Incomers face complex job

Updated November 6 2012 - 2:25am, first published August 10 2011 - 12:24am
Incomers face complex job
Incomers face complex job

It is a pity much of the rhetoric around the Crown St Mall continues to be reduced to a debate about whether the city centre should be car-free.The revitalisation of our regional city is just one challenge facing our incoming council leaders, and it is more than a discussion about cars or surveys.Like many of the decisions that will face the new council, it is quite complex.To be fair, only some of the city council election candidates have local government experience, planning or economic development backgrounds, or even community engagement expertise. That's okay - provided they realise that those elected to the council have a responsibility to represent the whole community.The region faces some real challenges - and limitations - to deliver on community expectations should the property industry's expertise be discarded.The property industry has a vested interest in this region because, like me, many in it work, live and raise families here.We support the managed, sustainable growth of this region through investment in the built environment.This includes offices, industrial spaces, education and health facilities, new and affordable housing, retro-fits of old buildings, communities for our ageing population, vital infrastructure, retail spaces and facilities to enhance our lifestyle, cultural and recreational attractions.In May, the Property Council commissioned the AEC Group to test the contribution of the property sector to the NSW economy.It has found that the sector is the single largest employer in NSW, contributes more than 10 per cent of gross state product and pays more tax than any other industry.In the Hunter and the Illawarra, the property industry contributes $5.8 billion to economic growth.In the Illawarra, we want to make a difference beyond our industry.Our key priority is to seek an ambitious Illawarra Regional Plan which strategically facilitates development, investment and job creation - a road map of where we want to go.The plan would be supported by infrastructure projects, prioritised through robust analysis, to ensure we can move throughout the region and which attract both public and private investment.We also need an attractive, safe and vibrant Wollongong city centre, a heart that is the pride of our region, with the capacity to support 10,000 jobs in the next 25 years and the buzz to support innovative ideas that help diversify our economy.It won't just happen - great cities take sound planning.Finally, we need the culture and governance systems that support these endeavours and create benefits for all.We ask that incoming councillors seek a cross-section of facts and viewpoints, to be informed when they make strategic decisions on behalf of our community and understand the consequences.Everyone voting on September 3 must consider the representatives our cities need. Collaboration is needed to determine the goals and the best approach to help the region reach its full potential.We need to get past the battered images and enduring assumptions of our city and the development sector.Next month's local government elections are a great opportunity to look to the future ... and a big responsibility we all share.David Laing is chairman of the Illawarra chapter of the Property Council of Australia, senior principal and NSW planning discipline leader of Cardno.

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