Jobs Imbalance: Why We Must Plan To Create More Local Jobs

partners in creating new communities
A forum of government planners and leading gures from Melbourne’s
development industry has agreed on the need to address an imbalance
between where people live and where they work.
A roundtable convened by the GAA, heard that currently half of all
Melbourne’s new population growth is going into the city’s ve outer
urban growth areas – but only around 31 per cent of all new jobs growth
is following suit.
“Petrol pricing has doubled and as each year goes past, the distance
traveled to employment has lengthened. We don’t want people traveling
seven hours a week, if they can spend two and have the rest of the time
playing with their kids,” Planning Minster Justin Madden said.
GAA chief executive Peter Seamer says in 1961 around half of all
Melburnians went to work via car but by 2006 that number had climbed
to more than 80 percent.
At the same time, the growth areas are home to 20 percent of the overall
workforce but attract only 13 percent of all new jobs in Melbourne.
ISSUE 5 : NOVEMBER 2008
Jobs Imbalance: Why We Must
Plan To Create More Local Jobs
On average, Mr Seamer says Melbourne has an overall ratio of one job for
every 1.1 worker. But in the growth areas there is only one job for every 1.6
resident workers.
“We have to try to get more of a one-to-one ratio between residents and
local jobs. Then there will be the opportunity for people to work within
their local community. But in the growth areas, which have tended to be
seen as dormitory suburbs, there are more workers than jobs and that’s
what we need to work on,” Mr Seamer said.
Another issue is the type of jobs on offer in the growth areas. Overall
Melbourne has a job mix of 74 percent ‘white-collar’ jobs and 26 percent
‘blue-collar’.
However the growth areas are weighted towards ‘blue-collar’ jobs with a
mix of 62 percent ‘blue-collar’ jobs and 38 percent ‘white-collar’ jobs.
“This has to change for a number of reasons including the cost of petrol
and driving costs that have made employment travel nearly as costly as
housing in some cases,” Mr Seamer said.

New Guidelines To Plan For Jobs
New strengthened draft Precinct Structure Planning Guidelines will
address the jobs imbalance by embedding job targets into each PSP.
The broad aim is to plan for one-job-per-household in a PSP with a 75:25
split between ‘white’ and ‘blue-collar’ jobs.
“We need to break down the city-centric focus of planning and the
idea that some jobs can only be in the CBD”, said chief executive Peter
Seamer.
“This will mean we develop better, more thought-out major activity
centres and create local employment clustered around small, local
centres,” he said.
“We need to design centres that are both practical today and meet the
needs of future generations. We need to de-restrict planning zones
to allow the widest range of land uses and review lot sizes and tenure
patterns for activity centres,” Mr Seamer said.
“We know, from work the GAA commissioned, that in the past
Melburnians haven’t rated the location of their work highly when
deciding where to live because the quality of life in the suburbs has been
so attractive,” Mr Seamer said.
“But as people battle the double-edged sword of needing affordable
housing and local employment this will demand better planning
solutions from all of us,” he said.
Planning Minister Justin Madden launched the draft PSP guidelines at the
GAA employment forum and is now inviting public comment.The new
guidelines cover all land earmarked for development within Melbourne’s
growth areas and in other broad-hectare locations. PSPs map out where
everything from local schools to roads, open space, shopping centres,
of ces and transport will go.
The guidelines support the creation of the new Urban Growth Zone
announced by the Premier in March and are part of a package of reforms
to streamline the development process in the growth areas of Casey-
Cardinia, Hume, Melton-Caroline Springs, Whittlesea and Wyndham.
“They have a much stronger focus on employment and the need to plan
for providing jobs in the growth areas,” Mr Seamer said.
For the rst time planners will have to outline both the number and
type of jobs forecast for new communities. There will also be a new
requirement for planners to account for the distances new residents will
have to travel to work.
As well there’s a proposed ef ciency check to compare plans against key
performance measures relating to land use, power and water use.
The new draft guidelines also integrate native vegetation and cultural
heritage management into the mainstream planning process.
The guidelines also put a stronger focus on delivering high quality
residential housing and more housing choice closer to transport.
They implement Melbourne 2030 policy and the State Government’s
objective of achieving minimum housing densities of 15 dwellings per
hectare.
As people battle the double-edged sword of needing
affordable housing and local employment this will demand
better planning solutions from all of us.
Peter Seamer, CEO
“Higher density housing around major shopping centres and
transport is important because it allows people at all ages and stages
to stay in their community,” Mr Seamer said.
