Melbourne housing crisis: Western suburbs can’t bear brunt of population growth, while wealthy suburbs create segregated city, Clare O’Neil says

In this special series, The Age focuses on Melbourne’s western suburbs to see how life could improve in Australia’s fastest-growing region. See all 26 stories .

Wealthy inner and middle Melbourne suburbs that resist change are creating a “segregated” city in which postcodes determine opportunity, while Melbourne’s west bears the brunt of housing growth, Housing Minister Clare O’Neil has warned.

Addressing the West of Melbourne Economic Development Alliance’s (WoMEDA) summit on Wednesday night, O’Neil said that as housing costs rise, people on lower and moderate incomes are being pushed further to the fringes.

They are spending hours each day commuting and missing time with their families, while wealthier inner and middle suburbs resist new housing near established jobs and tran