The JHNA Insights

Planners quietly shape how neighbourhoods grow and how liveable our cities become. Their decisions influence housing affordability, accessibility and how well cities respond to growth and an ageing population.

In this episode I speak with Nicole Bennetts, state manager of QLD and NT for the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA), and Dr Daniel O’Hare, Associate Professor of urban planning at Bond University, about the pressing housing challenges in Australia. We look at why planners are needed more than ever, why their work is often invisible, and how planning can help create stronger and more sustainable communities.

Some of the key ideas we explore are:

• How can urban planning support housing that works across different stages of life?
• Can “Quality in My Backyard” (QIMBY) move the debate beyond YIMBY versus NIMBY?
• Should cities grow inwards and upwards rather than continue to sprawl?
• How do affordability, access and ageing shape better housing and neighbourhoods?
• What kind of leadership is needed to build trust and manage urban growth well?

Nicole’s passion for planning began with her love of SimCity, while Daniel’s interest grew from an appreciation of vibrant, functional urban spaces. Their paths into planning offer a human perspective on a profession that quietly shapes how our cities grow.

#UrbanPlanning #HousingAffordability #HousingAccessibility #HousingDevelopment #SustainableCities

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli described Brisbane 2032 as "the Queensland Games", promising global spotlight benefits through intergenerational infrastructure, tourism and sports. But behind the glossy Olympic vision lies a harder question: who wins and who loses when your city becomes the centre of the world?

In this episode, we explore the hidden costs of Olympic glory and the trade-offs between infrastructure investment and housing affordability with two leading experts who have seen both sides of the housing equation: Mr Rod Fehring, Executive Chairman of Frasers Property and member of the NSW Housing Expert Panel, and Dr Lyndall Bryant, Senior Lecturer at QUT and Head of the QUT Housing Security Research Group.

Key questions explored:

• Can Brisbane 2032 deliver major infrastructure without making housing less affordable?
• How can renters be protected from displacement as demand increases around the Games?
• Could growth in short-term accommodation put further pressure on long-term housing supply?
• Can more missing-middle housing keep key workers and young families close to Olympic precincts?
• What would a genuine affordable and social housing legacy from Brisbane 2032 look like?

The conversation asks whether Brisbane can capture the benefits of the Games while avoiding deeper housing inequality and displacement.

Listen now to hear how Brisbane can avoid the mistakes of past host cities and create a Games legacy that leaves no one behind.

#Brisbane2032 #AffordableHousing #HousingDisplacement #UrbanDevelopment #HousingLegacy

In this episode, I sit down with housing expert Mr Mike Myers and economist Dr Diaswati (Asti) Mardiasmo to explore the challenges and opportunities facing affordable housing in Australia, with a particular focus on the Build to Rent (BtR) model.

Mike, Chair of the Queensland Housing All Australians Committee and head of Project Solo, brings over four decades of experience in social and affordable housing. Asti, Chief Economist at PRDnationwide, draws on more than 20 years of analysing economic trends that shape property markets in Australia and abroad.

Key questions explored:

• Can Build to Rent genuinely deliver more affordable housing?
• What is holding BtR back in Australia?
• Can cross-subsidisation work without long-term government support?
• Who should help close Australia’s affordable and social housing gap?
• What needs to change to attract investment and grow housing supply?

This episode offers a realistic look at where Build to Rent fits within Australia’s housing future and what needs to change for it to become a more inclusive and sustainable housing model.

#BuildToRent #AffordableHousing #SocialHousing #HousingSupply #HousingPolicy

Every day, thousands cross the NSW–QLD border without noticing the invisible systems that shape where and how people live. But for those navigating housing challenges, that border can mark a major shift in policy, access and support.

In the first episode of my new podcast series on affordable and social housing, I spoke with Jackson Hills (Q Shelter, General Manager - Policy and Strategic Engagement)  and John Engeler (Chair, National Shelter & CEO, Shelter NSW) about housing futures in the cross-border region and how coordination is evolving. Topics we explored:

• How rental bond policies vary between states and what that means for renters
• The way emergency housing services operate on either side of the border
• Different planning and certification approaches for build-to-rent and modular housing
• The role of climate resilience in large-scale housing investment across jurisdictions

We also looked at where collaboration is already happening, from councils sharing resources to service providers learning from each other’s models. NSW’s bond assistance programs and QLD’s rapid housing projects show how each state brings something valuable to the table.

People in housing stress don’t see borders, , and increasingly, the systems supporting them are learning to work across them too.

#AffordableHousing #SocialHousing #UrbanPlanning #HousingDevelopment #ModularHousing