The developers of Australia’s fastest growing master-planned community, Greater Springfield, have welcomed the State Government’s plan to decentralise parts of the public service out of Brisbane.

Springfield Land Corporation Chairman, Dr Maha Sinnathamby, said Greater Springfield was an ideal place to set up Government agencies.

“A report prepared for the Urban Development Research Institute (UDRI) in December 2007 clearly showed metropolitan Government agencies needed to be decentralised,” Dr Sinnathamby said.

“As Australia’s fastest growing master-planned community with a CBD twice the size of Brisbane, Greater Springfield, more than any other emerging centre in Queensland, is in an ideal position to cater for the public service.”

Dr Sinnathamby said currently 22% of Brisbane’s CBD is made up of Government offices – double the amount that are present in Sydney and Melbourne CBDs.

“There is no doubt the Queensland Government is over centralised in the heart of Brisbane, so the Premier’s announcement today is welcomed indeed,” he said.

Dr Sinnathamby said Springfield Land Corporation is looking forward to working with the Queensland Government to secure Departmental agencies for Greater Springfield.

“Development in this new city has already surpassed $1.5 billion and brings together the very best in business, ICT, education, health, retail and residential to one central location,” he said.

“The Western Corridor is already the fastest growing area in the country so it makes perfect sense that a number of Government services, along with employees, be moved to where the people are, at the rate of more than 3 families per day.

“What we are talking about here is actually improving the lives of those who live in the Greater Brisbane area, who are already battling a long commute to work, less time with family and the economic burden this places on them.”

Dr Sinnathamby said there will be major benefits for public servants who choose to live in the Greater Springfield area.

“In Springfield we are creating one job for every three residents, and for public servants these will be jobs that exist just minutes from their homes,” Dr Sinnathamby said.

“The ICT infrastructure we have created will also be a major attraction for Government agencies looking for solutions that cannot be retrofitted in the Brisbane CBD. It also means we have an information super-highway where people can work from home.”

Media Contact: Shaun Rigby at Sequel Communications on (07) 3251 8140 or 0438 021 936.