Urban Broadcast Collective

In this episode of Planningxchange, Jess Noonan and Peter Jewell are joined by Stephen Turner, founder of TS Japan Rail a well respected commentator on Japanese rail travel. Stephen has lived in Japan since the early 1990s and has featured on NHK World’s Japan Railway Journal and Japanology Plus. Through his work, he helps visitors craft memorable journeys across both Japan’s famous Shinkansen network and its lesser-known regional lines. Together we explore: * Why Japan’s railways are unique – from punctuality down to the second to a culture of courtesy and order onboard. * The role of private rail companies such as Tokyu and Hankyu in shaping entire suburbs through transit-oriented development. * Rail etiquette and staff culture – women-only carriages, the quiet of commuter trains, and the formality of conductors bowing to passengers. * Railway fandom and culture – from timetable collectors to station melody enthusiasts, and even mention of the the 1900’s Railway Songs by Owada Takeki (tetsudo shoka). * Rural and third-sector lines – the challenges of depopulation, the fight to sustain local connections, and the role of tourism in keeping them alive. * What the future holds – labour shortages, financial pressures, and whether Japan’s model can inspire other countries. Stephen’s insights open a window onto railways as more than just transport—they are a cultural institution, an engine of urban form, and a source of national pride. Tune in to hear how the Japanese system blends planning, culture, and innovation, and what lessons it might hold for cities and regions across the world. In Podcast Extra/Culture Corner Stephen recommends travelling the rural train lines of Japan. Jess notes the relaxing nature of gardening and the book ‘Abundance’ by. Ezra Klein. Pete recommends the book ‘I Want Everything’ by Dominic Amerena. Podcast episode released on 14 September 2025. PlanningxChange is proud to be a contributor to the Urban Broadcast Collective.

In this episode of PlanningxChange (PX134), we sit down with Dr Cameron McAuliffe, Senior Lecturer in Human Geography & Urban Studies at Western Sydney University. Cameron has written widely on the cultural politics of graffiti and street art, and has advised public authorities on how cities can approach the governance of these highly visible—and often contested—forms of expression. Our conversation explores: * The social meaning of graffiti in contemporary cities * How governments attempt to balance regulation, creativity, and community values * The role of planning and urban management in shaping the street art landscape * International perspectives on graffiti and what Sydney’s experience can teach other cities Cameron offers both scholarly insight and practical reflections from his advisory work with councils and state agencies. For planners, urban designers, and anyone interested in the cultural life of cities, this episode sheds light on a subject that provokes strong reactions but also opens up new ways of thinking about public space. In Podcast extra / Culture corner Cameron recommends the Vivid Festival in Sydney, a celebration of light, music, and creative culture that transforms the city each year. Jess is diving into the global hit Squid Game, reflecting on its social themes and powerful storytelling; whilst Pete recommends George Orwell’s Coming Up for Air, available as audiobook on YouTube or in book form Podcast released: 18 August 2025
 PlanningXchange is proud to be a contributor to the Urban Broadcast Collective.

In this episode of PlanningXchange, we speak with Peter O’Leary, whose planning career spans an impressive five decades. Peter began his journey in the mid-1970s as a cadet in local government, rising through the ranks to senior management. He later moved into the private sector before serving over 11 years as a Tribunal Member at VCAT, where he presided over a broad range of planning matters. Following his time on the bench, Peter returned to consultancy, specialising in mediation and dispute resolution. We explore each phase of his remarkable career, drawing on his insights into what makes an effective advocate, a fair and capable decision-maker, and a resilient professional. Peter offers thoughtful guidance for planners at every stage—whether just starting out, navigating mid-career, or reflecting on a lifetime of service. Few reach the milestone of 50 years in the profession—fewer still with such breadth of experience. This is a generous and candid conversation with a true planner’s planner. In Culture Corner / Podcast Extra: * Peter recommends The Incredible Life of Hubert Wilkins: Australia’s Greatest Explorer – Wikipedia – and the documentary Maya and the Wave – mayaandthewave.com. * Jess suggests attending professional conferences for inspiration and renewal. * Pete offers a couple of classic comforts: hot water bottles on cold nights and the contemplative beauty of Evensong at Church. Podcast released 26 July 2025. PlanningxChange is proud to be a contributor to the Urban Broadcast Collective.

