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Kingston City CouncilSubmission to Infrastructure VictoriaAll Things Considered – Exploring options for Victoria’s 30-year infrastructure strategy

21st June 2016

Contents

1. Introduction...........................................................................................3

2. Innovative Kingston City Council Initiatives.....................................................3

2.1 Integrated Stormwater Management.................................................................................................3

2.2 ASPIRE - an Advisory System for Process Innovation and Resource Exchange.............................5

2.3 Kingston’s Family and Children’s Centres........................................................................................6

3. All Things Considered...............................................................................9

3.1 Address infrastructure demands in areas with high population growth.............................................9

3.2 Address infrastructure in areas with low or negative population growth..........................................10

3.3 Respond to increasing pressures on health infrastructure, particularly due to ageing....................10

3.4 Enable physical activity and participation........................................................................................11

3.5 Provide spaces where communities can come together.................................................................14

3.6 Improve accessibility for people with mobility challenges...............................................................14

3.7 Provide better access to housing for the most vulnerable Victorians..............................................15

3.8 Address expanded demand on the justice system..........................................................................16

3.9 Provide access to high-quality education infrastructure to support lifelong learning.......................17

3.10 Meet growing demand for access to economic activity in central Melbourne..................................17

3.11 Improve access to middle and outer metropolitan major employment centres...............................19

3.12 Improve access to jobs and services for people in regional and rural areas...................................19

3.13 Improve the efficiency of freight supply chains................................................................................20

3.14 Manage threats to water security, particularly in regional and rural areas......................................21

3.15 Manage pressures on landfill and waste recovery facilities............................................................21

3.16 Help preserve natural environments and minimise biodiversity loss...............................................22

3.17 Improve the health of waterways and coastal areas.......................................................................22

3.18 Transition to lower carbon energy supply and use..........................................................................23

3.19 Improve the resilience of critical infrastructure................................................................................25

CITY OF KINGSTON • PAGE 2

1. Introduction

The City of Kingston appreciates the opportunity to make this submission to Infrastructure Victoria in response to the All Things Considered Options Paper. As a general comment, Kingston is strongly supportive of the overall framework, objectives and guiding principles.

Kingston recognises the sheer breadth and scale of the task that Infrastructure Victoria has been charged with in identifying and prioritising the hundreds of infrastructure options available to meet the 19 identified community needs. Kingston also acknowledges that the very tight timeframes afforded to Infrastructure Victoria to develop Victoria’s 30 year infrastructure strategy has meant that many options have not yet been fully explored.

The City of Kingston welcomes the opportunity to work collaboratively with Infrastructure Victoria and other agencies to ensure that the potential for a long-term sustainable infrastructure plan is realised.

In this submission, Kingston has endeavoured to take a holistic view across the sectoral / needs matrices but to restrict our comments to those areas where we feel we can add value by providing evidence that either supports or contradicts the proposed option.

The City of Kingston would also like to take the opportunity to highlight some major infrastructure initiatives being developed and led by Kingston that have the potential to deliver major benefits if rolled out across the state.

2. Innovative Kingston City Council Initiatives

2.1 Integrated Stormwater Management

Improve the health of waterways and coastal areas:

Stormwater harvesting and re-use for non-potable purposes (SRH) – Harvest stormwater in Melbourne and regional cities for use in a range of non-potable purposes such as watering of public spaces and meeting water demands at urban and industrial sites.

Stormwater quality management (SRQ) – Collage, coordinate and implement a suite of measures to improve stormwater quality prior to drainage in waterways or coastal areas. These measures would include all development types and investigation of suitable mechanisms for existing developments.


The City of Kingston is widely recognised as a leader in integrated water management in local government and is committed to ensuring fit for purpose water use in the municipality. Kingston is also a pioneer in the stormwater reuse space and has been a key supporter of a number of regional wetland projects constructed over the last decade. Kingston has a significant track record in managing and delivering State Government Agency (Melbourne Water) and Commonwealth funded capital/planning projects. Kingston’s Integrated Water Cycle (IWC) Strategy won the 2012 National Stormwater Industry Association award for Excellence in Strategic and Master Planning.

Kingston’s well thought out ‘whole of catchment master plan approach’ to stormwater management can provide a significant cost benefit and augment site reliant/opportunistic approaches implemented via localised tailored on-site solutions. Research undertaken by Council has found that on-site solutions on their own will not be sufficient in achieving Kingston’s stormwater quality objectives.

Kingston’s proposed in-lieu contributions scheme would ensure that alternate pathways to meet stormwater quality obligations are available to different types of development and that there are effective economic incentives to mitigate the impacts of runoff. This is an innovative funding model that will support intergenerational liveability outcomes.

