Jonathan O'Brien
@jonobri.com
Writer, software dev, lead organiser yimbymelbourne.org.au // jonathan@jonobri.com // lead@yimbymelbourne.org.au
This new work from @grattaninstitute.bsky.social is nothing short of seminal.
For too long we have let our cities be locked up by bad, unjustifiable land use and housing policy. But the tide is turning on bad policy—and that is for the better.
bsky.app/profile/grat...
For too long we have let our cities be locked up by bad, unjustifiable land use and housing policy. But the tide is turning on bad policy—and that is for the better.
bsky.app/profile/grat...
November 5, 2025 at 9:22 PM
This new work from @grattaninstitute.bsky.social is nothing short of seminal.
For too long we have let our cities be locked up by bad, unjustifiable land use and housing policy. But the tide is turning on bad policy—and that is for the better.
bsky.app/profile/grat...
For too long we have let our cities be locked up by bad, unjustifiable land use and housing policy. But the tide is turning on bad policy—and that is for the better.
bsky.app/profile/grat...
Why does Australia have so many live house auctions?
On my recent trip around the US, I learned that the Saturday morning pastime of house auctions are mostly unique to Australia. So I set out to investigate.
On my recent trip around the US, I learned that the Saturday morning pastime of house auctions are mostly unique to Australia. So I set out to investigate.
September 30, 2025 at 10:01 PM
Why does Australia have so many live house auctions?
On my recent trip around the US, I learned that the Saturday morning pastime of house auctions are mostly unique to Australia. So I set out to investigate.
On my recent trip around the US, I learned that the Saturday morning pastime of house auctions are mostly unique to Australia. So I set out to investigate.
Reposted by Jonathan O'Brien
@jonobri.com hits the grey elephant in the new city debate - that the vast majority of regional towns and small cities are determined to avoid growing any larger than they currently are.
No, Australia does not need new cities.
My new essay sets the record straight: we have a lot of cities, but we aren’t using them as well as we could be. To make our cities more successful, we have to open up a lot more land for commercial uses to enable agglomeration.
My new essay sets the record straight: we have a lot of cities, but we aren’t using them as well as we could be. To make our cities more successful, we have to open up a lot more land for commercial uses to enable agglomeration.
September 25, 2025 at 10:33 PM
@jonobri.com hits the grey elephant in the new city debate - that the vast majority of regional towns and small cities are determined to avoid growing any larger than they currently are.
Reposted by Jonathan O'Brien
As a proud Canberran, and being regional New South Welsh by birth, I agree with this.
It's taken a century to build Canberra - a city built to solve a specific problem, not for housing - into a real city. Let's not repeat that.
We need to interrogate the mindset of large towns versus small cities.
It's taken a century to build Canberra - a city built to solve a specific problem, not for housing - into a real city. Let's not repeat that.
We need to interrogate the mindset of large towns versus small cities.
No, Australia does not need new cities.
My new essay sets the record straight: we have a lot of cities, but we aren’t using them as well as we could be. To make our cities more successful, we have to open up a lot more land for commercial uses to enable agglomeration.
My new essay sets the record straight: we have a lot of cities, but we aren’t using them as well as we could be. To make our cities more successful, we have to open up a lot more land for commercial uses to enable agglomeration.
September 25, 2025 at 11:16 PM
As a proud Canberran, and being regional New South Welsh by birth, I agree with this.
It's taken a century to build Canberra - a city built to solve a specific problem, not for housing - into a real city. Let's not repeat that.
We need to interrogate the mindset of large towns versus small cities.
It's taken a century to build Canberra - a city built to solve a specific problem, not for housing - into a real city. Let's not repeat that.
We need to interrogate the mindset of large towns versus small cities.
Reposted by Jonathan O'Brien
The Connecticut news opted for a photo of the Vancouver guy and Melbourne guy when talking about #Yimbytown2025 #NewHaven @desegregatect.bsky.social
www.ctpublic.org/news/2025-09...
www.ctpublic.org/news/2025-09...
