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City of Whittlesea

Submission to

Infrastructure Victoria’s -

Laying the Foundations:

30 Year Infrastructure

Strategy

18 March 2016

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Contents

Section 1 – General Feedback ................................................................................................................. 3

Section 2 – Vision and Guiding Principles ............................................................................................... 4

Section 3 - Improving the objectives ...................................................................................................... 4

1 Respond to population growth and change................................................................... 5

2 Support healthy, safe and vibrant communities ............................................................ 5

3 Reduce disadvantage ..................................................................................................... 7

4 Enable workforce participation ...................................................................................... 9

5 Lift Victoria’s productivity ............................................................................................ 10

6 Support Victoria’s changing, globally integrated economy ......................................... 11

7 Promote sustainable production and consumption .................................................... 12

8 Protect and enhance natural environments ................................................................ 13

9 Support climate change mitigation and adaptation .................................................... 14

10 Build resilience to shocks ............................................................................................. 14

Section 4 – Prioritising the infrastructure needs .................................................................................. 15

Section 5 – Evidence / Appendix ........................................................................................................... 15

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Section 1 – General Feedback The City of Whittlesea welcomes the opportunity to participate in the development of Victoria’s 30

Year Infrastructure Strategy. As a growth council, Whittlesea is deeply invested in achieving the best

possible long term outcomes for the community. This submission has been contributed to by current

literature and a number of social policy, urban planning, and infrastructure experts within Council.

Council is committed to ‘creating vibrant self-sustaining communities’ with all stakeholders.

The City of Whittlesea recently led the development of a social planning tool on behalf of a broad

range of stakeholders from the public and private sectors. This tool offers a strategic framework for

social planning that informs and guides infrastructure planning, design and delivery. It can be

accessed online at http://www.socialplanningtool.net.au/

The central most important challenge for the State government is that this 30 Year Infrastructure

Strategy integrates with Plan Melbourne. In recent times, numerous commentators have been

critical of the disconnection between social and urban planning, and infrastructure planning1. The

development of this important strategy is the opportunity to amend this, to maximise enduring

community outcomes into the future.

Whilst it is evident that 30 Year Infrastructure Strategy refers to Plan Melbourne, this needs to be

significantly strengthened by evidence based planning of infrastructure that aligns to community

needs and is consistent with Plan Melbourne. This will ensure that the strategy clearly responds to

the Government’s planning agenda. Furthermore, it can encompass infrastructure needs that are

not addressed in Plan Melbourne.

In addition to the alignment of a infrastructure pipeline with Plan Melbourne, it is critical that the

Strategy explore a wide range of funding models that could be applied to delivering the pipeline of

infrastructure. Innovative funding models are required to address the infrastructure gap that exists

throughout the city, and the development of this strategy presents an excellent opportunity to

investigate and canvass a wide range of models across both the public and private sectors.

1Victorian Auditor-General, Developing Transport Infrastructure and Services for Population Growth Areas,

Parliamentary Paper No 249, Session 2010-13, State Government of Victoria, 2013

Outer Suburban/Interface Services and Development Committee, Inquiry into Growing the Suburbs:

Infrastructure and Business Development in Outer Suburban Melbourne, Parliamentary Paper 236 Session 2010-

13, State Government of Victoria, June 2013.

Outer Suburban/Interface Services and Development Committee, Inquiry into Liveability Options in Outer

Suburban Melbourne, Parliamentary Paper No 149 Session 2010-12, State Government of Victoria, December

2012

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As well as creating a clear prioritised list for Victoria, the Strategy provides a great opportunity to

look at the hierarchy of community need that is aligned to everyone’s basic human rights to have

access to such institutions as hospitals, health centres, school, transport etc. Communities should

not have to advocate for these basic rights, an ordered State Government capital works

prioritisation would eliminate community anxiety around government prioritisation.

