RESIDENTS who have ever been stuck in traffic for hours on end or found it impossible to catch a bus to the train station are being urged to voice their frustrations.
A new website, www.voicesofoutersuburbs.com.au, calling on residents to express the day-to-day difficulties of living in a growth suburb was launched by the National Growth Areas Alliance (NGAA) last week.
The NGAA, a coalition of the 27 fastest growing municipalities in Australia, is pushing for the State and Federal governments to invest heavily in jobs and education in outer growth suburbs.
Cardinia, Casey, Whittlesea, Hume, Melton and Wyndham are the municipalities from Melbourne that are members of the NGAA.
Wyndham Mayor Heather Marcus spoke at the launch and said it was vitally important for residents to get behind the campaign.
“The NGAA councils want to see things change sooner rather than later to give all Australian residents a chance to have a good quality of life, no matter where they live,” Ms Marcus said.
“So hearing from residents, businesses and young people will help make sure we get things right for this and future generations to come.”
City of Whittlesea CEO David Turnbull told guests at the launch the NGAA would be using statistical evidence to hold governments to account and prove why more investment was needed.
It was argued that for every $1 invested in community networks, $10 was saved in costs of poor health, reduced crime and improved employment.
For every $1 spent on libraries, $2.30 was raised in economic benefits.
Wyndham resident and business owner Eddi De Pellegrin, spoke at the launch and said while she loved Wyndham, she was finding it difficult to live with traffic congestion.
“Affordability is lost when you look at the lack of infrastructure,” Ms Pellegrin said.
For more information visit www.voicesofoutersuburbs.com.au
