The National Growth Areas Alliance (NGAA) is a group that represents 25 of Australia’s fastest growing municipalities.
Based at the City of Whittlesea, Executive Officer for the NGAA Ruth Spielman is working with other group member councils to raise awareness of the challenges and opportunities that Australia’s growth areas represent.
“This is an exciting time for Australia’s growth areas, but it is also a time when the needs and potential of these areas should be understood and taken forward,” Ruth Spielman said. “These municipalities currently house about 3.2 million people and over the next 20 years, the NGAA’s population will grow at double the national rate.”
Challenges for growth communities include the provision of both community and major strategic infrastructure and community support services.
“The main objective of the NGAA is to close the gap that exists between growth areas and metropolitan averages,” Ruth Spielman said. “This means improved access to employment opportunities, better personal mobility, more local community services and more diversity in housing.
“The NGAA has a can do attitude and we are in the business of helping ourselves develop our communities as much as possible. However, the latest cost benefit research shows that growth areas can’t do it alone.
“The good news is that the funding these areas have received to date has been put to good use and has generated jobs. Now we are hoping that we can make the case for additional funding for growth areas to the Federal Government and move ahead with the range of projects our member areas have ready to go.”
The NGAA supports the Federal Government preparing a National Urban Policy and has had input via Major Cities Unit and COAG Taskforce on Cities.
