SGS Staff Presentations and Papers
Recent Presentations and Papers
MAY 2013
Back to the Future 3: Let's make it happen
Writing in Planning News, SGS Principal Terry Rawnsley suggests we need a public conversation about Melbourne's future challenges and outlines key characteristics a metropolitan authority will need, to implement a metropolitan strategy
APRIL 2013
Back to the Future 2: Let's invest in our city
As Melbourne grows, the city's fringe and CBD can't be expected to do all the heavy lifting in accommodating our future population, argues Terry Rawnsley in Planning News
Planning for affordable housing
SGS Associate Clare Wall's presentation to the PIA National Congress 2013
Urban 'Town Centres': How have they performed?
Presentation to PIA National Congress, Canberra, March 2013. Authored by SGS's Andrew McDougall, Bethanie Finney and Julian Szafraniec.
Canberra seminar on Urban Development Trends and Issues
Presentations by ACT demographer Dr Alison Taylor, SGS Principal Patrick Fensham and Sydney urban planner John O'Callaghan to the Canberra PIA seminar sponsored by SGS.
MARCH 2013
Back to the Future: Let's Invest in our City
Writing in the latest issue of Planning News, SGS Principal Terry Rawnsley argues that major investments in Melbourne's transport network are one of the few policy levers available to the government to address the current mismatch between housing supply and employment.
DECEMBER 2012
SGS Occasional Paper - Planning Directions for Metropolitan Sydney
SGS's third Occasional Paper lays out an agenda of five key ideas which need to be addressed in the metropolitan strategy for Sydney to address an agglomeration driven productivity agenda.
NOVEMBER 2012
Strategic insights on Metropolitan Governance: Improving the Strategic Capacity of Australia's Cities
The report from the first roundtable in UTS and SGS's Strategic Insights Series 1
SEPTEMBER 2012
Local Government and Economic Development: A National Survey
SGS Principal Sasha Lennon's presentation to the International Economic Development Conference 2012, Cairns, 18 September 2012
Leveraging Prosperity and Sustainability from Resources
SGS Principal Sasha Lennon's presentation to the International Economic Development Conference 2012, Cairns, 18 September 2012
Study valuing Queensland's public libraries
State Library of Queensland's commissioned study "The Library Dividend: A guide to the socio-economic value of Queensland's Public Libraries" was launched with presentations by SGS Principal Andrew McDougall and senior consultant Mark Donaldson
AUGUST 2012
Town Centre Reinforcement - Leveraging Key Assets
SGS Principal and Partner Andrew McDougall's presentation to the Town Centre Revitalisation Conference held in Esperance.
JULY 2012
Planning Regulation and Economic Impact
A presentation by SGS Principal Roger Gibbins to the Informa Housing Congress held on 30 and 31 July 2012.
JUNE 2012
Regional cooperation and development: Towards a new partnership between city and country
A presentation by SGSP Principal and Partner Dr Marcus Spiller to the ALGA National Symposium 2012 held in Canberra.
Plans That Work - SGS Melbourne Seminar 13 June
City of Sydney CEO Monica Barone and Professor Lyndsay Neilson discuss what lies behind the success of two groundbreaking city plans: Sustainable Sydney 2030 and the City of Melbourne Strategy Plan 1985.
MAY 2012
Urban Form and Social Disadvantage - Is there a link?
SGS Associate Liz de Chastel, presented on Urban Form and Social Disadvantage at the PIA Adelaide National Congress in May.
The Business Case for Town Centre Development
SGS Principal and Partner Andrew McDougall's presentation to the CBD and Town Centre Development Conference held in Sydney on 23 May.
APRIL 2012
SGS Occasional Paper - Green Growth versus no growth: a review of concepts and issues
Paper authored by SGS Principal Roger Gibbins, critiqueing recent literature on policy options for reducing global greenhouse emissions.
MARCH 2012
The unplanned source of housing supply: What drives incremental infill housing development?
A conference presentation by Julian Szafraniec, SGS senior consultant, to the Australasian Housing Researchers Conference 2012
Housing development in heritage locations.
