Activity 3 – Evaluating action statements Participants’ evaluations of the action statements are illustrated in Table 3. Participants believed the top three important actions were: Build an airport rail link through Footscray and sunshine linking in regional rail and improving access to the airport for local workers A centre of excellence for waste addressing three key themes being: natural environment, renewable waste to energy and micro grids Make buses irresistible. More intra-regional services which are frequent, safe, planned and advertised, and which connect people. The top priority and actions related to public transport and improved connections throughout the West. In contrast participants were less likely to think the education and training action would have a high impact on communities of the West. Overall, participants believed 20 of the 23 action statements would have a medium to high positive impact on communities across the West. Participants were more likely to respond unsure or low impact for the last three actions. Participants largely agreed on the importance of action statements for the Western region. However, three actions split participants more than others. They were: Link four systems — Long term welfare Incubators training mentors and Community structures and groups Extend tram lines from Docklands to Footscray and extend carriages on trains to accommodate more passengers Develop funded programs to unlock the untapped and not fully recognised entrepreneurial spirit and diversity benefits of the West. When reviewing participant voting patterns, several demographic factors were observed including: Participants who live in Brimbank, Maribyrnong and Wyndham were more likely to think linking four systems would have a medium to high impact Female participants, and participants who live in the Western councils thought extending tram lines from Docklands to Footscray would have a higher positive impact Participants who live in Hobson’s Bay were more unsure of the impact from developing funded programs to unlock untapped, entrepreneurial spirit and diversity benefits of the West. Topic Action statement Average priority Economy, Industry and Jobs Build an airport rail link through Footscray and sunshine linking in regional rail and improving access to the airport for local workers. 4.33 Environment A centre of excellence for waste addressing three key themes being: natural environment, renewable waste to energy and micro grids. 4.30
Infrastructure and Transport Make buses irresistible. More intra-regional services which are frequent, safe, planned and advertised, and which connect people. 4.27 Health With the new women’s and children’s hospital in the West develop and implement an integrated regional model of community based family care support. 4.20 Economy, Industry and Jobs Develop a renewable industry development plan for the West and an education training package to create a sustainable renewables workforce. 4.11 Housing Introduce model, high functioning, medium density communities in innovative, urban, agricultural neighbourhoods connected by green cycling and mixed modal transport networks. 4.04 Economy, Industry and Jobs Provide targeted educational pathways and subsidised opportunities in the digital economy for vulnerable people. 3.99 Infrastructure and Transport Bus services across the west linking into metro 1 and metro 2. 3.99 Social Welfare Develop and implement a social and educational precincts strategy for culture, education and sport. 3.99 Economy, Industry and Jobs Create mixed enterprise hubs in local areas which are interconnected. 3.96 Social Welfare To understand and to know each other we should invest in cultural education programs for disadvantaged communities. 3.95 Infrastructure and Transport Modern, locally built, public transport investment (not roads) which is affordable and uses multilingual signage, renewable energy, disability friendly and is multi-modal ready. 3.87 Education and Training Focus on the first 1000 days of a child’s life to learn and develop them. 3.83 Health Agree regional health priorities with targets, milestones and review. Work collaboratively across agencies and services. 3.82 Housing Housing should be a human right which is affordable, accessible environmentally friendly, with timely infrastructure. 3.80 Environment Development levy into sinking fund to establish and run large scale green spaces for multiple community uses and climate resilience. 3.80 Education and Training A precinct based approach like Footscray education precinct for learning and health services that meets the needs of a diverse community. 3.69 Economy, Industry and Jobs Investigate opportunities to bring the supply chain for the health industry into the region. 3.64 Infrastructure and Transport Improved after-hours access to training opportunities to help people to reskill or to skill up for high tech jobs. 3.61
Improve public and other transport, means of getting to train station Infrastructure and Transport Identity of the West as a region Infrastructure and Transport A city deal or long term regional investment strategy, uniting federal state and local government. Infrastructure and Transport More and better bus survives and bike paths. Infrastructure and Transport Removal of hoppers crossing level crossing: Interchange to be located in line with Heaths Rd - not adjacent to current level crossing. Infrastructure and Transport Efficient cross-cultural transport - public transport i.e. bus in designated lanes, light rail. Infrastructure and Transport Better active transport options to stations, shops and services. Infrastructure and Transport Better connecting jobs, services and people with public transport in the Western Suburbs and the airport with buses (fell in the web between the radial arterials and train lines) Infrastructure and Transport Develop and implement a social and education precincts strategy for culture, education and sport. Social Welfare Invest in health and social services as an economic policy - given the role in future jobs and as an early intervention strategy. E.g. build a precinct that taps into Sunshine and Footscray and Werribee Hospitals, adding primary prevention services that cross the health and social silos. Social Welfare Create community central hubs around schools. These should include maternal health, adult education, sporting clubs and local council, social services etc. shared resources and facilities build strong communities. Social Welfare Attract world leading higher education to grow the confidence of disengaged youth to the future. Celebrate diversity (as a valuable currency) and secure employment/entrepreneurship for self-actualisation. Social Welfare Create a healthy and inclusive community. Access and affordability of education/training empower the community and celebrate they are Australians from diverse backgrounds. Social Welfare Link systems: long term welfare recipients, entrepreneurs, incubators/training/mentorships, community structures and groups to drive economic and social growth utilising the existing people resources and to drive our own future. Social Welfare Develop a prospectus for a 'social impact bond' focused on preventative strategies to reduce lifestyle disease. Social Welfare Equitable access and distribution of public transport. Social Welfare Implement guidelines and support to make new and changing areas accessible making the west the most disability friendly regions Social Welfare