Rudd's city plans prompt mixed reaction

[annielaurie]

Rudd's city plans prompt mixed reaction

By Barbara Miller for The World Today
Oct 28/2009

The Federal Government wants to have a greater say in city planning (ABC News: Timothy Marshall)

The Prime Minister's plans for greater federal involvement in the planning of cities is receiving a mixed reaction in the states and territories ...

In the next 40 years, Australia's population is expected to swell to 35 million and Kevin Rudd says that will have enormous implications for major cities.

With that in mind, he has indicated the Federal Government wants to have a greater say in city planning.

Mr Rudd outlined his plan to influence city planning at a dinner with business leaders in Sydney last night and looked four decades into the future.

But for New South Wales Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell, the planned federal intervention represents a slap in the face for the State Government.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009 ... ?site=news

Discussion, your thoughts ...

[Jovial Monk]

Sydney & Melbourne are hell holes now. Adelaide traffic is becoming ever-busier.

There is a saying, government becomes more authoritarian as you move down from Federal to State to Local and that efficiency increases as you move from local to federal govt--do you have that saying in the US of A? It certainly looked pretty accurate to me: was involved in purchasing in Dept Defence as a PS, suffered from a State govt running a small business which now no longer exists.

So, yes, we need more federal involvement in planning the cities. Federal govt provides the bulk of the finance for roads etc anyway.

[annielaurie]

Yep I have always believed the same, here in the states ...
Federal government provides national parks security and maintenance, the US Mail, our highways and transportation infrastructure; and it seems to me that the programs for the people that really work are run by the government, such as medicare and social security for disabled and seniors, veterans benefits, and many others ...

Federal government seems always to have been more stable and efficient than state or local ...

[Jovial Monk]

National Parks are run by states here. . .'run' not being a good word Fire hazard reduction, feral animals reduction, feral weed reduction are NOT done.