A DELEGATION from Melton City Council recently attended a meeting of the National Growth Areas Alliance in Sydney to discuss the important issues facing people living in Australia’s outer growth suburbs.
Melton City Council Mayor Kathy Majdlik, Cr Sophie Ramsey and the council’s general manager of community services Maurie Heaney, attended the forum which included the release of strategic documents and research to assist councils to advocate for policy change and additional infrastructure assistance.
The NGAA’s research found that unemployment rates are higher in Australia’s outer growth suburbs and people who live there are less likely to have post-secondary school qualifications.
Cr Kathy Majdlik said growth areas such as Melton needed more State and Federal government assistance in order to bridge the gap between outer suburban and metropolitan areas.
“People who live in growth areas are more likely to be unemployed than the average Australian,” Cr Majdlik said.
“The NGAA’s research clearly shows that investment in a range of projects that are aimed at improving skills and improving infrastructure can help turn the current jobs shortage around and at the same time contribute to national productivity.”
The NGAA is inviting people of all ages who live or work in the outer suburbs to share their stories with the rest of Australia as part of the voices of outer suburbs project.
Those wishing to contribute can go to the website at www.voicesofoutersuburbs.com.au
The NGAA will collate the themes from the stories and, with permission, will also make individual stories available, in the hope that policies and programs can be informed by local experience.