Kingston is in the process of developing mechanisms to align water outcomes with urban land use planning instruments and standards. In the coming months, in collaboration with Melbourne Water, steps will be undertaken to implement the voluntary stormwater quality in-lieu contribution scheme which involves developing an internal operational policy to guide governance and administration of the funds and a Stormwater Management Local Policy to formalise Kingston’s on-site stormwater requirements for developers.

Kingston acknowledges water’s essential role in supporting resilience and liveability outcomes through more integrated and strategic approaches to urban water service provision and urban land use planning. This has been demonstrated through a number of initiatives that seek to diversify sources of supply to deliver multiple benefits and improved community outcomes including the Edithvale Recreation Reserve (see below) and the Keeley Park projects currently underway.


Figure 1: Edithvale Recreation Reserve

2.2 ASPIRE - an Advisory System for Process Innovation and Resource Exchange

ASPIRE is an online marketplace for registering and exchanging industrial and commercial material resources to be reused or remanufactured as an alternative to a landfill destination. Business to Business (B2B) exchanges are facilitated by matchmaking software to initiate new processing of waste streams. The tool intelligently matches a business with potential purchasers or recyclers of their waste by-products. It saves on disposal costs and cuts the amount of waste going to landfill. ASPIRE is run by the CSIRO in collaboration with local councils and business networks.

ASPIRE has been developed in response to manufacturing companies talking to their local councils about high waste disposal costs, particularly those associated with increasing landfill levies. ASPIRE leverages CSIRO's expertise in industrial engineering and industrial ecology, operations research and information retrieval to build a software tool that identifies potential business to business (B2B) resource


exchanges. This typifies the common term “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”. ASPIRE is also connected with the concept of the circular economy and adoption of this and industrial symbiosis in the European Union and World Economic Forum.

How does ASPIRE work?

ASPIRE users enter details about the type and quantity of their substitutable inputs and waste materials (outputs). Using this data, ASPIRE’s Supply Chain Options Model determines optimal sources and destinations for the materials, including options for aggregation with other local businesses, appropriate investment opportunities such as compactors for low density wastes, and local recyclers.

The profile information for the users associated with these suggestions is then provided to the user. The model results are then used in combination with profile data, resource and technology libraries, to present a rich content environment where the user can explore the suggestions in context with both specifically developed case study materials and information retrieved from the broader internet.

ASPIRE is deployed using existing established council and manufacturing business networks, and supports local government business sustainability programs. It captures and codifies businesses material inputs, outputs (waste and by-products) and processes and has a powerful optimisation model that takes this data and provides the business user with three things:

Suggested B2B resource matches, both substitute inputs or sources and output destinations

Personalised search results to support the suggested matches Case studies for related resource matches

For information can be obtained at www.aspire.csiro.au

2.3 Kingston’s Family and Children’s Centres

The City of Kingston has undertaken the construction and delivery of 4 x integrated Family and Children’s Centres strategically located across the municipality to achieve a range of enhanced outcomes for the Kingston community.

The services delivered from each Centre include child care, kindergarten, maternal child health and immunization, play groups, parents groups, and other allied services as needed. The fourth Centre presently being constructed in Westall on a school site will have other enhanced elements in addition to those noted above including a library, community health services and flexible community spaces such as meeting rooms, seminar spaces and an industrial community kitchen.


http://www.aspire.csiro.au/

The enhanced outcomes that can be achieved by integrated Family and Children’s Centres include (but are not limited to) the following:

Improved service access for families, children and the broader community.

Provision of high quality infrastructure and services with a focus on the provision of early years education in the context of other support services to provide a holistic approach to children and families.

Streamlined referral and application processes to multiple services – thus making more user-friendly and easier to access a range of services (families not engaging with duplicate forms/professionals/services).

Economies of scale are generated enabling increased efficiency by achieving more from the use of limited resources.

Enhanced effectiveness, resulting in superior outcomes for communities and funders.

Families and children are able to access assistance more effectively in ‘one-stop family centres’.

An integrated model benefits particularly vulnerable children and families. Instead of a family being referred to / sent off to other external services when a need is identified (creating a risk that the referral is never actioned), the family can receive the support of that service in the existing location.

The synergies from an integrated approach lead to innovation and a streamlining of service delivery through information and skill sharing.

At a community level, the construction of flexible use multi-function family and children’s centres enables Council to scale the services delivered up and down over the years to match demographic changes and the changing needs of residents. Thus the supply / demand balance for services can be more effectively managed over the many years of operations.

Effective governance is essential to achieving the intended outcomes of an integrated Family and Children’s Centre, and thus requires careful consideration. Kingston Council elected to operate the Centres and its services directly in order to ensure the objectives and vision for the developments remained prominent and would be delivered.