A conference presentation by Daniela Jovanovic, SGS Senior consultant, to the Australasian Housing Researchers Conference 2012
FEBRUARY 2012
SGS Occasional Paper: Measuring and capturing the value of metropolitan planning: lessons from Melbourne and Dublin
A paper authored by Dr Marcus Spiller following an SGS-sponsored sabbatical, researching metropolitan governance at National University of Ireland Maynooth.
DECEMBER 2011
GDP by Major Capital City
Recent methodological advancements by the ABS have enabled SGS Economics and Planning (SGS) to develop estimates of economic activity for each major capital city and the regional section of the state.
SEPTEMBER 2011
Melbourne's Economy: A Stunning Success or Captured by Complacency?
SGS Melbourne Quarterly Seminar held on 15 September 2011. Terry Rawnsley, Associate Director of SGS spoke on Melbourne's Economy
AUGUST 2011
AITPM National Conference Paper & Presentation - Riding the Smart Bus: Knowledge Workers, Agglomeration Economies and Public Transport Use
Terry Rawnsley presented the Riding the Smart Bus: Knowledge Workers, Agglomeration Economies and Public Transport Use Paper at the AITPM National Conference on the 11th of August 2011. Terry coauthored the paper with Bethanie Finney and Julian Szafraniec. The aim of the paper was to expand our understanding of the relationship between agglomeration economies, knowledge workers and public transport usage.
The latest frontier in boosting Australia's productivity lies in the way we spatially organise and manage our cities.
Melbourne's metropolitan structure can drive labour productivity, innovation and human capital accumulation to underpin Victoria's long term prosperity as a non-resource State, according to a submission from SGS Economics & Planning Pty Ltd to the State Government. The submission is to the Inquiry into a State Based Reform Agenda being conducted by Victorian Competition & Efficiency Commission.
How Tertiary Research Institutions can Help ED Units to Facilitate Economic Development
In the Winter Edition of the Quarterly Journal of Economic Development Australia, SGS Director Sasha Lennon explains how Universities, think tanks and other research organisations can contribute to economic development.
JUNE 2011
What's happening in housing supply and prices in Melbourne's growth areas?
SGS Melbourne Quarterly Seminar held on Thursday June 16. The speakers were
Colin Keane - Director of the National Land Survey Program at Researchfour and the Director of Market Research at VicUrban.
Dr Marcus Spiller - a Director of SGS Economics and Planning
Christchurch's Future - the Economics of Innovative Cities
Marcus Spiller, a Director of SGS Economics and Planning, presented on The Economics of Innovative Cities at the Christchurch TEDxChCh Forum held in June 2011. Christchurch can look ahead with confidence economically, he said.
MAY 2011
Prosperity 2030 - Collaborative Development and Investment
Sasha Lennon, SGS Director, and Glenn Churchill, CEO of GADPL, gave their insights on the collaborative process behind the Gladstone Region Economic Development Strategy, at the ‘Resourced Regions - Shaping Up or Shipping Out? conference, Gladstone, 18th May 2011
Quantifying Economic Impact: An Art and a Science
James Matthews, SGS Consultant, and Scott Templeman, Logan Office of Economic Development, discussed using economic information and economic models for better decision making and economic management, at the ‘Resourced Regions - Shaping Up or Shipping Out?' conference, Gladstone, 18th May 2011
APRIL 2011
Capitalising on Community
Canberra's population is growing, and new developments aim to give families a safe, healthy lifestyle, writes Liz de Chastel, Canberra practice manager of SGS Economics and Planning, in Canberra's Child April 2011
Place making, inclusion and governance in the suburban city - a case study of Melbourne, Australia
A chapter by Dr Marcus Spiller, in "Investing in better places: international perspectives" just published by the Smith Institute.
MARCH 2011
Indigenous Public Policy - Closing the Rhetorical Gap
SGS's March Canberra seminar heard and discussed perspectives on current Indigenous Public Policy from three key speakers. Dr Jeff McMullen, AM ; Leah Armstrong- Chief Executive Officer of Reconciliation Australia, and Ed Wensing (Assoc. Director SGS Economics and Planning).
