Just upzone it and they will come? The Role of Economics in Planning: A Case Study of NSW

This thesis explores the extent to which economic matters are, and should be, considered within the NSW planning system. It finds that in NSW, economics has an enduring and widely recognised role to inform effective strategic planning and decision making. Any consideration of economic matters must however be balanced with a consideration of the relevant social and environmental matters. Three case studies are provided to consider in the NSW planning context whether the role of economics has / is changing, who might be influencing these changes and how such changes have / or have not translated into policy, legislation and city outcomes. The first case study focuses on planning reform. It reviews legislation, submissions and debates in the NSW Parliament to understand how neoliberal rhetoric concerning the economics of planning has evolved and the extent to which it has translated into NSW policy. These experiences are compared with those in the United Kingdom, Queensland and Victorian planning systems. The second case study focuses on the views and values of ten key participants operating within, and influencing the NSW planning system. The third considers how successfully economic factors, including the feasibility of development, were considered by the NSW Government when preparing a strategic plan for a city centre within Sydney, NSW together with the resulting implications compared to the intended outcomes. I conclude that whilst economics is not a new consideration in the NSW planning system, it is an increasingly valued one as a means to reduce public and private sector risk and overcome economic hurdles to ‘make things happen’. Despite neoliberal attempts to alter the NSW planning system and ‘attacks’ on planning by economists, planners are increasingly accountable for not only supporting economic outcomes via development but also for creating and safeguarding the long-term economic interests of an area. It is for these reasons that NSW planners can no longer simply rely on a case of ‘upzone it and they will come’. When considering economic matters, including the feasibility of development, the NSW planner must also be cognisant of the strong and enduring sentiment in NSW that there must be a careful and equal balance of assessment with social and environmental considerations. Any perceived or actual tip in this balance generates concerns by NSW planning participants as to the intentions of government. As shown by this research, such concerns were sufficient in NSW to both stall and significantly alter the nature of planning reform representing an example of NSW planning’s enduring resilience against more pro-development interventions.Access is restricted to staff and students of the University of Sydney . UniKey credentials are required. Non university access may be obtained by visiting the University of Sydney Library

Climate adaptation manual for local government: embedding resilience to climate change

This manual highlights leading case studies and practical resources from Australian municipalities and overseas, and includes a step-by-step framework for effectively embedding climate risk into council operations. The resource will be useful for council staff involved in climate risk assessment and planning such as asset managers, strategic planners, and corporate and community services staff.   This ACELG Research Partnership Scheme project was undertaken with local councils from all Australian states: City of Canada Bay (NSW), City of Randwick (NSW), Pittwater Council (NSW), City of Greater Geelong (VIC), City of Port Phillip (VIC), City of Melbourne (VIC), City of Townsville (QLD), City of Onkaparinga (SA), City of Clarence (Tas) and City of Greater Geraldton (WA)

A qualitative insight into rural casemix education, CHERE Project Report No 10

NSW, while often regarded as the non- Casemix state, has been using Casemix information to assist planning and funding of hospitals. However, the use of this tool and the necessary education and knowledge about Casemix has not been evenly spread throughout the state, with health service staff in metropolitan areas relatively more familiar with its use then their colleagues in rural NSW. In 1998, both NSW Health and the NSW Casemix Clinical Committee (NCCC) proposed that an effort be made to increase the knowledge and participation of rural clinical and health service staff in Casemix activities. This research was proposed as a means of establishing the current situation regarding Casemix, knowledge in rural areas, providing advice regarding the best methods of implementing Casemix education for rural staff and, if possible, evaluating the success of the education. Casemix is a broad term referring to the tools and information system used to assist in such activities as planning, benchmarking, managing and funding health care services. Casemix is underpinned by classification systems that allow meaningful comparisons of workload or throughput between facilities. In this study, qualitative research methods were used to examine the issues faced by rural health service staff in gaining knowledge of and using Casemix. This information was supplemented by a survey, which assessed the level of knowledge and understanding of Casemix in two rural areas.Casemix, hospital funding

A proposal for accessibility planning in NSW: research and policy issues

Accessibility planning is a framework and process to use accessibility indicators as a basis for transport planning. The structured approach assesses actual accessibility at different spatial levels against indicators to identify accessibility inequities, and then develops and implements plans to improve accessibility. In this context, accessibility refers to spatial access rather than physical access. Accessibility planning has been introduced in the UK as a mechanism for achieving social inclusion by addressing inequities in access to goods and services using indicators of access to jobs, education, health facilities and retail facilities by public transport. The paper outlines a proposal for implementing accessibility planning in NSW. The paper explains the concept and significance of accessibility planning and the current context for accessibility planning in NSW. It identifies research and policy issues which would need to be resolved to implement accessibility planning in NSW including relationship with existing targets, determining accessibility indicators and standards, community engagement, governance and institutional frameworks, and funding and implementation

