About the NGAA
The NGAA believe that:
It is important that the Australian Government acknowledges the need for support to be provided to growing communities, while local communities should be able to decide their community infrastructure priorities. For example, a library in one location may be deemed to be a higher priority than an early childhood centre in another. The nation must appreciate that under the current structure of uncoordinated and limited funding, critical community infrastructure is often delayed.
Given the growth projections for the NGAA there is currently not enough direct capital funding from both State and Federal Governments for social infrastructure. Councils acknowledge that recurrent and operational contributions from these two tiers are critically important to the delivery of services on the ground, although they often remain insufficient to meet local demand.
The NGAA wish to work with the Australian Government and develop a framework for community infrastructure delivery in high growth regions of Australia in order that all government objectives can be met as cost effectively as possible. Therefore a new structure in local/state and federal planning and delivery is needed.
Building new communities is more complex now than ever before. Contemporary urban management emphasises social, economic and environmental sustainability, which translates into urban plans that encourage higher urban densities and greater colocation of housing, infrastructure, services and jobs.
To be successful a high level of coordination and cooperation between all levels of government, NGOs and the private sector is required. The Australian Government should be a key player in the planning and delivery of new areas in Australia’s major cities.
The intensive population growth being experienced by NGAA councils is placing pressure on existing infrastructure, in addition to creating demand for new infrastructure which is more sustainable. These growth areas also contain centres which serve wider catchments and contain major regional transport links and areas of environmental and heritage significance. All these assets are under pressure from urban expansion.
Why is an alliance needed?
The NGAA accommodates 22.6% of the nation’s population. This is expected to rise to 25.8% of the nation’s population by 2022. Over the five years to 2006 54.7% of Australia’s population growth has occurred in NGAA councils. This trend will continue. More than 1.4 million people will move into growth areas over the next 15 years. This is the equivalent to building a city the size of Canberra every 3.6 years.
