Diagnosis and cure: experts gather to discuss what ails Sydney

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Diagnosis and cure: experts gather to discuss what ails Sydney


Leading planners, advocates, academics and social commentators are coming together to discuss the prognosis for Sydney's future in a series of symposia beginning next week at the University of Technology, Sydney. The Sydney Futures Twilight Symposia series has been prompted by mounting evidence that Sydney is a "global metropolis sliding into chaos" according to lead organiser, UTS Professor of Sociology Professor Andrew Jakubowicz. Professor Jakubowicz said the six symposia, the first on Thursday 1 June, would run over a number of months, culminating in a free public forum two weeks ahead of the NSW elections next March. "Sydney is a beautiful city with a declining infrastructure, a city once characterised by its concerns for social justice, that is now harder to live in, unhealthier, more dangerous, more expensive, and far less equitable than its potential holds," Professor Jakubowicz said. "As Sydney's city university, UTS has been spurred to stimulate a comprehensive debate about the future of our city and its region, bringing together the people who can identify and analyse the issues and look for solutions." Next week a panel of planning experts, John Mant, Bob Whitehead and Glen Searle, will lead a discussion on Planning the metropolis - after Metroplan. The opening symposium will look at whether the Government's Metroplan provides the blueprint for a more liveable, equitable and healthier city. Local Government Association President Genia McCaffrey and urban planner Alison Ziller will lead the next symposium, on Thursday 6 July, looking at the State's new planning powers and whether tighter State control means more "cookie-cutter" suburbs. For the full program visit: http://www.dab.uts.edu.au/symposia/sydney_futures_twilight_symposia.html Professor Jakubowicz said the series would be podcast and supported by a blog. The collected papers will be published by UTS e-Press. The series is presented by the UTS Faculties of Design, Architecture and Building and Humanities and Social Sciences. It is sponsored by the UTS Transforming/Cultures Research Centre and the Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils in partnership with the NSW Council of Social Service and the Local Government and Shires Association. Wednesday 24 May 2006