Tony Shepherd: Sydney must push forward to become a world-class city, ignoring NIMBY naysayers

Over the last decade, Sydney has made great strides to become a world-class city, but more must be done and there are plenty of people that need to be ignored, Tony Shepherd writes.

It is 10 years since Paul ­Whittaker, then Editor of The Daily Telegraph, asked me to chair the newly formed Bradfield Oration.

This came about in part because I had given Paul a print of Bradfield’s ­brilliant 1916 Master Plan for greater Sydney which, if it had been executed, would have ­delivered a Metro system to Sydney 100 years ago.

Where is the 2024 fully integrated Master Plan for the metropolis of greater Sydney?

In 2018, Ben English became Editor of the Telegraph and took on the Bradfield Oration with great gusto and energy.

It is worthwhile to review what has happened in the past 10 years and how the Oration has inspired governments and Sydneysiders to support the transformation of our beautiful city into a recognised world-class city.

Physically, we have seen some major steps forward as we take a city besotted by its beautiful Harbour and worked to turn it into a truly global city that we can be proud of.

The previous NSW government can be rightly proud of a number of major projects, including Sydney Metro, the city’s light rail, Allianz Stadium, CommBank Stadium, WestConnex and NorthConnex, Parramatta Powerhouse, and the Sydney Modern Project at the Art Gallery of NSW.

Sydney’s new Metro line is one of the many projects the NSW Government should be proud of. Picture: NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

Psychologically, the change has been dramatic and the introduction of the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner is a classic example.

NSW Sport Minister Steve Kamper on a visit to the new Allianz Stadium said the cap of three to four concerts per year should be replaced with a sensible cap of 20 concerts per year. When that move was confirmed by the Minns government in January 2024, I knew we were on our way.

Night-time Economy Minister John Graham has since announced the government is focused on removing the shackles on live musical entertainment, for both the social and economic benefits.

Sydney is renowned for its naysayers and NIMBYs. No proposed major development goes forward in Sydney without foolish and ill-informed ­attacks.

My first major project, the Sydney Harbour Tunnel, was widely criticised but the government at the time persisted and the results speak for ­themselves.

The Minns government has made it clear that it will not let NIMBYism get in the way of sensible and needed policies.

NIMBYism should not get in the way of sensible and needed policies. Picture: Rohan Kelly.

Recently, Premier Chris Minns announced that the government would proceed with calling tenders early next year for the redevelopment of the vastly under-utilised Entertainment Quarter.

Obviously I have a vested interest in this project but after 21 years on the adjacent SCG Trust and Venues NSW, I can see the obvious need for redevelopment to properly utilise this valuable land for its stated purpose. EQ is 11.5ha of valuable government land.

The endless and persistent pressure and robust support for change from The Daily Telegraph has been a major factor in this change of opinion and approach.

I am assured that the Tele will maintain this pressure and support until we have a world-class city recognised as the best capital city in the world.

Tony Shepherd is chair of the Bradfield Oration and of the Entertainment Quarter at Moore Park.