Metgasco’s “Community Consultative”: a Moment of Hilarity for the Bentley Blockade

I am old enough to have studied Latin in high school. It helps make me a good speller.  A moment of hilarity And today, Latin provided a moment of hilarity in battle to bring Metgasco to see reason about gas mining in the Northern Rivers. The goss now is that Metgasco is encouraging its shareholders… Continue reading Metgasco’s “Community Consultative”: a Moment of Hilarity for the Bentley Blockade

Vancouver’s EcoDensity Policy: Reflections on Australian Planning’s Cultural Cringe and Cultural Imperialism

Australia‘s “cultural cringe”   One of the challenges of being a “migrant” in Australia is understanding the “cultural cringe” that infects so much of Australian life. I’ve lived and worked here for 45 years and it still puzzles me. For those not familiar with it, it is an internalised inferiority complex that causes us to… Continue reading Vancouver’s EcoDensity Policy: Reflections on Australian Planning’s Cultural Cringe and Cultural Imperialism

NIMBY Psychology: What Can a Planner Do?

Last night we had a lively discussion in Brisbane hosted by the Planning Institute, Queensland Branch.   Stephanie Wyeth, a highly experienced engagement practitioner and Director of Urbis, Queensland, and I spoke about the practical aspects of community engagement in a well-attended “How-To” seminar.     I spoke about NIMBY Psychology: What Can a Planner… Continue reading NIMBY Psychology: What Can a Planner Do?

Social Planner’s Distress Call: The NBN Information Session in Nimbin

    The inappropriate dress and exposed breasts of the woman from Ericsson were the best (or the worst, depending on your perspective) features of the NBN Information Session in Nimbin Town Hall today.   Oh dear.   Social Planner’s Distress Call.   Again.   It’s been a hard week and it’s only Monday.  … Continue reading Social Planner’s Distress Call: The NBN Information Session in Nimbin

Banging on about Bang the Table

A couple of times recently, I’ve heard Australians complain about the Australian online engagement firm, Bang the Table (BTT) (see https://bangthetable.com/).   I’ve done their training and greatly admire their work, which I see as directly complementary to my more “hands-on” approaches.   I decided it was time to sort things out in my own… Continue reading Banging on about Bang the Table

NIMBY psychology at Harvard University February 2013

  NIMBY psychology comes to Harvard — from Australia!   February was an exciting month for me. I spent it teaching in the Graduate School of Design (GSD) at Harvard University and giving lectures and classes at MIT and Tufts University.   It was exceptionally cold for a person who lives in the sub-tropics. A… Continue reading NIMBY psychology at Harvard University February 2013

“Realising the Revolution”: Medium-Density Housing in Queensland by Bridget Rogan and Fran Toomey

First posted June 8, 2012 – 3:21 pm   Two Brisbane Planners Call for a “Revolutionary” Approach to Increasing Housing Density: Realising the Revolution?     In a recent paper to the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) Queensland conference, Bridget Rogan and Fran Toomey of the Council of Mayors (SEQ) presented the results of work… Continue reading “Realising the Revolution”: Medium-Density Housing in Queensland by Bridget Rogan and Fran Toomey

Better Together? Let’s Get Practical!

              Better Together   Last week, an Adelaide-based colleague gave me a copy of Better Together: Principles of Engagement, just published by the South Australian Government.     You can read about it at:   https://saplan.org.au/yoursay and https://saplan.org.au/better_together   You can also comment. I tried to do that but… Continue reading Better Together? Let’s Get Practical!

Wendy Sarkissian on Nimby Psychology at The Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre, Adelaide, 29 May 2013

                  NIMBY psychology is coming to Adelaide!   On 29th May at 6 pm, I will be presenting on NIMBY psychology at a free public lecture at the Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre at the University of South Australia. The lecture is free but seating is lmited… Continue reading Wendy Sarkissian on Nimby Psychology at The Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre, Adelaide, 29 May 2013

Criticisms of community engagement

  It’s a worry!   I’ve explained before that community engagement – especially with sustainability – is not an easy task.   Many people argue that it is problematic and can actually hurt those it most intends to benefit.   So let’s just have a quick look at some of the major criticisms. I’d love… Continue reading Criticisms of community engagement