The largest pro-housing conference in the US meets in New Haven
The YIMBYTown conference, which stands for “Yes in my backyard,” runs from Sunday through Tuesday. More than 1,000 housing advocates, policy makers and state and local politicians gathered downtown to...
www.ctpublic.org
September 24, 2025 at 12:44 AM
The Connecticut news opted for a photo of the Vancouver guy and Melbourne guy when talking about #Yimbytown2025 #NewHaven @desegregatect.bsky.social
www.ctpublic.org/news/2025-09...
www.ctpublic.org/news/2025-09...
No, Australia does not need new cities.
My new essay sets the record straight: we have a lot of cities, but we aren’t using them as well as we could be. To make our cities more successful, we have to open up a lot more land for commercial uses to enable agglomeration.
My new essay sets the record straight: we have a lot of cities, but we aren’t using them as well as we could be. To make our cities more successful, we have to open up a lot more land for commercial uses to enable agglomeration.
September 25, 2025 at 10:01 PM
No, Australia does not need new cities.
My new essay sets the record straight: we have a lot of cities, but we aren’t using them as well as we could be. To make our cities more successful, we have to open up a lot more land for commercial uses to enable agglomeration.
My new essay sets the record straight: we have a lot of cities, but we aren’t using them as well as we could be. To make our cities more successful, we have to open up a lot more land for commercial uses to enable agglomeration.
big things are happening
September 16, 2025 at 3:25 AM
big things are happening
Reposted by Jonathan O'Brien
Great piece on the intersection of housing, demographics, and schools in Australian cities by Katie Roberts-Hull.
What's worse for neighborhood incumbents than school crowding? School closures.
inflectionpoints.work/articles/the...
What's worse for neighborhood incumbents than school crowding? School closures.
inflectionpoints.work/articles/the...
September 11, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Great piece on the intersection of housing, demographics, and schools in Australian cities by Katie Roberts-Hull.
What's worse for neighborhood incumbents than school crowding? School closures.
inflectionpoints.work/articles/the...
What's worse for neighborhood incumbents than school crowding? School closures.
inflectionpoints.work/articles/the...
A flagrant violation of what it means to live in a city.
September 10, 2025 at 10:16 PM
A flagrant violation of what it means to live in a city.
It is fantastic to see Clare O’Neil and the Federal Government increasingly on-message about the housing crisis.
The Minns and Allen governments are undertaking some of the most meaningful and ambitious housing reforms in decades. Federal Government backing is crucial— 🧵
The Minns and Allen governments are undertaking some of the most meaningful and ambitious housing reforms in decades. Federal Government backing is crucial— 🧵
September 3, 2025 at 10:00 PM
It is fantastic to see Clare O’Neil and the Federal Government increasingly on-message about the housing crisis.
The Minns and Allen governments are undertaking some of the most meaningful and ambitious housing reforms in decades. Federal Government backing is crucial— 🧵
The Minns and Allen governments are undertaking some of the most meaningful and ambitious housing reforms in decades. Federal Government backing is crucial— 🧵
Today we @yimby.melbourne drop our new research note, demonstrating the bias of opt-in community consultation.
It will shock no one who’s paying attention, but our sample of 15 consults across six councils found a massive overrepresentation of homeowners and older folk.
It will shock no one who’s paying attention, but our sample of 15 consults across six councils found a massive overrepresentation of homeowners and older folk.
August 31, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Today we @yimby.melbourne drop our new research note, demonstrating the bias of opt-in community consultation.
It will shock no one who’s paying attention, but our sample of 15 consults across six councils found a massive overrepresentation of homeowners and older folk.
It will shock no one who’s paying attention, but our sample of 15 consults across six councils found a massive overrepresentation of homeowners and older folk.
The conservative stalwarts over at Charter 29 have put out a new report on Victorian planning reform.
It reveals a complete lack of understanding. They think the 'missing middle' is a set of suburbs—but no, it's the medium density housing that they'd like to see remain banned.
It reveals a complete lack of understanding. They think the 'missing middle' is a set of suburbs—but no, it's the medium density housing that they'd like to see remain banned.
July 28, 2025 at 9:52 PM
The conservative stalwarts over at Charter 29 have put out a new report on Victorian planning reform.
