Restorative Yarra

Contestation over urban space affects planning, neighbourhood relationships and access to justice. Conventional conflict-resolution systems can favour participants with more resources or confidence while silencing or displacing others.

Restorative Yarra asks whether urban problems can be addressed in a more relational way. It brings restorative-justice practice together with deliberative community engagement so affected people can describe impacts, account for power and work toward repairing relationships.

Research partnership

The City of Yarra, Neighbourhood Justice Centre and University of Melbourne worked together in a year-long inquiry focused on the Victoria Street precinct in Richmond and Abbotsford. The research considered how cross-agency and interdisciplinary collaboration could advance practice while meeting organisational and academic goals.