Planning Xchange

In PlanningxChange Episode 66, Jess Noonan and Peter Jewell interview Paul Shipp one of Australia's rising urban planning economist stars. It's said economics is essentially half psychology and half elementary school arithmetic with a smattering of statistics. Paul in the interview gives a sense of the abilities of urban economics to harness data to better understand and improve contemporary cities and regions. This is true strategic planning in action.

Paul has 15 years experience consulting to government and private clients, primarily in Melbourne and regional Victoria. As a Director of consultancy Urban Enterprise, Paul leads a wide range of strategic planning and urban economic projects.

Paul specialises in fields at the interface of strategic planning and economics: land use planning, land demand and supply studies, demographic and property analysis, economic impact assessments and infrastructure funding, across the residential, retail, commercial, industrial and tourism sectors. He regularly appears as an Expert Witness at planning hearings on these issues.

A proud urban planner, Paul has held roles on the Planning Institute of Australia's Victorian Committee and was a Co-editor of the monthly Planning News publication.

This podcast was produced by Complete Podcasting Services. Episode released 17 July 2020.

In PlanningxChange Episode 65, Jess Noonan and Peter Jewell interview Scott Beyer of the Market Urbanism report. This is the first international interview conducted by PlanningxChange!

Scott Beyer is an urban affairs analyst based in New York City. He is founder and owner of Market Urbanism Report, a media organization that promotes free-market urban policy. MUR publishes a weekly article, a monthly podcast, and has active social media accounts with a combined following of over 50,000.

‍Scott is also a journalist who recently completed a 3-year, 30-city cross-country tour to study urban American issues. He now writes as a regular columnist for Forbes, Governing Magazine, HousingOnline.com, and the Independent Institute.

Recently he launched a consulting company, Beyer Policy, to build political support around his ideas. BP works with public and private institutions to spearhead pro-market, pro-growth policy in cities across America.

The interview introduces the concept of borrowing more ideas on urban policy from the United States. America has 50 states and each area has its own identity. Within this vast country and different government areas there is the potential for urban policy experimentation on a truly remarkable scale. In addition, the country is known for its free thinking approach to tackling urban issues. Our guest, Scott Beyer seeks solutions to urban problems with a free market approach. Basically this means less government involvement not more, an approach rarely expressed in Australian planning circles. A bold and refreshing speaker with ideas that can add to the 'planning commons' of ideas.

The interview was recorded using Zoom, the first using our new Rode microphones, we hope to steadily improve the audio quality. Podcast produced by Complete Podcasting Services. Episode released 23 June 2020.

In PlanningxChange Episode 64, Jess Noonan and Peter Jewell interview Tim Biles from Ratio Consultants. Tim has had a long and distinguished career as a lecturer, consultant, advisor and 'creator' of several planning consultancies. We thought Tim would be an excellent commentator on the impacts of Covid 19 and Government retrictions on city life. So many predictions made during the pandemic have turned out in error sometimes of a massive magnitude causing huge dislocation to city life and citzens. The interview considers the concept of 'safeism' and the impact this will have on buildings, personal interaction, general levels of health, economic wellbeing and city living. Will the changes be permanent or soon forgotten? The interview was recorded using Zoom, we apologise for the less than optimal audio quality. We are working on methods to improve the listening experience. Podcast produced by Complete Podcasting Services. Episode released 11 June 2020.

In PX63, Jess Noonan and Peter Jewell interview Ben Rossiter Secretary and Executive Officer of Victoria Walks. The organisation is a walking health promotion charity managed by an independent voluntary board. The organisation's mission is simple: 'More people walking more every day'. Victoria Walks undertakes research, which informs an ongoing campaign of advocacy and policy work. Ben talks of the benefits of walking and impediments to walking within our city form. But isn't more walking just like eating more vegetables, we all know we should do more of it! Ben answers this question suggesting walking is given better representation within the transport matrix and from this better implementation solutions can follow so that walking is an easier daily choice. The organisation website victoriawalks.com.au contains a link to walkingmaps.com.au (an offshoot) that contains numerous local walking trails, the majority created by the public. The website includes videos on how to create and upload walking trails. There are themed walks within cities and regional areas. This platform is of increasing interest to local government in terms of promoting better health outcomes and supporting local tourism. The benefits of walking extend beyond the physical, Friedrich Nietzsche the German philosophy stated: 'All truly great thoughts are conceived when walking'. For internal reflection one only need consider the Philosopher's Walk in Kyoto. The route is so named because the influential 20th century Japanese philosopher and Kyoto University professor Nishida Kitaro is thought to have used it for his daily mediation. Kitaro's most famous concept is the logic of basho usually translated as 'place' involving at times the dynamic tension of opposites. We hope this podcast creates interest in walking and how cities can be made more walking friendly. Due to the Government lockdown, this interview was recorded using Zoom, we apologise for the less than optimal audio quality. Podcast produced by Complete Podcasting Services. Episode released 11 May 2020.

In PX62, Jess Noonan and Peter Jewell interview Jacob Martin (Yarra CC), Calum Douglas and Nicole Neame both working at Baw Baw Shire. The three planners are relatively new to planning and have worked in local government for approximately two years. Nicole has previously worked in community engagement. We ask them about the transition from university into the 'real world', what has surprised them and to reflect on their experiences. This period of transition is unique in our working lives and we hope listeners will consider their own early years of work. The trio indicate the transition is helped by good mentoring. There is also the importance of sections and protocols just as there is the lived experience of dealing with developers, fellow staff and the broader community. The views expressed by the trio are personal and do not in any way reflect the views of the organisations where they are employed. Podcast produced by Complete Podcasting Services. Episode released 4 May 2020. The interview was recorded just prior to the Government enforced lockdowns associated with Covid - 19.

