The Australian Bureau of Statistics has started releasing its data from the last census. Many residents, and a few councillors, have stated that they would prefer to wait for all the figures to come out BEFORE a Community Plan is ratified. The reasoning is clear. Unless we know hwo many people, how many cars, how many dwellings, how many aged, etc. planning can be hit and miss.
We present below two sets of figures:
1. The number of dwellings and their composition (ie family, lone person households) as well as the structure of these dwellings.
2. The number of cars per family/dwelling
Both sets of figures provide some startling results. For example: lone person and single parent households represent nearly a third of all Glen Eira residents making this an extremely high proportion who will be hit the hardest by continual rate rises. Then there are the number of cars per family/dwelling. Again, if anyone wanted ‘evidence’ as to our reliance on the motor car, then it is here in spades. Yet, the question needs to be asked: what is council doing about traffic management, pedestrian safety, bike safety, etc. etc.
Please have a look at the tables and offer your thoughts. Click on the tables themselves to enlarge.
Glen Eira Debates 
June 21, 2012 at 10:07 PM
I’m pleased to hear that SOME Councillors (who are they?) are keen for ratification of the Community Plan to be held off until the release of key demographic data. After doing some quick analysis of the 2011 Census data today, there are great concerns with the assumptions made in the Community Plan.
This calls into question the rationale for rushing the Community Plan which does not need to be completed until 2013; particularly when the data that all assumptions have been based on is 6 years old. With some patience, we could have a plan, for our future, based on CURRENT demographic data.
Concern extends BEYOND the above data.
June 21, 2012 at 10:17 PM
Anon, Pilling on his blog advocated for a delay until the ABS stats were out. We also agree entirely that “concern extends beyond the above data”. It’s also worth reminding readers that as an ordinary citizen, Hyams wrote in his submission to council that he questioned why the rush to bring in an earlier Community plan just before the upcoming council elections. His argument then was that this would land the incoming councillor group with a plan that they had no role in devising or overseeing. We will see next Tuesday how consistent our Mayor is since the circumstances are identical and whether he is truly a man of conviction or a ‘Man for All Seasons’!
Finally, we also ask residents to look at the figures on the number of cars per unit/apartment, given that the argument is that highrise near transport will quell the reliance on cars. This data certainly makes a mockery of such assumptions and spin.
June 22, 2012 at 5:42 PM
I’ve been looking closely at the new census data and then at the community plan. On page 9 of the latter there is a typical rationalisation and attempted excuse which ends up saying that there won’t be much difference between the previous projected statistics and what the census throws up. Of course this is anything but the truth. Council claims that in 2011 the overall population would be 138,000. The census tells us that the actual figure is 131, 012. That’s 7000 less than estimated. Translate this into all other areas such as the number of dwellings needed and all of council’s planning is haywire. There was no reason why this couldn’t have waited until 2013 so that decisions are based on facts rather than wishful thinking and sheer whimsy!
June 22, 2012 at 9:08 PM
Regardless of the actual content of the Plan, the fact remains that the Plan hasn’t been prepared in accordance with S125 of LGA, and that councillors were aware of this when a majority of them voted to breach the Act. Further, Council has explicitly identified the lack of current Census statistics as a reason why they wouldn’t address some of the problems plaguing the municipality. When the inevitable happens, and Council votes to adopt the Plan that Council Officers have prepared, the matter should be referred to the Local Government Inspectorate. What a joke the Act is, since no-one is accountable for anything.