VU Drives Change for What’s Best for the West
Fri, May 19 2006

Media Release:
Yesterday the Victorian Government released its ‘Transport & Liveability’ Statement, and according to Victoria University’s Dr Pieter Nagel, the University is providing local councils, industry and other interested parties in Melbourne’s west with the ideal vehicle to comment on the release of this large scale strategy and its projected impacts on the west.

Dr Nagel is the Director of VU’s Institute for Logistics and Supply Chain Management (ILSCM). He said: “The Institute is running a three part convention series, ‘Positioning the West for the Future’. The first event in the series, on May 23, will focus on the Victorian Government’s Transport & Liveability’ Statement. We will be discussing its impact on the west and making a consolidated response to inform future policy decisions.”

“We will be taking on a wide range of views, including those of six councils from Melbourne’s inner and outer west; the Western Transport Alliance; the Committee for Werribee; industry representatives and other interested parties.”

The councils are: Maribyrnong City Council, Melton Shire Council, Wyndham City Council, Hobsons Bay City Council, Brimbank City Council, and Moonee Valley City Council.

Dr Nagel said: “The Western region of Melbourne consistently faces a range of major transport, logistics and infrastructure challenges that manifest in a lack of connectivity, insufficient capacity and congestion of the major freight and passenger networks and systems.”

“Growth is hampered and the long term sustainability of the region continues to be affected by a lack of realistic and long-term perspective.”

“The increase in the region’s population has exceeded all projections. However, macro-planning and the funding of infrastructure have lagged behind the region’s requirements.”

“Solutions are possible if these major challenges are tackled in an integrated manner, using the knowledge and experience of industry, government and the community.”

To help address these problems the convention on May 23 will be followed by two others on July 17 and August 1. Topics to be covered include: major freight issues; major infrastructure issues; and major passenger transport Issues.

Dr Nagel says that the convention will focus on:
• Identifying priorities in defined areas;
• Measuring each priority’s likelihood of success;
• Correlating priorities with existing findings and relevant data to deliver well resourced recommendations for tackling freight, passenger transport and infrastructure requirements, that will position the west as the key driver of the Melbourne economy.

Dr Nagel said: “The Institute for Logistics and Supply Chain Management has undertaken extensive consultation on these issues with a range of public and private sector organisations, many operating in the west.”

“The critical message that emerged was that a consolidated approach was needed to provide macro-strategies that combine research, effective input from industry, local government and the western community and the already substantial bank of existing data collected on transport, logistics and infrastructure needs for the west.”

Further information: ILSCM website: http://ilscm.vu.edu.au/courses2/cid/19/parent/0/t/courses2

Media Contact: Andy Gash, Snr. Media Officer,
Marketing & Communications Department, Victoria University
Ph: 03-9919 4950; mobile 0411 255 900