Rudd announces a Minister for Cities

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has announced that if re-elected, he will appoint Australia’s first Minister for Cities and establish an Outer Suburban Growth Taskforce (assisted by an expanded Major Cities Unit) to develop a Ten Year Jobs and Growth strategy for cities’ outer suburbs. The strategy is intended to tackle the pressures on people living in the outer suburbs - from transport congestion and long commutes to limited local job opportunities and the need for better infrastructure.

The announcement has been welcomed by several groups, with the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC) having long called for “a national approach to our cities, led by a Minister for Cities”, said Romilly Madew, Chair of ASBEC’s Cities and Regions Policy Task Group. ASBEC released in June a plan to improve the liveability, productivity and sustainability of Australia’s cities, which included the elevation of the Major Cities Unit, establishment of a Minister for Cities and Urban Development and the establishment of an Urban Infrastructure Fund.

Madew said all parties should commit to the new portfolio “and ensure that local infrastructure is sustainably funded through an Urban Infrastructure Fund”. She said a bipartisan approach is “essential” to address the long-term challenges faced by cities, including “population growth, housing affordability and infrastructure development”, and to keep them globally competitive, productive, sustainable, liveable and socially inclusive.

Another build environment group, The Urban Coalition, released in May ‘A New Deal for Urban Australia’, recommending the establishment of a Minister for Cities and Urban Development alongside an Urban Infrastructure Fund to meet a backlog of more than $500bn in infrastructure needs for Australian cities and to better manage population growth.

The group’s members believe the announcement of a Minister for Cities is a welcome step towards realising the full potential of our cities as key drivers for jobs and productivity, though more work is required.

“A Minister for Cities is a positive step, but even more critical is how we fund the productivity-boosting urban infrastructure that will make our cities work more efficiently,” said Property Council Chief Executive Peter Verwer.

CEO of the Planning Institute of Australia Kirsty Kelly said, “Expansion of the Major Cities Unit acknowledges the good work undertaken in recent years in the development of the National Urban Policy and monitoring through the State of Australian Cities report. There is an opportunity here now to drive smarter long-term integrated strategic planning in urban areas across Australia. But this must be supported by a clear platform for investment.”

Ruth Spielman, executive officer of the National Growth Areas Alliance, welcomed the focus on the outer suburbs, but said, “The creation of an Urban Investment Fund is still required to reduce the backlog in infrastructure and meet the need of Australia’s rapidly growing population.”

The Green Building Council of Australia’s (GBCA) COO, Robin Mellon, said, “A Minister for Cities will ensure a more integrated and collaborative approach to planning and delivery of critical infrastructure, and will drive the reforms needed to connect urban built environment policies and programs across all levels of government.

Mellon said the council also welcomes the expansion of the Major Cities Unit to support the Outer Suburban Growth Taskforce, but would like further details on this.

Consult Australia CEO Megan Motto renewed the company’s call to all parties “to prioritise cities and to commit to the actions needed to make them more prosperous and more liveable”.

“A bipartisan approach to these issues is critical,” she said.