Australia’s Unintended Cities: The Impact of Housing on Urban Development

In this new book, Tomlinson and his co-contributors examine the gulf between a national policy vision which aims at building “productive, sustainable, liveable and fair cities” (3) and present patterns of urban development, which are resource intensive and increasingly segregated in form. Casting a critical gaze over our cities and our national policy landscape, the contributors argue that there are many aspects of policy and practice that have outlived their usefulness and are contributing to urban dysfunction. While Australia’s coastal, capital cities are recognized internationally for their liveability, the contributors identify a range of dangers and risks that lie ahead should our political leaders choose not to take on the status quo. Throughout the chapters, the contributors describe the problems that beset Australia’s major cities; some of which have arisen as “unintended consequences” of housing and non-housing policies, and some of which represent new global environmental and economic challenges. The contributors share the view that the relatively weak and low intervention approach which has prevailed in Australia cannot adequately address these concerns. Instead, the book builds a case for increased government capacity to intervene and implement a national urban policy vision. They argue that the way to achieve the cities people want is not by governments facilitating market activity and mitigating problems that arise, but rather through leadership, coordinated intervention and better management.