Section 2 – Vision and Guiding Principles The 30 Year Infrastructure Strategy should to be guided by a vision for the people of Victoria. The

vision should focus on delivering equitable access to social and physical infrastructure that facilitates

day to day living that enables the community to successfully achieve healthy and fulfilling lives. This

vision should be accompanied by underpinning principles, including:

Human rights

Gender equal

All age, diversity and all abilities inclusive.

Facilitating economic improvements

Ensuring that Melbourne continues to be recognised as one of the world’s most liveable cities, and

that all residents experience the benefits of living in the world’s most liveable city, would be a strong

aspect of this vision.

Section 3 - Improving the objectives Overall, the data on the planning context of this strategy needs to be provided to best inform the

development of the objectives. This will assist in determining whether the objectives appropriately

reflect the future needs. Given that the strategy is for the next 30 years it is difficult to determine

whether these objectives are relevant for 10, 20 or 30 years’ time. As they are currently presented,

the objectives respond to the present only. Most essential is the provision of future population

forecasts, with attention to:

The next 30 years - and beyond

The timing – when the population will peak

The places - where the population will peak

Indicative trends and likely population scenarios.

The Strategy discussion paper could include a comprehensive analysis of forecast trends. A good

example is presented in the CSIRO report Our Future World: Global megatrends that will change the

way we live (2012) and the VicHealth/CSIRO report Bright Futures: Megatrends impacting the mental

wellbeing of young Victorians over the coming 20 years’ (2016).

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The 30 Year Infrastructure Strategy needs to set people focused outcomes and measures that

respond to the needs of Victorian people. The outcomes should illustrate how the lives of Victorians

will be improved and how this improvement will be measured.

1 Respond to population growth and change

A. Address infrastructure deficits in high-growth areas

B. Manage increasing demands on health infrastructure

C. Provide access to high-quality school facilities

This is an important objective and is comprehensively covered. In response to the indicators for this

Section:

Access to health care (GPs, clinics, hospitals) and education (early childhood, schools, VET).

This indicator should include access to community facilities (meeting rooms, public spaces)

Housing supply and affordability

Housing affordability measures should include ‘living affordability’ (e.g. public transport

availability; fuel costs etc. not just mortgages or rents). Housing might appear affordable in

the outer growth areas but it has been identified that residents of these communities often

face serious financial issues that result from other pressures of living considerable distances

from jobs, services and infrastructure, schools and community facilities.

Need A - Addressing infrastructure deficits in high growth areas

The Plan Melbourne response to the need for addressing infrastructure deficits does not contend

with the issues facing current and future populations in the outer suburban growth areas. There are

current and urgent deficits that need to be addressed.

Also the issue of out of sequence development in high growth areas by developers needs to be

considered, this type of development often means there are missing links between developments

and utilised as an excuse to delay infrastructure delivery. There needs to be a level of consideration

in developing the Strategy, that encompasses these types of scenarios.

A more positive statement around the provision of infrastructure to current and future growth

areas is needed.

2 Support healthy, safe and vibrant communities

A. Enable physical activity through infrastructure and urban design

B. Provide good public spaces where communities can come together

C. Strengthen access to cultural infrastructure

D. Maximise positive impacts on amenity and wellbeing from infrastructure

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The City of Whittlesea has identified that a Community Building approach to all of our work most

effectively helps to build healthy, safe and vibrant communities. The key principles of this approach

as they relate to infrastructure delivery include equity, community involvement and direction, and a

place-based approach.

Taking into account this approach, possible additional indicators for this objective from the

VicHealth Community Indicators Survey (2011):

Civic participation rates; and

Acceptance of cultural diversity

How could the objective be improved?

By the addition of a statement ‘Generating urban renewal and economic development through the

delivery of infrastructure’ would improve this objective. The delivery of ‘city shaping’ infrastructure

can help to realise significant urban renewal opportunities. The delivery of the Regional Rail Link

through the Sunshine Town Centre, and the redevelopment of the station precinct through this

project, is a recent example of infrastructure providing a catalyst for urban renewal.

