4 October 2019
Today’s launch of the Australian Government's Centre for Population by the Hon Alan Tudge MP, Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure, is a welcome step in a marathon of policy shifts that are required to address the pressing needs of growth areas.
We look forward to resource allocation for growth areas that is commensurate with their actual population growth, so that we do not repeat the scenario of growth areas accommodating 35% of Australia’s population growth but only receiving 13% of Federal infrastructure investment (2011-16).
The new Centre’s focus on tracking actual data, integrating and sharing population data from across the Commonwealth and, should the states agree at COAG later this year, from within their jurisdictions as well, is a sensible and welcome development.
Members of our Alliance – fast growing cities, towns and suburbs on the outskirts of our capital cities - tell us of the poor outcomes from having different sets of numbers used by different tiers of government to plan housing needs, transport capacity, and project demand for health and education services.
The result is evident to anyone living in one of Australia’s growth areas: gridlocked traffic on suburban roads that were never designed to cope with the increased demand, public transport that arrives in a new suburb a decade after its residents, communities with lower access to educational, social and recreational facilities that many Australians take for granted.
Member Councils of the National Growth Areas Alliance need infrastructure investment to reflect their actual population growth to not only plan for future growth, but also to catch up with the needs of the five million people already living in growth areas.
Announcement from NGAA Chair Cr Deeth, Deputy Mayor Wollondilly Shire Council.
Read moreRecently our CEO, Bronwen Clark, was invited to speak at the Urban Development Institute of Australia Western Australia (UDIA WA) event in Perth. Themed A Shared Vision for Urban Growth in our Cities: Understanding the Draft National Urban Policy and What It Means for Perth, this event brought together 200 WA town planners and developers from the private and public sectors.
Read moreAt today’s Victorian Housing Forum, Premier Jacinta Allen, Treasurer Tim Pallas and industry representatives discussed the pressing issues facing Victoria’s housing market. Over the past 30 years, the median house price in Melbourne has surged from 3.5 times the average income to 7 times, highlighting a critical need for policy intervention. Homelessness continues to be a stark indicator of policy gaps that require immediate attention.
Read moreIn light of the Climate Council’s recent report, ‘Next Stop Suburbia: Making Shared Transport Work for Everyone in Aussie Cities’, it is clear we need to address the growing demand for improved public and active transport in Australia’s fastest-growing outer cities and suburbs. The daily struggle of residents in these areas is a stark reminder that funding for public and active transport must be prioritised to ensure sustainable growth and improved quality of life.
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