Leaders gather for The Daily Telegraph’s Future Western Sydney Conference
Visionaries from the business, media and political worlds have united at the Future Western Sydney summit with a vow to bring the region’s bright future to life.
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A vibrant region filled with next generation, technology-fuelled employment which is able to retain talent and attract investment from across the world — that’s the future painted by business, political and media leaders at The Daily Telegraph’s Future Western Sydney forum.
Thought leaders from across politics and industry headlined the versatile think-tank, which covered everything from how the future city of Bradfield will look and function to how to make the most of Western Sydney’s blooming and talented population.
“We want to preserve the heritage of western Sydney as a food bowl but also take it into the next century,” Australian Business Council’s Jennifer Westacott said.
Daily Telegraph editor Ben English said now was the time to bring the city’s future to life.
“What I’d like to see is us work to figure out how to create new models of living — suburbs that people want to live in, and not just because they managed to afford to buy in,” he said.
The summit was held in Parramatta’s revamped Parramatta Square, with political and corporate leaders among those painting a of how Sydney’s west should look in the coming years — at a critical time following two years of challenging pandemic-induced lockdowns.
‘INDO-PACIFIC’S MAGNET’ FOR BUSINESS
Following on from her front page call to action in Thursday’s Daily Telegraph, Western Parkland City Authority chair Ms Westacott – the keynote speaker at the forum – said it was hi-tech, world-leading jobs which would steer prosperity around the Western Sydney Airport, not houses and urban sprawl.
Keeping Western Sydney talent in the west is therefore one of the critical challenges which must be addressed going forward, she said
“I want people to think TAFE is as good as (uni) as well,” Ms Westacott said during the Future Western Sydney’s forum on Thursday.
“For me, it’s that kid in the housing commission estate who got a set of opportunities to change their life,” she said.
Western Sydney Uni’s vice-chancellor Professor Andy Marks said thousands of graduates from their university were still required to commute from their homes towards the CBD — something that had to change going forward.
Western Sydney Women CEO Amanda Rose told the forum pathways had to be formed from universities and TAFE to employment to keep talent in the west.
She said youth often still dealt with the “stigma” of coming from the West, with tailored pathways needed to transition from education to employment while remaining in western Sydney.
“We’ve got a generational problem with the stigma. We’ve got a new generation now going to universities and Tafe …(but) there’s still disengaged youth enrolled who don’t turn up,” she said.
Despite the challenges, Ms Westcott painted a bold vision of building a vibrant network of advanced industry and high-skilled jobs, which will be the “Indo-Pacific’s magnet” for business and talent.
She also praised the transport overhaul in the west, headlined by the Metro Rail.
“We are building the veins – the lifeblood – that will carry people, goods and services efficiently around the country and across Western Sydney,” she said.
She also said work had to be done to change attitudes to Western Sydney – specifically what she described as “out-there syndrome”.
“My principal job – and my moral responsibility – is to correct what I call the great unfairness towards the communities of Western Sydney and to unleash the potential that I know – and they know – exists,” she said. “It’s the out-there syndrome.
“Well today I am drawing a line under it. I am binning that expression.
“Western Sydney is not out there.”
She said opportunities around the airport included Bradfield’s agribusiness precinct – “an unparalleled opportunity to turn paddocks into fields of dreams”.
She said the precinct would help service middle-class Asia’s “insatiable” appetite for quality Aussie produce, saying that milk could be flow to Singapore and Malaysia from the new airport at any time of the day, while fresh meat like grass-fed angus rib eye (selling for 96 dollars a kilo in Singapore) and Wagyu (350 dollars a kilo in Shanghai) transported straight from the producer.
“We want to preserve the heritage of western Sydney as a food bowl but also take it into the next century,” she said.
But she painted an exciting future for the district – one of a hi-tech super-information hub able to help lead the next wave of quantum computing.
Bradfield, she said, would stop Australia relying on other countries for any advanced manufacturing requirements.
“We also want Bradfield to be home to testing materials, mechanical and sensing systems,” she said.
“Home to robotics that will be used in every part of advanced manufacturing. And home to pharmaceutical production.”
She also heralded the Western city bringing in a new educational model – one less reliant on universities, and more reliant on skills.
“I’m the last person who is going to run down universities. But at the moment many people think that only a university degree is worthwhile,” she told the forum.
“That’s just wrong and it’s not what employers want.
“They want a package of things that make sure someone can do the job they need them to do.”
She heralded Bradfield hosting a series of “micro credentials” – short subjects which can be studied and “stacked in a way to create a qualification” – a model used in world-leading manufacturing hub Germany.
And she painted a city of the future – one with electric vehicle charging station, the most cyber-secure city in the Indo Pacific, designed for autonomous vehicles from the beginning, and powered by clean energy sources.
“This is about leapfrogging decisions on infrastructure into the 22nd Century – not playing catch up so people can have the best living standards imaginable,” she said.
“This is fundamentally about hope and potential.
