Presentation to 5th Creative China, Harmonious World International Forum on Cultural Industries, Beijing, China, 9 October 2010

1. Globalization and Suburbanization: Can Creative Industries Develop in Outer Urban Zones? Terry Flew Professor of Media and Communication Creative Industries Faculty Queensland University of Technology Paper presented to 5th Creative China, Harmonious World International Forum on Cultural Industries 9 October, 2010

2. Brisbane Case Studies 2

3. Melbourne Case Studies 3

4. Australia as an Urban Nation 4

5. Australia as an Urban Nation 75% of Australians live in cities with populations > 100,000 50% of Australians live in five major cities: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth Australia’s population will grow from 22 million in 2010 to 35 million in 2050 Most of the new population will live in the suburbs of major cities

6. Australia: The World’s First Suburban Nation? Separated homes a priority since European settlement (1788 - ) “Australia’s founders … anticipated a sprawl of homes and gardens rather than a clumping of terraces and alleys” (Graeme Davison) Suburban home: ability to work in the city but retreat to the peace and serenity of the suburbs (like the countryside) Suburban expansion and private home ownership promoted by all governments

7. Two phases of Australian globalization Australian economy always very open to trade and international capital flows Decision to remove controls over exchange rate and capital flows 1983 1983-mid-1990s Uneven development between Australian cities and regions Decline of manufacturing regions Rise of Sydney as “world city” and centre of FIRE (finance, insurance, real estate) sectors Mid-1990s to 2010 More balanced development between Australian cities and regions Mining regions very dynamic but also other cities

8. Australia’s “New Prosperity” from mid-1990s to present 8

9. Unemployment rates in Australia by state/territory, 1992-2010 9

10. Trends in the 21st century Australian city (Bill Randolph) Fall in average household size Turn around of inner cities Rapid growth of peri-urban fringe Suburbanization of disadvantage (VAMPIRE index) Increasing disparities between suburbs Suburbanization of multiculturalism Dispersal of employment Tension in urban planning between consolidation and outwards expansion Rise of urban mega-regions (e.g. SE Queensland) Rise of sea change/tree change regions 10

11. Our findings Many Australian creative industries workers work live and work outside of the inner city Our focus was on the outer suburbs of major cities (Brisbane and Melbourne) rather than regional centres Australian CI workforce 3.2 – 4.8% of total workforce Suburban CIs 2-3% of workforce Inner urban CIs 6-9% of total workforce

12. Creative Industries Employment, Brisbane 12

13. Creative Industries Employment, Melbourne 13

14. What did we find? Serenity of the suburbs is a choice made by creative workers, not a necessity driven by costs Creative workers find too many pressures to “conform” in the inner cities Ability to live and work in a similar area provides more time for creative work People with children tend to prefer the suburbs Too many industry association meetings in the inner city Suburban business associations do not typically suit creative workers Access to high-speed broadband a key issue

15. Australian CI Employment, 2006

16. Australian CIs as industry share, 2006