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16 August 2007 Media Release SUPPORT FOR ARCHICENTRE'S CALL FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN REGIONAL AUSTRALIA "Champions of the Bush Inc" supports current calls to utilise regional infrastructure capacity to provide more affordable housing. The cost of expanding urban sprawl is beyond many Australian home buyers, and regional centres provide lower cost opportunities, lifestyle and employment alternatives, and smaller emission footprints. Numerous eminent Scientists, Engineers, Urban Planners and Demographers have for decades been providing clear imperical evidence to substantiate the "Tree Change" shift. Land is cheaper to develop, mainly due to infrastructure capacity in many growth regions. Government at all 3 levels is beginning to realise that there are demonstrable flow-on benefits from decentralisation - not the least of which is more affordable housing options. More affordable housing in regional areas can often mean that only one "bread winner" has to service the mortgage, leading to less travel times, one car households, better life balance, lower health care costs etc - the list of flow-on benefits in dollar terms is considerable. The spiralling development costs of expanding capital city urban boundaries are being levied upon Developers, then consequently the home buyers and ultimately onto their mortgages. Outer suburban residential homes are increasingly becoming less connected to community services and workplaces, adding to the 2 car family phenomenon, traffic congestion, and green house emissions. The RAIA "Achicentre's" Robert Caulfield has recently suggested Stamp Duty Tax incentives to encourage a market for more affordable housing in country areas. Whilst this call is not new, it illustrates the increasing number of professional organisations who realise that something has to be done by governments to stem the economic & sociological effects of the worsening rental and mortgage crisis. While politicians and the capital markets ponder multi billion dollar transport projects for our capital cities, much more easily achieved benefits will be realised by facilitating affordable alternative housing in growth regions where employment and skills gaps exist. Our housing construction itself is world class (according the Archicentre), and with new integrated sustainable regional communities, incorporating '5 Star Energy' housing based upon 'Water Sensitive Urban Design' principles, much could be done to lessen our impact upon the environment and the public/private funding of metropolitan urban sprawl development. "Champions
of the Bush Inc" seeks to promote viable alternatives for balanced
development across Australia, and the resulting economic and social
benefits that will accrue for the nation as a whole. To apply "bandaid
solutions" to the ever increasing problems caused by urban sprawl
in capital cities is not what leaders are doing elsewhere in the world.
We need long term 20-30 year vision, and funding commitments that are
locked in beyond the whim of electoral cycles.
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