Travis Jordan
@grugstan.bsky.social
professional good boy // democracy, cities and tech
// travisjordan.work // these are my own opinions and not those of my employer
he/him // living in Meanjin Brisbane
// travisjordan.work // these are my own opinions and not those of my employer
he/him // living in Meanjin Brisbane
The objective should be 100 million people in the capital cities, next question
November 25, 2025 at 1:37 AM
The objective should be 100 million people in the capital cities, next question
Some absolutely STUNNING designs in the new NSW Mid Rise Pattern Book.
The smaller designs can be built on lots as small as 13 metres wide, smaller than the average lot in Brisbane!
There’s no reason why these shouldn’t be permitted by right everywhere in Brisbane too. (well except flood zones)
The smaller designs can be built on lots as small as 13 metres wide, smaller than the average lot in Brisbane!
There’s no reason why these shouldn’t be permitted by right everywhere in Brisbane too. (well except flood zones)
November 24, 2025 at 9:35 AM
Some absolutely STUNNING designs in the new NSW Mid Rise Pattern Book.
The smaller designs can be built on lots as small as 13 metres wide, smaller than the average lot in Brisbane!
There’s no reason why these shouldn’t be permitted by right everywhere in Brisbane too. (well except flood zones)
The smaller designs can be built on lots as small as 13 metres wide, smaller than the average lot in Brisbane!
There’s no reason why these shouldn’t be permitted by right everywhere in Brisbane too. (well except flood zones)
Reposted by Travis Jordan
A new report out this week from Swinburne University and Housing for the Aged Action Group shows that older renters are falling through the cracks, stuck in poor-quality homes they can’t afford, and desperately need stronger protections.
You can find the full report here: tinyurl.com/yeywsbth
You can find the full report here: tinyurl.com/yeywsbth
November 24, 2025 at 8:15 AM
A new report out this week from Swinburne University and Housing for the Aged Action Group shows that older renters are falling through the cracks, stuck in poor-quality homes they can’t afford, and desperately need stronger protections.
You can find the full report here: tinyurl.com/yeywsbth
You can find the full report here: tinyurl.com/yeywsbth
Reposted by Travis Jordan
Senator Thorpe criticises the government for ignoring these 100+ experts and groups to sneak the amendment through "without any scrutiny"
"I'd be putting my head down in shame too, Minister"
"I'd be putting my head down in shame too, Minister"
November 24, 2025 at 1:37 AM
Senator Thorpe criticises the government for ignoring these 100+ experts and groups to sneak the amendment through "without any scrutiny"
"I'd be putting my head down in shame too, Minister"
"I'd be putting my head down in shame too, Minister"
I realised that most people wouldn’t remember Queensland Labor’s (unfunded, unactioned) 2012 Southbank extension proposal in the dying days before their wipeout at the hands of Can Do Campbell.
A good plan that I supported and still support but never amounted to more than a fancy map and brochure.
A good plan that I supported and still support but never amounted to more than a fancy map and brochure.
November 22, 2025 at 5:14 AM
I realised that most people wouldn’t remember Queensland Labor’s (unfunded, unactioned) 2012 Southbank extension proposal in the dying days before their wipeout at the hands of Can Do Campbell.
A good plan that I supported and still support but never amounted to more than a fancy map and brochure.
A good plan that I supported and still support but never amounted to more than a fancy map and brochure.
Today in local development antics, West End's rallying against the sale of the Visy Glass recycling site under the banner of Save Southbank 2.0 (named for a loose plan to extend Southbank around Kurilpa peninsula that was never more concrete than vague aspirations twenty years ago).
November 21, 2025 at 6:07 AM
Today in local development antics, West End's rallying against the sale of the Visy Glass recycling site under the banner of Save Southbank 2.0 (named for a loose plan to extend Southbank around Kurilpa peninsula that was never more concrete than vague aspirations twenty years ago).
Isn’t (workplace) democracy beautiful?
Join your union and run in union elections.
Join your union and run in union elections.
November 20, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Isn’t (workplace) democracy beautiful?
Join your union and run in union elections.
Join your union and run in union elections.
The solutions follow-up is definitely more interesting. Nothing much new by way of solutions but at least it tracks some of historical reasons why previous attempts at federation reform failed (ulterior motives, political incentives, short windows of opportunity, irreconcilable material interests).
November 18, 2025 at 11:55 PM
The solutions follow-up is definitely more interesting. Nothing much new by way of solutions but at least it tracks some of historical reasons why previous attempts at federation reform failed (ulterior motives, political incentives, short windows of opportunity, irreconcilable material interests).