It reveals a complete lack of understanding. They think the 'missing middle' is a set of suburbs—but no, it's the medium density housing that they'd like to see remain banned.
It reveals a complete lack of understanding. They think the 'missing middle' is a set of suburbs—but no, it's the medium density housing that they'd like to see remain banned.
Reposted by Jonathan O'Brien
We used to build 50 homes per planner annually, but now it’s less than 9.
Alan Kohler covering our recent research note on planner productivity 👇
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iEh...
Alan Kohler covering our recent research note on planner productivity 👇
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iEh...
What’s slowing down housing development? | Alan Kohler | ABC NEWS
YouTube video by ABC News (Australia)
www.youtube.com
July 27, 2025 at 9:38 PM
We used to build 50 homes per planner annually, but now it’s less than 9.
Alan Kohler covering our recent research note on planner productivity 👇
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iEh...
Alan Kohler covering our recent research note on planner productivity 👇
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iEh...
Absolutely awesome to see my dear friend and collaborator Siang Lu take home the Miles Franklin Award for his excellent novel Ghost Cities.
The devil works hard. Siang Lu works harder.
The devil works hard. Siang Lu works harder.
July 24, 2025 at 10:13 PM
Absolutely awesome to see my dear friend and collaborator Siang Lu take home the Miles Franklin Award for his excellent novel Ghost Cities.
The devil works hard. Siang Lu works harder.
The devil works hard. Siang Lu works harder.
The @inflectionpoints.work launch made an enormous splash. I could not be more proud of what we have already achieved.
Our Melbourne launch event is next week, free, and getting booked out fast. Get yours at the link below!
Our Melbourne launch event is next week, free, and getting booked out fast. Get yours at the link below!
July 24, 2025 at 9:52 PM
The @inflectionpoints.work launch made an enormous splash. I could not be more proud of what we have already achieved.
Our Melbourne launch event is next week, free, and getting booked out fast. Get yours at the link below!
Our Melbourne launch event is next week, free, and getting booked out fast. Get yours at the link below!
Reposted by Jonathan O'Brien
This essay won't make the Planning Institute feel any warmer towards @jonobri.com, but the time is ripe for a discussion about the outcomes we expect from our land use planners, and how professional doctrine shapes not just the substance but also the framing of land use and housing debates.
The housing crisis isn’t just political. It’s professional.
Meet the unelected, unaccountable gatekeepers of growth: legacy planners.
How a well-meaning profession became a structural barrier to progress and how to fix it.
✍️ Jonathan O'Brien
inflectionpoints.work/articles/the...
Meet the unelected, unaccountable gatekeepers of growth: legacy planners.
How a well-meaning profession became a structural barrier to progress and how to fix it.
✍️ Jonathan O'Brien
inflectionpoints.work/articles/the...
The Problem With Urban Planning | Inflection Points
A professional monopoly is gatekeeping our growth. We need a new paradigm: planning at the speed of cities.
inflectionpoints.work
July 14, 2025 at 3:21 PM
This essay won't make the Planning Institute feel any warmer towards @jonobri.com, but the time is ripe for a discussion about the outcomes we expect from our land use planners, and how professional doctrine shapes not just the substance but also the framing of land use and housing debates.
Reposted by Jonathan O'Brien
Interesting article from Australia yesterday about the collapse in the productivity of urban planning: for every planner employed there are many fewer homes being produced
bsky.app/profile/jono...
bsky.app/profile/jono...
The Problem with Urban Planning: a professional silo is gatekeeping our nation's growth.
My new essay w/ @inflectionpoints.work
The problem at the heart of planning is not political—it's professional. 🧵
My new essay w/ @inflectionpoints.work
The problem at the heart of planning is not political—it's professional. 🧵
July 14, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Interesting article from Australia yesterday about the collapse in the productivity of urban planning: for every planner employed there are many fewer homes being produced
bsky.app/profile/jono...
bsky.app/profile/jono...
Thank you to the Australian Financial Review for publishing an op-ed version of The Problem with Urban Planning. Always an honour to be an editor's choice!
bsky.app/profile/jono...
bsky.app/profile/jono...
