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Business View Australia - March-April 2016 131
PERTY DEVELOPMENT
Referring to the role played by UDIA,
Stephen Albin says, “We are not
lobbyists, we are actually about
making sure that government is
implementing sensible public policy
and it is becoming more and more
important because there is a large
volume of legislation and policies that
are being enacted by government and
the industry needs someone to play
this role”.
Additionally,oneofthemost important
roles played by UDIA is to enable its
members to exchange information
amongst themselves. It does this by
organising a number of events where
members from diverse backgrounds,
but having a common interest in the
development of urban infrastructure,
come together to exchange ideas and
network. Such interactions can lead
to great synergies and work towards
boosting the pace of the country’s
urban development.
The 2014-15 State of Australian
Cities Report points out that 75% of
the country’s population lives in its
20 largest cities. Cities account for
the majority of jobs and a large part
of the country’s economic output.
Unless adequate focus is maintained
on developing urban infrastructure,
it will not be possible for Australia to
keep up its rate of economic growth
and increase the prosperity and well-
being of its people.
Australia’s cities enjoy a well-
deserved reputation for being
amongst the finest in the world and
providing their residents amenities
that are unmatched even in many
of the most developed countries.
However, with the rapid growth of the
country’s population there is a chance
that Australia’s cities could see a
deterioration in their infrastructure.
UDIAhasbeenplayingasignificant role
in ensuring that urban infrastructure
grows to meet the needs of the
expanding population.