning our future cities.

Cracks in the pavement

Two of Australia’s leading strategic urban plans could be expanded to promote better places to live for all residents, according to an expert report.

Australian cities pay the price for blocking council input

In many countries, city-shaping mega-projects are generally overseen by local government, but in Australia state governments often step in and exclude council and community representatives from the process.

Ditch the car to improve Sydney’s liveability

The problem in fast-growing Sydney isn’t too many people, it’s too many cars, says a UNSW urban design expert.

Rewrite the building code to restore apartment buyer confidence

Governments and regulators assume compliance with building regulations will restore public confidence, but complying with the National Construction Code won’t fix many common defects.

A tale of ghost cities in Australia and China

While the ‘ghost cities’ in China are unlikely to occur in Australia, some worrying trends in this country should guard against complacency.

Reframing ‘Australian ugliness’

This year marks the centenary of architect Robin Boyd’s birth. He was well-known for his scathing assessment of Australian popular architecture and design, but did Boyd eventually change his mind?