Writer

Marcus Spiller
Dr Marcus Spiller is Principal and Partner in SGS Economics & Planning Pty Ltd. Alongside his 35-years of consulting in urban economics, he has worked as an academic, adviser to the Minister for Planning in Victoria, adviser to the Commonwealth Government on urban policy and senior executive in the Queensland Government.
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Who owns the development rights in our cities?
Land development rights are in reality a public asset and should be capable of being exploited only where accompanied by a fair value commitment to improvement of the public realm, including for example through the delivery of more social or affordable housing. Part of the value added from increases in the value of development rights Continue reading »
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MARCUS SPILLER. Immigration is not the cause of our urban challenge.
Our biggest cities, Sydney and Melbourne, are growing at around 100,000 people a year causing a bevvy of commentators including, Four Corners and the Grattan Institute, to question whether Australia is in a position to sustain its historically high immigration rates. Continue reading »
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Making Housing Affordable Series. MARCUS SPILLER. The planning system, politics and housing affordability
Forever expanding supply on the urban fringe is unlikely to provide a solution to retreating affordability of home ownership. Housing needs to be expanded in those places where good jobs, services and infrastructure are. The inner and middle suburbs – where the good jobs and opportunities are – represent the major battle ground for NIMBY-ism. Continue reading »