By Dave Holmes [This is an edited version of a workshop talk given on October 2, 2011, at the World at a Crossroads: Climate Change, Social Change conference in Melbourne. For more material from the conference, click HERE. It first appeared at Dave Holmes' Arguing for Socialism and is posted at Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal with permission.] I want to give an overview of the crisis of our cities as I see it. The city I focus on is Melbourne, where I live. But I doubt that the broad situation is much different in the other states. Modern cities are "free-fire" zones for the corporations. And the situation is getting worse. We can't work out what to do without understanding this basic reality. Continue at http://links.org.au/node/2534

1. Hands over the city Towards an urban nightmare

4. Bay wrecked for profit Portsea bayside beach, June 2011

9. Freeway ma d ness vs public transport Interchange on East Link tollway.

13. Desal plant rip-off Wonthaggi desalination plant under construction.

15. PPPs take public for a ride Southern Cross station: another PPP rip-off.