The Council of Capital City Lord Mayors (CCCLM) has welcomed the release of a State of Our Cities Report by Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Anthony Albanese.
Speaking at the Queensland Media Club today, Minister Albanese released a report examining 17 major Australian cities with populations over 100,000.
CCCLM Chair Graeme Sawyer, Lord Mayor of Darwin, said the release of a State of the Cities Report represents an important step towards informing governments on the health and dynamics of Australia’s urban centres.
“The vast majority of Australians live or work in our major cities. The State of Our Cities Report marks an important step in understanding the quality of life these Australians experience, and the differences between cities and neighbourhoods,” Lord Mayor Sawyer said.
“The CCCLM has long championed the need for a State of Our Cities Report as a foundation for informing decision making across all tiers of government.
“Today’s report provides a robust outline of our cities, examining their economic, social and environmental health. Ideally this report should be updated on an ongoing basis to track progress and continue to inform government decisions.”
Co-Chair of the CCCLM’s Major Cities Working Group and Lord Mayor of Newcastle John Tate said the release of a State of the Cities Report should help foster coordination between governments in designing Australia’s major cities in order to make them more productive, liveable and sustainable.
“Strong population growth is forecast for Australia’s major cities, making it imperative that governments work together to design cities that not only accommodate more people and jobs but provide a desirable and sustainable quality of life,” Lord Mayor Tate said.
“We look to the federal government to take a leadership role through its National Urban Policy to ensure our cities are ready for the future. We stand ready at the local government level to contribute our knowledge and resources.”