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National Growth Areas Alliance welcomes focus on cities from both Coalition and ALP

Our Alliance has today received advice from the Minister for Cities, Urban Infrastructure and Population, The Hon. Alan Tudge MP, of the Coalition’s commitment to enter into City Deal negotiations in Melbourne’s north west and south east if it is returned to Government. This is a welcome and positive development. City Deals in these areas of rapid and sustained population growth would transform Melbourne’s outer suburbs and have the potential to address many of the challenges – and embrace the opportunities – that our growing population offers.

Also today, the Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Tourism, The Hon. Anthony Albanese MP,  released the ALP’s comprehensive Cities Plan, containing a welcome focus on Australia’s fast growing outer suburbs. It includes re-establishing the Major Cities Unit within Infrastructure Australia and establishing an expert panel to inform decision-making and refresh the National Urban Policy, including the development of the City Partnerships model.

The National Growth Areas Alliance, representing 21 Councils in the fast growing outer suburbs of our capital cities, has long advocated for large scale and long term commitments from all three levels of government to address our significant infrastructure backlog. We call on the ALP to match the level of commitment the Coalition has today made to Melbourne’s north west and south east.

Major investment in transport and community infrastructure in growth areas is long overdue. The focus and commitment required by all levels of Government to successfully negotiate a City Deal or City Partnership will help infrastructure planning and spending catch up with the needs of Australia’s outer suburbs.

NGAA calls on whichever party forms Government to deliver this level of commitment to our fast growing outer suburbs nationally and to recognise the vital role local government must play throughout all stages of the negotiation process. With over 135,000 people moving to a fast growing out suburb every year (63,000 to just seven council areas in Melbourne’s outskirts alone), we cannot squander the opportunity to build liveable, productive and resilient new suburbs.