Transcript Slide 1

Urban Form and Social
Disadvantage – Is there a
Link?
2012 PIA National Congress
Adelaide
Liz de Chastel - Associate
Fernando Ramirez – Senior Consultant
Overview
From 1 July 2012 the Federal Government is trialling Income
Management in 5 locations.
What is the connection of this initiative for planners?
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The Premise
• SOCIAL DISADVANTAGE – Places where disadvantaged people
live
• LOCATIONAL DISADVANTAGE – Places that disadvantage
people who live there
Both are closely linked but planners have a role in reducing
locational disadvantage
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Federal Government Policy
• The Federal Government will invest $117.5 million over five
years (from 1 July 2012) under the Building Australia's Future
Workforce package
• The package aims to address entrenched disadvantage in 5
targetted areas by supporting families to participate in
education, training and work
• Locations – Bankstown (NSW) , Playford (SA), Shepparton (Vic),
Rockhampton (Qld), Logan (Qld)
• Income management is part of the package
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Background
• In 2011, SGS engaged by Federal Government to look at 5 areas of
high disadvantage
• A background profile for each community prepared by SGS
• On the ground consultation undertaken by SGS with community
service providers in each of the 5 sites
• Though outside our brief - as planners we started to notice that
Locational Disadvantage was compounding the Social
Disadvantage.
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Centrelink Payments – Reality Check
• Unemployed single parent + 1 child:
• $347/week
• Unemployed couple + 2 children (u13yrs):
• $607/week
• Rent Assistance for above:
• $70/week
How would you spend this weekly income – what is
essential and what is discretionary?
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Snapshot of 3 Locations
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Logan
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Logan Summary
Some Issues
Evidence
Housing – overcrowding in houses, rents increasing, poor
standards of housing
Population – 262,6731
Population density – 294 persons km2
Average Rents - $385/week3
Transport – poor public transport across the area; purchasing a
car was often necessary to get a job.
741 cars per 1000 population (Brisbane SD 746/1000) 4
82% travelled to work by car (Brisbane SD 73.5%)5
Disadvantage - High levels of intergenerational levels of
disadvantage in some areas
SEIFA Index - 9626
Jobs – few jobs in the area and high levels of unemployment
8.6% unemployment 7
30% Jobs to Population Ratio (Brisbane SD 45%) 8
Other:
•Major Arterial Roads and dispersed centres – a barrier to connectivity and access
•High car use
•Emerging new community on boundary
•Migrant families in clusters
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Snapshot of 3 Case
Studies
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Bankstown Summary
Some Issues
Evidence
Housing – High cost of private rentals and 15 year waiting times
for public housing. Housing costs straining household budgets.
Population – 189 0001
Population density – 2,458 persons km2
Average Rents - $430/week3
Transport – Reasonable public transport options.
588 cars per 1000 population (Sydney SD 597/1000) 4
74% travelled to work by car (Sydney SD 66.5%)5
Disadvantage – Low levels of literacy
SEIFA Index - 9706
Jobs – Work was available but barriers included ESL skills, work
skills and mental health
9.3% unemployment7
34% Jobs to Population Ratio (Sydney SD 42%)8
Other:
•High rents and high use of car based travel for work
•Strong community in Bankstown
•Options for work in surrounding areas
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Snapshot of 3 Case
Studies
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Playford Summary
Some Issues
Evidence
Housing – Housing rents are reasonable but utility costs have
What the Consultation told us
increased substantially and rental stock doesn’t have
sustainability
Public
upgrades
are allowing
Housing
rents measures.
are reasonable
buthousing
Utility costs
increasing
home
ownership.
substantially.
Population – 79 8501
What the evidence 2told us
Population density – 231 persons km2
Average Rents - $130 - $150/week3
Old housing stock doesn’t have sustainability measures
Transport – Public transport reasonable but getting to some
casualownership
jobs difficult
(especially
shift).
Home
starting
to benight
provided
in area
619 cars per 1000 population (Adelaide SD 719/1000) 4
83.2% travelled to work by car (Adelaide SD 79%)5
Manufacturing
in area
but uncertain
future. disadvantage;
Disadvantage –jobs
Pockets
of high
intergenerational
Shift
work
means
women
don’t
have
child
care or public
gambling and mental health common issues.
transport on night shift.
SEIFA Index - 8726
Jobs – Some causal and manufacturing jobs in area but
Public
Transport
uncertain
future.reasonable.
13.1% unemployment7
26% Jobs to population ratio (Adelaide SD 43%)8
Other:
•Located on the outer area of Adelaide with local jobs available
•Local Government is very pro-active and engaged with its community.
•Co-ordinated approach to services by providers
•Initiatives such as Playford Alive are making a difference
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Centrelink Payments
• Unemployed single parent + 1 child:
• $347/week
• Unemployed couple + 2 children (u13yrs):
• $607/week
• Rent Assistance for above:
• $70/week
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Getting a Job – Trade Offs
Move further out to get cheaper rents = but move further away
from suitable jobs
Getting a job requires a car, registration & petrol = less to spend on
food
Older house is cheaper to rent = but more expensive utility &
water bills as less energy efficient
Capacity to pay to overcome locational disadvantage is low and
few options to trade off
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Summary of Locational Disadvantage Factors
Spatial Location in City – inequity of access to jobs
Urban Form – hindering movement
Housing – availability of choice in type and number of bedrooms,
condition(inefficient energy use)
Transport – few options to car and difficult to access services and
training
Jobs – few close by and appropriate to skills
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Other Findings
• Role of Local Government – important role in integrating services
and working with community
• Most if not all service agencies are overstretched and cannot meet
demands - high levels of volunteers prop up this sector
• Few organizations are resourced to articulate big picture spatial
elements and are involved with delivery rather than strategic input
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Literature Review
AHURI – Housing ownership can increase social
connections9
Griffth University – Transport disadvantage can lead to
poor social outcomes due to lack of access10
Aust Institute of Family Studies – Transport
disadvantage leads to social exclusion11
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Ideas
Work:
• Facilitate areas for local JOBS that match current and future skills,
are accessible by public transport and can adapt over time
Housing:
• Enable a variety of HOUSING including number of bedrooms –
retrofitting older housing an issue
Services:
• Provide a PUBLIC TRANSPORT NETWORK that will take people to
services and jobs - major ROADS should not sever the community
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Conclusion
Locational Disadvantage is a real issue for people with low
capacity to pay and who are already socially
disadvantaged
For the Federal Government to deliver on improved
participation in the workforce - planners and others
working in the built environment and with communities
need to try and minimise impacts of Locational
Disadvantage
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Thank you
Further Information:
SGS Economics and Planning
PO Box 788
Dickson ACT
02 6262 7603
www.sgsep.com.au
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