A new report released by Infrastructure Australia has called for greater involvement of local governments in strategic planning and better support for the delivery of local infrastructure.

The report was launched in Western Sydney, in partnership with the Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC) on the 12^th December.

WSROC President Cr Barry Calvert said “Councils are well suited to inform strategic planning but need the resources to perform this role well.

The Planning Liveable Cities report recognises the important role local governments play in ensuring strategic plans for our city translate into tangible outcomes for local communities.

“I am pleased to see recommendations for greater resourcing of local government.

“Practices such as rate pegging, freezes to financial assistance grants, and revisions to what can be levied under Section 94 arrangements are straining the financial capacity of councils, particularly in this period of unprecedented growth,” he said.

“Councils must be well-resourced because we are responsible for delivering the infrastructure that make living in a certain place worthwhile,” said Cr Calvert.

Key findings from from Infrastructure Australia’s research include:

1. Infrastructure delivery is struggling to keep pace with rapid population growth in our major cities.
2. Australia’s three-tiered governance structure can make it challenging to consistently deliver liveable places.
3. Sector-led infrastructure planning can lead to uncoordinated outcomes for communities.
4. Communities are increasingly disappointed by their experience of growth.
5. Our infrastructure funding mechanisms have not kept pace with growth.
6. Governments and industry lack a shared understanding of the capacity of different infrastructure networks.

Read the full report here: Planning Liveable Cities: A place-based approach to sequencing infrastructure and growth.

Infrastructure Australia Policy Advisor, Ashleigh Cormack	WSROC CEO Charles Casuscelli	Panellists: Greg Dyer, WSP; Ashleigh Cormack, Infrastructure Australia; and William Power, Property Council of Australia.