Media Release
November 26 2007
Planning for sustainability in Australian cities
Preparing
Australian cities for the challenges of climate change and finding ways
of meeting the need for more affordable housing are among key issues to
be addressed at the third
State of Australian Cities Conference (SOAC) to be held in Adelaide
from 28-30 November 2007.
The SOAC is widely recognised as Australia’s most important regular
research conference on urban policy and planning issues affecting
Australia’s cities.
A collaborative venture between UniSA, Adelaide and Flinders
universities, the theme of this year’s conference is “The Growth,
Vulnerability and Sustainability of Australian Cities” and covers some
150 papers reporting on important new research on Australian cities.
State Housing Minister
Jay
Weatherill will speak at the opening ceremony on housing and urban
issues in South Australia. Other key speakers include
•
Professor Stephen Dovers of the Australian National University, who
will speak about the need for much more ambitious and radical changes to
city planning processes if people are to adapt to the dramatic changes
that climate change will inevitably bring.
•
Professor Ruth Fincher of Melbourne University will speak on issues
that include the need to make more effort to understand and address the
consequences of inequality in Australian cities.
•
Professor Bob Stimson of the University of Queensland will speak on
the work of the recently prepared Australia Futures Task Force.
The overall Program Chair is
Professor Steve Hamnett, Professor of Urban and Regional Planning at
the University of South Australia.
In addition to the host universities, the conference is generously
supported by the South Australian Land Management Corporation, the SA
Department of Environment and Heritage, Planning SA, Lend Lease
Communities and the Adelaide City Council.
Plenary sessions begin on Wednesday 28 November in the University of
South Australia's Basil Hetzel building. Details of how to attend and
more information about the conference can be found at
www.unisa.edu.au/soac2007
Contact for interview
- Prof Stephen Hamnett office (08) 8302 2297 mobile 0407 728 339 email stephen.hamnett@unisa.edu.au
Media contact
- Geraldine Hinter office (08) 8302 0963 mobile 0417 861832 email geraldine.hinter@unisa.edu.au