In this episode of PlanningXchange, we speak with Scott Matheson, Head of Planning at MyLot, an Australian AI technology company focused on simplifying the planning process for councils and communities. With a background in statutory planning across local government, consultancies, and the Victorian Department of Transport and Planning, Scott brings both practical experience and a forward-thinking approach to the role of technology in urban planning. We explore Scott’s journey from traditional regulatory planning into the dynamic world of AI, discussing how MyLot is transforming development assessments with automated tools and data-driven insights. Scott shares examples of how AI can enhance transparency, reduce processing times, and better engage citizens—while still respecting the role of professional judgment and community context. We also discuss the broader implications of AI on the planning profession, potential ethical concerns, broader strategic analysis, impacts on employment and how planners can position themselves to work with emerging technologies rather than against them. 
In Culture Corner / Podcast Extra, Scott shares a light-hearted story about using AI to open up relationship discussions. Jess recommends the Netflix documentary Titan: The OceanGate Submersible Disaster, which examines the events leading up to the 2023 implosion of the Titan submersible during a deep-sea expedition to the Titanic wreck site. https://www.netflix.com/au/title/81712178 Pete recommends investing in a pair of Stihl chainsaw chaps for serious chainsaw safety.https://shop.stihl.com.au/function-core-270-chaps PlanningxChange is proud to be a member of the UBC. Podcast released 26 June 2025

In this episode of PlanningXchange, we speak with Professor Alfonso Morales and Edna Ely-Ledesma of the University of Wisconsin-Madson about the unique and often overlooked role of public markets in shaping vibrant, inclusive urban environments. Drawing on their research and on-the-ground experience, they share insights into how markets serve not just as commercial spaces, but as critical infrastructure for food access, social connection, and local economic resilience. We explore the history and diversity of market types across different regions, the policy frameworks that support or hinder their success, and the role markets play in community-building and placemaking. Alfonso and Edna also discuss the innovative Farm 2 Facts toolkit—a software platform they developed to help market managers collect, analyze, and visualize data on their operations. This decision-support tool empowers cities and market operators to better understand food distribution, ecosystem services, and community impact in real time icicle.osu.edudpla.wisc.edu. For more information and to explore the toolkit, visit farm2facts.org icicle.osu.edu In Podcast Extra, Alfonso recommends ‘The Cadfael Chronicles’ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cadfael_Chronicles. Edna recommends ‘Conclave’ the film https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conclave_(film) Jess recommends ‘Alone Australia’ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alone_Australia. Pete recommends ‘Bullet Train Explosion’ https://www.netflix.com/au/title/81629968 Podcast episode released 26 May 2025.

In PX130 our guest is Max Shifman, Chief Executive Officer of Intrapac Property, one of Australia's most respected private developers. Max brings a wealth of experience to the discussion, having worked across master-planned communities, regional housing projects, and complex urban redevelopments mainly along Australia’s eastern seaboard. His background in engineering and law, combined with hands-on experience in the development sector, gives him a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing the industry today. In this episode, we explore what motivates developers, how public misconceptions impact the industry, the growing burden of red and green tape, and how political and media narratives shape outcomes on the ground. Max shares candid insights into the development process, the importance of long-term thinking, and the need for a more collaborative approach between planners, developers, and regulators. We also discuss innovation, housing affordability, the tension between idealism and pragmatism in city-making, and why Australia needs to rediscover its ambition for building new cities. In Podcast Extra / Culture Corner: * Max recommends the Netflix series Drive to Survive https://www.netflix.com/au/title/80204890, a behind-the-scenes look at the world of Formula One racing. * Cam reflects on the power and abundance of Australia's natural coastal landscapes. * Pete recommends the play Victory Over the Sun, a landmark 1913 Russian Futurist work that pushed the boundaries of theatre and art. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_over_the_Sun Episode PX130 was released on 26 April 2025. PX is proud to be a member of the Urban Broadcast Collective.

In PX129 our guest is Jeffrey Mason of the Charter Cities Institute. Jeffrey joined CCI as a Researcher in 2019. His research interests include urban economics, structural transformation, special economic zones, and technology ecosystems. He has worked on policy advisory projects in Nigeria, Tanzania, Zambia, and Honduras, among other countries. Prior to joining the Charter Cities Institute, Jeffrey worked as an MA Fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. He holds a BA in economics from the University of Maryland and an MA in economics from George Mason University. His writing has been featured in publications including City Journal, Works in Progress, Investment Monitor, Quartz Africa, and The American Mind. The Charter Cities Institute is a nonprofit dedicated to creating the ecosystem for charter cities, founded on the idea that a fresh approach was necessary to tackle humanity’s most pressing challenges, such as global poverty, climate change and rapid urbanisation. CCI believe charter cities—new cities granted a special jurisdiction to create a new governance system—are that solution. By improving governance through deep regulatory and administrative reforms, charter cities can help accelerate economic growth in developing countries and lift tens of millions of people out of poverty. Details at https://chartercitiesinstitute.org In podcast extra / culture corner, Jeff recommends the book ‘Outsourcing Empire: How Company-States Made the Modern World' by Andrew Phillips and JC Sharman https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691203515/outsourcing-empire Jess recommends the TV series Ted Lasso https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Lasso Pete recommends the book ‘The Diaries of Fred Williams 1963 - 1970’ https://www.amazon.com.au/Diaries-Fred-Williams-1963-1970/dp/0522871208 Episode PX129 was released on 31 March 2025. PX is proud to be a member of the Urban Broadcast Collective.

