I recently conducted a survey to gather feedback from Point Cook residents about council services in the area. The survey aimed to assess the satisfaction levels of residents with the existing services and to identify areas for improvement.
The results of this survey provide valuable insights that can guide decision-making and policy formulation. In the following report, I will present a summary of the key findings and concerns raised by the residents.
About Point Cook
Point Cook is the largest suburb in Wyndham according to population size. Significant residential development began in the late 1990s and is expected to continue over the next 20 years as more land is developed.
| Population Estimate – 2021 | 68,088 |
| Population Estimate – 2041 | 82,085 |
| Median Age | 32 |
| Average Household Size | 3.100000 |
| Born Overseas | 47% |
| Top Industries | health care & social assistance |
The City of Wyndham’s Gross Regional Product is estimated at $16.60 billion, which represents 3.09% of the state’s GSP (Gross State Product).
As many responses are in the 5 years plus category, and based on feedback, a follow up question added more context…
Other:
What services do you use the most?
“Not enough parks you can take your dog off the lead. Always driving to Altona. New one opening on Board walk not very big. Point Cook beaches need a lot of work. The coastal park is run down and not very inviting.”
Q4 What improvements would you like to see in the local parks and recreational facilities?
“Public toilets. More dog off lead areas. Playgrounds upgraded or properly maintained. The Kingsford drive park has lighting that has been out for months.”
“Recreational facilities such as sports ovals should be more readily available to the local sporting clubs which have kids involvement.”
“Improved landscaping that is maintained. Trees planted and not left to die, only to be replaced 6-12 months later. I live close to the wetlands in PC Gardens Estate. They have potential but are not well maintained. Pathways are uneven, landscaping is poorly maintained. More trees would be nice.”
Per the Australian Bureau of Statistics
Australian National Accounts: National Income, Expenditure and Product
Key statistics (Australia Wide)
- The Australian economy rose 0.2% in seasonally adjusted chain volume measures
- GDP rose 1.5% in 2023-24
- The terms of trade fell 3.0%
- Household saving to income ratio remained at 0.6%
Household consumption (-0.2%) fell to the weakest growth rate since the Delta-variant lockdown affected September quarter 2021.
Discretionary spending fell 1.1%, following a rise in March. The fall was driven by services and partly offset by goods. Transport services (-4.4%) and hotels cafes and restaurants (-1.5%) were the largest detractors, reversing their strength in March, though remain at elevated levels. Furnishings and household equipment (+4.0%) drove the rise in discretionary goods and was the largest positive contributor to total household consumption. Spending on household electrical purchases coincided with end of financial year sales, which also saw increased imports of household electrical items (+16.0%).
Essential spending increased 0.5% in the quarter. Rent and other dwelling services led the rise in line with continued population growth. Electricity, gas and other fuel (+2.4%) rose due to a reduction in electricity rebates provided during the quarter, alongside increased demand for heating due to a cooler June period. Spending on food (-1.0%) fell as households substituted to affordable options to reduce grocery expenses.
What improvements would you like to see in the local roads of Point Cook?
“Improved planning from the outset would have avoided many of today’s issues. Point Cook Rd should have been duplicated long ago. Despite now having three alternate routes in and out of Point Cook, PC Rd remains a major route. Roads in general are in fare condition compared with regional areas. There were some shockers a few years ago but they seem to have been addressed. It’s hard to say what can be improved when it’s too late. Our street is not a major thoroughfare but inadequate off-street parking (driveway) space, excess multi dwellings, topped off with a bus route that was added after the fact, has left us with multiple damaged parked cars. Not sure what can be done about bad drivers but that’s another story…”
“What about Altona Meadows?”
“Double lanes all the way on point cook road. A traffic light senor from Tristania Dr to trigger SWC Lights and the new Lights at Sneydes Rd.”
“More parking bays created into the nature strip areas – our streets are TOO NARROW”
From 2023 AUSTRALIAN LIVEABILITY CENSUS WYNDHAM CITY COUNCIL
LIVEABILITY PERFORMANCE
Place Score invited people in your community (Wyndham) to assess the liveability of their own neighbourhoods by rating 50 Place Attributes. These Place Attributes cover a broad range of themes: open space, movement, local character, economy and more. Some neighbourhoods may perform well in one theme but less well in others. National comparison data is shown here for three themes (Movement, Community, Management and Safety).
From 2023 AUSTRALIAN LIVEABILITY CENSUS WYNDHAM CITY COUNCIL
Do you feel there is enough jobs in Point Cook. Why?
“No Because the employment precinct keeps getting shelved, been here 25 years and nothing has changed re employment”
“Family applying for work and no offers, no feedback, just silence.”
“Not enough because of so many that need to commute outside of the suburb to work congesting roads”
Do you have any additional comments or suggestions regarding council services or local roads?
Council should do more face to face sessions with residents from all areas of the council to get an idea only what’s what, the current situations around, the areas that needs improvement.
“Communication wise, I think if it were not for a certain councillor, I would not feel heard or as aware. Would love to be represented by someone truly passionate about all residents of Wyndham. I’m concerned about what lay ahead with the new boundaries and candidates on offer. Hoping there is more on offer once they are officially announced. Service wise, I’m not a major user of council services, previously used maternal health/kinder but now that time has passed its minimal. I feel there is far too much spending on community events, cultural events, award ceremonies etc. Whilst a few are good, it just seems like a waste of funds. As a resident and small business owner who employs local residents, I don’t feel like I get value from many of these events. The recent business awards seems like a fun night but hardly celebrates or benefits all businesses, just those that can be bothered or has the time to apply. Would love to see some more services for older residents in Point Cook. Many I have found are culture based. I gave up looking a while ago. Thanks for the opportunity to vent lol. All the best.”
Q9 What do you believe is the biggest need for Point Cook today?
“For Hobsons Bay Council, Wyndham Council, State Govt and vicroads to work together to duplicate pt cook rd and stop blaming the other parties.”
“Expansion of Werribee Mercy. Duplication of PC road. Better public transport routes. Well maintained/landscaped parks and reserves. Increased police numbers, not buildings. More schools as current ones seem overpopulated. Environmentally I would love someone to find out more about PFAS contamination at the PC RAAF base, not just Williams Landing. Feel like this was never properly addressed and attempts to find out more have fallen on deaf ears.”
“Councillor Tony Hooper”
The survey has unveiled significant insights into the satisfaction levels of Point Cook residents with council services. A majority of respondents (54%) indicated a neutral stance, neither expressing satisfaction nor dissatisfaction. Additionally, a similar pattern was observed in responses related to council communication and road maintenance, with more individuals leaning towards a neutral viewpoint. 60% of residents say that parks and recreation areas are clean.
Respondents identified key concerns of public safety, road infrastructure, public transportation, local employment, and education access. These should be of paramount consideration for any policymaker. The results underscore the crucial need for improvements in these areas to better meet the needs of the community. On the question of “Do you feel that essential services such as healthcare and education meet the needs of Point Cook residents” 80% of people said No.
There was a contribution from Altona Meadows, which is very welcome. To get a meaningful fix to Point Cook Rd, a responsibility of the State Government, I feel it will take the combined efforts of Hobsons Bay Council and Wyndham Council to get the government to finally come to a real solution to this traffic woe. Given the state of our economy, and the responses to this survey, I feel it is collaboration that is key to resolving issues around congestion, local jobs, and better access to health and education.