November 2024
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How to Win the West
There is a clear path to success for the Federal Government if it wants to win the crucial Western Sydney vote.
The looming 2025 Federal Election will again shine a light on Greater Western Sydney, both as a ‘swing region’ of marginal seats that will largely influence the outcome of the poll, and as the epicentre of the housing shortage, population pressure and cost of living issues that dominate the national political agenda.
Some of the biggest priorities the Dialogue has identified revolve around major transport connections, particularly in disconnected communities in south west Sydney, critical infrastructure and housing reform.
We have also put a major focus on education opportunities through public schools, TAFE and universities, access to healthcare, and better funding for arts infrastructure.
See the full list of priorities here.
Proposal to Put GWS Metro on Track
The Dialogue’s calls for federal government funding to deliver critical metro connections in GWS were heard loud and clear at the Boomtown! Property and Infrastructure Summit.
Featured in the Sydney Morning Herald and on the ABC, the Dialogue’s proposal involves fast-tracking delivery of the Western Sydney Airport Metro Extensions to link the region’s growth areas.
The proposed fast-tracked connections are:
- Bradfield to Bradfield South
- Bradfield South to Macarthur Via Oran Park
- Leppington to Bradfield South (heavy rail)
- St Marys to Schofields
HOW WOULD IT BE FUNDED?
The Dialogue has proposed re-allocating funding from less critical projects, including delaying the proposed eight-kilometre extension of Metro West from Hunter Street in the CBD to Zetland (estimated cost of $9.3 billion).
It also involves a significant investment from the Federal Government in order for the projects in south and north west Sydney to be funded, along with a small top-up from the NSW Government.
WHY DOES IT NEED TO BE FAST-TRACKED?
The population of south west Sydney is set to skyrocket. By 2041, it will grow from just over 1.1 million to 1.5 million, and infrastructure is already struggling to keep up.
Business cases for the Western Sydney Airport Metro extensions are currently being developed, and early timelines indicate the Bradfield to Macarthur via Oran Park connection is not expected to be delivered until 2047, and St Mary’s to Schofields extension by 2039. We are calling for that timeline to be slashed by a decade.
Parking the proposed south-eastern extension, having the Federal Government match the funding and a small top-up of funding from the State could be the difference between these new Western Sydney Metro connections delivered in the 2030s, instead of the late 2040s.
In addition to the business cases currently being developed for the Western Sydney Airport Metro extensions, the Dialogue would also like to see further examination of future links.
Read more about the proposal here.
Three Things You Missed at Boomtown! 2024
Subsidising demand takes back seat to supply
Federal Housing & Homelessness Minister, Hon. Clare O’Neil MP, addressed Boomtown! via video link from Canberra on the same day the government passed crucial build-to-rent and help-to-buy legislation.
The Minister outlined the $32 billion housing package being rolled out by the federal government as having a material impact on Western Sydney. There was some good news for that this week, with housing approvals across the country rising 4.2% (ABS).
Minister O’Neil has visited Greater Western Sydney every month since taking on the housing portfolio and outlined how the Housing Australia Future Fund, multi-billion dollar infrastructure commitments, and the professionalisation of CHPs mean the commonwealth is “back in the business” of addressing housing.
“[This is] the first [commonwealth] government in decades to assist with provision of housing for ordinary Australians,” she told the Summit.
“You’d have to go back to the post-war period to see that”.
National Urban Policy Unveiled
Federal Cities Minister, Senator Hon. Jenny McAllister, revealed a landmark cities policy, the first federal policy of its kind since 2011.
It is a national approach to sustainable cities growth to improve social, environmental and economic outcomes across Australia, and especially in Greater Western Sydney.
“This sends a strong message that the Federal Government is committed to growing the cities of the region,” Dialogue CEO, Adam Leto, said.
“Western Sydney faces a range of environmental, economic and liveability challenges as well as growth opportunities, and we welcome a national vision. It’s quite significant, and telling, that the Federal Government has chosen Western Sydney to launch this policy.
Find out more about the announcement here and read the Dialogue’s submission about the National Urban Policy here.
High Stakes for High Speed Rail
The Boomtown! Summit audience got an exclusive insight into the High Speed Rail Authority’s business case for connections from Newcastle to Sydney, set to be released before the end of the year.
HSRA CEO, Tim Parker, said the authority has undergone analysis of types of trains, different routes and benefits to housing, health and employment from the fast rail.
Mr Parker also revealed that excluding the effect of high speed rail, the population along the proposed Sydney to Newcastle corridor is expected to grow by 22 per cent to nearly 1.2 million by the early 2040s.
With calls growing for a future high speed rail route to travel through Western Sydney, with the Dialogue being vocal advocates, the presentation from Mr Parker earned some intriguing responses.
Lord Mayor of Parramatta, Martin Zaiter, told Boomtown! that it is “now or never” for Parramatta to get high speed rail, while CEO Gail Connolly, said the benefits of such a fast rail route “belong in Parramatta”, rather than the eastern CBD.
What the Lebanese cucumber teaches us about GWS innovation future
Last month, Dialogue CEO Adam Leto addressed a room of hundreds of entrepreneurs, business and innovation leaders at the WSU Launchpad, Innovate Western Sydney Summit in Parramatta.
Mr Leto described how Western Sydney’s migrant story has laid the foundations for the region to be a national player in Australia’s innovation future for one simple reason; risk is in Western Sydney’s DNA.
“Much of the current growth agenda that has dominated the political and public identity of Western Sydney has been shaped by migration and the opportunities it presents,” Mr Leto said.
“Take for example Fouad Sarkis – who arrived in Western Sydney, as a tiler, from Lebanon in the early 70s.
“Mr Sarkis, who has only just recently passed away, snuck in some Lebanese cucumber seeds from his native country and grew them in his backyard in Greystanes where they thrived.
“This cucumber variety, which Australians had never seen before, soon became a hit and led to him securing a contract with Woolworths.
“Lebanese cucumbers can now be found in every green grocers and supermarket chain across the country – and it all started from a backyard in Western Sydney.
“The fact is that Western Sydney, and many of its businesses, entrepreneurs, thinkers, academics have been built off the back of risk-takers like Mr Sarkis.
“Having that sort of background, having that sort of mindset, one which is not influenced by a fear of failure, is a massive advantage, and is why I think Western Sydney is a strong position to capitalise on the many opportunities that are sitting on our doorstep.”
Mr Leto described GWS as a place where risk, really does meet reward highlighting Western Sydney International Airport & Aerotropolis, Liverpool Innovation Precinct, Westmead Health Precinct, Australian Motorsport Innovation Precinct and Campbelltown Health and Education Precinct as opportunities for the region to flex its innovative muscle.
Pondi Opens in December
The Dialogue was on the airwaves discussing the massive heatwave that hit our city last month.
Temperatures in Western Sydney soared with Penrith reaching 40 degrees on two straight days. It was a good opportunity to renew our calls for Penrith Beach to be made permanent.
The Dialogue first called for Pondi to become a permanent fixture more than a year ago. But more than just a short-term sugar hit for people in the west to beat the heat, we’d like to see its full potential realised.
Now is the time to capitalise on that initial success and investigate options to establish a permanent beach, with full amenity, restaurants, retail, walking and cycling tracks.
Read more here.
LISTEN NOW
Dialogue Chairman, Christopher Brown AM, was live on 2GB’s Drive with Chris O’Keefe analysing why Aussie super funds are spending millions on housing overseas, but not in our backyard, and how that is playing out in GWS.