For economic development practitioners, collaboration may be the best form of innovation
Writing in Economic Development Quarterly Vol 5 No 1, SGS Director Sasha Lennon discusses why productive partnerships are the key to finding innovative approaches to economic development.
Can effective community engagement deliver the metropolitan strategy? Where to from here?
At SGS Melbourne's March 2011 Seminar Daniela Jovanovic (SGS Senior Consultant), Andrew Macleod (Committee for Melbourne and author of recent paper 'Melbourne Beyond 5 Million'), and Jane Francis Kelly (Grattan Institute) discussed community engagement, and its role in the delivery of metropolitan strategy.
Privatisation - what can make it successful? (listen to radio interview)
Terry Rawnsley, Associate Director at SGS Economics and Planning spoke to Perth RTR's Ben Ainslie on the topic of privatisation. Terry outlined the drivers for privatisation and the factors which can lead to successful outcomes for the community.
FEBRUARY 2011
Integrating Land Use and Strategic Planning
Presenting at the Metropolitan Transport Forum - Fast Track Transport for Sustainable Cities, Dr Marcus Spiller discussed how strategic transport investment is 'sculpting the metropolis'. He outlined some some principles for better integrating transport and land use planning.
JANUARY 2011
Engagement is key to good community planning
The new requirement that Queensland councils prepare a long-term strategic Community Plan provides councils with the opportunity to reconnect with their communities, writes SGS consultant Jemima Hutch in Councillor Magazine January 2011
DECEMBER 2010
A commission to deliver a more sustainable Melbourne
Institutionally, we are now in a weaker position to forge a sustainable future for our cities than we were three decades ago. So what changed and how can we repair the situation? Dr Marcus Spiller, SGS Director, discusses the governance and planning education responses needed....
The Relationship Between Housing Density and Built-Form Energy Use
The relationship between high-density housing and low energy use is not automatic and we need more research into this area, according to a recent article by Karen Wright, SGS Senior Consultant...
NOVEMBER 2010
Regional Development: Challenges, Opportunities & Policy Ideas
At the SGS Canberra quarterly seminar on 29 November 2010 speakers from peak bodies, commonwealth government and SGS Economics and Planning provided diverse perspectives on regional development and regional engagement.
Agglomeration and Labour Productivity in Australian Cities
The last frontier to boosting Australia's productivity is in the way we spatially organise our cities: increasing the level of agglomeration can boost labour productivity. A paper by Terry Rawnsley (SGS Associate Director) and Julian Szafraniec (SGS Senior Consultant) describes research which has developed the understanding of the relationship between agglomeration and labour productivity in Australian cities.
Melbourne's Transformation : Rust Belt to Renaissance
In a paper to the Melbourne 2010 Knowledge Cities World Summit, Terry Rawnsley and Dr Marcus Spiller explain the important role that spatial reforms played in Melbourne's transformation to a knowledge intensive economy, and suggest a new generation of reforms needed for Melbourne's continued advancement....
Addressing Seasonal Visitor Flows in Australian Resort Destinations
Some of the mechanisms that Australian destination managers and tourism businesses can use to address seasonality are explored in an article by Kane Boardman, SGS Senior Consultant, published in "Economic Development Australia".
Knowledge Hubs, Innovation Precincts, Technology Parks, Employment Centres - Much More than Real Estate Projects
For specialised employment centres to be successful, long term commitment to building soft as well as hard infrastructure is needed, write Andrew McDougall (SGS Director) and Ellen Witte (Senior Consultant) in a recent article.
Integrating urban planning with economic development for sustainable growth
Local planners have an important role to play in facilitating economic development, argues SGS Director Sasha Lennon in a recent article for "Economic Development" magazine.
Victorian Economic Outlook
SGS's Melbourne Quarterly Seminar "Victorian Economic Outlook" was held on 4 November 2010.