July 14, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Thank you to the Australian Financial Review for publishing an op-ed version of The Problem with Urban Planning. Always an honour to be an editor's choice!
bsky.app/profile/jono...
bsky.app/profile/jono...
Reposted by Jonathan O'Brien
🚨We’re launching the FIRST issue of Inflection Points 🚨
- Michael Brennan & Dan Andrews
- Katie Roberts-Hull
- Jonathan O’Brien
- Andrew Leigh
🧵
- Michael Brennan & Dan Andrews
- Katie Roberts-Hull
- Jonathan O’Brien
- Andrew Leigh
🧵
July 13, 2025 at 12:00 AM
🚨We’re launching the FIRST issue of Inflection Points 🚨
- Michael Brennan & Dan Andrews
- Katie Roberts-Hull
- Jonathan O’Brien
- Andrew Leigh
🧵
- Michael Brennan & Dan Andrews
- Katie Roberts-Hull
- Jonathan O’Brien
- Andrew Leigh
🧵
Reposted by Jonathan O'Brien
Our lead organiser, @jonobri.com, writes for
@inflectionpoints.work about "The Problem with Urban Planning" 👇
@inflectionpoints.work about "The Problem with Urban Planning" 👇
The housing crisis isn’t just political. It’s professional.
Meet the unelected, unaccountable gatekeepers of growth: legacy planners.
How a well-meaning profession became a structural barrier to progress and how to fix it.
✍️ Jonathan O'Brien
inflectionpoints.work/articles/the...
Meet the unelected, unaccountable gatekeepers of growth: legacy planners.
How a well-meaning profession became a structural barrier to progress and how to fix it.
✍️ Jonathan O'Brien
inflectionpoints.work/articles/the...
The Problem With Urban Planning | Inflection Points
A professional monopoly is gatekeeping our growth. We need a new paradigm: planning at the speed of cities.
inflectionpoints.work
July 13, 2025 at 12:10 AM
Our lead organiser, @jonobri.com, writes for
@inflectionpoints.work about "The Problem with Urban Planning" 👇
@inflectionpoints.work about "The Problem with Urban Planning" 👇
Reposted by Jonathan O'Brien
Spoke to dozens of people for this piece on Australia’s attempts to increase housing density, including the housing minister who says this is “not because of a New York Times bestseller”. Have a read!
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07...
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07...
YIMBYs vs NIMBYs in the battle for your backyard
The Yes In My Backyard movement is lobbying for denser cities and more housing in places people want to work and live and YIMBYs want these homes built yesterday. But the NIMBYs haven't given up yet.
www.abc.net.au
July 12, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Spoke to dozens of people for this piece on Australia’s attempts to increase housing density, including the housing minister who says this is “not because of a New York Times bestseller”. Have a read!
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07...
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07...
The Problem with Urban Planning: a professional silo is gatekeeping our nation's growth.
My new essay w/ @inflectionpoints.work
The problem at the heart of planning is not political—it's professional. 🧵
My new essay w/ @inflectionpoints.work
The problem at the heart of planning is not political—it's professional. 🧵
July 12, 2025 at 10:02 PM
The Problem with Urban Planning: a professional silo is gatekeeping our nation's growth.
My new essay w/ @inflectionpoints.work
The problem at the heart of planning is not political—it's professional. 🧵
My new essay w/ @inflectionpoints.work
The problem at the heart of planning is not political—it's professional. 🧵
Soft launching this today.
Hard launching this tomorrow.
Hard launching this tomorrow.
Talking about reform is our national ritual: white papers, inquiries, op-eds, post-election promises.
But too often, these calls create more process than progress.
So we’re launching Inflection Points—a new platform for longform policy writing that aims to cut through.
But too often, these calls create more process than progress.
So we’re launching Inflection Points—a new platform for longform policy writing that aims to cut through.
July 12, 2025 at 12:28 AM
Soft launching this today.
Hard launching this tomorrow.
Hard launching this tomorrow.
We are also open to funding from Australian tech billionaires.
July 11, 2025 at 10:05 PM
We are also open to funding from Australian tech billionaires.