Population Boom & Gloom: Infrastructure Funding Fails Fastest Growing Communities
- Despite housing one in five Australians, Growth Areas face the worst levels of access to social infrastructure across metro areas
- Growth Areas will account for 59% of future population growth across all capital cities
- National Growth Areas Alliance is launching its new infrastructure funding model to support governments in meeting the needs of the 5.6 million Growth Area residents
- “Growth Areas are the potential swing suburbs and cities that could define next year’s federal election.”
Today, one–in five Australians currently living in outer metro areas face inadequate access to schools, healthcare, third spaces and other basic infrastructure. This issue is set to affect communities for generations, as new suburbs and population rises will see these areas house seven million people by 2031.
The research by the National Growth Areas Alliance (NGAA), the peak body representing these outer-metropolitan suburbs, known as Growth Areas, found concerning infrastructure gaps across all capitals. When compared to established communities in capital cities, Growth Areas have significantly lower rates of access to healthcare (48%) and education (21%), as well as important third spaces across arts & culture (44%) and sports & leisure facilities (68%).
These infrastructure deficits are affecting Australians’ lives nationwide, and are only set to increase as Growth Areas play a central role in fixing the housing crisis, says NGAA CEO, Bronwen Clark.
“Growth Areas are currently home to 5.6 million people who have come to these cities and suburbs on the promise of living the Australian dream of home ownership with room for kids to play in the yard. Without proper access to basic social infrastructure, these families are being set up to fail,” says Ms Clark.
“With Growth Areas expected to accommodate 59% of Australia’s population boom in the next six years, it’s vital that we fix the blind spots in infrastructure investment. That’s how we’ll fully realise the potential of these suburbs to solve the housing crisis, without creating new crises for future generations,” she adds.
State governments have promised to build 250,500 Growth Area dwellings in the next five years, rising to 501,000 by 2034. These promises include the Allen Government’s plan to build 180,000 homes in Melbourne’s outer reaches by 2034, and the Queensland Government’s plan to build 232,000 dwellings around Brisbane by 2044.
“It’s promising to see governments realise the potential of Growth Areas to meet our housing deficit, but people need more than just rooves and walls. They need access to schools, healthcare, employment opportunities, roads and open spaces. They need community,” adds NGAA Interim Chair and Mayor of Gosnells, Terresa Lynes.
A state-by-state review of gaps in access to infrastructure between Growth Areas and established suburbs shows Federal and State Government infrastructure investment has not kept pace with population growth. Victoria has the biggest deficits across three out of four areas, including a 53.3% gap in access to health care, a 75.7% gap in sports and leisure facilities and a 77.1% gap in access to arts and culture centres.
Although known as ‘The Education State’, Victoria also had the second biggest gap (26.1%) in access to Government run primary and secondary schools, childcare and out of school hours care. Only Queensland has a larger gap in access to these facilities, reaching 27.4%.
In each state, there were large gaps in access to health care, including aged care, dentists, GPs, community health centres and family planning centres. Queensland (53%) followed Victoria, with New South Wales (47.9%) having the third biggest deficit between growth and non-Growth Areas.
The research is based on an analysis of RMIT’s Australian Urban Observatory’s liveability scorecards, which compared liveability indicators in Growth Areas and established communities across ten domains.
The findings have formed the basis of the NGAA’s new funding model. Designed to guide political parties in meeting the needs of Growth Areas ahead of next year’s federal election, the model contains a list of recommendations, continues Ms Clark:
“The research focuses on access to a range of social infrastructure, which are predeterminants of health, wealth and happiness for our communities.”
“Our funding model outlines the need for increased investment in infrastructure and a whole-of-government approach to its implementation. It’s an opportunity for the major parties to show these voters they are committed to them in the lead up to the election,” she adds.
Growth Areas account for 39 electorates, almost double the 19-seat lead that decided the last election. On average, they have also grown and diversified by 4%, or are entirely new, making their voting preferences less predictable.
“Growth Areas are the potential swing suburbs and cities that could define next year’s federal election,” says Ms Clark.
Nationwide, NGAA has identified 14 marginally held Growth Areas, with the most precarious being Peter Dutton’s seat of Dickson with a 1.7% margin. Meanwhile Labor stands to lose up to ten seats if they don’t commit to meeting the needs of these outer-metropolitan communities.
“Growth Areas can help address the housing crisis, deliver thriving communities, and influence the coming federal election. It’s now up to the parties to realise that potential,” concludes Ms Clark.
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