Australian Heartlands

Book excerpt: Australia is one of the world's most urbanised nations, belying our image as a country of hard-living outback heroes and laid back sea-changers. Our future welfare is closely tied to the wellbeing of our cities and even more importantly, our suburbs. In this powerful account of the political, social, economic and environmental trends shaping Australia, Brendan Gleeson argues forcefully for the reinstatement of the city as Australia's 'national heartland'. Australian Heartlands is a provocative examination of the health of our urban communities and their role in national life. It ranges across topics such as gated communities and the new suburban poverty sinkholes, the lost of the public domain, the experience of childhood in contemporary suburbs, environmental degradation and the challenges of migration. If you care about Australia's future, this is a book you must read.