Capital Cities and Australia's Future

Capital Cities and Australia's Future

The Property Council of Australia and the Council of Capital City Lord Mayors needed to understand how Australian cities influenced the nation's future prosperity. SGS was commissioned to produce a public discussion paper addressing this relationship.

SGS's research highlighted that capital cities play a driving role in economic development as they help capture world trade in business services, improve manufacturing competitiveness, bolster technological innovation capacity and enhance Australia's cultural tourism offer. The discussion paper, published in 2000 as "The Capital Cities and Australia's Future" was used successfully to ensure that capital cities receive their fair share of public infrastructure investment.

In 2006 the CCCLM recommissioned SGS to frame a case for a National Cities Policy, recognising that a new study was needed to address the broader priorities of the Commonwealth Government, after the introduction of the GST.

SGS's 2006 work included estimation of the productivity benefit for the Australian economy in achieving better functioning capital cities. As a part of this, SGS undertook a ‘productivity impact assessment' of programs relevant to the formulation of a National Capital Cities Policy, including taxation and governance reforms, infrastructure programs and regional development initiatives. SGS researched, evaluated and documented Australian Government-CCCLM partnership models under which the Australian Government would fully or part fund the nominated projects (or projects like them) in return for demonstrated contributions to the Australian Government's economic, social, cultural and environmental objectives. From this SGS prepared a draft National Capital Cities Policy.