Prime Minister Lays Platform For Better Growth Plan For Brisbane

Prime Minister lays platform for better growth plan for Brisbane: Property Council

The Property Council has hailed the Prime Minister's plan to force infrastructure and land use planning together to underpin the economic and population growth Brisbane and South East Queensland will see in the future.

Queensland Executive Director Steve Greenwood said today there was a clear case for the Queensland Government to cooperate with the Commonwealth and apply long-term solutions to Brisbane's inevitable growth.

"Brisbane desperately needs urban planning solutions that drive economic growth and end the congestion choking our city," Mr Greenwood said.

"We can't wish away growth. We will be better served if we embrace it as an economic opportunity and begin the task of sensibly charting a sustainable future for Brisbane and South East Queensland.

"The Prime Minister has outlined a sensible framework to force land use and infrastructure planning together, and to ensure that growth is delivered in line with those plans.

"We need better coordination of land use and transport planning and importantly, the community needs to have confidence that decisions will be implemented.

"That requires proper integration of planning and transport policies, strong governance arrangements to drive their delivery, and mandated benchmarks being used to guarantee results.

"The Property Council has previously articulated a model for intergovernmental cooperation that draws on the lessons of national competition policy in successfully pursuing agreed reforms.

"It would ensure each tier of government would be clear about its responsibilities and investment in transport and other infrastructure was tied to land use planning and urban development."

The Property Council's approach has four key actions:

* Establish a strategic framework - An intergovernmental agreement under the COAG framework which sets out each government's responsibilities for the implementation of an urban action plan for each city.
* Set targets which are linked to plan outcomes - key performance indicators (KPIs) which summarise measurable performance targets based on agreed reform priorities.
* Provide independent review and guidance - Establish a Sustainable Communities Commission to assess and accredit governments. plans and their progress in implementing them.
* Establish a National Sustainable Communities Fund - A suite of incentives and penalties to encourage the implementation of the agreed KPIs.

ENDS

Media enquiries:
Steve Greenwood, Executive Director - (07) 3225 3000 or 0488 721 156

SOURCE: Property Council of Australia (QLD)