Growth issues on Canberra agenda

Representatives of peri-urban councils from throughout Australia, including Baw Baw Shire, have made their second visit to Canberra in six months to highlight issues they face due to high population growth.
Baw Baw deputy mayor and chair of Peri-Urban Councils Victoria Michael Leaney said meetings held with three relevant ministers with responsibilities including regional development, infrastructure, housing and local government; an assistant minister, a shadow minister, members of parliament and ministerial staff were very positive and continued to improve understanding of the issues ahead for councils bordering on state capital cities.
Cr Leaney said discussions centred on structural and federal policy positions that affect growth with similar issues impacting the peri-urban councils in all states.
The five PUCV members are Baw Baw and Bass Coast in Gippsland, Surf Coast headquartered at Torquay, Moorabool based at Ballan and Golden Plains that covers an area between Geelong and Ballarat.
Those council areas currently have almost 200,000 residents and are forecast to be home to another 100,000 people by 2036.
Cr Leaney said the delegation spoke to federal leaders about investment in housing, digital connections to support moves towards working from home, roads, and liveability infrastructure such as pools and arts and sporting centres.
He said there were also opportunities to boost employment in tourism in the shires that include coastal holiday centres on the Surf Coast and Bass Coast as well as at places such as Walhalla.
The federal government is developing a new National Urban Policy which Cr Leaney said should also address issues in peri-urban councils that, because they are part urban and part regional, risked "falling through the cracks".
That was a key focus of talks in Canberra and would continue to be a key discussion point between the councils involved to ensure the peri-urban community voices and issues can be highlighted at the federal level, Cr Leaney said.