By LAURA WAKELY
BRIMBANK Administrator Meredith Sussex has called on Melbourne residents to join in the discussion on the future of the city.
Ms Sussex joined panellists from city council who spoke at a Metropolitan Transport Forum on the sustainability of Melbourne’s growth areas last week.
Ms Sussex said the topic was complex enough to give people “laryngitis” as there was no single solution.
“City shaping is about balance,” she said.
“It’s about the allocation of land for jobs, services, commerce, residential development and recreation and open space.”
“It’s also about the balance between the common good and the individual good. “
She said the past 10 years had led to some “significant cracks” in bipartisan support for planning, with issues heavily politicised, and that a “new, respectful dialogue and debate about remaking Melbourne” was required.
Ms Sussex said Brimbank was situated between growth on one side, in Wyndham and Melton, and the urban centre on the other.
She said it had the potential to be a jobs hub for Brimbank residents and those in growth areas, taking away the dependency on the CBD for jobs.
She also spoke about a need for urban regeneration through parks, playgrounds and town planning, as well as the need for local infrastructure including bike paths and walking tracks.
“It’s through this complex mosaic of action for future engagement that we will remake Melbourne,” she said.