A significant focus from the physical design stage to the actual delivery stage has been the establishment of effective integrated relationships, objectives, processes and communication structures.


For a more in depth analysis of the value of integrated Family & Children’s Centres, there are a range of resources and research available. A useful resource to use as a starting point is the following literature review:

http://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/childhood/providers/funding/childcentrereview.pdf




3. All Things Considered

3.1 Address infrastructure demands in areas with high population growth

Better Use

Centralised planning scheme (CPS1) – Deliver a centralised planning scheme with aligned governance that is controlled and delivered by a central authority.

The City of Kingston is strongly opposed to a centralised planning scheme. The establishment of a centralised planning scheme for all local government areas would not be in the best interests of local government or their communities, and is already appropriately provided through the current Victoria Planning Provisions.

The infrastructure demands in areas with higher population growth should equally include the higher density growth requirements for established areas in addition to areas on the urban fringes. There are different challenges to be overcome when promoting higher density in established suburbs some of which will require State intervention. For example, increased capacity for public transport (including car parking at stations) and community facilities. There is an opportunity to leverage of existing infrastructure to provide better outcomes across many of the need categories.

New and Expanding Issues

Arterial road network employment centre enhancements (ARN) – Improve the road network surrounding major employment centres to meet growing demand, such as the Westall Road extension from Princes Highway to Monash Freeway, which aims to improve connectivity and support the Monash employment centre.

This option is strongly supported. The City of Kingston is a major employment destination with a strong manufacturing base. Enhancements to the arterial road network are essential to ensuring the competitiveness of local companies. The Westall Rd extension has been clearly identified by the Metropolitan Planning Authority as important for the growth of the Monash Employment Cluster.

This approach is supported however is considered to require additional infrastructure guidelines, standards and processes to clearly state what infrastructure is required, when it is provided and what this looks like. Additional work is required on community infrastructure which is something the MPA has done some significant benchmarking on.


Further Develop

International airport in the south-east of Melbourne (IAS) – Construct a third international airport in the south-east of Melbourne.

Kingston supports the construction of an international airport in south-east Melbourne and would urge the early investigation of a suitable site so that land can be set aside to avoid the issues faced by Sydney.

3.2 Address infrastructure in areas with low or negative population growth

No applicable comment.

3.3 Respond to increasing pressures on health infrastructure, particularly due to ageing

Change

Health education programs (HEP) – Deliver preventative health education programs targeted at the 15-25 years old age group to reduce future demand for health care.

Kingston supports the investment in health education but considers that it should be across all age groups and be age appropriate.

Better Use

Aged care and mental health residential care investment (ACM) – respond to the growing need for residential aged care and mental health faciltiies by supporting people to remain in their homes and when this is not possible, providing new purpose-built facilities.

The South East Councils Climate Change Alliance (SECCCA) recently completed the Energy Saver Study which engaged and supported 320 households in Melbourne’s south-east to improve the energy efficiency of their homes and reduce energy costs, while possibly increasing the comfort and health of their homes. The combination of home retrofit and behaviour change interventions achieved statistically significant energy efficiency outcomes (compared to control group) including averages of 10-11% reductions in total energy use, 13-18% less gas use and similarly cheaper bills and increased living room temperatures by 1.6°C in winter. This study demonstrates that improved living conditions in the home can improve health outcomes. http://energysaver.seccca.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/SECCCA-LIEEP-final-report-executive-summary.pdf



Health care smart facilities (HCS) – Invest in the renewal of health infrastructure to remain fit for purpose and be flexible to respond to innovations in technology and models of care

Investment in new technologies for medical consultations over the internet ought to be considered as well. This will enable the early detection of disease, treatment options and reduction in patient travel. Thus, HCS ought to be lifted as a higher priority and highlight the potential internet option

Kingston also considers that health programs should encourage physical activities and be linked to the need for strategic decisions to be made on open space provisions.

3.4 Enable physical activity and participation

Change

Active lifestyle infrastructure regulation (ALR) – Amend planning regulations to require that principles of ‘active design’ are incorporated into the construction of new residential developments. This would involve providing cycle ways, parks and pedestrian infrastructure.

Amendments to regulations should consider all cohorts of the community including those who are older or who have disabilities. The current options are very much focused on people who are able bodied despite the fact that the largest cohort of people into the future will be considered ‘aged’.

Better Use

Integrated shared use community and recreation facilities (RFC) – Improve coordination and governance processes to encourage the co-location and/or integration of arts, sporting and recreation activities in multi-purpose, shared-use facilities.

