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| Australians in outer suburbs have far worse access to schools, healthcare and public transport, report finds | Australians in outer suburbs have far worse access to schools, healthcare and public transport, report finds |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| Too many new developments lack green spaces and have fast food outlets built before essential infrastructure, peak body warns | |
| One-in-five Australians living in outer metropolitan areas face inadequate access to schools, healthcare, third spaces and other basic infrastructure, a new report from the National Growth Areas Alliance has revealed. | One-in-five Australians living in outer metropolitan areas face inadequate access to schools, healthcare, third spaces and other basic infrastructure, a new report from the National Growth Areas Alliance has revealed. |
| When compared to established communities in capital cities, growth areas on the city’s fringes have 48% lower rates of access to healthcare and 21% lower access to education, as well as important third spaces across arts and culture (44% less) and sports and leisure facilities (68% less), the report found. | When compared to established communities in capital cities, growth areas on the city’s fringes have 48% lower rates of access to healthcare and 21% lower access to education, as well as important third spaces across arts and culture (44% less) and sports and leisure facilities (68% less), the report found. |
| These services are collectively called “social infrastructure”. | These services are collectively called “social infrastructure”. |
| The National Growth Areas Alliance (NGAA) is a coalition of 29 councils across Australia experiencing rapid growth, such as the Wollondilly Shire in New South Wales and Cardinia Shire in Victoria. | The National Growth Areas Alliance (NGAA) is a coalition of 29 councils across Australia experiencing rapid growth, such as the Wollondilly Shire in New South Wales and Cardinia Shire in Victoria. |
| Prof Melanie Davern, a public health and urban planning researcher at RMIT University, said there was a long delay in growth areas getting essential infrastructure such as schools, public transport and supermarkets after people had moved in. | Prof Melanie Davern, a public health and urban planning researcher at RMIT University, said there was a long delay in growth areas getting essential infrastructure such as schools, public transport and supermarkets after people had moved in. |
| “But in the meantime, you might see one of the first things to go up in a growth area are fast food outlets because they know they’ve got a captive audience,” said Davern, who was involved in the study. | “But in the meantime, you might see one of the first things to go up in a growth area are fast food outlets because they know they’ve got a captive audience,” said Davern, who was involved in the study. |
| “People get in their cars and they are forced to drive everywhere – to work, to school. So then you’re commuting really long hours.” | “People get in their cars and they are forced to drive everywhere – to work, to school. So then you’re commuting really long hours.” |
| 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. | 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 healthcare, a 75.7% gap for sports and leisure facilities and a 77.1% gap in access to arts and culture centres. | Victoria has the biggest deficits across three out of four areas, including a 53.3% gap in access to healthcare, a 75.7% gap for sports and leisure facilities and a 77.1% gap in access to arts and culture centres. |
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| 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, at 27.4%. | 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, at 27.4%. |
| In each state, there were large gaps between growth areas and established suburbs in access to healthcare, including aged care, dentists, GPs, community health centres and family planning centres. Queensland’s gap of 53% followed Victoria, with New South Wales having the third biggest deficit at 47.9%. | In each state, there were large gaps between growth areas and established suburbs in access to healthcare, including aged care, dentists, GPs, community health centres and family planning centres. Queensland’s gap of 53% followed Victoria, with New South Wales having the third biggest deficit at 47.9%. |
| Davern said while there were strong positives to growth areas as affordability was better and they often had more green spaces, there were large issues with health equity. | Davern said while there were strong positives to growth areas as affordability was better and they often had more green spaces, there were large issues with health equity. |
| “It basically influences your happiness levels, and your quality of life,” she said. | “It basically influences your happiness levels, and your quality of life,” she said. |
| Matthew Bowes from the Grattan Institute’s Housing and Economic Security Program said greenfield sites created a “chicken and egg situation”. | Matthew Bowes from the Grattan Institute’s Housing and Economic Security Program said greenfield sites created a “chicken and egg situation”. |
| “Because a lot of the amenities that people associate with living in a good neighbourhood are privately provided,” he said. | “Because a lot of the amenities that people associate with living in a good neighbourhood are privately provided,” he said. |
| “That really limits the ability for the kind of growth in amenities that these areas would like to see, because it’s just not economic a lot of the time to move there.” | “That really limits the ability for the kind of growth in amenities that these areas would like to see, because it’s just not economic a lot of the time to move there.” |
| He said planning systems had made it more expensive to live in inner-city areas, so people were pushed out to the fringes. | He said planning systems had made it more expensive to live in inner-city areas, so people were pushed out to the fringes. |
| “Certainly more supply is a huge part of the answer to the housing crisis. The question is, are we providing people with supply across all of the places where they would like to live?” he said. | “Certainly more supply is a huge part of the answer to the housing crisis. The question is, are we providing people with supply across all of the places where they would like to live?” he said. |
| “And I think the answer is clearly not at the moment, and the places that we are really not building enough homes is the kind of middle ring suburbs in our cities. That’s the place where planning is most constrained.” | “And I think the answer is clearly not at the moment, and the places that we are really not building enough homes is the kind of middle ring suburbs in our cities. That’s the place where planning is most constrained.” |
| Bronwen Clark, the chief executive of the NGAA, said families in growth areas were being set up to fail. | Bronwen Clark, the chief executive of the NGAA, said families in growth areas were being set up to fail. |
| “It’s vital that we fix the blind spots in infrastructure investment,” she said. | “It’s vital that we fix the blind spots in infrastructure investment,” she said. |
| “That’s how we’ll fully realise the potential of these suburbs to solve the housing crisis, without creating new crises for future generations.” | “That’s how we’ll fully realise the potential of these suburbs to solve the housing crisis, without creating new crises for future generations.” |