This objective can be improved by adding ‘Connect local communities together’, a critical and basic

outcome of infrastructure delivery, but an outcome that is not being met in Melbourne’s growth

corridors due to compromised arterial roads, open space and footpath connectivity.

Infrastructure delivery is critical for the health, safety and general wellbeing of communities living in

growth area councils such as the City of Whittlesea and therefore we support this objective. The

objective could potentially be combined with Objective 3, as disadvantage is the outcome when

people don’t have equity in accessing the infrastructure required for a healthy, vibrant community.

How the infrastructure needs could be improved:

The City of Whittlesea recommends combining the first two needs ( A:Enable physical activity

through infrastructure and urban design and B:Provide good public spaces where communities can

come together ) as: Provide good public spaces and infrastructure for social gathering and physical

activity.

Both local and regional sporting and cultural facilities are important for residents living in growth

area municipalities (Need C). Therefore investment in local facilities is important, as is providing

good public transport links to the central city to access regional facilities.

Need D: Maximise positive impacts on amenity and wellbeing from infrastructure should be more

focused on ensuring that the full community benefit of infrastructure is achieved through shared use

or multi-use of facilities. Multi-use of facilities is particularly important in a growth area context

where there is a significant infrastructure lag. City of Whittlesea has a number of examples of State

or local facilities being used in this way including Meadow Glen Reserve, where Council

infrastructure is shared with a government secondary school, Mill Park Secondary College, Hazel

Glen College P-12.

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A precinct based approach to infrastructure delivery, where master planning is considered as part of

the project would achieve far greater community benefit than from individual infrastructure

projects.

This approach is particularly recommended for school precincts, town centres and large transport

infrastructure projects where some of the broader community benefits are not being realised to

their full potential with the current infrastructure delivery approach. A precinct based approach

would require greater coordination across different levels of government and other stakeholders

and greater support for partnerships in infrastructure delivery.

There is a need to create more flexible infrastructure at the design phase. With changes to our

demographics, tomorrow’s schools may be phased out to create seniors employment or volunteer

centres or alternatively social service hubs for a collection of social services. For example facilities in

the future could be used to utilise the increasing cohort of seniors to re-engage them in the

workforce in either a flexible manner or as a volunteer to maintain their local communities. In order

to manage reducing budgets at all level of government, more focus is required in co-ordination,

collaboration and shared infrastructure use.

However, it would result in economic and social benefits to all stakeholders. We recommend this is

included as an additional Need: Maximise precinct community benefits from infrastructure.

Recommend inclusion of the suggested alternative need to ‘Improve the condition, capacity and

quality of community infrastructure.’ There is substantial evidence supporting the link between

quality of design of community infrastructure and the extent of use and therefore community

wellbeing. The recently completed Dandenong Library provides a tangible example of this, where

library visitations doubled (17,500 people per month) after the new building opened. The Library

and adjacent public space act as a focal point and social hub for the community.

3 Reduce disadvantage

A. Improve accessibility for people with disabilities and/or mobility challenges through

infrastructure

B. Address housing affordability challenges with better social housing

C. Support changing approaches to social service and justice delivery through infrastructure

How could the objective be improved?

Locational disadvantage is a significant issue for growth area Councils such as Whittlesea and can be

reduced through infrastructure provision, so we agree that this is a worthwhile objective for this

strategy to pursue.

Reduce disadvantage suggests fixing the problem of inequity rather than proactively seeking to

prevent it. Therefore we recommend that this objective should be renamed Encourage equity or

Support equity of access to take a more positive and proactive approach to preventing as well as

addressing disadvantage.

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The objective could potentially be combined with Objective 3, as disadvantage is the outcome when

people don’t have equity in accessing the infrastructure required for a healthy, vibrant community.

How the infrastructure needs could be improved and, in particular, what needs don’t appear that

you would like to see included?

