Election result justifies end of unsustainable sprawl

While political parties squirm over the way voters in Australia determined their future there is no denying that lack of planning, resource allocation and services for suburban communities has lead to the current situation.


If there was any moment in Australia’s history that clearly demonstrates the need for a progressive approach for housing, community and infrastructure than last weekend’s election was it!



While Labor (and the Greens) dominates the urban core of these cities and Liberal’s the middle belt, it’s the outer suburban precincts that have produced the loudest critique of how well we are doing in providing for our citizens. And these people are not happy!

The swings in these outer areas are the most radical, changing from election to election. They should not be ignored, because in the end they do represent a substantial part of our population. Imagine if Senator’s where elected by regionalization, instead of party nomination – what a difference it would make.

For far too long state and federal governments have promised much and delivered very little, while taking more and more of the taxpayer’s money. With massive increases in development contributions over the past 10 years, it has had little positive effect in providing services for these communities - and they have now spoken.

The federal government will always pass the buck saying that these are state issues but ultimately these ‘state issues’ come back and sting when it hurts most. It’s time the federal government started to ensure that these states are meeting their obligations to the tax payer’s who rightfully voiced their objection.

If a government doesn’t want to be at the mercy of a fed-up suburbanite then they need to develop policies and practices that provide services linked to development (especially federal funding) and in this case it will need to be delivered at a sustainable rate. Thus, tired old models of urban planning and development that continue unsustainable sprawl, need to be discouraged.

Our outer suburbs need vision, they need services and they need it now. It’s time that we ensure that everyone’s way of life can be accommodated in an urban form that represents the Australian context.

In these suburbs we need to support single dwelling residential lifestyle, condensed living for people to get a chance in establishing a foothold in the housing market or for those who wish to downsize, we need to create a Sustainable Australian Residential Model. A model that in essence is Australian but lives up to the ideals of new urbanism and the core values of sustainability.

We can not rely on importing American ideology or the European typologies, these already exist in some parts of our major cities, but they can not be duplicated in the outer suburbs.

The outer-suburbanites are just as important and influential as their inner city cousins, who are wealthier, better serviced and just as critical of poor government policies to their way of life. It’s just that the inner city dwellers are benefiting from massive government investment over the post war period that outer suburbs have never had.

In any case the outer suburbs are the ‘aspirationals’ for Australia’s following generations, if we don’t start delivering them places instead of pieces of dirt then the outcome of this election will resonate becoming the standard for years to come. And eventually it will also affect our established urban centres due to their outer- suburbanites overwhelming numbers.

It is our responsibility as members of this Australian Community to ensure all members are provided with ample opportunity to share the country’s wealth, contribute and have access to everyday needs.

It’s the suburbs stupid – fix it!