Over the past 12 months, the Dialogue has worked closely with our Partners and stakeholders to put forward the policies, initiatives and projects that we feel can make a positive difference to Greater Western Sydney (GWS).

We also recognise that with a new NSW Government, managing a much tighter budget, the economic context is a lot different to what it was five or 10 years ago.

While many of the region’s key infrastructure needs, whether they’re transport, cultural, health or community projects, haven’t tapered off, one of the key take-aways to emerge from this process, was that the future success of the region won’t be measured solely by the amount of dollars that are tipped into these critical building blocks.

To ensure the region can respond to a surge in visitor numbers when the Airport opens, GWS will need to leverage its unique characteristics, build on its existing attraction base and make sure it has the right assets to meet future local and international tourism demand.

Both the State and Federal Governments have committed billions of dollars in infrastructure investment to the region – including the Airport, new metro lines and roads packages – but are yet to fully commit major funding to support the growth of the visitor and tourism economy in GWS.

To maximise the benefits that a new Airport will deliver, the region’s leading industry stakeholders are working collectively, so that visitors that land in GWS are attracted to stay and spend their dollars here.

The series was aimed at keeping the region’s stakeholders well informed of the crucial information that was to affect our region, as well as its central role in determining the election outcome. The Election Analysis Series was a follow on from the Dialogue’s 2023 NSW Election Priorities, our Partner-led advocacy campaign aimed at both the Government and Opposition, launched late last year at our annual Boomtown! Summit. 

The enclosed list of priority policies and projects was informed by our Partners and formed the basis of our campaign. 

This housing shortfall, plus the broader issues fuelling the decline in housing affordability, are particularly acute in Greater Western Sydney (GWS), a growth region that is a perennial focus at election time.

The Dialogue believes that overcoming what is a universally acknowledged crisis in the under-supply of social and affordable housing is not beyond a nation as wealthy and as decent as ours. The election has since passed, however the issues highlighted in the report exist beyond this context and continue to be increasingly pressing in the current climate of economic downturn and inflation pressures.

This paper draws on policy analysis commissioned by the Dialogue and conducted by Deloitte, which we have combined with regional and housing sector stakeholder research, and close consultation with the major tier one CHPs and key community stakeholders in our region.