Thank you Penrith - 10,000 emails to Canberra for Fund our Future campaign

Friday, 18 March 2016

The Fund our Future campaign, which calls for a dedicated national fund for fast-growing outer suburbs, has just marked a key milestone.

10,000 emails have already been sent to politicians in Canberra, just seven weeks after the campaign was launched.

"Thanks to all our supporters so far. We are grateful for your commitment," said Mayor Glenn Docherty, the Chair of the National Growth Areas Alliance, which is behind the campaign.

"We plan to use that momentum to spur us on to get even more community support and make the voices of those in outer growth areas heard," said Glenn Docherty, who is also the Mayor of Playford, in Adelaide's north.

The national campaign calls for a dedicated fund to fix road, rail and health infrastructure problems in fast-growing outer suburbs from Cockburn in Perth to Penrith in Sydney's west.

Five million Australians currently live in the fast-growing suburbs on the outskirts of Australia's capital cities and an independent analysis has found they already lack access to adequate infrastructure. By 2031, the number calling these areas home will have swelled by half again to 7.5 million people.

The work, by SGS Economics and Planning, found $5 billion is needed each year over the next 15 years to catch up and keep up with the infrastructure needs in these areas.

The key NSW project in this national campaign is an outer orbital rail network for Western Sydney - to provide the crucial missing link between the North West and South West growth centres. It is the type of project which could be funded through a national dedicated fund for outer growth areas.

Three Sydney councils - Penrith City Council, Blacktown City Council and Campbelltown City Council - have called on the Prime Minister to back their jointly proposed rail link. The Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull recently said a rail link for Western Sydney Airport was crucial, not simply to service the airport, but because residents would also benefit.

"To maximise Western Sydney's productivity and realise the region's potential there needs to be more connection between the North West and South West Growth Centres, moving people and goods efficiently, linking Penrith, Blacktown and Campbelltown," said the Mayor of Penrith, Councillor Karen McKeown. 

She warned that governments should take a "cautious approach" to a different rail link proposed between Sydney, Parramatta and Western Sydney airport.

"It has the risk of repeating the past errors of building spokes into the evermore congested hubs of Sydney and Parramatta," she said. "To work effectively, what Sydney needs is an outer orbital rail network."

Residents and those working in fast-growing outer suburbs are encouraged to take part the Fund our Future campaign by signing and share our petition at www.fundourfuture.info and liking us on Facebook

Media contact: Susi Hamilton, Campaign Communication Officer, National Growth Areas Alliance 0448 388 934.

Information contained within this news release was correct as at Friday, 18 March 2016.