Whittlesea and Hume have partnered with councils across Australia to campaign for more roads, rail and health facilities in fringe suburbs.
The national Fund Our Future campaign, launched on Friday, is intended to address a $73 billion infrastructure backlog in some of the nation’s fastest growing suburbs.
New data commissioned by the National Growth Areas Alliance reveals about five million Australians, including more than one million in Melbourne’s growth corridors, lack access to essential services such as adequate roads, public transport and hospitals.
The analysis is the first to put a dollar figure on the disadvantage faced by outer suburban residents.
The funding campaign is aimed at securing ongoing funding from all sides of federal politics to establish a dedicated infrastructure fund to address the backlog.
Whittlesea mayor Stevan Kozmevski said residents were sitting in bumper-to- bumper traffic on a daily basis and had poor access to trains, trams and health services.
“People are spending way too long in gridlock and not enough time with family and friends,” he said.
“The evidence is compelling that a national, dedicated fund is needed. Our residents deserve the same access to quality roads, public transport and health services.”
