Better social services a must for growing Ipswich families
14 October 2020
The Ipswich Leaders Alliance is calling on political parties contesting the upcoming State Election to focus on social services, as schools and hospitals feel the strain of Ipswich’s significant population growth.
Mayor Teresa Harding, who chairs the region’s powerful advocacy group, said the Alliance was calling on candidates and their respective parties, to commit to delivering a meaningful social services plan for health and education in the Ipswich electorates, before the 31 October poll.
“The ILA is urging all parties to develop a comprehensive plan for the future delivery of social services and infrastructure in Ipswich, including the delivery of up to 51 new public schools by 2041 and funding commitment to advance the upgrade of the Ipswich Hospital and establish a new public hospital in Springfield,” Mayor Harding said.
“As Ipswich continues to grow, a mix of essential infrastructure, investment and policy settings will be required to ensure that the city realises its potential and maintains its competitive advantages and liveability.
“Our region’s critical infrastructure and major policy reform priorities are future-focussed solutions to today’s problems that require action now to promote economic resilience, and social opportunity.
“Shovel-ready projects are immediate economic stimulus opportunities that will generate jobs and assist with economic recovery over the short term. In the long term, these projects will unlock economic and social opportunities for Ipswich and positively contribute to productivity and liveability.”
Ipswich is the fastest-growing region in Queensland. The city’s 2019 population growth rate was 4.1 per cent, well above the state and national average (1.7 per cent and 1.5 per cent respectively). Today, more than 222,300 people call Ipswich home however, by 2041, the population of Ipswich is expected to grow by 336,000 to over 558,000.
“Already, new school builds are struggling to keep pace with this population growth. There is one state school for every 4,170 residents in Queensland, but only one for every 4,540 in Ipswich. This puts the number of state schools per capita in Ipswich 8.9 per cent behind the state average on current figures,” Mayor Harding said.
“School-age children will represent 19 per cent of the region’s population growth between 2021 and 2041, as the region gains 58,600 people between the ages of 5-19. Based on the Department of Education’s 2019 maximum class-size targets, this growth will represent an additional 2,100 classrooms to 2041.
“Public health-care services are on a similar trajectory to education in Ipswich, as the region’s only hospital is operating near to its capacity."
In the factsheet released by the Ipswich Leaders Alliance today, the business case for upgrades to the Ipswich Hospital which was completed in mid-2019 was highlighted which found that the capacity of current health services is below the Queensland standard, with West Moreton Health catering for 66 per cent of the people in its region. This is 16 per cent behind the state average, at 82 per cent.
Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce president Neil Coupland said Springfield is an area of urgent need for public hospital services in the West Moreton Region.
“It is estimated that 2,000 mothers travel from this fast-growing area to Brisbane each year to give birth, and that 1,700 would choose a local birthing centre if it were available,” he said.
“Moreover it would create about 800 jobs during construction and then 1000 jobs on a permanent basis ongoing.”
Springfield City Group Managing Director Raynuha Sinnathamby said further investment in the development of a health precinct, centred on the Mater hospital campus in Springfield, would not only provide vital public services to residents, but also grow the city’s knowledge-based jobs.
“Our population is such that a public hospital with a 24 hour emergency department, operating theatres, an intensive care unit and birth suite is not only justified, but needed now,” Ms Sinnathamby said.
For details on the ILA social services for health and education advocacy page, go here