Ms SPENCE (Yuroke) — (Question 7658) My constituency question is to the Minister for Suburban Development. What plans does the minister have to ensure that Yuroke as well as other high‑growth areas remain great places to live and work? The minister would be aware that the electorate of Yuroke is a fast‑growing area that is a highly attractive place for young families to live and bring up their children. There has been strong growth in my electorate over recent years, particularly in Craigieburn and Greenvale. As you drive down Mickleham Road you can see that the growth will continue for some time to come.

I am committed to ensuring that Yuroke continues to be a great place to live and bring up a family. The establishment of a Minister for Suburban Development is a welcome step and will help deliver on this ambition. It will also ensure that the people of Yuroke have the jobs, services and infrastructure they deserve and that this occurs in a coordinated manner. I look forward to the minister’s response so I can provide this information to the Yuroke community.

Response:

Melbourne is a prosperous global city, hailed as one of the most liveable in the world. Melbourne will become Australia’s largest city by 2031, and is projected to increase from 4.3 Million to around 8 Million by 2051.

Victoria also has the fastest growing economy in the nation. Growth has risen to 2.5 per cent annually, and jobs are being created at three times the rate they were in 2014. There are currently around 2.1 million jobs in Melbourne, and we expect that another 1.7 million jobs will need to be created for this growing population by 2051.

This growth brings many opportunities for our communities, and it is important to ensure that the benefits provided are shared equitably across Melbourne’s suburbs.

The Andrews Labor Government created the new Suburban Development portfolio to ensure that Melbourne’s fastest growing suburbs remain great places to live and work. I am delighted to have been allocated responsibility for this very important portfolio.

As the Yuroke electorate covers some of Melbourne’s fastest growing suburbs, it will receive a particularly strong focus.

Specifically, I have been tasked by with overseeing a new initiative of the government: the development of Five Year Plans for jobs, services and infrastructure in Melbourne’s growing suburbs.

These plans will be used to better align the efforts of all levels of government in providing the infrastructure and services needed to manage the challenge of rapid population growth and to create opportunities for all Melbournians to participate in the economy.

These activities will build on investment of more than $1.1 billion made in the Government’s 2015/2016 State Budget in the outer growth areas across transport, health, education and community facilities.  Additional funds were also committed in the 2016/2017 Budget, including the $50m Growing Suburbs Fund, which is aimed at addressing infrastructure backlogs faced by these communities and helping them to remain great places to live and work.

Hon Lily D’Ambrosio MP
Minister for Suburban Development