How well planned activity centres can enhance economic development
Activity centres play a significant role in creating strong and robust economies, SGS Senior Consultant Ross Larsen writes in "Local Government Focus" Newspaper November 2010.
OCTOBER 2010
Thinking Economics when Planning for Community Hubs
SGS consultant Andrea Skraba presented "Thinking Economics when Planning for Community Hubs" at the Planning Institute of Australia Forum "Front and Centre: Planning for Community Hubs" held on 14 October 2010 .
SEPTEMBER 2010
Australian Settlement Futures: The Role of the Commonwealth in Urban and Regional Planning
In a paper to the NSW PIA Conference 2010, SGS Director Patrick Fensham proposed six key roles the Australian government could assume in addressing urban and regional planning in Australia.
AUGUST 2010
The Making of the Poly-Centric State: Can it be Done?
The Victorian Government recently announced a $631 million regional development plan, "Ready for Tomorrow: A Blueprint for Regional and Rural Victoria". SGS's Melbourne August quarterly seminar explored what that vision means for Victoria and whether it can be realised.....
JUNE 2010
Innovation in affordable housing - SGS Canberra Seminar
What is the future of the affordable housing industry in Australia? Will industry innovation allow policy makers to move away from traditional models, concepts and market mechanisms? Three prominent speakers shared their insights at the SGS Canberra June seminar.
MAY 2010
The Abbotsford Convent: Evolution and Experience
In 2000 the Victorian Government appointed a Project Facilitation Reference Group to investigate the feasibility of converting the Abbotsford Convent into an arts/ cultural/ education and tourism precinct. SGS Melbourne's May 2010 quarterly seminar discussed the project....
APRIL 2010
A new agenda for strategic planning in capital cities
SGS Directors Patrick Fensham and Marcus Spiller were among the presenters at "A new agenda for strategic planning in capital cities", an event focussing on implementing and evaluating the new Council of Australian Governments (COAG) criteria for capital city planning.
MARCH 2010
36 million - Fact or Fiction?
What should the public policy response be to Australia's projected population? Some of Australia's leading thinkers on sustainable development discussed the sustainability challenges and policy responses at SGS Canberra seminar, March 2010.
FEBRUARY 2010
Realising a vision for the Community Housing Sector in Western Australia
Community Housing stock now makes up almost 10% of social housing in Australia, but the national target is to reach 33 per cent by 2014. Three housing experts discussed issues and policy settings vital to growing the Community Housing sector, at the SGS Perth Seminar, February 2010.
Melbourne economic outlook: From economic recovery to economic reinvention.
How has Melbourne's economy been performing, what is the outlook for the next 3 years, and what can urban policy do suport long term productivity growth in the metropolis and in its sub regions? SGS Melbourne quarterly seminar presentation by Associate Director Terry Rawnsley
DECEMBER 2009
Economic fundamentals of re-localisation in Australia
Presentation by SGS Director Roger Gibbins to the seminar "Going Local: Creating Place-based Economies", 2 December 2009, Melbourne
NOVEMBER 2009
South East Queensland's economic development: where to from now?
What policies and actions should governments take to facilitate the South East Queensland metropolitan region's economic development? ....
SEPTEMBER 2009
Land use impacts of accessibility changes
Research has confirmed that variation in the distribution of Melbourne's employment and housing can be explained by variations in relative accessibility...
AUGUST 2009
Valuing Access to opportunities in Housing Markets
Presentation by Julian Szafraniec to the 2009 Housing Researchers Conference, Sydney
Quality and affordable housing includes being well located to jobs and services. A Melbourne case study looks at the current access to opportunity for disadvantaged groups, the location of public housing construction, and the societal benefits of reshaping access to opportunity.
JULY 2009
Taking the Middle Way ‐ A Sustainable Approach to Indigenous Development
As we learn the lessons of our past, it is becoming clear that Australia needs to take a middle way if we are to achieve sustainable Indigenous development...
JUNE 2009
The Private Rental Market - Trends and Implications
Many low income households suffer ‘housing stress’ and many are excluded and in the absence of social housing alternatives....
