photo: Jary Nemo

1. Linda Hancock & Lucinda Horrocks Corporate Citizenship Research Unit, Deakin University,A VCOSS Deakin University collaborationVCOSS Congress: August 1 2007 photo: Jary Nemo Elaborating the MacroMelbourne Project Framework: Giving Structure to Strategic Research on Disadvantage

2. about the project • MacroMelbourne Initiative: • not-for-profit collaboration: Melbourne Community Foundation, Committee for Melbourne, Melbourne Cares, Pro Bono Australia, RMIT Centre for Applied Social Research, Department of Victorian Communities and the Victorian Local Governance Association • goals • stimulate debate around issues of disadvantage • encourage long-term innovative, strategic thinking • focus on Melbourne: now and in the future • build a knowledge base for donors, corporate social responsibility (CSR), philanthropy and corporate sectors

3. This presentation • Elaborates on the MM approach: • Strategic analysis of poverty and disadvantage and how it is measured • The relationships between disadvantage and people and place • The role of an integrated and structural approach within a framework • Elaborates on application of the framework to policy issues • Links between climate change and disadvantage outer fringe mobility issues • Gambling in growth corridor and disadvantaged LGAs

4. the MacroMelbourne Initiative • focus • Melbourne (Greater Melbourne - 73% of Victorians) • Disadvantage, people and place • today and in 2030 • aims • better understand the relationship between disadvantage, people and place in Melbourne • explain context: summarise the key debates on definition and measurement of disadvantage and poverty • map current research: demography & distribution • make suggestions for strategic investment: ideas files

5. underlying themes • the core issues of poverty, social exclusion, equity and distribution and an understanding of what it means to be disadvantaged • strategy • taking a long term view of social problems • looking to the future • wanting practical outcomes and projects which can really make a difference • identify good research • people and place over time • accessibility • connectedness • resilience • transitions, flows and mobility

6. the policy context • Victorian government initiatives • Fairer Victoria • Melbourne 2030 • Neighbourhood renewal • DVC, Building stronger communities initiatives • local government • knowledge & innovation • uneven capacity • Community sector as innovator • changing policy landscape • Government is slow to move • The individualisation of risk • Whose role is it to invest in our future? • There is a clear role for community-led & CSR-led action

7. understanding disadvantage • controversy over measurement and definition • different approaches • Henderson poverty line • social exclusion • community wellbeing • innovations in research • deprivation frameworks • Community Indicators • Mapping Australia’s Progress • conflict over values ‘there is a need to look beyond the income statistics to examine the processes and events that expose people to poverty and the conditions that prevent their escape’ (Saunders 2004)

8. dimensions of disadvantage • structural/ distributional factors • wealth and income • expenditure • employment and the labour market • education • family needs • community, social inclusion and place • social connectedness • health and wellbeing • family supports • accessibility • environment • quality of life • cohorts, groups and individuals

9. disagreements and debate Source: Senate Community Affairs Reference Committee (2004:35)

11. Melbourne now: some themes • employment and the labour market • unequal distribution in Melbourne • link to skills and ‘new economy’ • what of those who cannot work? • housing and housing affordability • low income groups increasingly pushed • locational factors: low cost housing => lack of services? • place • are there links between disadvantage and place? • look to service provision on the urban fringe • Increasing household debt concentrated in some areas • accessibility • both concrete spatial and social dimensions • lack of knowledge about access & accessibility

