Thursday, 28 November 2024

Greater South East Melbourne

Ann-Marie HERMANS (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (18:32): (1345) My adjournment tonight is for the Minister for Local Government, and the action I seek is for the minister to meet with me and the independent director of the Greater South East Melbourne, otherwise known as GSEM, group to view and discuss their submission for the development of a new plan for Victoria to implement (1) improved transport and infrastructure, (2) housing with services and (3) more jobs, and all these in line with the growth and current services that exist in the area. GSEM is a regional alliance of eight local governments, including the shires of Cardinia and Mornington Peninsula and the cities of Casey, Frankston, Greater Dandenong, Kingston, Knox and Monash. The GSEM alliance advocates for jobs, infrastructure, investment, livability, sustainability and wellbeing for the south-east and everyone who lives and works in the region. The greater south-east of Melbourne is an important and growing economic region, being home to 1.5 million people, 83,000 businesses and 500,000 jobs, and generates $85 billion in gross regional product. There are 602,000 homes within this region; keep in mind that the population of Tasmania is only 576,000.

The government’s supposed target is to add an additional 443,000 homes by 2051, which means the City of Casey alone will have a population that is greater than that of Tasmania. It is one of Australia’s largest manufacturing regions, with reportedly more manufacturing jobs than greater Adelaide and western Sydney. The greater south-east has four Suburban Rail Loop precincts, three metropolitan activity centres and 33 major activity centres, but only 13 currently have stations. The submission is seeking support in both policy and action and is specifically advocating for more jobs closer to where people live. The region needs to ensure job creation is aligned with residential growth and better connectivity. Improved transport and infrastructure are crucial for linking communities within the region. Housing must be located with services and infrastructure, because development must be aligned with essential services and infrastructure. An agreed upon and coordinated pipeline of local, state and federal government infrastructure delivery will provide a unified approach to the south-east’s infrastructure. Obviously there is a funding gap. The government must consider the needs of not only the south-east but the whole of our state, but of course the south-east is a growth corridor and it must be considered. The planning and infrastructure decisions of the submission require action by 2030 to achieve its ambitions by 2050. I ask that the minister meet with me and the GSEM to consider funding directions and to make sure that they have the finances that they need.