New Minister for Cities welcomed


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New Minister for Cities welcomed

Posted on Monday, September 21 2015 at 1:34 PM

New Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s appointment of Jamie Briggs as Minister for Cities and the Built Environment should lead to a greater focus on funding urban infrastructure, according to Urban Taskforce Australia.

Urban Taskforce
CEO Chris Johnson points out that Turnbull “clearly has an interest in cities
and how growth is managed”, adding: “It is therefore pleasing to see the
appointment.

“The major role
the federal government has in cities is in relation to the funding of urban
infrastructure projects.

“It’s important
that the federal government doesn’t confuse the key role that state governments
have in planning and managing cities and their growth,” Johnson says. “As the
major collector of taxes, however, the federal government should allocate funds
based on pro-growth policies of state and local government.”

Urban Taskforce’s
position is that with Australian cities becoming more urban, with a big swing
to apartment living, there’s a need to ensure public transport systems and
other amenities can support the urban growth.

“Without adequate
funding for urban infrastructure, communities will be reluctant to support
urban density, which could lead to greater government costs through our cities
spreading vast distances,” Johnson says.

“The Urban
Taskforce is keen to work with Minister Briggs as a continuation of discussions
held with him a few months ago so that input from the development industry can
help inform policy.

“With the slowdown
in the minerals sector it is the property development sector that is leading
employment activity in Australia and the continuation of this momentum is
important for future prosperity.”

 

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