The guidelines also cover planning for public open space and the
provision of community facilities.
They propose that 10% of land in a PSP should be available for open
space and should clearly be t for this purpose and that at least 6%
of land should be available for active open space with shared use by
sports groups and others.
They also set out how schools, services and other infrastructure
should be sequenced so residents know what to expect and when
facilities will be ready, so community needs can be planned for and
met.
The revised guidelines have been developed in consultation with
infrastructure authorities that will have greater input into the
planning process far earlier in an effort to avoid bottlenecks and
delays.
The GAA says they will bring more certainty and clarity via a single
process making suburb-scale planning quicker, more predictable
and delivering high quality, diverse new communities tailored to the
demands of their location.
Copies of the draft guidelines can be downloaded from
www.gaa.vic.gov.au.
Submissions can be made to the GAA or if you wish to discuss these,
contact Steve Dunn, GAA Director of Policy and Strategy on
03 9651 9603.
Comments can be emailed to pspguidelines@gaa.vic.gov.au.

partners in creating new communities
WATERSHED 2008 - RESPONDING TO THE NEW DIMENSION TO HOUSING DEMAND
Real Job Choices Close To Home
GAA Chairman Chris Banks AM
Since the end of the second world war in 1945,
‘Housing Demand’ has been a dynamic force
in uencing the growth, shape and structure of
metropolitan areas encompassing our capital cities.
In 2008 we are experiencing a convergence of
in uences that create a new dimension to housing demand. But before
we address this convergence it’s helpful to understand how housing
demand has evolved during the last 60 years.
From the 1950’s through the 1970’s housing demand focussed on
‘shelter’ creating homes for rapidly growing families and an in ux of
European migrants. Freeways and affordable production cars enabled
us to escape the ‘industrial’ inner suburbs to the fresh and green eld
garden suburbs where we could make a home for our growing young
families.
From the 1980’s through to the end of the century, as we started to
mature as a society, the emphasis on the nuclear family was balanced
by the in uence of a growing number of single person and two person
households. And with women playing a larger role in the workforce
‘time’ became a precious resource in family life. And so we saw housing
demand change from an ‘obsession’ with house to a desire for place
– hence a preparedness to compromise house for place in the home
buying decision process. The gentri cation of our well serviced middle
and inner suburbs gathered momentum and the ‘home improvement’
industry was born.
The 1990’s saw our capital cities reborn, as primarily adult only and
smaller households saw the bene ts of living in or close to the city centre.
The ‘apartment’ was now regarded as an acceptable permanent home,
not just transient accommodation.
Around the turn of the century the plaintive cry ‘save our suburbs’
echoed through the leafy streets of our middle suburbs – a natural
response to the unstoppable renaissance that was underway as we
reshaped them to meet the demands of both demographic and lifestyle
changes. Previously ‘dead’ shopping strips became urban villages and
cafes spilled out onto the footpaths.
Housing demand in Australia is in the process of undergoing its biggest
upheaval since the 1950’s.
The thesis of this paper is that the plethora of in uences now impacting
on the lives of average Australians will result in them rethinking where
and how they live.
These in uences make it incumbent on all of us involved in the shaping
and reshaping of our urban fabric – government and industry alike – to
respond positively and decisively – to create urban places/environments
where average Australians can both afford to buy or lease and in
addition afford to live the life they want to live.
This paper outlines the in uences impacting on our lives, suggest the
marketplace response and propose action that can be taken now by
government and industry, both separately and in partnership.
Unique convergence of in uences impacting on our lives
1. Population and household growth increasing
• Record immigration levels driving growth
• Melbourne growing at over 1,000 people per week
• 45-50% of Melbourne’s increase going to Growth Areas
2. Shape of households changing dramatically
• Household size of 2.6, and decreasing
• Major shift in community structure – with an equal number of:
Families with Children - 28%
Couples – pre, post or no children - 28%
Single person households – 27%
3. Slowing growth in household incomes
• While at the same time costs are increasing – pressure on
household budgets to stretch thinner
4. Increased unemployment
• 4.3% and likely to rise in the short term with global nancial
uncertainty
• Greater job uncertainty
• Longer hours and working to older age
5. Housing affordability worsening
• Hits record lows, home lending declining
• 1996: House price = 4 years annual salary
• 2008: House price = 7½ years salary
6. Energy costs increasing dramatically
• Petrol price going up for foreseeable future
• Equally for electricity and gas
7. Water scarce and precious
• Restrictions now a way of life
• Community concern attuned to very high levels
8. Cost of Living increasing
• CPI above 3%
• Affect of petrol prices felt in all aspects – food, clothing,
entertainment
9. Use of Public Transport exploding
• Up ~30% over last 3 years
• Result of petrol prices, congestion and community’s
environmental sustainability consciousness
10. Travel Times Increasing
• Increased congestion and activity ‘dispersal’
• Impact on energy consumption – affecting both individual and
community cost
11. Need for lifelong learning
• May have up to 5 ‘careers’, with numerous job changes
along the way
• Continuous learning for career and personal development
Continued on page 4...