Need A: Improve accessibility for people with disabilities and/or mobility challenges through

infrastructure

With respect to Need A, there is State legislation that requires all new and redeveloped

infrastructure to accommodate accessibility issues so it is assumed that this would cover all

infrastructure provision. This point could be addressed in the Guiding Principles section.

It is of the highest importance to include access to public transport as a need in this section.

Need A could include addressing the issue of accessibility for residents in outer suburbs as physical

isolation underpins socioeconomic disadvantage and lack of social participation. Community

transport infrastructure for ageing and transport disadvantaged residents who cannot access private

or public transport provides an essential service and currently has no State Government funding

support. From 2011/12 to 2014/15 the number of community transport trips per year doubled.

Alternatively another need could be added to specifically address the issue of access for residents in

outer suburbs.

In those areas not serviced well by public transport there are serious issues around access to jobs,

services, schools, kindergartens and community connection opportunities. These issues lead to social

isolation, financial hardship and negative health and wellbeing outcomes. The VAGO report2

emphasises the necessity of access to public transport to the health and wellbeing of communities,

especially those in the outer growth areas where services and infrastructure are seriously lacking.

It is recommended that another two indicators be added on:

Access to public transport; and

Commute times (VicHealth Community Indicators Survey 2011).

The whole of lifecycle costs should be considered as part of the infrastructure discussion for Need B:

Address housing affordability challenges with better social housing. Many low income households

locate in the City of Whittlesea and outer suburbs due to lower rent and housing costs but have

increased private transport costs due to poor public transport options and lifestyle disadvantages of

long travel times to work or study. The reduced employment or educational opportunities due to

transport inequity compounds the problems of low income households within outer suburbs.

There is a critical need for more access to social service and justice services in growth areas. This

need should be highlighted in Need C.

2 Victorian Auditor-General, Developing Transport Infrastructure and Services for Population Growth Areas,

Parliamentary Paper No 249, Session 2010-13, State Government of Victoria, 2013

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4 Enable workforce participation

A. Provide access to the diversity of employment opportunities offered by the central city

B. Provide better links to non-central city employment centres

C. Improve access to early childhood care facilities

Need A is required however the focus should not be just be on ‘central city’ but rather on

employment centres across the city and State. Governments should focus on locating offices outside

the CBD to increase the offering of employment sectors in other employment centres but also to

provide a rich mix of services to local communities outside the centre, particularly growth areas. For

those that travel to central city employment, the development of rail will provide an option for

increasing numbers of commuters as petrol costs increase but parking infrastructure must match the

increased demand as in the South Morang case.

Need B should not just be restricted to employment centres via rail or road but also applied to other

key transit requirements including education, health and tourism journeys. The Plenty Road and

High Street corridors are consistently overloaded and travel times and access to employment zones

such as Epping, Lalor, Thomastown and Bundoora in the established areas and University Hill, Epping

Central; a ‘MAC’ and South Morang in the growth areas is restrictive. The East/West links are out-

dated and unable to cater for the employees that work in the employment centres both within and

outside the city as 58.3% of the City of Whittlesea’s employed residents travel outside the

municipality. In growth areas there is a lag in the provision of infrastructure (from the increase in

demand caused by the significant growth in population) which, seems to be due to the lack of joint

forward infrastructure planning and co-ordination of Federal, State and Local Government. The lack

of capacity of roads and rail in particular create difficulties in workforce participation. Decentralised

employment centres reduce the pressure on transportation infrastructure. It leads to better societal

outcomes because citizens will save the time from the smaller commutes and reinvest them back

into the family or other personal pursuits.

Need C is more an issue in the growth areas as the city expands to the north. There is increasing

evidence of many skilled parents, particularly women, who are keen to return to the workforce but

are heavily restricted by transport options to available jobs and limited child care facilities.