The emergence of community strategic planning in New South Wales, Australia: influences, challenges and opportunities

This paper investigates the emergence of community strategic planning in the New South Wales (NSW) local government sector, against the backdrop of a series of broad influences ranging from increased interest in participatory democracy through to sustainable infrastructure provision. It provides an understanding of how community strategic planning has evolved over the past few decades to embody these influences. The paper concludes with reflections on some common challenges and opportunities experienced by local councils in NSW that have undertaken voluntary community strategic planning or are in the process of developing community strategic plans. Given underlying similarities in the emergence of participatory long-term strategic planning in local government around the world, many of the experiences associated with the preparation of community strategic plans in the NSW context are likely to be of relevance to those undertaking similar processes in other jurisdiction

Using the land-use planning system to achieve transport-planning outcomes: Comparing experiences between NSW and the UK

Growing interest in the integration of land-use and transport planning has led to the inclusion of transport planning mechanisms within land-use planning policies by local governments in Australia. Travel planning is a transport planning methodology that seeks to reduce the number of single-occupancy vehicle trips generated by a site or precinct. Many local governments are beginning to incorporate a travel planning mechanism as a condition of development consent, requires developers to prepare and implement travel plans. Previous research has found that the implementation of travel plans in land-use planning processes is poorly managed, with no provisions for monitoring, evaluation, compliance or enforcement put in place. This research involved a comparative policy analysis between the UK – where the policy has reportedly been implemented successfully – and in NSW, where implementation of the policy has proved problematic. Drawing on interviews and key policy documents, the review compared key policy mechanisms relating to the development, implementation, monitoring and enforcement of travel plans, identifying factors in the UK system that were lacking in NSW. This research identified key shortcomings in the NSW system that prevent effective travel planning processes from being undertaken, and explores how the land-use planning system in Australia could be adapted to improve implementation

The impact of discontinuity in governance: How transport planning went off the rails in Sydney

The impacts on transport planning of discontinuity in governance within the same political administration are illustrated through a case study of NSW, Australia. The Labor government in power in NSW for 16 years from 1995 to 2011 was committed to public transport in its strategic plans. But from 2003, unprecedented changes in the premier, ministers, and departments responsible for transport planning, disrupted public transport planning and delivery. The impacts of discontinuity included delays to public transport projects, waste of scarce funds, and loss of trust and confidence amongst stakeholders including the community, planning professionals, and the federal government. The impact is best seen with the North West Rail Link project for a major growth area: originally identified in 1998 for delivery in 2010, it was in 2010 proposed for completion in 2024. Conflict over funding of transport contributed to the changes in premiers and ministers and the subsequent impacts on transport planning with compounding effects over time. The NSW experience shows that a strategic commitment to public transport must be accompanied by longterm funding sources to ensure the public transport goals articulated in strategic plans are delivered. Given the long-term nature of transport planning and infrastructure delivery, the impacts of transport planning going off the rails in Sydney will take years to overcome

Knowledge About and Attitudes towards End of Life Care for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender People (Phase 2)

Increasing evidence suggests that many gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) people are being denied their legal rights in their own end-of-life care and the end-of-life care of their partners and other important people in their lives. A study in the Northern Rivers region of NSW in 2009, which investigated end-of-life care issues for GLBT people and the use of legal mechanisms such as Advance Care Planning to support the rights of GLBT people at the end of life (Lienert T, Cartwright C, Beck K. 2010) found evidence of active discrimination and abuse of GLBT people. Building on the findings of the Phase 1 study, a second State-wide study funded by a grant from the Law and Justice Foundation of NSW was conducted in 2009-2010.Stage 1, which is the subject of this Report, is a state-wide hard copy and on-line survey and a series of in-depth interviews

Future Frameworks: Towards a Strategic Plan for the Visual Arts and Museum Sector in NSW

The 2009 review of Museums and Galleries NSW (M&G NSW) recommended the development of a strategic plan for the visual arts & museum sector. One of the key recommendations of this review noted that with the growth of the sector over the previous ten years and a more strategic approach being adopted by Arts NSW, changes in the sector environment, as well as the substantially increased engagement of local government, it would be appropriate to undertake work in the development of the sector. Implementing this key recommendation, Arts NSW commissioned Professor Amanda Lawson to undertake strategic research, a needs analysis and external consultation to inform the planning process