WATERSHED 2008 - RESPONDING TO THE NEW DIMENSION TO HOUSING DEMAND
Real Job Choices Close To Home
...Continued from previous page
Marketplace response
The Australian consumer is intelligent and increasingly well informed. The
global environmental and economic issues that were a decade ago seen
by most as the responsibility of others – particularly government – are
now recognised as things we as individuals can and should do something
about.
So the decision in relation to where we live will progressively and
increasingly be linked to how we want to live.
Finding a job close to home or a home close to job will become a
paramount consideration.
Easy access to public transport will of course be important to many, but
ultimately the less time and distance required for home to work travel will
become crucial.
Although it could be said that this has always been a consideration what
is clear now is that it will become paramount in our home buying and job
selection decisions.
Action to be taken now
We must do things differently and do them now.
1. Plan, design and accelerate the development of true multifunction
activity centres in the growth areas.
2. Melbourne is becoming a city of cities – the capital – city centre at the
hub surrounded by what we could call edge or network cities, linked to
the centre but providing all the services needed for living. So ‘out there’
at Pakenham becomes ‘here’ to those who live, learn, work and play in its
environs.
3. Work with Local Government to market their ‘city’ to prospective
tertiary employers – here and overseas.
4. Provide incentives/assistance to employers to create tertiary employment
in the edge cities – led by State Government moving jobs to our edge
cities.
The concept of ‘live, learn, work, play’ communities has for some time
been recognised and appreciated as a desirable objective for green eld
urban development and the redevelopment of our established urban
areas.
‘Dormitory’ suburbs and car dependent Business Parks as created in the
sixties and seventies are and must be a thing of the past – ‘Dinosaurs’ of
development.
‘Live, learn, work, play’ urban environments are now an absolute necessity.
But they won’t happen without a close partnership between the three
spheres of government and the private sector.
Now more than ever before we must stand up and be counted in
initiating action that will make greater Melbourne a truly world class, 21st
century city, where our people can not only afford housing, but in addition
afford to live the lives they want to live.
This is an edited speech given to the GAA ‘Better employment choices in Melbourne’s
Growth Areas’ roundtable held on 14th October 2008
EMPLOYMENT FAST FACTS
GAs have 20% of Melbourne’s current workforce
But only 13% of Melbourne’s jobs are located in
GAs
GAs accommodating 50% of Melbourne’s population
growth
But only attracting 31% of new jobs
Melbourne has an overall rate of 1 job for every 1.1
worker
But GAs only have 1 job in their area for every 1.6
workers
Melbourne has job mix of 74% ‘White Collar’ / 26%
‘Blue Collar’
But GAs are weighted towards ‘Blue Collar’ with
mix 62% ‘White’ / 38% ‘Blue’
New GA workers primarily ‘White Collar’ at 68%
But below Melbourne (74%) and, jobs in their LGAs
biased away from ‘White Collar’ at only 62%

New Mapping Work to Streamline
Planning
A new project to map native ora and fauna in Melbourne’s growth areas
is underway so native vegetation can be protected or offset in future
development.
The project is being funded as part of the $3.5 million allocated by the
Brumby Government to streamline planning processes in Melbourne’s
Growth Areas over the next two years.
GAA Chief Executive Peter Seamer says the mapping will help protect
the environmental assets for future generations and also fast-track the
development process by up to a year.
In the past, native vegetation has often been considered as a separate
issue for every housing or industrial subdivision proposal, often causing
delay and an uncoordinated approach to the protection of native
vegetation.
“After the mapping, we will be able to consider the native vegetation
issues at an ecosystem level, and get better outcomes for the environment
and the community,” Mr Seamer said.
