Governing urban change in a global financial crisis: a comparative analysis of waterfront renewal in Adelaide, Darwin and Melbourne

Abstract

Urban waterfront regeneration is one of the largest changes to the structure of Australian and many world cities over the last two decades. Yet there is no comparative research which evaluates their governing with particular attention to the relationship and responsibility of state and local government agencies. Further, little attention has been paid to assessing the social, political or economic sustainability of these urban projects. Similar to dockland and waterfront areas around the globe waterfront sites located in Adelaide, Darwin and Melbourne have suffered from declining economic activity as a result of deindustrialisation and new transport technologies. Through interview, policy and document analysis the paper offers preliminary insights on current and emergent government arrangements involved in the planning, delivery and reimagining of these waterfront sites. Despite these three Australian cities being differently located in the urban hierarchy each waterfront project will accommodate residential development, economic and consumption-oriented themes spaces in the re-imagining of these landscapes. These waterfront are currently in progress of being redeveloped which makes this comparative study timely as it engages with a new context of re-regulation, the global financial crisis and declining property prices.