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5 Lift Victoria’s productivity

A. Improve the efficiency of freight supply chains through infrastructure

B. Move people to and from airports more efficiently

Need A - From a National and State economic viewpoint this objective is justifiable however, it is less

significant at a municipal level. It may be subsumed in either Objective 4 or 6 as supply chains are

about integration and/or and ensuring both a range of employment opportunities for workers and

range of suitably qualified persons for employers.

Arterial roads and freeways form the principal freight network which provides the transport

component of the supply chain upon which City of Whittlesea’s enterprises use. An increase in their

efficiency will result in an increase in productivity. A reduction in traffic congestion on roads and

freeways is the most effective way of achieving a positive change in efficiency and effectiveness for

the principle freight network.

Reliable and efficient access to markets across Australia and the world is critically important to the

economic output generated within the City of Whittlesea. Nearly 25% of City of Whittlesea output is

exported and transported to destinations outside the municipality with 10% destined for

international markets via the Port of Melbourne and the Melbourne Airport. 3 Ensuring this access to

markets along a reliable supply chain will increase productivity.

Similarly the importance of supply chain efficiency is demonstrated by the high level of imports

contribution to the City of Whittlesea's Gross Regional Product. Imports are integral to generating

products from many City of Whittlesea industries especially the core industry of manufacturing.

The improvement of transport infrastructure is needed as the projected congestion is demonstrated

by the increases shown in the travel time projections for the Plenty Road corridor and the Epping

Road corridor.

Plenty Road

In 2011, peak period travel times from Mernda-‘Doreen to Bundoora average 51 minutes. By 2031,

this will rise to nearly 75 minutes unless improvements occur. Even estimated travel times will

average 67 minutes to the duplication of Plenty Road from Bridge Inn Road to McDonalds Road and

duplication from McDonalds Road to the Metropolitan Ring Road.

Epping Road

From Epping Road, 2011 travel times from Donnybrook to Epping, a distance of 19 km averages 22

minutes and 53 minutes in 2031 without any improvements. Epping Road duplication will reduce this

to 45 minutes.

3 Forecast.id Economic Output destination Whittlesea LGA Vs. Victoria citing NIEIR 2015

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Findon Road Extension Impacts

Travel time results in the morning peak show that with the Findon Road extension (and duplication),

travel along Bridge Inn Road from Yan Yean Road to Epping Road shows a travel time of 26 minutes

at 2031. If no Findon Road extension, the travel time increases to 31 minutes.

6 Support Victoria’s changing, globally integrated economy A. Boost tourism through infrastructure provision

B. Enable the growth of a highly skilled, digitally connected workforce through infrastructure

Objective 6 may not be needed as Need A could be incorporated into Objective 4, if the focus is

adjusted slightly, and Need B could be incorporated into Objective 5.

Linkages to tourism through ensuring sites are zoned for tourism opportunities and there are trails

to access rural destinations and there are connections between the relevant infrastructures to

capture the interest of the tourist i.e. connections between national parks, agricultural zones and

accommodation etc.

The development of a highly skilled digitally connected workforce through infrastructure requires

several categories of infrastructure to be in place with programs that link them. The rollout of the

NBN has provided a significant capability that will support the goal but is not an enabler of the

desired outcome in of itself. Other key planks are:

The need for a co-ordinated hub and spoke model of business incubators and co-working

centres to support the new generation of knowledge workers and new emerging businesses.

Without this type of infrastructure the up-skilling of our workforce will be diffused and

patchy. Transitioning from a predominantly manufacturing, agricultural and natural

resources economy to a digital economy will require investment from the Federal and State

government to liberate the economic benefits of innovation and the emerging economy.

Adequate funding of libraries that play an increasingly important role in bridging the digital

divide for our community especially those that are at risk of being left behind. As

government and companies are increasing moving online to reduce costs and improve

services, those who are unable to participate digitally will continue to use increasingly costly

methods of engaging and transacting with government and others. Without providing the

infrastructure to support programs the gap between parts of the community who are

digitally literate and those that aren’t will increase which will lead to additional issues.