Integrated shared spaces, both internal and outdoor areas, bring broader opportunities for social connectedness. Planning which provides these opportunities and encourages socially isolated persons and persons from a cross section of the community to enjoy a space is welcomed.

Outdoor areas that are linked and designed in such a way that enable residents to move safely and more easily through open spaces will encourage higher usage and build a healthier community. Perceived safety is just as an important factor as demonstrating an area is statistically safe to visit therefore better area lighting and improved visibility lines are welcomed and will encourage usage in local residential developments.


Communities are demanding more access opportunities to enjoy outdoor activities, both passive and active options and want to utilise such with their pets, as pets are more commonly being integrated into an owner’s life style. It is well recognised pets enhance social connectedness and social skills and are great conversation starters, therefore better designed local spaces will assist to promote health within our community.

Shared use should include use of existing Education Department facilities out of hours.


Bicycle and walking path separation (BWP3) – Modify existing road, bike and walkway infrastructure to separate cycling and pedestrian use. In some places this may require widening of paths or providing additional footpaths or cycling infrastructure.

Kingston strongly supports the improvement of bicycle and walking paths, and separation where possible. The initiative to require active transport provision in the planning scheme is also strongly supported, and consistent with the Transport Integration Act 2010.

Further development

Active established areas (AEA) – Improve the planning and delivery of walking and cycling paths in established areas, which are traditionally car-based neighbourhoods.

This option is supported. Kingston is a predominately car-based neighbourhood, yet substantial areas are undergoing densification and require appropriate walking and cycling infrastructure and connectivity to enhance connections for local trips. This is supported by the Kingston Apartment Survey results, which show that people are choosing to live in apartment for the convenience of being able to walk to services and recreation opportunities. This initiative is particularly relevant for the Mordialloc to Carrum corridor; and around the Activity Centres of Moorabbin, Highett, Cheltenham and Mentone. This initiative will serve to reduce congestion on local collector roads by providing genuine transport choice and enhance livability of these neighbourhoods, which was also identified in the Apartment Survey.

Sport and recreational facility investment framework (SRF) – Increase the capacity of existing sport and recreation facilities through the application of a number of upgrades and changes to management approaches and deliver new local sports facilities in areas where there is identified need.

This option is strongly supported and could be advanced with the funding of the Chain of Parks as outlined below.

OpportunitiesCITY OF KINGSTON • PAGE 12

In areas with high rates of population growth and high land values it will become increasingly difficult to secure land for sports grounds.

Kingston believes it is in a unique position as a consequence of the transition of waste related activities from the northern part of the South East Green Wedge to provide an enduring open space infrastructure legacy through its well-established Chain of Parks project (which provides recreational links between Karkarook and Braeside Park). This visionary project established prior to Local Government amalgamations identified the ‘City Shaping’ opportunities significant reclaimed landfill areas would provide for future open space provision to accommodate a growing South East Melbourne.

Council would welcome the opportunity of briefing Infrastructure Victoria on the opportunities now starting to materialise (as part of its Chain of Parks vision) to make a meaningful difference to passive and active open space provision through some current initiatives which include:

The decision in May by the Kingston Council to grant planning approval to the Hawthorn Football Club to transform a 28ha site into a state of the art elite sports facility with a range of community support services.

The recent work of the Council in collaboration with the Level Crossing Removal Authority and a private provider to take redundant soil from the Frankston line crossing removal works to ‘fast track’ a landfill site rehabilitation which as a consequence will provide a new 3ha park in 2017.

Council has also recently opened to the public the Spring Road Reserve (also a former landfill) in Dingley Village to provide additional passive open space opportunities.

Current discussions with a landfill operator that is filling the ‘Victory Road’ landfill to achieve as part of the sites rehabilitation a new 32ha park over the coming few years.

A capital allocation of $1.8 million has also been provided in the 2016/17 budget to provide enhancements to the linkages between recreational nodal points along the chain of parks.

These are some of the more significant projects the Council is working on, that reinforce the scale of the opportunities presented through the rehabilitation of the northern section of the Kingston Green Wedge.

Beyond the recreational opportunities identified above the Kingston Green Wedge Plan identifies some regionally significant opportunities around micro energy generation, strengthening biodiversity and wetland creation.

The Council believes that in relation to the areas scale, its location in metropolitan Melbourne and desired planning direction, the opportunities


presented are unique and have the potential to provide distinctive intergenerational benefits. We would welcome the opportunity of providing Infrastructure Victoria an opportunity to tour the area to understand the possibilities that are presented.

3.5 Provide spaces where communities can come together

Change

The possibilities of vertical spaces for community infrastructure should be explored.

