UrbanTalk Podcast

REDWatch is one of the most well established community organisations in Sydney and has spent the last 20 years maintaining a website, sending email notifications and holding monthly meetings that keep their community up to date with what is going on in the area. We had the pleasure of speaking with the Spokesperson of REDWatch, Geoff Turnbull—a treasure trove of local knowledge.   Visit the UrbanTalk website - https://www.urbantalk.com.au/

Much of the discourse around the housing crisis is examined through the lens of planning, which we were fortunate enough to explore last year with the NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Paul Scully. However, the other side of housing involves construction and the regulation that surrounds new builds, renters and strata schemes. In this episode we had to opportunity to focus on this side with our guest, NSW Minister for Building and Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading, Anoulack Chanthivong. Visit the UrbanTalk website - https://www.urbantalk.com.au/

Sydney YIMBY is a group advocating for more development in response to Australia’s housing crisis. In this episode of the UrbanTalk Podcast, we’re joined by Sydney YIMBY Deputy Chair, Melissa Neighbour. She talks about the YIMBY or “yes in my back yard” movement, what the group is trying to achieve and why it’s important. Visit Sydney YIMBY - https://www.sydney.yimby.au/ Visit the UrbanTalk website - https://www.urbantalk.com.au/

We delve into how the Heart Foundation’s Healthy Active by Design program is creating healthier, more walkable communities. Our guest, Anna Gurnhill, discusses the crucial impact of neighbourhood design on public health, highlighting evidence-based strategies, key design features, and practical case studies that show how thoughtful urban planning can improve liveability, physical activity, and wellbeing for all Australians. See the Healthy Active by Design resources: https://www.healthyactivebydesign.com.au/ Visit the Heart Foundation website: https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/ Visit the UrbanTalk website: https://www.urbantalk.com.au/  

Along with the need to increase housing density, our cities need to also keep up with adequate green infrastructure. It will be more important than even to ensure there is enough green space and access to active transportation for the happiness and health of the broader community. In this episode we’re joined by Jua Cilliers – Professor of Planning and Associate Dean Research, Faculty of Design and Society at UTS Sydney. Jua discusses how a more wholistic approach to planning that includes adequate green infrastructure will improve the liveability, sustainability, health and safety of our communities. Visit the UrbanTalk website: https://www.urbantalk.com.au/

New South Wales Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Paul Scully joins the UrbanTalk Podcast to talk about the low-rise Pattern Book, who it’s for and what the brief was. We also touch on the Housing Development Authority, manufactured homes and the relationship between state and local government. Visit the UrbanTalk website: https://www.urbantalk.com.au/

What are design competitions, how do they work and how do they ensure a good design outcome? Paulo Macchia, the Director Design Governance at the Government Architect NSW joins the UrbanTalk Podcast to discuss design competitions and continues our discussion on design excellence from episode 13.

UrbanTalk completes a trilogy of podcasts focusing on suburbia. In this episode we’re joined by Guy Gibson, a Director at Suburban Futures and co-editor of the book “The Next Australian City: The Suburban Evolution”. We take a quick overview of the past, present and future of Australian suburbia.   Buy The Next Australian City: The Suburban Evolution: https://www.connorcourtpublishing.com.au/THE-NEXT-AUSTRALIAN-CITY-THE-SUBURBAN-EVOLUTION--EDITED-BY-GUY-GIBSON-ROSS-ELLIOTT_p_601.html https://www.amazon.com.au/Next-Australian-City-Suburban-Evolution/dp/1923224050 Visit the Suburban Futures website: https://suburbanfutures.com.au/ Visit the UrbanTalk website: https://www.urbantalk.com.au/  

The Planning Institute of Australia has once again partnered with UrbanTalk to create a series of podcast in the lead up to the Planning Congress 2025 in Darwin. We speak with Ika Trijsburg, who leads the Disinformation in the City project across five Australian universities, and in 2024 was the lead author of the world first Disinformation in the City Response Playbook.  Planning is not an area commonly associated with disinformation, but recent narratives and campaigns have caused the issue to burst onto the planning scene. Ika talks about just how much of a threat disinformation poses to planning, some of the knock-on effects and strategies to respond to disinformation. Disinformation in the City Playbook: https://www.gmfus.org/news/disinformation-city-response-playbook Planning Congress Website: https://eventfrog.eventsair.com/planning-congress-2025/ PIA Website: https://www.planning.org.au/ UrbanTalk Website: https://www.urbantalk.com.au/

The Planning Institute of Australia has once again partnered with UrbanTalk to create a series of podcast in the lead up to the Planning Congress 2025 in Darwin. We’re joined by Anthony Burke, a Professor of Architecture at the University of Technology Sydney and host the of Grand Designs Australia and Culture by Design. Anthony talks about quality design and how they can help create better cities, better homes and address some of the most pressing planning challenges. Planning Congress Website: https://eventfrog.eventsair.com/planning-congress-2025/ PIA Website: https://www.planning.org.au/ UrbanTalk Website: https://www.urbantalk.com.au/