This makes the Victorian Liberal leader and deputy leader nearly 40 years younger than their average member.
Jess Wilson wins Vic Liberal leadership, reports Sam Groth has narrowly beaten David Southwick to stay Deputy (watch that space) #springst
November 17, 2025 at 10:49 PM
This makes the Victorian Liberal leader and deputy leader nearly 40 years younger than their average member.
In case you missed my latest last week 👇👇👇
Travis Jordan argues that Australia’s next democratic flourishing depends on rebuilding participation through political parties, not bypassing them.
[Link to article in next post]
[Link to article in next post]
November 17, 2025 at 8:59 PM
In case you missed my latest last week 👇👇👇
Reposted by Travis Jordan
It's also the most '90s Third Way-ish policy idea imaginable, which is why it is both bemusing and frustrating that so many leftists embrace it with such vigour. "Let's solve affordable housing with technocratic, market based incrementalism" really isn't all that progressive!
So-called “inclusionary zoning” is a tax on new housing that reduces the amount of housing that gets built, worsening the housing shortage and driving up rent. It is bad, counterproductive policy and we should stop doing it.
Building housing is a left issue.
Taxing housing to build housing means less housing.
Less housing means more pressure on your housing market and higher rents.
Build the housing. And don’t let NIMBYs stop or slow us downs
Taxing housing to build housing means less housing.
Less housing means more pressure on your housing market and higher rents.
Build the housing. And don’t let NIMBYs stop or slow us downs
November 16, 2025 at 9:59 PM
It's also the most '90s Third Way-ish policy idea imaginable, which is why it is both bemusing and frustrating that so many leftists embrace it with such vigour. "Let's solve affordable housing with technocratic, market based incrementalism" really isn't all that progressive!
The SMH is doing a new long form policy series (good) on federation reform (great) but today’s first edition feels a little like an uncurated list of grievances political elites have litigated for decades. Tomorrow’s solutions article sounds promising but I struggled to find new insights in today’s.
Overgoverned, overtaxed and overcomplicated: How Australia was set up to fail
Our three levels of government will collect a record $1 trillion in taxes this year, but the federation is failing.
www.brisbanetimes.com.au
November 16, 2025 at 9:12 PM
The SMH is doing a new long form policy series (good) on federation reform (great) but today’s first edition feels a little like an uncurated list of grievances political elites have litigated for decades. Tomorrow’s solutions article sounds promising but I struggled to find new insights in today’s.
Fun Brisbane fact: In 1955, Brisbane Labor briefly rebranded as Civic Rearmament in running against the Citizens’ Municipal Organisation (Liberals)
November 16, 2025 at 4:25 AM
Fun Brisbane fact: In 1955, Brisbane Labor briefly rebranded as Civic Rearmament in running against the Citizens’ Municipal Organisation (Liberals)
I’ve become everything 21 year old me hated (reading local history books)
November 15, 2025 at 4:17 AM
I’ve become everything 21 year old me hated (reading local history books)
One for the planners and political scientists out there: I'm working interrogating local government through a representative democracy lens and I'm finding a real lack of Australian research. Most has either focused on amalgamations and NPM, deliberative democracy or "planning democracy". Any leads?
November 13, 2025 at 7:26 AM
One for the planners and political scientists out there: I'm working interrogating local government through a representative democracy lens and I'm finding a real lack of Australian research. Most has either focused on amalgamations and NPM, deliberative democracy or "planning democracy". Any leads?
Reposted by Travis Jordan
Two months ago, I wrote a paper for the Electoral Matters Committee. It clocked in at 23,000 words with 16 data tables, 11 graphs, 204 footnotes and 30,000 datapoints.
I made the case that we should take advantage of this historic juncture to expand participation in our representative democracy.
I made the case that we should take advantage of this historic juncture to expand participation in our representative democracy.
November 12, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Two months ago, I wrote a paper for the Electoral Matters Committee. It clocked in at 23,000 words with 16 data tables, 11 graphs, 204 footnotes and 30,000 datapoints.
I made the case that we should take advantage of this historic juncture to expand participation in our representative democracy.
I made the case that we should take advantage of this historic juncture to expand participation in our representative democracy.
Two months ago, I wrote a paper for the Electoral Matters Committee. It clocked in at 23,000 words with 16 data tables, 11 graphs, 204 footnotes and 30,000 datapoints.
