Reducing the need to travel: The challenge of employment self-containment

The ever-increasing urbanisation of Australian cities makes the implementation of appropriate planning policy and strategies particularly important. The lack of clarity in how job and housing targets may be used to generate better spatial employment outcomes requires enhanced understanding of both housing, labour market and travel patterns and dynamics. After overviewing the concept and alternative forms of jobs-housing ratios used in practice, this chapter describes the strategic planning context of achieving employment self-sufficiency in Greater Perth, Western Australia (WA), specifically its outer metropolitan North-West Sub-region. We then discuss several key challenges in using job-housing related ratios to increase job quality and reduce travel needs. We conclude with policy recommendations to address these challenges and increase sustainable
transport outcomes.