Better Use

Community space shared use agreements (CSS1) – improve resources and governance processes that will assist in establishing shared-use agreements for community spaces and facilities between different agencies and associations across Victoria.

The shared use of spaces is supported. The development of ‘best-practice’ guides and pro-forma templates would be very useful as would an investment in statewide research to better understand how our future ageing population wishes to engage in their community. As a generalised example, many senior citizen centres across the State have had declining numbers over a period of time. This trend will most likely continue without significant reform as the Baby Boomers get older and have different preferences. This provides an opportunity to increase intergenerational uses within these existing buildings or perhaps use them for a completely different use. The aforementioned research would assist to guide development of infrastructure and programs accordingly.

Community space statewide event planning (CSS2) – Develop a local annual community activities calendar for public spaces across Victoria. The events would align with the needs and demographics of local residents.

This action would be better managed at the local level. The City of Kingston has a community events calendar for festivals and events that use Council’s public spaces.

3.6 Improve accessibility for people with mobility challenges

Change

It is questionable whether this need should be a separate section or should the principles of accessibility be incorporated across the whole strategy from the outset. If development of all new infrastructure and programs can be accessible for people who are older and/or have a disability then it will meet all needs. All


effort should be made to ensure infrastructure should be built to comply with Accessible Design Principles.

Better Use

The work in this area and that of aging populations is supported. An area that we think should be explored further is changes to the building regulations to require improved adaptability in building designs. This would improve the ability to alter the buildings to cater for aged and mobility impaired residents as required ie wider doorways, handrails to be fitted etc.

Public transport alternative use of taxis or hire cars (PTA) – Change bus and taxi/hire car regulations to encourage alternative transport services.

Community transport is a major challenge for local communities and alternative such as community buses and community bus routes should be included.


While ICT solutions are enablers and generally improve access to services, it is important that they do not increase social isolation for some residents. Low levels of literacy, both written and digital, mean that some of the community will not be able to access ICT solutions without help. This needs to be considered when considering ICT solutions to ensure that these residents have alternative means of accessing the service or that extra assistance is provided.

3.7 Provide better access to housing for the most vulnerable Victorians

Change

Affordable housing sector regulatory amendment (SHS1) – Use the Victorian Planning Provisions to provide housing in strategic urban renewal precincts and other areas of significant change.

Kingston acknowledges that this is a multi-dimensional and complex area of policy. However, options to address it should focus on the partnerships between the public and private sectors with access to jobs and services being given priority in the location of new social housing.


3.8 Address expanded demand on the justice system

Better Use

Justice and human services co-location (CJS) – Co-locate services delivered by the justice sector to provide clients with all necessary services in one location.

Child care support is essential for families attending court to ensure that a parent is not forced to take children into the court environment because they have no alternate care arrangements. This is particularly important in family violence cases where the child may be confronted with the perpetrator of the violence.

Courts maintenance (CMD) – Meet ongoing maintenance requirements for courts to support increasing demand, improve access and deliver more flexibility in their use.

Local Government is finding it increasingly difficult to get access to the courts to have matters heard and determined in the courts. Currently we are allocated a maximum of two days per month to have matters listed and prosecuted. As we not only need to represent and address matters referred to the Magistrates Court from the Infringements Court, we also have other offence types awaiting prompt effective prosecutions and resolution.

This not only causes delay for the enforcement agency but also increases the time to seek resolution of a matter. In matters pertaining to serious dog attacks where a dog has been seized and under the legislation must be held until the outcome of the prosecution, Councils have experienced delays of 8 – 12 months or more. This can result in significant additional stress for the accused, significant increased costs for the agency (impoundment fees etc.) and can have a significant detrimental impact on the impounded animal.


Police station supersites (PSS) – Move to larger police station ‘supersites’ supporting police service points within local communities, supported by a central hub (or hubs).

Although this provides opportunities for resource management and provision and maintenance of infrastructure, it also is highly likely to result in further delays in Police response times which increases risk to the communities.

Options should not be limited to simply looking at reducing the number of operational stations and replacing with larger sites (fewer sites in total number) but also explore co-existence models which have successfully been used overseas. The inter-relationships and responsibilities between other social and justice agencies including Local, State and Federal Governments should also be explored to understand and identify further options.


3.9 Provide access to high-quality education infrastructure to support lifelong learning

Further Develop

Lifelong learning hubs (LLH) – Provide appropriate infrastructure that can support lifelong learning. This would cover the whole spectrum of life from youth to senior, and will benefit all generations

This section needs to consider that education and learning is lifelong and does not just happen in the formal education sector, public libraries particularly need to be included in this discussion. Public libraries do already fulfill this role and with better funding and co-ordination could expand their role.

