New metrics to measure city success

New metrics to measure city successA new framework to measure the success of our cities will help Australia plan for growth, says the Assistant Minister for Cities and Digital Transformation Angus Taylor.The National Cities Performance Framework interim report was unveiled by the minister last week. The report proposes 41 key indicators that will assess the performance of 21 of Australia’s cities, plus Western Sydney.The framework, developed to support the Turnbull Government’s Smart Cities Plan, is a “first for Australia”, Taylor says.”The Australian Government’s Smart Cities Plan aims to create the foundations for success across all cities and regional centres. “Delivering on this commitment starts with common goals, agreed across governments, and an ability to measure their delivery over time. If we can’t measure it, we can’t improve it,” Taylor explains.The Property Council’s chief executive Ken Morrison, who is a member of the Turnbull Government’s Cities Reference Panel, says the framework “brings some rigour to the question of whether our big and small cities are successful or not”.Morrison says Taylor and the Australian Government are “going about this the right way” by bringing together “a broad coalition of groups to provide advice on the policy directions needed”.Consult Australia, the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) and the Property Council of Australia are all represented on the Cities Reference Group.Megan Motto, Consult Australia’s chief executive, says the framework will break down silos to provide a “holistic and much-needed planning approach to our cities”.She says “time will enrich this data” and city-by-city comparisons will “enliven competition”.The GBCA’s Romilly Madew says one of the most important features of the framework will be its “online indicator dashboard” which will provide Australians with “easy access to data that helps them understand how our cities are performing”.The framework will also support the rollout of City Deals, Madew adds.Morrison says the Property Council would like to see more emphasis on housing affordability and the ability to assess housing supply. The lack of data on housing supply is a “critical part of the housing affordability equation”, Morrison says. “The economic and social ecosystems of our cities need not be haphazard,” Morrison adds.”We can plan not just for the placement of roads and infrastructure, but also for the vital building blocks that lift private sector investment, create long-term jobs, and improve skills, health, liveability and the environment.”Input is sought on the framework by 18 August.