LODDON MALLEE SOUTH REGIONAL GROWTH PLAN INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS AND OPTIONS Improve transport connections between Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo (via Maryborough and Castlemaine). This is considered as an option under Improve access to jobs and services for people in regional and rural areas (12). Support ongoing investment in water infrastructure and management of water resources to enhance security and efficiency of water supply to irrigators, farms and urban areas. Options are considered under Manage threats to water security, particularly in rural and regional areas (14). Agree on a target for regional energy generation. While a target has not been explored, options for regional energy generation are considered under Transition to lower carbon energy supply and use (18). HUME REGIONAL GROWTH PLAN INFRASTRUCTURE AND OPTIONS Plan for transport services and infrastructure provision that keep pace with growth and change in the key urban areas and respond to changes. Options are explored under Address infrastructure demands in areas with high population growth (1). Support provision of adequate facilities to manage the Hume region’s solid waste, including resource recovery facilities. Options are explored under Manage pressures on landfill and waste recovery facilities (15). Promote the Hume region’s network of tracks and trails and support activities that complement and extend use. Options are explored under Help preserve natural environments and minimise biodiversity loss (16). GIPPSLAND REGIONAL GROWTH PLAN INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS AND OPTIONS Support the development of freight and logistic precincts in Morwell and Bairnsdale. Options for the planning of logistics precincts are discussed under Improve the efficiency of freight supply chains (13).
other needs can be addressed by a range of sectors such as Need 1. Address infrastructure demands in areas with high population growth. Cultural, Sporting, Recreation and Tourism The options related to this sector have been spread across needs that relate to social and community cohesion and use of public space. Address infrastructure demands in areas with high population growth: pg 26 Address infrastructure challenges in with low or negative growth: pg 30 Enable physical activity and participation: pg 37 Provide spaces where communities can come together: pg 40 Provide access to high-quality education infrastructure to support lifelong learning: pg 52 Meet growing demand for access to economic activity in central Melbourne: pg 56 Improve access to jobs and services for people in regional and rural areas: pg 68 Help preserve natural environments and minimise biodiversity loss: pg 81 Education and Training The education and training options are mostly clustered one need, reflecting the specific issues related to that sector. Address infrastructure demands in areas with high population growth: pg 26 Address infrastructure challenges in areas with low or negative growth: pg 30 Provide access to high-quality education infrastructure to support lifelong learning: pg 52 Energy Given supply constraints in this key focus is transition to environmentally sustainable sources. Address infrastructure demands in with high population growth: pg 26 Transition to lower carbon energy supply and use: pg 86 Information and Communications Technology (ICT) There are many ICT options that relate to changes to service delivery models and improving our use of existing assets. Address infrastructure demands in areas with high population growth: pg 26 Respond to increasing pressure on health care, particular due to ageing: pg 33 Enable physical activity and participation: pg 37 Address expanded demand on the justice system: pg 50 Provide access to high-quality education infrastructure to support lifelong learning: pg 52
While some of the options to meet this need are targeted to specific areas, such as rail extensions, many options are common across all high growth areas, such as improvements to the coordination and sequencing of infrastructure. There are also several options here related to changes in the planning controls. These interventions would seek to better manage where residential development occurs to align it with either planned or existing infrastructure. Our preliminary assessment of the contribution rating to address this need has considered the extent to which the option would: reduce the gap between infrastructure and services available to people in areas and what they need; and reduce the distance people need to travel to access core infrastructure, such as schools, public transport and health and social services. Of the 25 that we have considered, 12 have undergone our two stage assessment and are presented below. Options to address infrastructure demands in high growth areas Better use Centralised planning scheme (CPS1) – Deliver a centralised planning scheme with aligned governance that is controlled and delivered by a central authority. Growth area bus service expansion (LBS) – Provide 20 minute local bus services in growth areas. Implement minimum local bus service levels of 20 minute frequency, seven days a week, from at least 6am to 9pm. Subregional infrastructure planning (SIP) – Formalise and simplify a subregional infrastructure planning process. This would bring together (when and where required) three levels of government to jointly plan for infrastructure. Urban development in established areas (UDC) – Apply residential or other zoning that can facilitate greater residential development in specific areas where there is existing or planned infrastructure. New and expanded assets Access to services through technology and ICT (AST) – Provide the ICT infrastructure necessary to support people to access online services. Arterial road network employment centre enhancements (ARN) – Improve the road network surrounding employment centres to meet growing demand, such as the Westall Road extension from Princes Highway to Monash Freeway, which aims to improve connectivity and support the Monash employment centre. Clyde rail extension (CRE) – Extend the metropolitan rail network to Clyde from the current terminus at Cranbourne in Melbourne’s south-east. Melton rail electrification (MRE1) – Extend the electrified suburban rail network from Sunshine to Melton, including the quadruplication of tracks between
Organic waste management (OWM) – Develop and implement measures to manage organic waste closer to the point of generation. This includes organic waste recovery measures and re-use of organic waste for other beneficial purposes. What are your thoughts on these concepts that require further development? Is there information or issues we should consider in examining these concepts? INSIGHT: Manage pressures on landfill and waste recovery facilities – Risks and opportunities Landfill sites in and around our major cities are under increasing pressure to manage waste generated by a growing population. In addition to funding waste management activities, landfill levies can act as an incentive for investment in alternative waste management measures. Currently landfill levies are collected from Victorians through local council rates. Figures from the Environmental Protection Authority indicate that over $180 million was collected from Victorians as landfill levies in 2014-15. Two thirds of this amount was transferred to the Sustainability Fund, which had a balance of $430 million as at 30 June 2015. There can also be additional fees to drop waste at landfill sites or arrange for the collection of certain types of waste. There is a public perception that the monies being collected are not being used on relevant projects as promptly as they should be. Increases to landfill levies in the short term may exacerbate this issue, but there may be benefits if implemented in the longer term. One of our options is to change landfill levies to align these to the amount of waste generated per household. A sufficiently high landfill levy could encourage the development of waste management measures that reduces the volume of waste sent to landfill. This aligns with the waste management hierarchy, which gives priority to the prevention of waste generation over measures to manage waste disposal. Proponents of this hierarchy say that it allows for better environmental protection by conserving resources and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. There are some potential risks if the landfill levy is too high. It could lead to a rise in illegal dumping sites, particularly if alternative waste management measures are not readily available or are not supported through a holistic framework. An option for a change to the landfill levy requires awareness of both the risks and opportunities of its implementation. This can also inform how these pricing mechanisms are designed to achieve the outcome we are seeking. 16. HELP PRESERVE NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS AND MINIMISE BIODIVERSITY LOSS Conservation areas, such as national and state parks, seek to preserve biodiversity and healthy ecosystems. They also provide ‘ecosystem services’ such as water catchment