INDUSTRIAL LAND USE STRATEGY - City of Darebin

3.2 Demographic ShiftsIn line with broader trends, the Darebinlabour-force is shifting to occupations inservice industries. However, the rate ofchange in Darebin has been faster than forMelbourne as a whole.The socio-economic divide between thenorth and south of the municipality iswidening.The labour-force of the southern parts ofthe municipality (the Northcote StatisticalLocal Area) have much higher qualificationsand skills than the metropolitan average:• House prices in this area are up to 50%more than the metropolitan average andprices have increased at a more rapidrate than both Melbourne as a whole andthe northern part of the municipality.• People in this area are much more likelyto work in Inner Melbourne than inDarebin, and in skilled serviceindustries.The labour-force of the northern parts ofthe municipality (the Preston SLA) has lowerqualifications and skills than themetropolitan average:• House prices in this area have risenfaster than the metropolitan averageover the past nine years, but actualprices have only recently achievedparity with the metropolitan average.• People in this area are slightly morelikely to work in Darebin than in InnerMelbourne, and in blue collar androutine service industries.Both parts of the municipality have highunemployment (over 10%), and this is a realconcern given the sustained period ofeconomic growth the Australian economyhas enjoyed.In the second half of the 1990s, following anextended period of relative decline, InnerMelbourne experienced a period of renewedinvestment in economic activity. Thisresurgence has been driven by broadeconomic changes and a concern on the partof city decision-makers to ensure thatMelbourne can compete on an internationalscale for economic activity. Privateinvestment in telecommunications, businessservices and entertainment has been intense.There has also been major public investmentin cultural activities and improvements inlifestyle attributes. As a result there aremore jobs and a higher demand for livingspace.This development in Inner Melbournehas rippled outwards, with increasingdemand for housing in middle suburbanareas such as Darebin.The southern parts of the municipalityespecially have experienced an influx offamilies with workers in the booming InnerMelbourne service economy. Existingworkers in the area have also benefited fromthese jobs.A wave of housing renovations andredevelopments has been the mostvisible sign of a new affluence in manyparts of the area. Unfortunately, this hasnot led to major investment in neweconomic activities in the municipalityeither to take advantage of the change inlocal skills or to provide services to newor newly affluent residents.City of Darebin Industrial Land Use Strategy 6