Work and Life in Cities: City Strategy in Australia

7 October 2016

Population growth in the outer suburbs of Melbourne (and Sydney) is rapid but job creation tends to be concentrated in CBD’s. The western suburbs of these cities have young populations and high levels of unemployment, underemployment and social disadvantage.

Is it possible to devise a city strategy, and an associated development plan, to increase employment growth in the western suburbs, reducing the extent to which the population has to travel to the CBD in search of employment?

Our experts will debate metro strategies at this mini-summit and will discuss arguments and ideas around polycentricity versus one big city centre. There will be a particular focus on the West of Melbourne; however there will also be discussion around Sydney strategies.

Introduction and overview from co-convener Professor Peter Dawkins (Vice-Chancellor and President, Victoria University).

Setting the Scene

Background data and modelling on the West of Melbourne and similar regions by: (i) Professor Jeff Borland (Department of Economics, University of Melbourne) and Professor Guyonne Kalb (Professorial Research Fellow and Director of the Labour Economics and Social Policy Program, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, University of Melbourne)

(ii) Professor Bruce Rasmussen (Director, Victoria Institute of Strategic Economic Studies, Victoria University)

(iii) Professor John Madden (Centre of Policy Studies, Victoria University)

(iv) Peter Seamer (CEO at the Victorian Planning Authority)

Proactive City Strategy

Discussion on metro strategies and polycentricism vs one big city centre with reference to Sydney, Melbourne and other large cities by:

(v) Lucy Turnbull (Chief Commissioner, Greater Sydney Commission and former Lord Mayor of Sydney)

(vi) Professor Rodney Maddock (Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, Victoria University)

(vii) John Daley (CEO, Grattan Institute)

(viii) Kate Roffey (Director City Economy, Innovation and Liveability, Wyndham City Council and former CEO, Committee for Melbourne)