Campbelltown challenge scenarios

At the start of their projects, students were given a detailed briefing on a local challenge facing their community. These challenges are summarised below.

Ageing

Campbelltown’s ageing population will be an asset, providing a wealth of skills, knowledge, wisdom and mentorship. However, this also presents challenges, such as a widening retirement savings gap and rapidly escalating healthcare expenditure. Health issues will also affect quality of life for the elderly. This will change people’s lifestyles, the services they demand and the structure of the labour force.

Agribusiness
Agribusiness is the business of agricultural production; all aspects of farming and the related commercial activities. These may range from the breeding of plant and animal stock, chemical use, machinery and equipment processing, packaging, distribution and marketing. Campbelltown is part of the Smart Cities Plan and the Western Sydney City Deal which outlines the expansion of agriculture opportunities by developing water and energy plans, establishing biosecurity protocols for exports & imports, while developing new education and research facilities in the area surrounding Western Sydney Airport.

Air Quality
The quality of the air impacts our community. With increasing levels of particles from dust storms, bush firesand human activities, changing gas emissions from transport, industry and agriculture, there is a greater risk of respiratory and cardiopulmonary problems. Recent research highlights the need for increased stakeholder engagement in improving air quality and raising public awareness of the issue.

Biodiversity

The koala population in Australia has been listed as vulnerable which means they face a high risk of extinction in NSW in the medium-term future. Campbelltown Council has been working on a conservation project in core locations to reduce the impact of road fatalities, dog attacks and habitat loss on the koala population.

Energy
Energy powers our daily lives and global demand for energy is forecast to grow at a rapid rate. It is suggested that the world’s appetite for this valuable resource could lift by more than 70 per cent by the year 2040. The single largest energy source, coal, is near its end, thus a secure and affordable electricity supply is crucial for Australia to maintain a strong economy and preserve our quality of life. Research is being undertaken into a wide variety of alternative energy sources, from solar and wind, through to harnessing the energy of ocean waves.

Heat Stress
The Campbelltown area is vulnerable to heat stress. Heat stress occurs when your body cannot maintain a healthy temperature (37 degrees Celcius). Babies, young children, the elderly and people with some health conditions or on some medications may be a higher risk. Strategies undertaken for the future management of heat stress includes urban wetlands, urban greenery and the use of cool materials in community spaces (they have high reflectivity and emissivity value).

Mental Health
Mental health is defined as a state of well-being in which every individual realises their potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully and is able to contribute to their community. The social and emotional well-being of individuals and communities is influenced by social and economic conditions i.e. physical environment, available health Services, education, housing, transport and employment. To maintain good mental health, it is helpful to be part of the community, have social connections and strong personal relationships.

Population Growth
The world’s growing population will place pressure on scarce natural resources and to meet the needs of all these people, careful and clever planning is needed. The Campbelltown Council area population is currently around 171,000 and is forecast to grow by 61 per cent between now and 2036. From housing to health, to transport to employment, innovation is needed to find solutions to issues that emerge as more and more people fill the Campbelltown region.

Technology
Currently (pre COVID-19) less than 10 per cent of the workforce work online remotely and less than 10 per cent of total retail sales are conducted online. However, these are areas that are forecast for rapid growth and there is no widely accepted estimate as when this will reach a plateau. As part of the Western Sydney City Deal, Campbelltown Council is moving towards greater digital connectivity and becoming a smart city.

Transport
To be a community that supports the wellbeing of its inhabitants, the Council works with the State and National government bodies to implement and oversee a range of initiatives that lead to the safe and free flowing movement of people. The NSW Government is aiming to provide a 30-minute city by developing rail links with bus connections and providing work opportunities in the area.

Water
Of all the water in the world approximately 97 per cent is salt water and 2 per cent is located in our glaciers on the North and South Poles. This leaves approximately 1 per cent as fresh and usable. Aside from domestic uses, the agricultural industry is by far the largest consumer of water, accounting for over half of Australia’s water use, primarily for sheep, beef, and grain farming. Water taken out of the system for domestic, agricultural or energy production is water that is not available for the environment.

Western Sydney Aerotropolis
The Western Sydney Airport will bring not only increased tourists to the area but will result in a 24 hour a day transport hub across Australia and around the world. The surrounding areas are being developed as the aerotropolis – an economic precinct that will target industries such as defence, aerospace, advanced manufacturing, freight and logistics, agribusiness, health, education and tourism. The wide range of skills and expertise needed for the development of this precinct and the ongoing operation provides many opportunities for the residents in Campbelltown.