Media Releases
Coalition needed to fight housing crisis
The City of Sydney is urging all levels of government to work together in delivering a better range of housing choices in the inner city as a growing affordability crisis threatens Sydney’s economic and social sustainability.
In a new housing issues paper, the City calls on state and federal policymakers to bring together financiers, developers and community housing providers in a new national framework that offers key workers in Australia’s economic powerhouse a bigger mix of accommodation and tenures.
Studies show that the growing appeal of inner-Sydney real estate to high-income earners and domestic and foreign investors is pushing up property prices beyond the reach of many.
Essential workers, such as nurses, teachers, police officers, cleaners and bus drivers, are being forced out to outlying suburbs while many young adults struggle to realise their independence.
Helping manage the impact of major infrastructure booms
International examples of how communities can make the most of major infrastructure projects will feature in a major think tank on the Lower Clarence this week.
The Australian chapter of the Eastern Regional Organisation for Planning and Human Settlements will have a panel of international speakers who will talk on such things as ensuring sustainable benefits from the London Olympics and managing investments around North Sea oil. Domestic speakers will share their experiences on such things as SPC in Shepparton and the Gunns Pulp Mill in Tasmania.
The organisation and the Clarence Valley Council have joined forces to present the think tank. Its Australian chapter president, Kerry McGovern, said infrastructure development has been assumed to be good for the communities served and the economy.
Melbourne selected for IBM Smarter Cities Challenge Grant
Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said Melbourne has been selected as one of 16 cities chosen for the IBM Smarter Cities Challenge, out of more than 100 international cities to apply.
A team of IBM experts will work with the City of Melbourne on data analysis to help the city make more informed decisions about managing and responding to extreme events.
“We will receive priceless global expertise to work with local leaders to help us improve the way we collect, analyse and act on real-time data about our city,” the Lord Mayor said.
Randwick releases Fit for the Future findings
Randwick City residents, ratepayers and business have overwhelmingly rejected a global city council merger, fearing loss of local identity and services for the eastern suburbs.
Randwick City Council has today (Thursday 14 May 2015) released the findings of its extensive community consultation program on the NSW Government's Fit for the Future proposal that shows strong opposition to the Government's preferred global city council merger of Randwick, Waverley, Woollahra, City of Sydney and Botany Bay.
Randwick Mayor Ted Seng said the Council has done its due diligence, financial analysis and community consultation to know the global city proposal is not the best option.