Can Australia
afford a rapid growth in population?
The Federal Minister
for Housing, the Hon. Brendan O'Connor; Matthew Guy, Victorian Planning Minister;
Ian Walker, Queensland Planning Reform Minister; Mark Birrell, Chairman of the
Port of Melbourne and Daniel Grollo, CEO of Grocon will be key speakers at the
Urban Development Institute of Australia's National Conference on Australia's
Population in March 2013.
Tony De Domenico, Executive Director UDIA
(Victoria) said, "The
Conference titled 'Population
Vision for a Nation' will provide a national focus on the issues of housing
affordability and infrastructure provision in the lead up to the Federal Election".
In the past decade
in Australia the tax system has placed more responsibility on first home buyers
on the fringe to fund infrastructure upfront impacting on affordability.
"Australia
is facing a battle on three fronts to provide for the forecast doubling of its
population by 2050. There is a massive backlog of infrastructure which is
leaving capital cities in gridlock. The cost of the great Australian dream
has moved beyond an increasing number of people".
"The need for co-operation and infrastructure
planning between all levels of government on funding is a major challenge."
National President of the UDIA Julie Katz
said "The conference will take into account views of Government, Industry
and the Community to open up a national Public Conversation on the pressing issues
of population growth which impacts on every Australian".
"It is also quite clear that to overcome
the need to provide infrastructure, the private sector will need to take an increasing
role in partnership with Government."
"This needs to be part of the national
conversation in both the Government and Private sectors."
A baby is born every 1 minute 46 seconds.
A person dies every 3 minutes 40 seconds.
And an international migrant
arrives every 3 minutes 5 seconds.
Media Enquiries:
Ron Smith, Corporate
Media Communications, UDIA (VIC) Mobile: 0417 329 201
