Shrinking cities in Australia

Shrinkage is not a topic of much discussion in most OECD countries where the planning paradigm of growth has dominated the scene for many years. However, the debate has recently intensified in Germany, especially regarding its Eastern cities, posing new questions about the efficiency and sustainability of planning for urban growth in an era of substantial socio-demographic and environmental changes worldwide. While analysis of shrinking cities intensifies in North America, Western and Central Europe and parts of Asia, it is not yet a prominent national issue in Australia despite the critical impact that cities with shrinkage patterns have in regional Australia and in the development of resource intensive industries such as mining. This paper discusses some of the elements that throw light on the phenomenon of urban shrinkage and outlines shrinkage in Australia. Specifically shrinking of resource-intensive cities is discussed