I made the case that we should take advantage of this historic juncture to expand participation in our representative democracy.
I made the case that we should take advantage of this historic juncture to expand participation in our representative democracy.
November 12, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Two months ago, I wrote a paper for the Electoral Matters Committee. It clocked in at 23,000 words with 16 data tables, 11 graphs, 204 footnotes and 30,000 datapoints.
I made the case that we should take advantage of this historic juncture to expand participation in our representative democracy.
I made the case that we should take advantage of this historic juncture to expand participation in our representative democracy.
This should have been obvious revelation for today: you can buy the good hot chips from the fish and chip shop and make your own GYG style nacho fries at home.
I had a bunch of chicken tinga and avocados lying around and it struck me like a bolt from god.
I had a bunch of chicken tinga and avocados lying around and it struck me like a bolt from god.
November 12, 2025 at 8:53 AM
This should have been obvious revelation for today: you can buy the good hot chips from the fish and chip shop and make your own GYG style nacho fries at home.
I had a bunch of chicken tinga and avocados lying around and it struck me like a bolt from god.
I had a bunch of chicken tinga and avocados lying around and it struck me like a bolt from god.
As a practitioner (ie someone without enough patience to do a PhD or follow proper research methodology), it’s so nice to finally have somewhere to publish interesting historical or data snippets that are too arcane, boring or abstract for the news.
Makes me proud to be an APSA member.
Makes me proud to be an APSA member.
NEW SUBMISSION CATEGORY ADDED!
AJPS invites Reform Notes from practitioners and/or academics that set out proposed innovations about (or relevant to) aspects of Australian politics practice - e.g. proposals for or modifications to existing political institutions, procedures, laws and practices 1/4
AJPS invites Reform Notes from practitioners and/or academics that set out proposed innovations about (or relevant to) aspects of Australian politics practice - e.g. proposals for or modifications to existing political institutions, procedures, laws and practices 1/4
November 12, 2025 at 4:48 AM
As a practitioner (ie someone without enough patience to do a PhD or follow proper research methodology), it’s so nice to finally have somewhere to publish interesting historical or data snippets that are too arcane, boring or abstract for the news.
Makes me proud to be an APSA member.
Makes me proud to be an APSA member.
I’m real late to this party but goddamn Slow Horses is good stuff. Scratching the itch I’ve been left with since Deutschland ‘89.
November 11, 2025 at 8:51 AM
I’m real late to this party but goddamn Slow Horses is good stuff. Scratching the itch I’ve been left with since Deutschland ‘89.
Reposted by Travis Jordan
One chart that didn't make it in the final paper was looking at party membership more recently. The result is steady decline for all parties except for brief flash-in-the-pan bursts around successful elections (further complicated by NSW Labor's strange habit of offering three-year memberships)
November 9, 2025 at 11:15 PM
One chart that didn't make it in the final paper was looking at party membership more recently. The result is steady decline for all parties except for brief flash-in-the-pan bursts around successful elections (further complicated by NSW Labor's strange habit of offering three-year memberships)
One chart that didn't make it in the final paper was looking at party membership more recently. The result is steady decline for all parties except for brief flash-in-the-pan bursts around successful elections (further complicated by NSW Labor's strange habit of offering three-year memberships)
November 9, 2025 at 11:15 PM
One chart that didn't make it in the final paper was looking at party membership more recently. The result is steady decline for all parties except for brief flash-in-the-pan bursts around successful elections (further complicated by NSW Labor's strange habit of offering three-year memberships)
I’m honoured to be featured alongside some of Australia’s biggest names in wonkdom in the summer issue of Inflection Points.
My paper is the culmination of 4 years work on declining civic participation — and why other researchers into the phenomenon have a blind spot for political parties.
My paper is the culmination of 4 years work on declining civic participation — and why other researchers into the phenomenon have a blind spot for political parties.
November 9, 2025 at 8:47 PM
I’m honoured to be featured alongside some of Australia’s biggest names in wonkdom in the summer issue of Inflection Points.
My paper is the culmination of 4 years work on declining civic participation — and why other researchers into the phenomenon have a blind spot for political parties.
My paper is the culmination of 4 years work on declining civic participation — and why other researchers into the phenomenon have a blind spot for political parties.
I realised today is my six month anniversary of being unemployed (a handful of freelance contracts notwithstanding).
November 9, 2025 at 7:30 AM
I realised today is my six month anniversary of being unemployed (a handful of freelance contracts notwithstanding).