The contest between CBD, shopping centre and online retail spaces and its impact on Australian cities will be the subject of a panel discussion next week, hosted by The University of Western Australia’s Public Policy Institute and The University of Sydney Henry Halloran Research Trust.

“This discussion on the devil in the retail will explore the contest between CBD, shopping centre and online retail spaces, and what this means for the structure of Australian cities and our relationship and the role of policy in managing and responding to these changes.”

Associate Professor Maginn, UWA Public Policy Institute Director

‘The Devil in the Retail’ event will be held at the Art Gallery of Western Australia on Thursday 14 September as part of the national Festival of Contested Urbanism 2023.

Speakers include City of Perth CEO Michelle Reynolds, Committee for Perth CEO Paula Rogers, The West Australian’s property editor Kim Macdonald, independent consultant Damian Stone and Associate Head Research Performance at the University of Tasmania Dr Louise Grimmer. UWA PPI Director Associate Professor Paul Maginn will moderate the discussion.

Associate Professor Maginn said changes in the retail landscape required responsive policy to ensure retailers and shoppers were protected from the challenges and could benefit from the opportunities.

“Australian cities have been dominated by two major retail spaces over the last 20-25 years – the CBD and suburban shopping centres. Both retail spaces have been in fierce competition with one another since the early 1970s,” he said.

“This competition for footfall and consumer expenditure has seen dramatic shifts in the character, design, retail offerings, other services and experiences in both spaces. Furthermore, this contest has changed the structure of cities and our relationships with the city and the suburbs.

“The retail sector itself has endured major disruptions with the closure of well-known retail brands, the emergence of pop-up stores, and the rise of online retailing in the last five to 10 years.

“The rapid rise of online retailing has added a new complexity to the structure and functioning of our cities with the emergence of ‘dark stores’, parcel pick-up centres, the ‘appification’ of window shopping, and e-delivery systems that use robots and drones.

“This discussion on the devil in the retail will explore the contest between CBD, shopping centre and online retail spaces, and what this means for the structure of Australian cities and our relationship and the role of policy in managing and responding to these changes.”

The event will be held on Thursday 14 September, from 5.30pm to 7.30pm. Register here.