Whittlesea council has called on the state government to “close the gap” between Melbourne’s outer suburbs and the rest of Victoria.
Whittlesea is part of the Interface Councils, a group of 10 councils that work together to advocate on issues that affect suburbs on Melbourne’s urban fringe.
The Interface Councils launched the “fund Melbourne fairly” campaign in June, calling for increased investment in the outer suburbs.
Interface spokesman and Mornington Peninsula Shire councillor David Gibb said Melbourne’s outer suburbs received $893 million less than needed “to address critical infrastructure requirements” in the latest state budget.
Whittlesea mayor Rex Griffin said both state and federal government have “missed the mark” by failing to provide for the basic needs of the community.
Cr Griffin said the state government needed to focus on education, transport and roads in Melbourne’s fringe growth regions.
Whittlesea’s current growth rate is about 8500 people per year.
Cr Griffin said he would like to see funding for the O’Herns Road interchange, an extension of the rail line from South Morang to Mernda and a police station for Mernda.
“Our community is fed up with a lack of infrastructure and services that people in inner Melbourne take for granted,” he said.
Whittlesea is aligned with National Growth Areas Alliance and Interface Councils to promote needs in the urban fringe.
In a 2012 report, Bring the Basics within Reach, the National Growth Areas Alliance recommended the federal government provide people with a skills and employment package, an infrastructure program and population growth management.
Mill Park MLA and opposition spokeswoman for the suburbs Lily D’Ambrosio said the state government needed to invest in social infrastructure to avoid “a ticking time bomb of social problems”.
Interface Councils announced its campaign in News Limited newspapers and will “heat up” the campaign and lobbying over the next few months unless the group receives more funding.
