Australia's Unintended Cities : The Impact of Housing on Urban Development

While it is recognised that competitive cities are essential for Australia's economic growth, that Australia's cities are seeing increasing social and spatial segregation based on class and age and housing affordability, and that the cities and their inhabitants need to reduce their carbon footprint, the extent to which competitiveness, segregation and environmental harm are an unintended consequence of housing and other government policies and preconceptions is not recognised. Australia's Unintended Cities examines how housing and related urban outcomes are profoundly affected by economic and social policies that are not intended to have these effects.

It identifies and researches housing and housing-related urban outcomes that are unintended consequences of other policies, the structure of incentives and disincentives for the housing market, and governance arrangements for metropolitan areas and planning and service delivery.

It discusses the Henry Tax Review, the COAG Reform Council work on capital city strategic planning systems and the Productivity Commission study of planning and zoning. The book will inform policy makers, including government officials, consultants and politicians.

It will also be used by academics and students in various areas of urban policy, such as housing and urban planning, as well as environment, public policy and economics.