12. Social mobility Cycles of poverty Migration Intergenerational transfers Life stages Rapid change Time spent on activities Assets Savings Capacity for tax avoidance Loans Non-cash transfers Financial shock absorbers Equivalent disposable income Non-cash transfers Financial exclusion Housing Food Goods Utilities Transport Education Leisure Time Values Human rights Tolerance and diversity Equality of opportunity Universality A fair go Access to a decent quality of life Opportunity to participate fully in the community A city which is liveable for all citizens A city which provides equitable access to services and networks Sustainability Transitions, flows and mobility Wealth & Income Homelessness Poverty and deprivation Capacity to withstand rapid change Financial shock absorbers Income security Re-skilling ability Employability Access to networks Access to support Access to transport Access to services Expenditure Resilience Social exclusion DISADVANTAGE and its measurement Accessibility Barriers to connectedness Health & Wellbeing, Quality of Life Community health Social inclusion Wellbeing indicators Community indicators Housing Transport Infrastructure Urban form Geographic spread Open space Streetscapes and suburbs Activity centres Accessibility Employment and the labour market Language barriers Cultural barriers Discrimination Inequality Access to services Locational disadvantage Built environment Families and children Social values Child poverty Schooling Childcare Child health Child wellbeing Family Supports Education Longevity Baby boomers Ethnic diversity Fertility patterns Family makeup Recession Employment Location Technology Knowledge economy Climate change Efficiency Sustainability Pollution Open space Family makeup People living alone Women and work Changing values Ethnic diversity Melbourne 2030 Welfare to Work Industrial Relations Fairer Victoria RE market Desirability Accessibility Tenure Housing density Housing type Growth suburbs Drivers of change: Demographic change Changing economic context Location of affordable housing Population growth Social and Cultural Change Policy change Environmental change

13. The Framework: Melbourne: the drivers of change • Melbourne is growing and changing: how is this going to impact disadvantage? • effects on those disadvantaged now • new groups of disadvantage in the future? • drivers of change • demographic change: population and household growth • changing economic context • location of/access to affordable housing, transport, employment • social and cultural change • environmental change and ecological sustainability • policy change

14. The framework recognises…. • there are multiple dimensions and multiple pathways to disadvantage • there is no simple measurement of poverty or disadvantage • there is no single policy solution • strategic community investment in action requires • recognition of the complexity and willingness to pursue longer term solutions • ongoing effort: & action but also tracking, research and monitoring of progress against goals • engaging in the debate around values: defining values and goals within policy debates

15. Values underpinning community research and action • Human rights • Tolerance and diversity • Equality of opportunity • Universality • A fair go • Access to a decent quality of life • Opportunity to participate fully in the community • Liveability of the city • Equity of access to services and networks • Sustainability

16. Themes to direct strategic research/action: • resilience • transitions • connectedness • accessibility • built environment • the lived experience of disadvantage • locational disadvantage: interface municipalities • Health and well being Quality of Life

17. The MM challenges • to develop a co-ordinated, strategic approach to community investment • to address issues of disadvantage and inequality • to build a community-generated initiative • to use the community sector advantages (expertise, partnerships that matter, being able to act now) • to undertake strategic good works that make a difference - now and in the future • how do we make this happen?

18. 2006 Forum Identified 5 areas • Housing • The digital divide • Education • Place-based approaches • Continuing research on disadvantage

19. 2007 MCF:13 new projects • Place based strategies to address disadvantage • Braybrook-Maidstone Youth Partnership • Young people and employment on the fringe • CSR (corporate social responsibility) • The City Centre • Ardoch education support • Youth voice • Indigenous education • Housing affordability, liveability and efficiency • Australians for affordable housing • Creating affordable housing for disadvantaged women • Making the most of your energy

20. Projects…. • Digital Divide-increasing connectivity, access and opportunity • A wired community • Melbourne Universal Access • Parent Connect • Understanding Disadvantage: monitoring trends and change • Disadvantage in Victoria With a range of community social partners

21. Application:People, Place and the Urban Fringe The Interface Councils* and Climate Change: Peak Oil: ANALYSIS • Drivers of change: affordable housing • The dynamics of disadvantage : the lived experience • Accessibility • Connectedness • Mobiity • Wealth and income: economic participation • Built environment • Family supports • People and Place • Measuring inequality *Urban fringe growth corridors: Melton and Wyndham in the west and Cardinia and Casey in the southeast

22. Mediating Influences: Insulators/Protectors • Mobility eg journey to work • employment (income security) • Utility pricing • housing: rent/loan interest settings (home ownership/affordable housing) • Community amenity • nearly half (48.7%) of households with an income in the lowest 40% overall, experience housing stress : (Wood and Stoakes 2005) • Geographic distribution of SES/disadvantage

24. Checking urban growth? Source: DOI (2002)

25. Melbourne’s expanding boundaries • there is some evidence that service provision is lagging in the ‘interface municipalities’ Source: DSE (2004b)