3.10 Meet growing demand for access to economic activity in central Melbourne

Change

Increased telecommuting (ITT) – Increase telecommuting by providing CBD businesses with financial incentives to keep employees working from home, to reduce demand on the transport network.

This is supported in principle but it is prefaced on the availability of high speed internet connections which are lacking in many areas. Once appropriate telecommunications infrastructure is available the option becomes more viable.

Increased investment in co-working spaces in middle and outer metropolitan areas would also contribute to a reduction in travel demand.

Better Use

Employment outside central city incentivisation (EOC) – Provide planning and financial incentives to encourage businesses to locate outside the central city.

Plan Melbourne Refresh has a clear objective for people to access all necessary services, including employment, within 20 minutes of their home. To achieve this outcome jobs need to be increasingly located within alternative employment clusters away from the CBD. These employment clusters will need to emulate the services available within the CBD so as to attract knowledge workers. Incentives may be required.

High capacity trains – 7-car (HCT3) – Procurement of 7-car high capacity trains for the metropolitan network. This option will include associated minor upgrades to track and stations and the upgrade and electrification of the existing line to Baxter where the stabling and maintenance will be located.


This option is supported including the electrification of the existing line to Baxter.

Strategic Transport-Oriented Development Corridors (STO) – Designate a set of strategic public transport corridors that are suited for increased development. These would be located around existing transport services, like train stations and tram routes, to better connect employment centres and join these employment centres to the central city.

This option aligns well with Kingston’s demographic profile because a significant proportion of our labour force works in Inner Melbourne.


Train station carparking improvement (TSC) – Construction of new or expanded rail station car parks to increase capacity or park-and-ride facilities across regional and metropolitan networks.

Improvements to carparking around stations is strongly supported to take pressure off other carparking in Activity Centres and to encourage public transport usage. Creatively facilitating additional parking opportunities as part of innovative re-developments around stations aligns well with a number of Councils Structure Plans. The establishment of park and ride facilities with high frequency bus transfer may be an alternative.

Further Develop

Metropolitan Bus Network Reform (MBN) – Substantial restructure of the existing metropolitan bus network, building on the approach taken in Brimbank in 2013.

The substantial restructure of the bus network, as is being considered by PTV currently, provides significant opportunity for increasing bus patronage in Kingston. Kingston’s current bus network has poor efficiency in terms of ratio of bus journey length to a direct trip. A network of high-frequency (20 minutes) direct routes that service employment areas within the city will attract commuters who would be willing to walk a longer distance to a more direct service. This would be supported by a network of local-area bus routes to service those of lower mobility to access with key activities or the high-frequency bus network.

Metropolitan Level Crossing Removal Completion (MLC) – Remove the approximately 130 level crossings on the metropolitan train network after the current program of 50 removals.

This option is strongly supported to relieve road congestion. Full separation of the Frankston Rail Line will allow a significant increase in services along the line. This will support the development of the activity centres by providing a high-frequency, reliable public transport network. This is supported by the Kingston


Apartment Survey, which clearly showed that apartment dwellers valued access to train services.

It should be noted that Kingston Council has an adopted position of opposing a Sky Rail design outcome along the Frankston line.

3.11 Improve access to middle and outer metropolitan major employment centres


Arterial road network employment centre enhancements (ARN) – Improve the road network surrounding major employment centres to meet growing demand, such as the Westall Road extension from Princes Highway to Monash Freeway, which aims to improve connectivity and support the Monash employment centre.

The City of Kingston strongly supports the Westall Road extension which will provide Kingston companies with a more efficient way to access the Monash Freeway.

There is also an urgent need to improve the east / west traffic movements through Kingston by progressing the Mordialloc Bypass project which is currently in the planning study stage as these links are critical in providing access to the rail corridor and Activity Hubs.

Omission

The City of Kingston is a major employment destination with 66,500 jobs but has been omitted from the preamble to this section. Moorabbin Airport is also located within Kingston and is a major employment destination in its own right anchored in large part by the opportunities presented in the aviation sector.

3.12 Improve access to jobs and services for people in regional and rural areas

Better Use

Mobile police and justice workforce (MPW) – Roll out ICT infrastructure that enables police officers to conduct their job from police vehicles.

Local Government enforcement groups have had a great deal of experience in moving towards a mobilised workforce to improve response times and streamline administrative processes. Options should be immediately explored to enable Police to be more functional in the field.


Mobility should aim to issue infringements and other notices live out in the field and automatically upload data immediately into the relevant data base. Our experience also demonstrates that information is accessible for dissemination to the public out in the field and should reduce office based time.

An appropriate system should also support live site assessment and support for Officers linking communications back to their Officer where a more Senior Officer can view, hear and assess a situation and provide more appropriate support and advice.

