This research was commissioned by the Municipal Association of Victoria who wished to better understand the impact of population growth in Greater Melbourne on local government. 

The research modelled the impact of growth for each LGA in relation to productivity, transport congestion and social outcomes, documenting the cost of recovering the infrastructure lags to prevent further growing inequality in the six LGA areas where the growth had the greatest adverse impact. Description and quantification of the impact of population growth, where infrastructure development has not kept pace, has not been calculated before.

The findings suggest that cheaper housing and better access to open space, which may attract people to outer suburban living, comes at a price, commonly associated with the lower population and job densities at greater distances from central Melbourne.