26. Which LGA’s will grow? Source: DSE (2004b)

27. Multi Unit Dwellings in Melbourne Pale areas less than 20% multi-unit Randolph (2006)

28. The peak oil scenario: the fringe suburbs • Outer suburbs lack public transport infrastructure • Lower density of multi unit dwellings • Higher N of cars per household • Higher ave N of private vehicle trips per person • Longer ave trips • Intensifying dependence on private vehicles alongside declining energy security • 66growth in oil consumption 2003/4-2029/30 (ABARE 2005) • Fringe suburbs vulnerable to ‘viper’ and high on ‘vampire index’ (Dodson 2007)

29. ‘VIPER’ - Melbourne • High vulnerabilityin: • Low socio-economic status areas • Outer areas • Areas with poor PT • Low vulnerabilityin: • Inner areas • Higher SE status areas • Better PT services

30. Melbourne VAMPIRE

31. WA Oil: Living with Less • “Failure to take urgent substantial action to reduce our oil dependence will leave us exposed to very serious economic and social risks in the next few years. We owe it to future generations to heed the warning signs now showing clearly on the radar screens. Aproactive, precautionary approach is critical.” • “Many of the policy options to reduce fuel usage will also lead to healthier, happier and more equitable communities and improve local and global pollution levels.” (Sustainable Transport Coalition, 2004)

32. SEIFA vs. EGM density, metro Melbourne 2002-03

33. There is a role for those outside government to seed innovations that side-step political and bureaucratic barriers to change, to lead by example, to resource advocacy and show how projects, programs, new institutional ideas or innovations can work. • These can bring on a range of social partners and funding models

34. Building a Strategic Approach….  What are the patterns of disadvantage in Melbourne now and in 2030?  How is Melbourne likely to change over the next 25 years, and who might be vulnerable to or be disadvantaged by those changes?  What might be mitigating interventions?  Planning for social, economic, environmental and cultural sustainability? • Whose responsibility is it?

35. future focus • what buffers the risks of poverty & disadvantage? • employment (income security) in decent work • Equity in utility pricing • housing: rent/loan interest settings • good health? Wellbeing • community strength? • focus on sustainability • research • longitudinal monitoring • qualitative data • scenario planning

36. The MacroMelbourne report and updates http://www.communityfoundation.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=45 Or www.communityfoundation.org.au

37. References • ABC Radio National (2007)’Fears of “tramp poverty” , 27 June. • Colbatch, T. (2007) ‘Melbourne people boom just keeps on growing, The Age, July 25. • DHS (2004) Victorian Population Health Survey 2004: Selected Findings, Rural and Regional Health and Aged Services, DHS, Melbourne, viewed 16 November 2005, <http://www.health.vic.gov.au/healthstatus/vphs.htm>. • Dodson, J. (2007) ‘energy security, oil vulnerability and Australian cities’, VCOSS Peak Oil, Petrol Prices and Climate Change, June 27. Melbourne. • Khadem, N. (2007) ‘1.2 million Australians in “Housing Stress” , The Age, March 9. • Livingston, C. and Wooley, R., (2007) Gaming machine technology, regulation and consumer behaviour, PILCH/CCRU Deakin University Forum, July. • NATSEM (2007) ‘Housing Stress’, NATSEM News, Issue 28, May. • Saunders, P. (2004) , 'Towards a credible poverty framework: from income poverty to deprivation', Discussion Paper No. 131, Social Policy Research Centre (SPRC), University of New South Wales • Schneiders, B. (2007) ‘Housing stress spreads for renters’, The Age, July 21. • Senate Community Affairs Reference Committee 2004, A hand up not a hand out: Renewing the fight against poverty, Senate Community Affairs Reference Committee Secretariat, Canberra. • Sustainable Transport Coalition (2004) Peak Oil, WA Sustainable Transport Coalition. • The Melbourne Institute (2007) ING Direct Melbourne Institute Household Savings and Investment Report, WWW.melbourneinstitute.com/research. • Uren, D. (2007) ‘Housing stress sparks inquiry’, The Australian, July 18.