3.13 Improve the efficiency of freight supply chains

Better Use

The South East Metropolitan Integrated Transport Group (SEMITG) has recently completed a Freight Strategy for the south east. This supports most of the initiatives in the plan, including: Rail Freight to South-East Intermodal terminal, Webb Dock rail freight access, North-East Link.

(N.B. SEMITG has prepared its own submission to the Options Paper).

New and Expanded Assets

HPFV network completion (HPF); Outer metropolitan ring road (OMR)

The City of Kingston and the broader south east region of Melbourne has a strong and expanding food growing and processing sector which has the capacity to further expand. To reach its full potential and create new jobs for the growing population, highly efficient freight supply chains are needed, both in the immediate area and more broadly across Melbourne.

Further develop

New port (NCP) – Construct a new port to complement the Port of Melbourne and meet demand to import goods into Victoria.

Kingston supports the approach outlined to allow time to fully consider the timing and location of a new port for Victoria rather than taking a premature decision without full information. Council would like to be an active partner in future considerations.


3.14 Manage threats to water security, particularly in regional and rural areas

Concepts requiring further development

Water supply augmentation through building new dams (WSA2) – build new dams to provide additional water supply for Victoria

City of Kingston is a strong supporter of the Water Sensitive Cities philosophy. We believe such as approach to water supply is an outdated response. The Cooperative Research Centre for Water Sensitive Cities should be approached to provide their solutions for securing Victoria’s water supply. http://watersensitivecities.org.au/what-is-a-water-sensitive-city/

3.15 Manage pressures on landfill and waste recovery facilities

Change

Waste landfill site land buffers (FLS) – increase landfill site buffer zones to secure landfill capacity and avoid landuse conflicts

City of Kingston is concerned this option only specifies landfill, it should be broadened to include all resource recovery activities. The Metropolitan Waste and Resource Recovery Group is currently undertaking a Local Buffer Support Program to develop tools and measures, initially at seven priority sites. Once developed and tested, these tools will be useful for buffer planning across the state. https://www.mwrrg.vic.gov.au/planning/local-buffer-support-program/

Careful consideration of buffers is required in locations such as Kingston as urban expansion has often proceeded landfilling that has subsequently occurred.

Landfill waste levy increase (LLI) – Increase the landfill levy charge to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill and promote recycling.

While an increase in the landfill levy may increase illegal dumping it can also drive innovation in the reuse of resources. Some of the funds derived from the levy could be used to support emerging market based solutions.

Better Use

Recycled material usage in building construction (RMU) – Make the incorporation of recycled materials mandatory, creating stronger market drivers for using recycled products in new construction.

Support programs for the recycling of material resources to divert from landfill and establish pathways for reuse and recycling into building construction e.g,


http://watersensitivecities.org.au/what-is-a-water-sensitive-city/

ASPIRE which is an online tool for registering and exchanging industrial and commercial material resources to be reused or remanufactured as an alternative to divert from a landfill destination. B2B exchanges are facilitated by matchmaking software to initiate new processing of waste streams. It was developed by four Councils in partnership with the CSIRO. Further information can be found here ASPIRE

In addition, Sustainability Victoria has recently released the Victorian Market Development Strategy which identifies product stewardship, investment and collaborative procurement opportunities for resource recovery services and infrastructure, to support activities such as product design, source segregation and sorting to reduce contamination, which provides cleaner materials for manufacturers.

3.16 Help preserve natural environments and minimise biodiversity loss

Better Use

Habitat corridor link expansion and improvement (HCL) – Develop and implement mechanisms to better link key habitat areas and improve the migration of key species.

Habitat corridors and links are being developed in conjunction with Melbourne Water, Port Philip & Westernport Catchment Management Authority, surrounding municipalities, Parks Victoria. Many of these projects are delivered through Kingston’s participation in the Dandenong Living Links program. Kingston is currently reviewing its Biodiversity Strategy. The current strategy sets out goals and strategic objectives for protecting and preserving our biodiversity for Council managed land.

3.17 Improve the health of waterways and coastal areas

Change

Coastal adaption initiatives in vulnerable areas need to be funded to improve the resilience of coastal communities to sea level rise.

City of Kingston Coastal Management Plan has recently been approved by the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water. The plan provides guidance for the future development and management of the Kingston foreshore. Also Kingston has an adopted Integrated Water Cycle Strategy that recognises all elements of the water cycle are linked. The strategy guides council in areas of water efficiency, treatment and reuse.


The State Government has a primary role to play in coordinating land use planning and infrastructure responses given the numerous Councils that have a coastal interface in both heavily urbanised areas (eg Port Phillip Bay) or more remote coastal areas in Victoria.

