Victoria: the place NOT to be unless infrastructure investment keeps pace with rapid population growth
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Victoria won't be the place to be unless swift action is taken to address the State's ailing transport infrastructure and housing affordability crisis, warns the Victorian Council of Social Service. The call comes as new figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show Victoria is leading Australia's population growth.
Chief Executive of VCOSS Cath Smith said this is one league table Victoria does not want to top if it means that in the near future the State's road and rail systems become grid locked, and house prices spiral out of control and out of reach of low and middle income earners.
"Victoria won't be the place to be unless the Victorian Government invests more in affordable housing, transport infrastructure, and better social infrastructure, particularly supports for young people and community-based health services."
Ms Smith also criticized the idea that the Victorian Government spend $200 million on expanding the Melbourne Exhibition Centre as an extravagant waste of Victoria's wealth at a time when true leadership ought to prioritise major infrastructure programs aimed at relieving housing and transport stress in the city and regional areas.
"Melbourne is set to become the nation's largest city, but we don't have the infrastructure to keep pace with population growth. Instead of squandering the State's wealth on expanding the Melbourne Exhibition Centre the Victorian Government should invest all available resources in better roads and rail links, housing and social infrastructure."
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VCOSS
Level 8, 128 Exhibition Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
T: 03 9654 5050 F: 03 9654 5749 W: vcoss@vcoss.org.au E: vcoss@vcoss.org.au