Page 3684 - Week 08 - Thursday, 19 August 2010
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Yass which grew by a whopping 91.8 per cent. Such high rates of growth will be a thing of the past if the coalition wins this Saturday’s election.
The population of the south-east region of New South Wales is projected to grow at a faster rate than the ACT. The current population of the region is approximately 218,000. This is projected to grow by 28,000 over the next 10 years and 55,000 over the next 20 years. Again, much of this growth will occur in the areas closest to the ACT—Queanbeyan, Palerang and the Yass Valley.
There is a strong employment link between the ACT and the surrounding region. Based on the 2006 census, 22,500 non-ACT residents were travelling to the ACT each day for work, and over 9,000 of those were Australian capital region residents. This represents about 10 per cent of the ACT’s workforce. Almost all of them—that is, 17,500—are from the ACT’s commuter belt, including Queanbeyan, Jerrabomberra and the semi-rural areas surrounding Canberra, with the majority coming from Queanbeyan—that is 11,700. In return, 4,248 ACT residents travel to the surrounding regions for work each day. Also, a significant number of students from the surrounding regions are enrolled in ACT schools. Approximately 15 per cent of the ACT student population is from outside the ACT.
Given the extensive links to the Australian Capital Territory region, there are clear advantages for all governments of the region in working more closely to develop regional economic strength. Under a federal coalition government, this cooperative approach would be threatened. The ACT government strongly supports regional engagement and is committed to strengthening its relationship with, and position within, the region.
The ACT government has embraced its role in the region and will continue to lead and promote the interests of the region in interstate, national and international forums. The ACT government has supported a number of initiatives and partnerships to help secure the economic growth and development of the ACT and region, including the regional leaders forum, the ACT Regional Development Australia committee and a regional management framework agreement with New South Wales.
The ACT government has a sound economic framework to support a strong and stable economy for the ACT and region. Capital development: towards our second century, released in September 2008, is the government strategy to build a stronger, more dynamic and sustainable economy for the ACT and region. Capital development is a high-level strategic framework which sets enduring objectives and themes to guide the government’s economic policies. It also reaffirms our commitment to work with the region to increase economic opportunity and activity.
The ACT government’s ability to continue delivering service at the high standard expected, not only by the ACT community but by many people in the national capital region, relies heavily on the ongoing strength and stability of the commonwealth public service. Internationally, national capitals are recognised as expressions of national pride and achievement. It is important that this country’s national capital continues to reflect the visions of our forebears and is maintained to a level that all Australians can be proud of.
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