Technology is playing an increasingly important role in manufacturing. Access to education to gain

the right skills, and then access to continuing technology, will support the manufacturing industry –

and many others sectors – and will assist in maintaining their viability.

In the City of Whittlesea, there has been a significant increase in the number of food manufacturers.

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Agriculture needs to be retained in Victoria, as the population increases and our food sources

decrease. Infrastructure plays a key role in supporting the agricultural industry through piping of

recycled water to agriculture lands to enable an increase in food production.

7 Promote sustainable production and consumption

A. Improve rural and regional water security

B. Manage pressures on landfill and waste recovery facilities

Need A - The paper has a narrow view of the State’s water resources and its potential for balancing

agricultural productivity and profitability with environmental outcomes. To maximise the resource, a

more holistic view should be taken, looking beyond traditional approaches to and regions for

irrigation and food production. More emphasis should be given to local food production servicing

the community, using rain effectively where it falls as well as capitalising on novel resources like

recycled and storm water.

Land Capability Assessments should be conducted across the State to assess the true potential of the

landscape, the best use of current resources, gain a full appreciation of the constraints and impacts

of factors such as climate and population. Some areas have already successfully conducted this

research. The City of Whittlesea is about to commence a Land Capability Assessment of the

municipality. This is particularly important when considering the upgrading of infrastructure. It

should not be assumed that areas that traditionally have been appropriate for certain crops and

farming practice will continue to be productive spaces for these into a climate constrained future.

This should inform the direction of investment into infrastructure to where it will have most benefit

now and into the future.

There needs to be better support for farmers to adopt best practice in land management, water use

and conservation practice whilst understanding and respecting the environmental constraints of our

natural system. The traditional model of extension is a great way to engage and achieve this

outcome and offer connection and support to our regional and rural communities.

Need B - The premise of this section is fundamentally flawed and is part of the reason waste

management outcomes are as they are.

‘Waste is an outcome of human development.’ This statement can be improved as, ‘ Waste is an

outcome of inappropriate and ill designed human development.’ There is a need to look beyond the

end destination of ‘waste’ and look again in a more holistic manner. The whole of the supply chain

should be managed to minimise the generation of waste in the first instance, increase corporate and

personal responsibility for the generation of waste and look more to those waste products that can

be used as resources. If there are elements of the waste stream that cannot be utilised as resources,

the generation point of these wastes (e.g. manufacturing/processing/packing) should be examined.

A ‘cradle to grave’ approach should be supported in all supply chains.

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Infrastructure Victoria’s considerations pg 64 – separation of 7 & 8.

The anthropocentric approach of Objective 7 and separation from Objective 8 narrows the view and

increases the potential for removing the consideration of environmental outcomes in productive

landscape uses. It prioritises economic outcomes, putting them at odds rather that appreciating that

they can be complimentary and supportive of each other if systems thinking is used well. A strong

economy and a thriving environment are not mutually exclusive – in fact – the depend on each other

implicitly. This approach also removes the appreciation of the potential of the human in the

ecosystem and the complementarities of responsible, innovative and insightful human development

actually enhancing the system. It encourages the perception that human interaction with the

environment is inherently negative and damaging.

8 Protect and enhance natural environments

A. Help preserve natural environments and minimise biodiversity loss through infrastructure

B. Improve the health of waterways through infrastructure

Victoria’s 30-year Infrastructure Strategy should be committed to avoiding impacts on natural

environments through a four-step decision framework of:

Avoidance of impacts through consideration of non- build solutions (already a guiding

principle of the strategy),

Avoidance of impacts through the strategic location of infrastructure away from areas of

biodiversity/wildlife corridors,

Mitigation/Minimisation of impact by the integration of biodiversity sensitive urban design

and

Addressing offsets and the environmental/landscape impacts of native vegetation clearing.

