Travis Jordan
@grugstan.bsky.social
professional good boy // democracy, cities and tech
// travisjordan.work // these are my own opinions and not those of my employer
he/him // living in Meanjin Brisbane
// travisjordan.work // these are my own opinions and not those of my employer
he/him // living in Meanjin Brisbane
Personally not seeing any construction workers is worth $100 billion in public money — ancient Surry Hills proverb
November 25, 2025 at 1:52 AM
Personally not seeing any construction workers is worth $100 billion in public money — ancient Surry Hills proverb
This is PIA’s policy statement (which is fine but misjudges the politics of this “discussion” just like Pocock did with his population plan)
National Settlement Strategy
Explore why Australia needs a National Settlement Strategy to manage growth, ensure liveable cities, and plan for a resilient, connected future.
www.planning.org.au
November 25, 2025 at 1:50 AM
This is PIA’s policy statement (which is fine but misjudges the politics of this “discussion” just like Pocock did with his population plan)
I look forward to this (probably) well-meaning inquiry getting inundated with migrant-bashing and anti-youth bullshit
November 25, 2025 at 1:42 AM
I look forward to this (probably) well-meaning inquiry getting inundated with migrant-bashing and anti-youth bullshit
Legitimately tho, it’s both bad policy and dehumanising to redirect or even “guide” people to anywhere except where they want to live and work. Any “settlement strategy” that doesn’t start from the first principle that people want to and must be allowed to live in our cities is reactionary nonsense.
November 25, 2025 at 1:39 AM
Legitimately tho, it’s both bad policy and dehumanising to redirect or even “guide” people to anywhere except where they want to live and work. Any “settlement strategy” that doesn’t start from the first principle that people want to and must be allowed to live in our cities is reactionary nonsense.
Agree but I also think we should just allow what others have already done! If we’re gonna do one, it should be even more bare bones than this. Export the 2020s version of the long-illegal “ugly six packs”.
November 24, 2025 at 9:47 AM
Agree but I also think we should just allow what others have already done! If we’re gonna do one, it should be even more bare bones than this. Export the 2020s version of the long-illegal “ugly six packs”.
I’d love to see even more utilitarian versions of this. Absolutely bare minimum six packs that hit all the energy efficiency standards but are otherwise absolutely bare bones. How cheaply can we design and build homes.
November 24, 2025 at 9:46 AM
I’d love to see even more utilitarian versions of this. Absolutely bare minimum six packs that hit all the energy efficiency standards but are otherwise absolutely bare bones. How cheaply can we design and build homes.
There’s a lot of factors that might make these uneconomical, unviable or undeliverable — but making the designs cheap and adaptable while slashing permitting timelines will make the pencilling a lot easier.
Article in Architecture Australia here:
Article in Architecture Australia here:
Nine mid-rise designs added to NSW pattern book
The newly unveiled patterns are designed to “strike a balance between compact living and community connection … [and] enhance neighbourhood character while meeting the needs of diverse households.”
architectureau.com
November 24, 2025 at 9:42 AM
There’s a lot of factors that might make these uneconomical, unviable or undeliverable — but making the designs cheap and adaptable while slashing permitting timelines will make the pencilling a lot easier.
Article in Architecture Australia here:
Article in Architecture Australia here:
It’s pretty funny that they’re all progressive “centre” parties that all have the dumbest names.
November 24, 2025 at 2:26 AM
It’s pretty funny that they’re all progressive “centre” parties that all have the dumbest names.
The busways are the thing I bang on the most. What wasted opportunities.
November 22, 2025 at 7:02 AM
The busways are the thing I bang on the most. What wasted opportunities.
Cool bus, lame tram.
November 22, 2025 at 5:40 AM
Cool bus, lame tram.
Yep. That evolved into the Star Casino proposal.
November 22, 2025 at 5:25 AM
Yep. That evolved into the Star Casino proposal.
Which I feel like is surprising? I expected more academic interest in local politics.
November 21, 2025 at 11:19 PM
Which I feel like is surprising? I expected more academic interest in local politics.
And I'm all for more public housing in West End! Build baby build! But the current government - famously - isn't, and I suspect most of the campaigners feigning concern for public housing right now would be out on the streets just as hard to fight against any proposal that might actually have legs.
November 21, 2025 at 6:30 AM
And I'm all for more public housing in West End! Build baby build! But the current government - famously - isn't, and I suspect most of the campaigners feigning concern for public housing right now would be out on the streets just as hard to fight against any proposal that might actually have legs.
What makes the hip and rich inner north more worthy of public investment in public ownership of grocery stores than actually struggling suburbs? How much will you pay to "Save the Markets"? Silence.
November 21, 2025 at 6:29 AM
What makes the hip and rich inner north more worthy of public investment in public ownership of grocery stores than actually struggling suburbs? How much will you pay to "Save the Markets"? Silence.
And I asked them, was the decade of waiting worth the cost? What makes you now more in need of this land than the city a decade ago or the future residents who'll now be able to live there a decade from now?
November 21, 2025 at 6:29 AM
And I asked them, was the decade of waiting worth the cost? What makes you now more in need of this land than the city a decade ago or the future residents who'll now be able to live there a decade from now?
By the time the site got sold to developers and rezoning plans started coming up, nearly ten years later, then the campaigns to "save" it kicked into gear. Community campaigns, political campaigns, even the Council who didn't care earlier started fighting against it.
November 21, 2025 at 6:29 AM
By the time the site got sold to developers and rezoning plans started coming up, nearly ten years later, then the campaigns to "save" it kicked into gear. Community campaigns, political campaigns, even the Council who didn't care earlier started fighting against it.
This reminds me a lot of the fights I got over Preston Markets in the other place a few years ago. I advocated for council acquiring Preston Markets a decade ago, when I first moved to Melbourne. But most people didn't care and couldn't see the value.
November 21, 2025 at 6:29 AM
This reminds me a lot of the fights I got over Preston Markets in the other place a few years ago. I advocated for council acquiring Preston Markets a decade ago, when I first moved to Melbourne. But most people didn't care and couldn't see the value.
Which again! Is FINE! People who want that should be able to do that. But most people don't want that and there's no policy decision you can make short of literal dereliction and depopulation to bring that back to places people got priced out of.
November 21, 2025 at 6:23 AM
Which again! Is FINE! People who want that should be able to do that. But most people don't want that and there's no policy decision you can make short of literal dereliction and depopulation to bring that back to places people got priced out of.
I've definitely come across progressives and radicals who I've really struggled with understanding their housing advocacy choices until I realised that their literal idealised housing vision for themselves and everyone else is a rotten sharehouse with a gig out the back every weekend.
November 21, 2025 at 6:22 AM
I've definitely come across progressives and radicals who I've really struggled with understanding their housing advocacy choices until I realised that their literal idealised housing vision for themselves and everyone else is a rotten sharehouse with a gig out the back every weekend.
It can be great for meeting neighbours, building neighbourhood pride, improving your own mental health, and many more things! There's heaps of benefits to these things.
Do those benefits outweigh the needs of the city? Almost never imo.
Do those benefits outweigh the needs of the city? Almost never imo.
November 21, 2025 at 6:20 AM
It can be great for meeting neighbours, building neighbourhood pride, improving your own mental health, and many more things! There's heaps of benefits to these things.
Do those benefits outweigh the needs of the city? Almost never imo.
Do those benefits outweigh the needs of the city? Almost never imo.