SA Closing the Gap on Other States

[Will]

SA closing the gap on other states
Article from: The Advertiser
KIM WHEATLEY, CHIEF REPORTER

August 08, 2007 02:15am


SOUTH Australia is punching above its weight socially and economically - officially shrugging off the malaise of the 1990s, new figures show.
In a range of data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics yesterday, SA is pegging back the gap on the other states amid the upcoming defence and mining boom.
One of the most exciting statistics for demographers in the Australian Social Trends 2007 report relates to babies.
The state is well above the national average for fertility rates. Over the past five years, SA's fertility rate increased almost 7 per cent, compared with 4.5 per cent nationally.
"Which is really interesting because SA's fertility has generally been lower than other states . . . it's really quite a significant change," demographer Professor Graham Hugo said.
On top of that, the number of migrants coming to the state has almost doubled to 6.6 per cent in the past decade to 11,900 people last financial year.
Professor Hugo predicts that on current trends SA will reach its two million population target by about 2030, not 2050.
While wages in SA remain among the lowest in the nation, the levels appear to be consistent with SA's lower housing and grocery costs.
The state's unemployment rate kept pace with national figures, dropping from 9 per cent a decade ago to 5 per cent.
The workforce participation rate remained unchanged but dropped in most other states.
In terms of upskilling the state's workforce, the number of people gaining post school qualifications jumped by 14 per cent to 56 per cent.
"It really shows that there has been some economic and demographic progress - certainly demographically there has been a closing of the gap between SA and the rest of Australia - that's very clearly indicated there," Professor Hugo said.
Population trends expert Bernard Salt believes SA had been lagging in a demographic and psychological malaise which had its origins in the State Bank collapse, but the defence and mining boom have brought massive change.
"You've had a couple of events that have catapulted SA forward at a faster rate than other states for the first time," he said.
"There's just suddenly an air of confidence, fewer people are leaving, some people are coming back, people are having babies, not wanting to be in Melbourne, Sydney or London."

[Howie]

Finally some good news for the state. Great efforts being made in SA.

[Ben]

From The Messenger:

Two million the target

Chris Day

04Sep07

TWO million people by 2050.

That is the population target set by the State Government and it has SA urban planners in a bit of a spin.

They are divided on whether it's realistic or warranted, but most agree it will be reached eventually and will greatly influence how we live.

The debate, for now, is throwing up more questions than answers: Where to build and what to build? How will it impact the environment? Will there be enough water and energy sources? Where to stop the urban growth boundary? Who will pay for the masses of infrastructure needed to support another 500,000 South Australians?

These questions and more will be tackled at a Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) conference in the city next week, 2 Million, Ready, Set Go.

It will include a free presentation by Adelaide-based Al Gore climate change ambassador Andrew Dickson at Adelaide Town Hall on Monday (September 10) at 6.15pm.

``New houses need to be more water efficient with compulsory water tanks and recycled grey water,'' Mr Dickson said.

``There is huge scope for more renewable energy use, such as wind farms and solar hot water.

``We need to live more localised lives instead of driving around everywhere.''

PIA state president Gary Mavrinac said: ``I don't think at the moment we have the infrastructure to support two million people, be it roads, public transport, water or schools.

``One of the big questions the conference will try to explore is what is the capacity of our state. Is our footprint sustainable?''

Former SA Property Council chief Bryan Moulds, now general manager of retirement living with Masonic Homes, said long-term planning was needed.

``Not every baby boomer is going to jump in a caravan and become a nomad,'' he said.

``They are going to want diversity of houses so they can age where they are.''

He said every local council needed a housing strategy to list areas it wanted to preserve with traditional quarter acre blocks, plus those more suitable for townhouses, village-like ``cluster housing'' and even suburban high-rise apartments.

For more information on the conference visit http://www.planning.org.au/sa or call 84102988.

[Shuz]

One of the biggest problems with Adelaide is our urban sprawl - if anything the boundaries need to be modified and compacted into a smaller space, bounded by Little Para River in the north and the Onkaparinga in the south, with the Hills Face Zone still in place as it is. This will force developers to compact living environments into higher-density developments within the city area and undergo urban renewal projects rather than to consume more land. Yes this would effectively mean that Elizabeth and Old Noarlunga would become seperate 'cities' in their own entity, who would have thier own development measures and etc.

