Professor Max Neutze (1934-2000) was until his death the Deputy Vice Chancellor of the Australian National University (ANU) and the Director of the Urban Research Unit of the Research School of Social Sciences at ANU. He was a member of the Committee of Review of the National Capital Development Commission (NCDC), which held public and private hearings from 20 September 1982 until March 1983. The Review committee published its final report, which is included in the records. Professor Neutze was also part of the further review committee of the NCDC in 1988 and was considered an expert on the planning and future paths of Canberra. The NCDC and the planning of Canberra in general from the early 1980s until the mid 1990s were greatly influenced by Professor Neutze. The records also include the reports consulted by the Committee, technical papers, seminar papers and other related documents consulted by Professor Neutze during his deliberations on the initial Committee of Review and subsequent committees and deliberations into the development of Canberra. Some of the reports and other documents brought forward as evidence for previous planning decisions date from the earliest Federal Parliamentary debates in 1901, and include documents dating from 1946 and copies of correspondence and minutes relating to the inception of the NCDC in 1957. Because several NCDC reviews of various policies and procedures are included in this collection, reference to the 1982-1983 Review of the National Capital Development Commission is given as the NCDC Review, and the reviewing committee as the NCDC Review Committee.
