IS THE CITY OF CITIES STRATEGY THE ANSWER FOR SYDNEY?

Glen Searle

SYDNEY’S MAIN PROBLEMS FOR A STRATEGIC PLAN

Air & water pollution Water supply Public transport Housing affordability Areas with serious socio-economic problems Lack of access to jobs related to skills &

transport Lack of regional & local open space Sydney’s global industries Lack of community participation

POLLUTION

Still problems with CO, particulates NW & SW sectors are in worst areas for

pollution dispersal Maintenance of air quality as sustainability

criterion for NW & SW unrealistic Densities in new sectors too low for non-

subsidised decent public transport Even low runoff from NW & SW sectors will

worsen Hawkesbury-Nepean algal bloom Increased environmental water flows to

Nepean problematic with climate change

WATER SUPPLY

Nothing in strategy about recycling of ocean outfall sewage

Higher water charges & public education campaign necessary

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

No targets for public transport use The only new rail lines won’t be built until

2012 or 2017 No planning for fast rail link from Parramatta

to central Sydney No planning for light rail lines in inner suburbs Parramatta-city corridor needs high frequency

light rail line No new initiatives to boost walking or cycling Exclusion of confirmed new arterials (M4-

Citylink etc.) to give a sustainable spin

HOUSING AFFORDABILITY

Housing affordability seen as solved through planning system and rent supplements

This is unlikely to provide affordable housing for lowest income quintile, which needs increase in public housing supply

Affordable housing targets for lowest income quintile should be set for each sub-region

Developer levy for 75% of new infrastructure reduces new house buyers’ affordability

Better solution is infrastructure benefit assessment scheme funded by Growth Centre Commission loans

AREAS WITH SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROBLEMS

Strategy silent on areas with serious deprivation

Regeneration plans funded by government needed, e.g. different versions of Redfern-Waterloo Authority

Regeneration needs to recognise different contexts - public housing vs NESB areas

Proposed enterprise corridors providing blighted business premises not sufficient

LACK OF JOB ACCESS

Skills-related: Inadequate recognition of problem re western

Sydney Skills program for W Sydney needed, building

on local TAFE strengths & opportunitiesTransport-related:

Western Sydney has relative lack of access to Global Arc, worsening with Macquarie Park development

Construction of Epping-Parramatta line & high-speed Parramatta-city line would significantly improve global job access

OPEN SPACE

Up to 1,400 hectares of new local open space needed for 700,000 extra people in existing urban area: not addressed in strategy

Levies needed to buy this landNo new regional open space in strategy:

Treasury funding issueOpportunities for new regional open

space missed, e.g. northerly extension of Western Sydney Parklands

SYDNNEY’S GLOBAL ECONOMY BASE

Complacency in strategy Some economic development proposals -

innovation, industry clusters But no funding, c.f. Queensland & Vic. Nothing on retaining pre-eminence in global

sectors like finance, producer service & tourism

No mention of policies to support Sydney Airport

Central and inner city amenity crucial for global & creative workers, but not addressed

COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION

Limited community input into strategyMuch wider consultation like Melbourne

strategy neededCommunity choice between different

types of strategy needed, like Perth strategy

No proposal for new metro governance agency, but uncertain if such an agency would be less political or more democratic than state government

BETTER STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR SYDNEY

Raise community awareness of good and bad development and planning

Develop forums/channels for dialogue between community & politicians

Proper resourcing of continuous metro planning

Annual report card on strategy as first step to greater government accountability for Sydney planning