By Lilia Guan

 

Capital City Lord Mayors have been given notice from the Federal Government a draft National Urban Policy will be released by the end of this year.

 

The National Urban Policy was originally announced over a year ago, by then Minister for Local Government, Anthony Albanese.

 

Included in the finished Policy will be issues around the challenges facing Australian cities . It will highlights on how a systems approach to thinking, policy decisions and allocation of resources can achieve greater benefits.

 

In a statement to Government News, City of Sydney Lord Mayor, Clover Moore has confirmed the Council of Capital Cities Lord Mayors (CCCLM) was told that a discussion paper on the National Urban Policy will be released for consultation by the end of the year.   
 

Cr Moore said Australian capital cities were the “nation's economic and creative engine rooms.”
 

“Our capital cities are the major generators of wealth that attract business, labour, tourists, international students and investment,” she said.
 

“Without action, Australia will fall behind other nations.  With the Mayors of Australia's 12 largest cities, I have urged practical action and cooperation to ensure our cities, where the majority of Australians live, are sustainable, liveable and prosperous.”
 

Cr Moore said that the three tiers of government must agree on outcomes, make commitments within their sphere of responsibility and get on with delivering vital projects for Australia.
 

“City governments are uniquely placed to know what is needed, to do the local planning and implement the projects, but we need state and federal partnerships to fully realise our aims,” she said.
 

“State and Federal governments need to remove the legislative blockages that prevent rapid expansion of cleaner localised energy generation systems, or trigeneration. With political will, it could be done without cost, at the stroke of a pen.”
 

CCCLM Chair and Lord Mayor of Darwin Graeme Sawyer said in a statement to the media that it’s been over a year since the Government announced it would deliver an urban policy.
 

“Our cities are facing transport and housing challenges which require collective action to solve. We are bringing our ideas on these fronts to the Federal Government,” he stated.