Right Time to Fast-Track Western Sydney’s Future
June 4, 2026
A call to fast-track the next generation of investment in Sydney’s West has come from the region’s leading advocacy group, the Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue.
The organisation says a new 10-year Western Sydney Infrastructure Plan will deliver a much-needed future framework for the booming region.
The call follows the completion of the 2016 Plan, which saw a total of $4.6 billion in joint federal and state funding for local road infrastructure delivered over the past decade.
Dialogue CEO Adam Leto said while the plan had played an important role in improving connectivity, especially in the Western Sydney Aerotropolis, it was now time to look beyond roads to pave the way for the region’s future.
“It’s time to lay the foundations for Western Sydney’s next chapter,” Mr Leto said.
“The Western Sydney Infrastructure Plan was a landmark investment designed to prepare the region for the opening of the Western Sydney International Airport – and it has delivered impressive results.
“We’d now like to see the Federal Government work with the state government and local Western Sydney councils to develop a new 10-year program of works to prioritise key infrastructure projects – not just roads – so that fast-growing communities have better access to jobs and opportunity.
“With the core program completed, the task shifts from preparing for the airport to living with it, growing alongside it and securing the benefits for local businesses and communities.
“We’ve seen the success of this program over the past 10 years, with key projects such as the M12 and Northern Road upgrades fundamentally changing the way the region moves.
“But we can’t afford to take the foot off the pedal, because Greater Western Sydney isn’t slowing down. We need to secure the next pipeline of infrastructure investment – we need to look at what comes next.”
The Dialogue has called for the Federal Government to initiate planning for a new 10-year infrastructure program and open expressions of interest from the state government and local councils for projects that will unlock capacity and deliver the benefits of the new international airport.
It should also consider the findings of the Western Sydney Transport Infrastructure Panel, released by the federal Government in 2023, which prioritised infrastructure investment in the following areas:
- Mass transit and network integration to connect the region internally and to the rest of Sydney
- Social and community infrastructure to support rapid population growth
- Economic activation around Bradfield City Centre as it evolves into Sydney’s third CBD
- Freight, digital and utility infrastructure to underpin new industries and jobs