Economy
Economic growth, agglomeration, and connectivity. Attracting human capital, facilitating innovation and participating in global markets.
Economic growth, agglomeration, and connectivity. Attracting human capital, facilitating innovation and participating in global markets
Cities are the main contributor to Australia’s economy generating around 80 per cent of the nation’s GDP. Facilitating economic growth is the most prominent rationale in urban policies to shape the development of Australia’s cities. The economic structure of Australia’s cities is changing due to the shift from manufacturing to service- and knowledge industries. Urban policies respond to this in a range of ways, such as; promoting the attractiveness of central business districts to global companies, unlocking the value of innovative industries through agglomeration, and embracing new technologies to ensure ongoing productivity.
The Brief on ‘economy’ addresses ways urban policies are aiming to achieve productivity growth by clustering economic activities, increasing connectivity and facilitating structural changes in Australian cities.
Latest News and Briefs
brief
Enabling economic activity to thrive in Australia’s cities
Cities are the main contributor to Australia’s economy generating around 80 per cent of the nation’s GDP. Facilitating economic growth is the most prominent rationale in urban policies to shape the development of Australia’s cities. Visions for economic transition and future growth are captured in the 2016 Smart Cities Plan focusing on investment, policy coordination and new technology.
brief
Where are the well paid and less well paid jobs based in Australia's capital cities?
In Australia’s capital cities, the vast majority of jobs are located in the suburbs, not the central city area. However, the central city area does contain a greater proportion of high-income workers than either middle or low-income workers.
news
Federal cities policy, housing affordability and low income jobs
As the Australian Government's cities agenda is focussing on local jobs and affordable housing, recent AHURI research reveals the impacts of high housing costs for low-income workers who work in the central city areas in Perth, Darwin, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
brief
Why housing matters in the decentralisation debate
The Select Committee on Regional Development and Decentralisation is currently inquiring into best ways to support regional development and the decentralisation of Commonwealth and corporate entities, including the economic impacts of moving Government departments to regional cities and ways to encourage larger businesses to follow them.