Creating jobs in our suburbs to keep workers closer to home

Minister for Planning Richard Wynne has unveiled draft framework plans for three key National Employment and Innovation Clusters, ensuring they can continue to house thousands of workers into the future and safeguarding their attractiveness to would-be businesses.

The draft framework plans were created by the VPA, after extensive consultation with key stakeholders including councils, other government agencies and business owners.

It’s part of the Labor Government’s new Plan Melbourne, which is helping create more jobs closer to where Victorians live and making Melbourne home to more “20-minute neighbourhoods”.

With carefully considered planning and the right investment, we’ll ensure they continue to provide jobs for thousands of Victorians – and closer to home.

The plans make recommendations for future transport upgrades, public areas such as parks and a greater mix of housing options, so that the bustling business clusters can continue to grow.

Draft framework plans have been released for three National Employment and Innovation Clusters, including:

• The Sunshine National Employment and Innovation Cluster
• The La Trobe National Employment and Innovation Cluster
• The Monash National Employment and Innovation Cluster

The Sunshine National Employment and Innovation Cluster is a significant jobs hub in Melbourne’s west.

Employers include Victoria University, Sunshine Hospital, the Western Centre for Health Research and Education and the Labor Government is currently building the Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital. In total, the cluster is a base for 14,600 jobs.

The Monash National Employment and Innovation Cluster is a base for 75,000 jobs – the greatest concentration of workers outside Melbourne’s CBD. The cluster’s key institutes include the Monash Medical Centre, Bosch Engineering, the Australian Synchrotron and Monash University.

And the La Trobe National Employment and Innovation Cluster features business and industrial areas around Heidelberg, Bundoora and Preston. Home to 27,800 jobs, the cluster is boasts the greatest concentration of jobs in Melbourne’s north-east.

The plans are all about ensuring the jobs clusters that sit at the heart of Melbourne’s communities can continue to grow, because that means more Victorians can secure the jobs they want closer to family and friends.