Creating great Australian cities

The world is embarking on a ‘metropolitan century’ and Australia is no different.

In this metropolitan century most of the global population will be urban and cities are evolving fast. In Australia our population is growing fast, particularly in our big cities, creating challenges. Our economy is also urbanising – with our prosperity increasingly anchored in our cities.

This means some big transitions are underway – transitions which will be fundamental to Australia’s future in many ways.

What are the forces of change that are shaping our cities? What can Australia learn from the rest of the world?  And – most importantly – what do we need to do to create great Australian cities for the future?

Next week the Property Council will launch a landmark project on creating great Australian cities. The report has been authored by UK adviser and academic Professor Greg Clark from The Business of Cities.

It will be an ‘outside in’ look at our metropolitan areas – what we have done well, and what we can do better, to succeed in this metropolitan century so that our cities provide current and future generations of Australians with the employment, education, and lifestyle opportunities that our country is capable of supporting.

As clearly shown by the winners of our Innovation and Excellence Awards, detailed in this issue, our industry is uniquely positioned to deliver the innovative and sustainable solutions to support a growing Australia.

Getting this right needs to be a national priority. Creating great Australian cities is vital for our future prosperity and well-being, and we are ready to lead the discussion.