Need A - Has a focus on infrastructure build. The City of Whittlesea would prefer to see the above

framework adopted.

Need B - Improving stormwater infrastructure to improve water quality is a valid and important

need. However, the health of waterways and water quality could be seen as a subset of improving

regional and rural water security. This outcome may more appropriate as combined into Objective 7

(Promote sustainable production and consumption - Need A).

The alternative need on managing visitor impacts is important. Unmanaged visitor impacts include

the spread of weeds, rubbish, cinnamon fungus, erosion etc. Improved infrastructure could confine

these impacts to manageable areas.

See http://www.crctourism.com.au/wms/upload/resources/bookshop/Pickering_Impacts-Plants.pdf

Impacts of recreation and tourism on plants in protected areas in Australia (2007, Pickering & Hill)

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9 Support climate change mitigation and adaptation

A. Smooth the adjustment to a carbon-constrained world through infrastructure

B. Adapt infrastructure to changing climate conditions

Objective 9 and 10 have the capacity to be easily combined as Building Resilience is integral in

responding to shocks or the extreme weather events that define climate change.

Need A - A smooth adjustment to providing infrastructure in a carbon- constrained world needs to

look to the concepts of avoidance and sufficiency in its decision making frameworks. Ideas such as

the ’20 minute city’ or decentralised energy production could minimise the impact of large scale

infrastructure on climate change by avoiding it entirely rather than relying on efficiencies.

The embedded energy in all key infrastructure should be considered in the decision making process.

For example expediting the process of testing and approving new, less carbon intensive products to

allow them for use in public works OR providing regulated standards of energy efficiency in

production of key infrastructure materials.

Need B - There is a need to start adapting our infrastructure to cope with the predicted climate

conditions for the next 50 – 100 years. The World Economic Forum, Global risks report 2016,

Switzerland, 2016 predicts that failure of climate change mitigation and adaptation to be the most

likely to occur and have the most impact of all global risks.

Developing the concept of the Urban Forest as green infrastructure and having these forests

managed as renewable assets is important as a mitigation strategy. Green infrastructure can be

grown not built. Moving from impermeable to permeable hard surfaces would be key to irrigating

and supporting the urban forest.

10 Build resilience to shocks

A. Improve the resilience of critical infrastructure to disruptive events

B. Address infrastructure-related emergency response challenges

As one of the cities selected for the Rockefeller Foundation’s 100 Resilient Cities, Melbourne has

employed a Chief Resilience Officer, Toby Kent. Toby has produced a Preliminary Resilience

Assessment the Preliminary Resilience Assessment with a summary of risks faced by Melbourne and

a strategy to be released in April 2016. There seems to be a disconnect. This paper could have been

framed as an infrastructure response to meeting or mitigating some of those risks.

Need A is important however, there needs to be a distinction drawn between disruptive events

(technology disruptions or infrastructure failure) and surge events (heatwave, pandemic). Each will

demand a different response and treatment. It is highlighted in Alternative Needs that a focus on

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specific infrastructure was considered. The development of a register of critical infrastructure and

related risks (and consequences) would be beneficial.

Need B require some refinement. Emergencies are not unpredictable and many of the points of

failure and the challenges they present can be planned for. As with Need A, increasing the resilience

of telecommunications and ICT infrastructure, would bring enormous benefits, given the levels of

dependency communities have for this. In terms of increasing the resilience of communities, there

are a number of measures that could be undertaken through urban planning which would reduce

the risks faced by communities: street design – including access to and egress from estates,

landscaping, building construction, and prioritised lighting sequences.

Section 4 – Prioritising the infrastructure needs

Overall the three most important Objectives in the context of the City of Whittlesea are Objectives 1,

2&3 (as a combined objective) and 4.

Section 5 – Evidence / Appendix

A. Precinct Structure Plans to follow if required.

B. Growth Areas Social Planning Tool http://www.socialplanningtool.net.au/

C. Growing Pains: Living in New Growth Areas