The project envisages mapping a total of up to 25,000 hectares mainly in
areas that haven’t been looked at before and this information will help the
GAA and Councils to plan new communities by making assessments of
native vegetation at a much wider scale.
“What we learn about native vegetation will inform the master planning
of new communities by identifying potential reserve areas, biodiversity
corridors and areas with potential to provide offsets for vegetation lost as a
result of urban development,” Mr Seamer said.
The survey will take place across the growth areas within the Urban
Growth Boundary (UGB) and in neighbouring areas outside the UGB
where there is a high value habitat.
“In some cases we need to look outside the Urban Growth Boundary
because ecosystems don’t necessarily stop at planning boundaries,” Mr
Seamer said.
“This is important information that Victorians need so that we design
our new neighbourhoods while protecting the value of plants, trees and
animal habitat,” he said.
“Then we can make strategic planning decisions about planning for
new urban communities well ahead of residential and employment
development.”
To nd out more information about the survey, contact one of the
following GAA team members: Steve Dunn, Bill Vasiliadis or Scott
Waterhouse on 9651 9625.
Cardinia a Stand-Out
Cardinia Shire has been awarded a planning excellence award from the
Planning Institute of Australia for its Cardinia Road Precinct Structure Plan
and Development Contributions Plan.
The judges were impressed by the council of cers’ commitment to
sustainability, their exible approach and the plan’s protection of
Dandenong Ranges foothills and the endangered growling grass frog.
The PSP was approved by the Minister in November 2008.
Melton Shire Council has endorsed three Precinct Structure Plans at
Taylors Hill West, Melton Township North and Toolern. The GAA has
facilitated the preparation of the plans and will contribute $100,000
towards the cost of nalising the strategic planning work.
Toolern spans 2,500 hectares and is one of the biggest growth precincts
in Melbourne. It will transform Melton into a major urban centre for the
west, with a new activity centre, railway station and local jobs.
The Taylors Hill West precinct, west of Caroline Springs, involves
250 hectares of land and is being planned as a self-contained
neighbourhood. Melton Township North covers 100 hectares and
contains new residential and commercial development catering for new
residents as well as those in nearby Melton.
Newly Appointed GAA Board
Members
An architect specialising in urban design with more than 25 years in
private practice has been appointed to the Growth Areas Authority
Board.
Ann Keddie is also a sessional member of the Victorian Civil and
Administrative Tribunal and a member of the Priority Development Panel.
She’s also a longstanding member of the Royal Australian Institute
of Architects and the Victorian Planning and Environmental Law
Association.
She is joined on the Board by another new appointee, Ian Munro PSM,
a former CEO of Invest Assist and a member of the Property Council of
Australia.
A former deputy secretary to the Department of Innovation, Industry and
Regional Development (DIIRD), Ian Munro began his professional life as a
licensed surveyor before working in major project facilitation for the State
Government.
Whittlesea First Past The Post
The City of Whittlesea has been praised by the State Government for
becoming the rst of the ve growth area councils to complete its
precinct structure planning.
The milestone was achieved with the approval of the Epping North East
Structure Plan that will provide for 4,500 new homes while protecting
local Redgum woodlands and threatened grasslands.

We’re broadly on track to approve land
for an additional 90,000 homes by 2012
and cut a year out of the planning approval process
Peter Seamer, CEO
Easing the Pressure on New House Prices
Melbourne now has double the annual supply of housing lots in its growth hot-spots as a result of recent planning reforms.
Growth Areas Authority chief executive of cer, Peter Seamer, says in the last year the pipeline of new housing lots in the ve growth areas has almost
doubled, helping maintain Melbourne’s competitive advantage as an affordable place to live. Work by the GAA and Councils, together with the creation
of a new Urban Growth Zone, has brought more land to market much earlier.
“Duplication in the old labyrinthine planning system has been removed and this is lowering developer’s costs and bringing more competition to the new
housing market,” Peter Seamer said.
The number of new lots zoned for housing in the growth areas in the last 12 months is 18,911 – which is nearly two years’ of the average consumption
of land for housing. Prior to the planning reforms, often less than 10,000 lots a year were improved.
“We’re broadly on track to approve land for an additional 90,000 homes by 2012 and cut a year out of the planning approval process,” Mr Seamer said.
CONTACT US
The Growth Areas Authority
Level 6, 35 Spring Street, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000
Phone: (03) 9651 9600, Fax: (03) 9651 9623
Email: info@gaa.vic.gov.au
Website: www.gaa.vic.gov.au
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