[Bulldozer]

Perhaps there needs to be less emphasis on Adelaide. What can be done to attract a larger proportion of the growth to regional cities? If everyone continues to try to cram into Adelaide and want 1/4 acre blocks property is going to only be affordable by the elite. It might also end up being less costly in terms of infrastructure upgrades.

[Ho Really]

He said every local council needed a housing strategy to list areas it wanted to preserve with traditional quarter acre blocks, plus those more suitable for townhouses, village-like ``cluster housing'' and even suburban high-rise apartments.

Build the highrise apartments along the main roads. Like for example at Norwood build them along The Parade. Higher density will also attract better public transport (ie: trams, light rail, etc.) and more small businesses.

Cheers

[stelaras]

One of the biggest problems with Adelaide is our urban sprawl - if anything the boundaries need to be modified and compacted into a smaller space, bounded by Little Para River in the north and the Onkaparinga in the south, with the Hills Face Zone still in place as it is. This will force developers to compact living environments into higher-density developments within the city area and undergo urban renewal projects rather than to consume more land. Yes this would effectively mean that Elizabeth and Old Noarlunga would become seperate 'cities' in their own entity, who would have thier own development measures and etc.

I agree i think Adelaide is too sprawled that needs to be curbed or even stopped.

Whilst all this news is positive, higher density living and urban renewel projects and IF and PT all cost money, which no doubt will come from the hard earned dollars that the SA tax paying public contribute to public coffers.

What has also got to occur is an increase in salaries in porportion to the increased cost of housing and services

[Cruise]

Supply and demand, Supply and demand

if no one wants to live in an apartment, they cant build them!!!

people want to live on the fringe with a backyard, so they build them!!!

[Pistol]

^^ Don't know how you can say that there is no demand considering that all new apartment projects are being snapped up within days of release. Just read the release from Spire that they have 600 expressions of interest for only 110 apartments! I think there will be a lot more inner city and fringe apartment projects going up in the not too distant future.

[Redback20]

SA House Prices Surge
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/stor ... 01,00.html

[sidler]

Supply and demand, Supply and demand

if no one wants to live in an apartment, they cant build them!!!

people want to live on the fringe with a backyard, so they build them!!!

Sorry but i have to disagree with you as well. If you look at the number of subdivisions that are occuring mainly within the inner suburbs and the 21% rise in apartment prices in the last 6 months i cant see how apartments and smaller blocks are not in demand.

I think the trend is slowly changing with baby boomers selling their 1/4 acre blocks and downsizing to townhouses and a large portion of the youth buying apartments as opposed to out in the suburbs. I can only see the demand for more compact housing increasing.

The other thing that worries me is that i have just read the Cheltnham Racecourse is likely to be sold subject to developers not building highrise/high density living. This seems to go directly against the metropolitan planning strategy which emphasises the need for increasing densities in close proximity to public transport and other services which that area has.

[urban]

It would be a massive missed opportunity for Adelaide if development of Cheltenham was restricted to low density housing. The LMC plans for the site with the green strips facing the major roads goes against all urban design principles and would effectively eliminate any possibility of Torrens Rd? being serviced by decent public transport. It would also render the highly sought open space virtually unuseable.

[Ho Really]

...Whilst all this news is positive, higher density living and urban renewel projects and IF and PT all cost money, which no doubt will come from the hard earned dollars that the SA tax paying public contribute to public coffers.

Don't forget royalties from the mining boom.

What has also got to occur is an increase in salaries in porportion to the increased cost of housing and services

And I think you know the outcome of that when it happens.

Cheers

[jimmy_2486]

^^ Don't know how you can say that there is no demand considering that all new apartment projects are being snapped up within days of release. Just read the release from Spire that they have 600 expressions of interest for only 110 apartments! I think there will be a lot more inner city and fringe apartment projects going up in the not too distant future.

Yeah true, I mean, when new apartments do go on the market, they sell up really fast.

Way faster than big blocks in the middle of no where.

I think people are starting to realise that you cant substitute quantity for quality.

Prob is, im guessing, is that there are less headaches in developing new areas then building up.