In PX128 our guest is architect and author Jorge Almazan. Jorge is a Tokyo-based architect and associate professor at Keio University. He holds a degree in architecture from the Polytechnic University of Madrid and a PhD from the Tokyo Institute of Technology. His practice focuses on ecologically responsible and socially inclusive design, ranging from urban to interior projects. His built work has earned significant recognition in Japan, including the Ota City Urban Landscape First Prize (2019) and selections by the Japan Institute of Architects (2018, 2022) and the Architectural Institute of Japan (2023). Almazán's research on Tokyo has been published in numerous academic journals, and his book, Emergent Tokyo: Designing the Spontaneous City (Oro Editions, 2021), was a finalist for the 2023 Pattis Family Foundation Global Cities Book Award. ‘Emergent Tokyo: Designing the Spontaneous City’ was mentioned in a recent article in the Wall Street Journal about visiting Tokyo on a budget, using the book as a guide https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/travel/how-far-does-1-000-take-you-on-a-trip-to-tokyo-we-found-out-dd76a5af?st=TeyNL7&reflink=article_copyURL_share In podcast extra / culture corner, Jorge recommends two Netflix programs that feature Tokyo. These are ‘Midnight Diner’ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midnight_Diner_(Japanese_TV_series) and ’Tokyo Swindlers’ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Swindlers. Jess recommends getting back into tennis as she returns to the court. Pete recommends the ‘New Books’ podcast series https://newbooksnetwork.com. PX is proud to be a contributor to the UBC. Episode PX128 was released on 3 March 2025.

In PX127 our guest is architect, former academic and author Dr Derham Groves.  He studied architecture at Deakin University and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology and art history at the University of Minnesota. He taught architecture at RMIT from 1985 to 1997 and the University of Melbourne from 1999 to 2019 and was a Senior Fellow in the Faculty of Architecture, Building, and Planning at the University of Melbourne from 2020 to 2024. Derham is the author of many articles and books about popular culture, architecture, and design, including, Feng-Shui and Western Building Ceremonies (1991), You Bastard Moriarty (1996), Mail Art: The D-I-Y Letterbox from Workshop to Gatepost (1998), TV Houses: Television’s Influence On the Australian Home (2004), Mask: Pro Hart’s Frankenstein Monsters (2006), There’s No Place Like Holmes: Exploring Sense of Place Through Crime Fiction (2008), Victims and Villains: Barbie and Ken Meet Sherlock Holmes (2009), Anna May Wong’s Lucky Shoes: 1939 Australia Through the Eyes of an Art Deco Diva (2011), Out of the Ordinary: Popular Art, Architecture and Design (2012), Hopalong Cassidy: A Horse Opera (2017), Monkeemania in Australia: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of The Monkees’ Australian Tour in 1968 (2019), Arthur Purnell’s “Forgotten” Architecture: Canton and Cars (2020), Sherlock in the Seventies: A Wild Decade of Sherlock Holmes Films (2021), Australian Westerns in the Fifties: Kangaroo, Hopalong Cassidy on Tour, and Whiplash (2022), and Homicide on Hydra: George Johnston’s Crime Novels (2023). His latest book, Walt Disney’s Forgotten Australia: From Mickey’s Kangaroo to Outback At Ya! has been released in February 2025. Derham agrees with the Austrian architect Hans Hollein that ‘Everything is architecture,’ and the American designer Charles Eames who said, ‘Eventually everything connects—people, ideas, objects.’  Episode released 10 February 2025. PX is proud to be a contributor to the UBC.

Our guest is Sara Bronin a Mexican-American architect and attorney whose interdisciplinary research focuses on how law and policy can foster more equitable, sustainable, well-designed, and connected places. She is the author of 'Key to the City: How Zoning Shapes Our World', and she founded and directs the National Zoning Atlas, which aims to digitize, demystify, and democratize information about zoning in the United States. She has advised the National Trust for Historic Preservation and Sustainable Development Code, has served on the board of Latinos in Heritage Conservation, and founded Desegregate Connecticut. Previously, she led the award-winning, unanimously adopted overhaul of the zoning code and city plan of Hartford, Connecticut. Bronin holds a juris doctor from Yale Law School, a master of science from the University of Oxford (Rhodes Scholar), as well as a B.Arch. and B.A. from the University of Texas–Austin. In the interview Sara outlines her experiences including being a Commissioner at the City of Hartford which helped shape the book and the array of issues covered in ‘Key to the City’. In podcast extra / culture corner Sara recommends ‘Climate Change and Historic Preservation ‘ (Sept 2024) https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/ll/llglrd/2024555212/2024555212.pdf. Jess recommends the Martha Stewart documentary on Netflix (https://www.netflix.com/au/title/81479059) and Pete recommends two books and making omelettes. Episode released 19 January 2025. PX is proud to be part of the Urban Broadcasting Collective.