Council and National Growth Areas Alliance call for reinstatement to jobs funding: Issued 4 Sept 12
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EmailMEDIA RELEASE: 4 September 2012
The City of Casey is supporting the National Growth Areas Alliance (NGAA) to highlight the unique challenges facing growth area communities to the Federal Government.
Council resolved on 21 August 2012 to write to the Hon. Simon Crean MP, Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government, and the Hon.
Bill Shorten MP, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, seeking reinstatement of $55 million which has been cut from the Suburban Jobs Program.
City of Casey Mayor Cr Sam Aziz said ‘Council is a member of NGAA which aims to provide input to Federal Government policy and to advocate for much-needed infrastructure and services for growing populations.
‘While significant progress has been made in highlighting the needs of the nation’s growth areas, it is difficult for governments of all levels to keep up with the high levels of growth.
‘Specifically, Council is seeking the reinstatement of $55 million in funding which was cut from the Suburban Jobs Program. The program supports State and Local Governments to plan and provide for increased local employment opportunities in the suburbs of Australia’s major capital cities, including the City of Casey, that are subject to growth pressures’, said Cr Aziz.
Seventy per cent of working residents in the Casey-Cardinia region currently travel outside the region to work, so the creation of work opportunities close to home is one of Council’s priorities.
‘Council’s economic objective is to create more local jobs, generate more economic activity and attract investment and an adequately funded Suburban Jobs Program can assist Council to achieve this’, added Cr Aziz.
Magid Drive
P.O. Box 1000
Narre Warren 3805
Telephone 9705 5200
Facsimile 9704 9544
During 2011-12, the NGAA undertook a number of activities to highlight the unique needs of growth area Councils to other levels of government, including:
- Advocacy
- Funding outcomes
- Research
- Policy
- Submissions regarding the Federal Budget
- Seminars and conferences
- Communications and member engagement
‘Through the work being undertaken by the NGAA, it is hoped that new funding mechanisms are put in place to enable growth area Councils to adequately fund vital infrastructure and services’, added Cr Aziz.
The NGAA represents 25 of Australia’s fastest growing municipalities housing more than 3.5 million people. The 2011 Census results show that NGAA areas collectively grew by 18 per cent between 2006 and 2011 compared to Australia as a whole (8.3 per cent) and capital cities (9.2 per cent).