Matt Collins

@mattcollins The same could be said about pretty much any local council renewal strategy right now

Full report: abc.net.au/news/2026-04-1…

MBRC planners are proposing a significant rezoning in well-located Ferny Hills & Arana Hills... but delivery of the plan is at risk due to construction sector challenges.

Let's be honest, the housing market responds to many many factors. In any analysis, we need to embrace the complexity of the market. Factors that affect prices include: * Long-run planning and zoning constraints * Interest rate cycles * Construction cost and capacity constraints * Tax settings and investor incentives * Demographic and household formation trends * Migration volumes and composition * Income and credit availability * Macro-prudential settings * State-level economic cycles * Global capital flows into residential property Unfortunately, there are some people who want to simplify this market to one or two factors, and then note the anomalies as proof that another person's theory is wrong. #housing #auspol #ausbiz #ausecon

There's one trait where economists clearly outperform the other social sciences: Hubris.

Latest Australian regional population data is out. ‘The largest growth areas were mostly in outer-suburban parts of the capital cities, where population growth was driven by people moving in from other parts of Australia’ abs.gov.au/media-centre/m…

@peter_tulip And in urban planning

Donald Shoup's The High Cost of Free Parking is one of the most influential books in urban economics. amazon.com.au/High-Cost-Free… If you don't have time to read its 800 pages, here is an accessible summary: youtu.be/r0gokb4rPik?t=…

“A city’s creativity doesn’t depend on cars. That’s the 20th century. We’re in the 21st.”— Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo. No matter what happens in the Paris election, the world’s cities owe Mayor Hidalgo a huge debt of gratitude. The boldest, most inspiring mayor I’ve seen. ft.com/content/8fbad7…

US homes have been growing massively over the last decades. So much so that indoor living area per person has tripled since 1950.

The city’s transition away from the car, though fantastically chaotic, has become a global role model, says Simon Kuper: ft.trib.al/PENku7n

If the government or anyone else is actually serious about fixing the housing crisis they need to start tracking development approvals, not just building approvals, commencements and completions. They then need to understand what are the key constraints developers are encountering moving from development approvals to building approval and commencement and address those. The fixation on building approvals is misguided these represent buildings pre-sold, financed for construction and largely ready to be built.

@jonobri For the avoidance of doubt and so we have a "shared language": --> "Densification of existing urban areas are often a key mechanism for practical implementation of urban containment strategies"

@mattcollins How are you so bad faith? Urban containment also includes restrictions on density. Come on, man.

Yeah what would CSIRO know anyway? aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_…

@jonobri What are you talking about? Urban containment policies are literally intended to curb sprawl and support infill / density in existing urban areas.

@mattcollins Urban containment also includes limits on density, Matt Collins, CEO of limiting density.

@jonobri Worth noting that the World Bank backs urban growth boundaries as a metropolitan planning tool too. Yet you're putting a former World Bank planner on tour this very week. Do you actually believe what you say, or you just want to dunk on planning?

@jonobri So now you're arguing against urban growth boundaries and therefore in favour of expanding fringe greenfield development? This you?

One of the odd aspects of the 'build homes in places people want to live' mantra is the focus on 'build homes', and less on 'places people want to live'. As well as encouraging housing supply, good planning should also increase the supply of 'places where people want to live'.

Explore the full shortlist here: architectureau.com/articles/short… These Awards are co-convened by the Australian Institute of Architects, the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects and the Planning Institute of Australia.

Great to see the shortlist for the 2026 Australian Urban Design Awards announced. These projects highlight the power of thoughtful planning, design and collaboration in shaping great places and thriving communities across Australia. Congratulations to all those shortlisted. 👏

@peter_tulip Shocked! theage.com.au/politics/victo…

@peter_tulip Good to have your support for stronger planning controls that enable more trees faster.

If NIMBYs, planners and councils genuinely cared about streetscapes and neighbourhood amenity they would require more tall street trees. But they don't. theconversation.com/one-street-tre…