Share:
Western Sydney’s One-stop Foodie Guide
Food has an undeniable ability to unite and plays an important role in building connections. The opening of Western Sydney International Airport in 2026, and the millions of visitors arriving on our doorstep over the next decade provides an opportunity to bring the world to the west.
That’s why it was special to welcome some of the region’s most popular offerings including Chebbo’s Burgers, Blackbear BBQ and Puff Palace alongside NSW Tourism Minister, John Graham to the airport for the launch of Best of the West: A Food Lovers’ Guide to Greater Western Sydney.
“Every person who flies into WSI should get a copy of Best of the West”
From food trucks to fine dining, we’ve brought together our favourite eateries, passionate cooks and celebrated chefs, foodie influencers, festivals and marketplaces to explore and experience.
This is just the beginning of an ongoing campaign to ensure Western Sydney’s visitor economy is ready for when the first passengers touch down at WSI in late 2026.
Click the tab to download Best of the West, view our online interactive guide and follow us on Instagram.
Whose HELP is it Anyway?
As the federal election draws near, new analysis shows more than 250,000 Greater Western Sydney (GWS) residents paying off billions in student debt could save thousands of dollars if the Federal Government’s plan to slash student debt by 20% is realised.
Published in the Sydney Morning Herald, the analysis of the latest Australian Tax Office data of HELP debts across Australia at the end of the 2021-22 financial year by the Dialogue shows GWS graduates are paying off $7.3 billion worth of student debt, more than half of Greater Sydney’s $13.7 billion student debt bill.
The analysis comes as the Federal Labor government promises to slash HELP debts by 20% if it is re-elected this year.
The policy has been described as “unfair” and benefitting “wealthy professionals”.
However, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the number of people gaining a bachelor’s degree in GWS has grown by 29% in the five years to 2021 with the top industries for increase in tertiary educated workers coming from the healthcare and social assistance, finance and education sector.
“It doesn’t matter if you’ve studied to be a nurse or neurosurgeon, this policy is about making it easier for our graduates to be whatever they want to be,” Dialogue CEO, Adam Leto said.
GWS residents hold the majority (55%) of Greater Sydney’s HELP debts with the Inner South West, South West Sydney and Parramatta forming the top three statistical areas in Greater Sydney that had the most residents with a HELP debt.
ABC Stories from Parramatta
It was a privilege to join Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Communications Minister Michelle Rowland, Premier Chris Minns and Treasurer Daniel Mookhey among the star-studded audience to mark the official launch of the ABCs Parramatta studios.
Prior to the event, Dialogue CEO Adam Leto welcomed the opportunity to speak with ABC Chair Kim Williams and the ABC Board members, who were keen to hear from the region’s key stakeholders on the ABCs role in sharing the stories of Western Sydney and shining a light on the issues that matter to its people.
Later, Mr Leto featured on ABC Radio Sydney Breakfast with Craig Reucassel, live-in studio, to discuss Best of the West: A Food Lovers’ Guide to Greater Western Sydney alongside Darren Jacobs from Puff Palace.
Darren, affectionately known as Mr Brulee, is a former car salesman who has now established Sydney’s first ever Japanese-style souffle pancake truck in Gregory Hills and is bringing the soft, round and jiggly goodness to GWS.
We might have given Craig a shock when the blowtorch came out live on-air but he won’t be forgetting that breakfast for a long time.
HDA has Lift-off
The Housing Delivery Authority (HDA) has identified almost 15,000 potential dwellings in Greater Sydney as state-significant with 5,938 fast-tracked in Greater Western Sydney.
This means 40% of the HDA’s fast-tracked dwellings are based in GWS. Hills Shire Council has the most dwellings fast-tracked with a single project in Norwest set to deliver 1,600 homes. Parramatta LGA has seen five developments with a total of 1,576 homes identified including in Harris Park and Westmead.
The HDA identified 1,570 dwellings in Canterbury Bankstown with a 1,300-home precinct listed. Finally, Liverpool Council will see major developments totalling 1,192 homes approved in Leppington and Austral.
The authority, featuring NSW Planning Secretary, Kiersten Fishburn, Infrastructure NSW CEO, Tom Gellibrand and Premier’s department Secretary, Simon Draper, has met twice since last month and have fast-tracked 29 proposals in two meetings with 11 in GWS.
A total of 8,849 dwellings have been identified as state-significant in the rest of Sydney with major developments approved in Canada Bay (2,020 in Rhodes and 1,400 in Five Dock), City of Sydney (1,200 in Zetland) and Ryde (900 in Macquarie Park).
Airport Summit Nears
In a historic day for the West, the Dialogue joined NSW Premier, Chris Minns, and Deputy Premier, Prue Car, at the official opening of the Advanced Manufacturing Readiness Facility (AMRF), the first building to be completed in Bradfield.
This project (which won the Dialogue award for Outstanding Innovation Project at last year’s Boomtown!) is a pioneering effort which will bolster the local manufacturing industry, generate jobs and attract further investment in Western Sydney.
The opening coincided with the NSW Government releasing the Aerotropolis sector plan, a pathway to enable more development in the Aerotropolis. The plan states more than 5,000 hectares of the 11,200 hectare site is rezoned for employment purposes, set to accommodate almost 120,000 new jobs by 2061, while outlining the detailed timeline of critical road and transport projects needed to ensure the success of the site into the future.
The Dialogue welcomed the confirmation that the crucial M7-M12 motorway will be complete by 2027 with construction underway on other major Dialogue priorities including Elizabeth Drive Stage 1, Fifteenth Avenue Liverpool to Airport Transit Corridor and the first and second stage of Mamre Road. These projects have also had critical funding supplied by the Albanese government in the last two federal budgets.
If you want to get another exclusive insight into the development opportunities at the Airport and Aerotropolis, register now for the Dialogue’s Airport City Summit next Thursday at Inglis Warwick Farm with Roads Minister John Graham, Bradfield Development Authority CEO, Ken Morrison and WSIA CEO, Simon Hickey.
We’ll discuss how stakeholders can shape Western Sydney’s global gateway by preparing the Airport and Aerotropolis for take-off, boosting major infrastructure, investing in skills and training and showcasing the GWS visitor economy.
In less than two weeks, leaders from federal, state and local government, and the most important stakeholders unlocking the potential of the Airport City will feature at Inglis Warwick Farm.
Partner News
The Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue has broadened its tourism and property development stocks with Trilogy Hotels, Winter Sports World and Castle Group joining as partners.
New SGCH CEO
The Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue has broadened its tourism and property development stocks with Trilogy Hotels, Winter Sports World and Castle Group joining as partners.
Celestino’s Western Sydney Megaproject
The team at Celestino have had a vision to boost the research, development, education and innovation stocks of the region, just 3km from Western Sydney International Airport. Read the behind-the-scenes story of the big plans for their 271ha mixed-use greenfield development.
