Hustle & Bustle podcast

In this episode, Nicole sits down with Amy Marsden, Director of Planning at Therefor Group. Amy brings over 20 years of national and international experience in planning and development, with a strong focus on affordable housing, inclusive communities, and meaningful planning outcomes.

Together, they explore:

The real-world projects Amy is working on and her role in shaping them

The challenge of balancing community concerns with the urgent need for more housing

Misconceptions about those who rely on social and affordable housing

What Amy would change about housing policy if she had a magic wand

Before the interview, Nicole shares the latest planning news in Queensland:

The Planning and Other Legislation Amendment Bill has passed Parliament

Key changes include: a new community benefit framework, special planning powers for 2032 Games infrastructure, shorter consultation periods for regional plans, changes to infrastructure charging, and refinements which affect development control plans (DCPs)

📌 A Policy Briefing will be hosted soon by PIA—stay tuned

🗓️ Also, don’t miss the PIA Queensland Leaders Lunch on 25 July in Brisbane: the End-of-Financial-Year celebration of Queensland planning profession. 

Bills this Parliament | Queensland Parliament

🎧 Thanks for listening to Hustle and Bustle! If you enjoyed the episode, please take a moment to rate, review, or share it with a fellow urban thinker.

📲 Follow Nicole on LinkedIn and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

In this episode, I chat with planner, urban thinker and community engagement guru, John O’Callaghan, Director of JOC Consulting. John isn’t your average planner – and that’s exactly why I wanted him on the show.

He’s a creative, a connector, and someone who’s built a career around authentic community engagement and transformational city ideas.

Today, we’re talking about one of his passions: the night-time economy – and how cities can become more vibrant, inclusive, and alive after 6pm.

🎧 In our conversation, we explore:

Whether you're a planner, a place maker, or just passionate about better cities – this episode is for you.

🗞 Before the conversation with John, we cover Planning Headlines

📝 Submissions Update

📅 Upcoming Events

In this episode, I sit down with Michelle Howard, respected urban planner, social researcher, facilitator, and Managing Director of Collaborations. Michelle is known for her inclusive and thoughtful approach to public policy and urban development, and she joins us to discuss what First Nations allyship looks like in planning—and how we can all embrace it.

Michelle shares her insights on:

Her career journey and what led her to focus on intercultural relationships

The meaning of allyship—personally and professionally

How planners can start their allyship journey with humility and respect

Examples of strong, respectful allyship in action

The shifts within the planning profession around First Nations engagement

Why it’s vital for allies to make space for First Nations voices, and how to do it well

This conversation is a must-listen for planners, policymakers and anyone seeking to build more inclusive, respectful and culturally informed planning processes.

🗞 Planning News Round-Up – Queensland

📜 New Planning Bill Introduced

A social impact and community benefit framework for renewable energy projects

Amendments to the Economic Development Act

Amendments to the Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games Arrangements Act 2021

📣 Proposed Ministerial Call-In

🏗️ Qld Productivity Commission Enquiry

📅 Upcoming Events

🔹 Two Way Planning, Design and Place Masterclass

🔹 Ipswich & Lockyer Valley Planning Schemes Insights

This is my first solo episode for Season 3! With the federal election only a matter of days away, I step through the Planning Institute of Australia's Federal Election Platform. In this solo chat, I explain:

You can find PIA's Election Priorities document here National | Planning for a Better Future - Federal Election Priorities 2025

In planning news, I mention a few upcoming events:

Janes Walk (in honor of great urbanist Jane Jacobs)

Local Government Infrastructure Plan (LGIP) fundamentals - PLANET QLD | Local Government Infrastructure Plan (LGIP) Fundamentals

In this episode, I’m joined by Bradley Rasmussen  – CEO and founder of Sizztech, the creators of Forecaz, a cutting-edge platform that predicts urban growth and change. Bradley shares how data-driven modelling is transforming the way planners and decision-makers understand land use, infrastructure needs, and future development scenarios.

We unpack the role of urban growth models, how they work, and why they matter. Plus, we explore the challenges of aligning modelling with real-world policy and funding decisions – and how planners can make the most of these powerful tools.

If you’re curious about PlanTech, the future of cities, or just love planning conversations, this one’s for you.

🎧 Tune in to learn:

Some of the resources Bradley mentions:

📰 Planning News covered in this episode

It’s been a big fortnight in planning!

In this episode of the Hustle and Bustle podcast, host Nicole Bennetts sits down with architect and urbanist Peter Richards to explore the art of urban sketching. With over 40 years of experience in architecture and urban design, Peter shares his passion for the role of drawing in the design process and its significance in shaping our cities.

Peter Richards

Episode Highlights:

The importance of good design and why well-designed cities matter.

What urban sketching is and why it’s an essential skill for designers and planners.

Peter’s career highlights and challenges over the years.

What motivates Peter as a design leader today.

The biggest challenges facing our cities and communities in the next decade.

Planning News Update:

State Government Delivery Plan for the 2032 Games released: PIA continues to advocate for integrating venues and infrastructure into the city through the Green Pathways, Gold Places initiative. QLD | Green Pathways, Gold Places Advocacy Document

Housing affordability and availability are at crisis levels, but why? And what can we do about it?