In PX61, Jess Noonan and Peter Jewell interview Mark Marsden. Mark has had a long and successful career across many sectors of the planning world a particularly unique part is his long association (now publisher)of the Victorian Planning Reports (VPRS). The VPR's and its predecessing versions (AATR's and PABR's) highlighted and summarised decisions of Victorian Planning Tribunal's (and now expanded to Planning Panels Victoria). In this way the VPR's spread best thinking on planning and design issues and provided for greater productivity and better informed decisions and outcomes. We talk to Mark about how the VPR's can cover such a vast number of decisions (there is an editorial committee)and how some decisions are choosen over others to highlight. Also, the role of publishing editorial comments about Tribunal decisions. A very necessary public benefit as Tribunals or like bodies can at times make unreasonable decisions, it takes courage to point this out. A spin off of the VPR service is an A - Z guide to land use issues and the precedents that have been set. We also talk about how cross-state learning can improve. Apart from VPR subject matter, Mark outlines his views on the services provided by local government and how it is misunderstood. He also talks of his time as a Senior Panel Member of Planning Panels Victoria and provides guidance on what makes for an effective presentation. We declare that the VPR's has been a sponsor of PX for a number of years. Podcast produced by Complete Podcasting Services. Episode released 30 March 2020. We wish all our listeners the very best in these difficult times caused by Covid - 19.

In PX60, Jess Noonan and Peter Jewell engage in a free flowing discussion with Peter Seamer and Cameron Alderson. Peter Seamer is in a unique position to write about the future of our cities and has achieved one of Australia's most critical analysis of city form in 'Breaking Point: The Future of Australian Cities'. He was the CEO of the Victorian Planning Authority for ten years, the CEO of Federation Square during its building phase and first few years, and has been the CEO of several cities, including Sydney. He has just started a new project promoting new thoughts about city development (www.howtobuildacity.com). Cameron Alderson is an insightful, forward thinking property developer (Director at Canopi Homes). He has a long history of promoting innovative housing projects and involvement with VPELA. He has previously featured in PX6. Podcast produced by Complete Podcasting Services. Episode released 12 March 2020.

Rob Adams, Director City Design and Projects, City of Melbourne

Professor Rob Adams AM is the Director City Design and Projects at the City of Melbourne and a member of the World Economic Forum Global Future Council on Cities and Urbanization.

With over 46 years' experience as an architect and urban designer and 35 years at City of Melbourne, Rob has made a significant contribution to the rejuvenation of central Melbourne.

He and his team have been the recipients of over 150 local, national and international awards including receipt of the Australian Award for Urban Design and the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Award 2014 for its adaptation and resilience projects, on four occasions.

Adams has also been awarded the Prime Minister's Environmentalist of the Year Award in 2008 and the Order of Australia in 2007 for his contribution to architecture and urban design. In 2016, Adams was conferred with a Doctor of Architecture from the University of Melbourne.

Some key projects he has worked on include: Postcode 3000, Council House 2 (CH2) – Australia's first 6-star green commercial office building, Birrarung Marr, Swanston Street, Melbourne City Square, Return to Royal Park, the Open Space and Urban Forest Strategies and numerous community buildings including Docklands, Boyd, East Melbourne and Kathleen Syme Libraries. His team is currently involved in two major city-shaping projects, the Queen Victoria Market Renewal and the Melbourne Metro Rail Project.

Adam's recent focus has been on how cities could be used to accommodate and mitigate rapid population growth and the onset of climate change. He has published and presented extensively on the subject of 'Transforming Cities for a Sustainable Future'.

Podcast produced by Zak Willsallen of Complete Podcasting Services. Podcast created by Jess Noonan and Peter Jewell. Podcast released on 2 February 2020.

In PX58, the interview subjects are Heather Sherlock and Diego Espinosa. Heather and Diego produce the 'Planners Under the Influence' (PUIT) podcast. Their podcast is about the experiences of planning students at university and interviews with various professionals in the city development space. They have both very recently graduated. The interview is a lively discussion between planning podcasting 'cousins' similar to PX38 with the producers of 'This Must be the Place'. This interview probes the aspirations of planners just about to enter the workplace. Different generations in age and experience get together to discuss common issues but with widely differently held opinions. Tender youth meets seasoned planners. Heather from Canada and Diego from Ecuador give their insights into Australian cities. There is also shared stories about the podcasting process and lessons learnt. The interview was released on the 29 December 2019. Podcast produced by Zak Willsallen of Complete Podcasting Services. For more details go to www.planningxchange.org. There was a problem with the audio which was corrected 8 January 2020. Apologies!

In PX57, the interview subject is Val Gnanakone, a Director at Old Mile Grid traffic engineers. Val talks about the changing role and focus of the traffic engineering profession in city development. Traditionally viewed as car and truck focused, Val talks of the widening scope of activities. These including making better city spaces by improving mobility options. In the interview we pose the question, should traffic engineers have a different job decription? The interview discusses a wide range of mobilitiy questions relating to residential, commercial and freight uses. There are no simple answers to the issues raised. Val also considers technological changes and what these will do to city spaces. A thoroughly optimistic interview subject. The interview was released on the 22 November 2019. Podcast produced by Zak Willsallen of Complete Podcasting Services. For more details go to www.planningxchange.org.