Better Use

River and waterways natural flow regimes (RWN) – Assess the opportunities to improve environmental outcomes, for example, through optimizing flow releases for the environment from storages.

Kingston works in partnership with Melbourne Water to protect and improve vegetation along waterways throughout the municipality.


Waterway infrastructure to remove pollutants (WIR) – provide new pollutant/litter traps along waterways to remove pollutants from and enhance river water quality.

This is a very ‘end of pipe’ way of thinking and solving the problem. Consideration should be given to point of origin litter prevention. Whilst litter traps will always be required we should be aiming for no new installations. Refer to http://www.litter.vic.gov.au/

Further develop

Stormwater water quality management (SRQ) – Collate, coordinate and implement a suite of measures to improve stormwater quality prior to drainage in waterways or coastal areas. These measures would include all development types and investigation of suitable mechanisms for existing developments.

The City of Kingston is recognised as a leader in this field. See the outline of our Stormwater initiatives under section 2 of this submission.

3.18 Transition to lower carbon energy supply and use

Change

Energy demand management tariff reform (EDM2) – change energy tariff structures to target peak energy use.

Consideration should be given to increasing solar feed in tariffs. This would further entice investment in this technology, add robustness to the network and work towards a de-centralised energy supply.


Better Use

Wind and solar energy generation large-scale investments (WSE) – establish a targeted grants program for investments in wind and solar energy infrastructure.

The location of such infrastructure should be given serious consideration with grants giving preference to the proximity to the end user. Kingston’s Green Wedge plan identifies large scale solar as a particularly opportunity given the available land and proximity to a significant number of potential residential and commercial customers.


An option for Urban forest (UFF) was considered. This option makes a low contribution to the need as it will have a minor impact on emissions.

Looking at ‘urban forest’ as opposed to ‘green infrastructure’ was too narrow. Kingston participated in the development of “Green Infrastructure Economic Framework” by Victoria University which aims to put a value to the diverse range of benefits ‘green infrastructure’ provides our community. It is also concerning that Urban Heat Island effect was not specifically mentioned in this option.https://www.vu.edu.au/sites/default/files/cses/pdfs/green-infrastructure-economic-framework-summary-report-fin.pdfhttp://watersensitivecities.org.au/using-green-infrastructure-to-deal-with-high-temperatures/

Alternative energy vehicles (AEV) – based on what we have learnt from the electric vehicle trial, support the deployment of new charging infrastructure to encourage the take up of electric vehicles into the current government vehicles fleet, and provide incentives to individuals and companies to adopt environmentally friendly transport.

City of Kingston was a participant in the Electric Vehicle Trial. A number of actions could support (and further accelerate) the uptake of this technology: requirement that new dwelling are wired to support the future installation of a charge point; permit process for new public charge points clarified.


http://watersensitivecities.org.au/using-green-infrastructure-to-deal-with-high-temperatures/

http://watersensitivecities.org.au/using-green-infrastructure-to-deal-with-high-temperatures/

https://www.vu.edu.au/sites/default/files/cses/pdfs/green-infrastructure-economic-framework-summary-report-fin.pdf

https://www.vu.edu.au/sites/default/files/cses/pdfs/green-infrastructure-economic-framework-summary-report-fin.pdf

3.19 Improve the resilience of critical infrastructure New and Expanding Issues

Coastal protection infrastructure (CPI) – maintain and provide new coastal protection infrastructure to prevent beach erosion and asset damage in critical locations to deal with rising sea levels and extreme weather and tidal events.

It is important to recognise it will be financially unviable to maintain and protect all coastal infrastructure, agreeing on ‘critical locations’ is crucial. The Central Coastal Board ‘Central Regional Coastal Plan’ outlines the creation of a “visitation level service framework” which will identify locations where infrastructure can support high levels of visitation. This may assist in identifying ‘critical locations’.

http://ccb.vic.gov.au/staging/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/DELWP-Central-Final-RCP-20-10-15-Web.pdf

Further Develop

Public Transport Network Resilience (PTN) – Upgrades, refurbishment and renew infrastructure assets to increase resilience of the public transport network

Upgrades / renewal of the public transport network is critical to supporting increased usage. Lack of reliability is one of the major reasons people avoid using public transport.

The Integrated Transport Control Centre (ITC) and Emergency Traffic Management (ETM) initiatives will provide greater control and coordination of the transport network in the event of an emergency.

• Omission

Major Drainage Upgrades

The options paper overlooks the need to upgrade major drains in areas that are subject to regular flooding. Major storm events are likely to be more regular and severe under climate change. Low lying areas in the southern part of Kingston regularly flood because the drainage network is under capacity.


