The forces of the global economy are driving rapid urban growth and requiring governments to rethink their approach to the planning and development of cities.
As the (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s) 2006 report on Competitive Cities in the Global Economy argues, national economic strategy can no longer ignore the characteristics of cities that shape economic performance, social cohesion and environmental conditions.
One of the mistakes in debates about infrastructure and planning is thinking that cities and regional areas are in competition and governments must favour cities or the regions.
With Australia facing rapid growth in the decades ahead, the time has come for the Australian government to take a much greater national responsibility for improving the long-term planning of our major cities.
“We’d encourage the government to evolve this thinking into a fully blown national competition-policy-style approach to fostering more sustainable Australian cities.”
In a speech on the eve of this year’s federal budget, Mr Rudd made it clear he did not have sufficient confidence in the NSW government’s planning approach to invest large amounts in major infrastructure projects in Sydney.
Following the budget, Mr Rudd and federal Treasurer Wayne Swan did not deny reports NSW had made a shoddy funding submission to Infrastructure Australia, the federal government’s infrastructure co-ordination body.
NSW Premier Nathan Rees last night declined to comment on Mr Rudd’s speech.
THE myths that sanctify the infrastructure debate in Australia are about to be slaughtered, as the Rudd government confronts reality: the coming shortage of funds, the problem of infrastructure governance and the need for higher prices in the cause of efficiency.
The new report on infrastructure commissioned by the Business Council of Australia opens a window the Rudd government likes to polish but prefers to keep shut.
The theme of this report is that after the global financial crisis the Rudd government must return to its infrastructure agenda but with a tougher mindset.
Sims tells this column: “Unless Australia gets infrastructure policy right, it cannot move successfully to a projected 35 million population.
In effect, Sims wants the Rudd government via the Council of Australian Governments to drive the infrastructure agenda deploying the techniques used in National Competition Policy to persuade the states with cash and insistence on integrated planning.
The BCA will back Rudd’s campaign for the national government to become involved in urban planning just as Sims backs Treasury’s support for congestion pricing.
Overall, the Sims report sees the need for a “massive future infrastructure agenda” that is of “significant complexity”.
Reference:
Cities in planning spotlight | The Australian (Edited Version – PM Rudd Speech)
Kevin Rudd launches planning takeover | The Australian
Housing Industry cautiously backs Rudds Speech
Building from the base | The Australian
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