In this episode, we sit down with Riley Flanigan, an urban designer, strategic planner, and city strategist at Urbis, to unpack the forces behind Australia’s housing crisis.

Riley has been at the forefront of housing research, policy, and advocacy, including his writing and his contributions to PIA Qld's Housing Working Group. With deep insights into master planning and housing policy, he’s been contributing his voice on housing challenges and solutions.

From policy roadblocks to promising reforms, we cut through the noise to explore what’s really happening in the housing system and what needs to change.

In this episode, we discuss:

In this week's planning news:

⭐ Residential Activation Fund: The Deputy Premier announced the guidelines and eligibility criteria for Round 1 of the $2 billion Residential Activation Fund. Residential Activation Fund | State Development, Infrastructure and Planning

⭐ Applicable event extended: On 19 March, the Planning Minister declared the Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred Recovery event. to be an applicable event. The applicable event declaration allows extended hours of operation for certain uses, and the ability to apply for a temporary use license.  Applicable events | Planning

⭐ DA Planners Forum: first one for 2025 is happening next week. Its online and free for PIA members, $20 for non-members. All are welcome - DA Planners Forum

⭐ Policy in Action Workshop - making good development stack up. Join us next week in 7 locations across Queensland! Free for PIA members Policy In Action 2025 - Making Good Development Stack-up

Tune in for an insightful conversation that goes beyond the headlines and into the real challenges—and solutions—shaping the future of housing.

In this episode, I'm joined by Laura Harvey, Planning Manager at Queensland Airports, and Haleen Singh, Planning Advisor with Port of Brisbane. We explore the unique world of planning for airports and ports—two critical transport hubs that serve as economic drivers, destinations, and catalysts for urban and regional development.

Episode Highlights:

Laura and Haleen share what drew them to this work.

A look into a typical day in their roles and the complexities involved.

Discussion on how airports and ports shape the cities and regions around them.

Key planning challenges they face and strategies to address them.

Insights into how technology is shaping the future of these sectors.

Latest Planning News in Queensland: Before diving into our conversation, latest planning updates in Queensland:

The Planning Minister has declared the Tropical Cyclone Alfred event in South-East Queensland as an applicable event, allowing extended operating hours for essential services like shops, warehouses, transport depots, health care services, and hardware stores to support recovery efforts. Applicable events | Planning

Extensions to assessment periods under the Planning Act have been implemented for certain development application timeframes. extension-notice-11-march-2024.pdf

Brisbane City Council’s planning scheme amendment has gone live, introducing reduced and maximum car parking rates for inner-city areas—a move aimed at improving housing affordability. Citywide amendment - Inner-City Affordability Initiative | Brisbane City Council

Upcoming Events: The 3rd Annual Policy in Action Workshop is on April 2nd at Arup Brisbane and live-streamed to six locations across Queensland. This free event for members will explore Making Good Development Stack Up from various perspectives. Policy In Action 2025 - Making Good Development Stack-up

Tune in to this episode for an engaging discussion on the fascinating world of airport and port planning.

In this episode, I sit down with Chris Isles, General Manager of Advocacy, Major Projects, and Economic Development at Redland City Council. With over 20 years of experience in planning, economic development, and major projects, Chris is a well-respected leader in the industry.

As a member of PIA Qld’s Plan Tech working group, Chris has a strong interest in how technology and data can shape better cities. From digital twins to AI and big data, we explore how these tools are transforming planning and decision-making.

In this conversation, we discuss:

🚀 What sparked Chris’ passion for technology in planning

🌪️ Cyclone Alfred – Expected to cross the SEQ coast in the coming days, marking the first cyclone to hit the region in around 50 years. Stay safe, and heed the warnings.

📜 Planning Scheme Updates – Ipswich City Council and Sunshine Coast Council are making progress on their new planning schemes. Ipswich is set to adopt its scheme in the coming months, while Sunshine Coast will refine its draft before public consultation.

📢 Upcoming Events – The Central Queensland Symposium is back on March 28, this time in Airlie Beach for a full-day, in-person conference. A must-attend for planners and allied professionals— CQ Planning Symposium 2025

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this episode are those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views of their employers.

My guest today is Adam Beck, General Manager of Business & Market Development at Hub Group and Co-Founder of TEMPO Institute.

About two weeks ago, the American Planning Association released its fourth Trend Report for Planners, featuring over 100 trends shaping urban planning. You can access the report here 2025-Trend-Report-for-Planners-Screen-Reader-Version-r1.pdf

As a trend-scout for this report, Adam shares key insights, surprising trends, and what they mean for the future of cities. We discuss how planners and city leaders can respond to emerging trends, differentiate between fads and fundamental shifts, and predict the one trend that could transform city planning in the next five years.

Adam is a leader in urban transformation, focusing on innovation in the built environment. He shares practical steps planners can take now to adapt to change.

Plus, we cover the latest planning news, including:

First round of announcements for the Scheme Supply Fund - see PIA's media release here Planners welcome Queensland Government’s funding for well-planned homes

and the Call for Abstracts now open for the PIA Queensland State Conference 2025 in Toowoomba. PIA QLD State Conference 2025