Article: Baillieu's plan for a 20-minute city

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From the Melbourne Age click here!

Baillieu's plan for a 20-minute city

Baillieu's plan for a 20-minute city
March 3, 2013 Farrah Tomazin

PREMIER Ted Baillieu wants Melbourne to be a ''20-minute city'' where every resident could access shops, services and jobs within 20 minutes of home.

As the state government develops a strategy that will guide the city's growth for the next 30 years, Mr Baillieu said there was ''no reason'' the ambitious idea couldn't be achieved.

''In many parts of the world, cities operate on a 20-minute basis - there's no reason why we can't grow that in this city,'' he said. ''If you can get to a job within 20 minutes, or if you can get to a shopping centre within 20 minutes, then you've got a great starting point for a great city.''

The concept was debated by about 1000 people who took part in a planning forum in Melbourne on Saturday, which was opened by the Premier and Planning Minister Matthew Guy.

The government argues its plan could work by refocusing jobs in the suburbs and improving infrastructure and services in key growth areas. But critics have branded the idea as trite and unfeasible, and some have hit out at the government for pushing the proposal without the resources to back it up.

RMIT planning expert Michael Buxton said the notion of a 20-minute city might seem like a worthwhile aim, ''but when you unpick it, it's just meaningless and unachievable''.

''We've got some people who live in some of these outer suburbs and it's taking them 20 minutes to even get out of their immediate neighbourhoods, so a '20-minute city' concept is laughable,'' Professor Buxton said.

Municipal Association of Victoria president Rob Spence said ''it would be a miracle'' to achieve, particularly in outer growth suburbs such as Wyndham or Casey, where 60-80 babies are born every week.

''That's about one childcare centre a week,'' he said. ''The difficulty we've had with plans like this in the past is that they sound good, but the delivery is the hard bit, particularly the infrastructure delivery.''

Labor planning spokesman Brian Tee said the proposal was almost offensive for people who spent most mornings stuck in gridlock or on overcrowded trains.

''It's like the Premier has this fantasy, but he's done nothing to deliver the reality,'' Mr Tee said.

Speaking after he opened Saturday's forum, Mr Baillieu admitted that improving infrastructure was central to ensuring Melbourne remained one of the most liveable cities in the world.

However, two years since he was elected, business leaders accuse Mr Baillieu of not doing enough to facilitate infrastructure growth, and the government still hasn't secured the necessary federal funds to start on its top project priorities: the east-west road link, and the rail tunnel.

Asked if he believed a ''20-minute city'' plan was genuinely feasible, Mr Baillieu replied: ''It's as feasible as you make it. If you start off with doubts, you won't make it. But if you start off with a plan, and an intention, and you have the community buy into it, then it's achievable because decisions are then made around that concept.''

The idea of a 20-minute city was first outlined in a discussion paper by the ministerial advisory committee driving the government's metropolitan strategy. Mr Guy said the aim was to put in place a ''structure of principles where people can walk to their job, walk to open space, or indeed drive to either of the two'' within 20 minutes.

Casey mayor Amanda Stapledon supported the idea, saying the council was keen to get more people both living and working in Casey. At present, about one in five residents does so.

Carolyn Atkins, acting chief executive of the Victorian Council of Social Service, said the goal was worthwhile, but would require ''very clear planning requirements - for developers and for councils - around the provision of public spaces and land for key services''.

Whittlesea mayor Rex Griffin said growth areas like his were already struggling due to the lack of road and rail infrastructure. ''In an inner city like Darebin, where you've got a train and tram tracks, an idea like this is fine; but in an outer city like ours, it's already too hard to get from A to B,'' he said.

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Media release ARA 12 March 2013

A 20 minute city? Only with better public transport

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