“This is about communities being the best they can be.”
AYRES: ‘WESTERN SYDNEY IS READY FOR LIFT-OFF’
Minister for Western Sydney Stuart Ayres delivered an opening address which reflected on the history of Western Sydney since Henry Parks first arrived in 1839 and just how much this city has changed over the last 20 years.
“There’s a sense that Western Sydney is changing, we are now turning our eyes to the future,” said Mr Ayres.
“You have to understand the foundation to understand the future.”
Mr Ayres recounted the success of the 2000 Olympics but then highlighted the “lost decade” that followed which failed to set Western Sydney up for the future.
“We reshaped our city for the Olympics and then for the next decade we did nothing,” said Mr Ayres.
“Vision has to be backed up with courage. What has changed in the last 10 years is the courage to implement,” said Mr Ayres.
Mr Ayres noted the last election where there was criticism around the development of stadiums over hospitals and schools.
The MP said now Parramatta has a new school, new stadium, new underground tunnel, new light rail and new hospital.
“Gladys Berejiklian said the citizens can have it all. We are going pretty close to this in Parramatta at least with that long term vision and commitment,” said Mr Ayres.
“Don’t miss the opportunity that is coming. They are all coming. I love the idea that people will compete for them,” Mr Ayres said.
“These projects are real, they’re not lines on maps, they’re not coloured lines with crayon that get rubbed out and changed. They are real and they have been enduring over the past 10 years.”
“The future is how we build on this amazing foundation. The workforce to drive the future of the economy. Building the next layer on top of the foundation.”
“I have no doubt in my mind that we are moving into an era where capital follows talent, not talent following capital. We need to invest in our people now more than ever.”
“We are going to have to break some moulds and think differently.”
“We don’t want to repeat the same mistakes of generations gone by.”
“The foundation is exceptionally strong. There’s now an energy that exists around western Sydney.”
“Western Sydney is ready for lift-off, it’s time for takeoff, it’s time for everybody to get on board.”
Mr Ayres also spoke of the challenges of population growth in the west, while insisting the government was still committed to building the stage two of the Parramatta Light Rail.
“The big challenge for Sydney is making sure the population is balanced,” he said.
“We’ve got to be able to rebalance the entire city … but unlike the past … we need to put the people and jobs in the same place.”
He insisted the government still had plans for stage two of the light rail at Parramatta.
“We need to make sure we keep pushing through with all our infrastructure agenda,” he said, but admitted the government had to “have a look at these things” to see what could be afforded.
When asked if he was “absolutely committed” to stage two of the Parramatta Light Rail, Mr Ayres said the government was committed to “delivering all these things” regarding the government’s massive infrastructure wishlist.
“Yes, we’re saying we’re delivering all these things. When we go through and look at everything some of it we can’t safford we have to have an honest conversation at that time. That’s not specific to Light Rail,” he said.
MANAGING POPULATION CHALLENGES
NSW Opposition Leader Chris Minns was asked about his vision for Western Sydney and said it was an important conversation to have.
“We need to do far better when it comes to infrastructure for Western Sydney,” said Mr Minns.
“The real fear I have is the population targets for Western Sydney,” Mr Minns said.
The population targets for Western Sydney suburb Blacktown is an extra 200,000 in comparison with the Northern Beaches, which is just 33,000.
“We need to make sure there is equity in terms of capital infrastructure, in terms of property, schools and hospitals.”
“That’s the essential challenge as we head into this election year,” said Mr Minns.
“It’s a challenge for every political party, state and federal.”
“It’s about making sure there is equity when it comes to spending the taxpayers dollar.”
Mr Minns said his favourite thing about Western Sydney was its entrepreneurial spirit.
Tony Shepherd, chair of Bradfield Board of Governors, Venues NSW and GWS Giants, acknowledged Western Sydney had some great facilities but said significant upgrades need to be made to reach world standard.
Mr Shepherd said citizens of Western Sydney should not have to travel an hour each way for an event and that the sports and entertainment business should be local for these individuals.
Mr Shepherd highlighted the success of the Commbank Stadium in Parramatta and said the same style of investment was needed in other areas of Western Sydney.
“We know these people love going to events, we need to cater for them.”
“The market is there. Australians love events. We have been starved of them for two to three years and there is plenty of opportunity there.”
Mr Shepherd said his favourite thing about Western Sydney was the GWS Giants AFL and sports club.
Mr Shepherd wrapped up the event by saying “no more talking about out there, it’s here.
“Thank you very much everybody, get back to work.”
ONE-MINUTE IDEAS FOR A STRONGER WESTERN SYDNEY
Ross Greenwood challenged panellists to share their visions for the future of Western Sydney in one minute. Here’s what they had to say:
Western Parkland City Authority Jennifer Westacott: “It’s all about getting into schools and changing the trajectory of the young person and stopping people thinking the only thing you leave school with is a mark.
“Giving those young kids a sense of what is available for them. Giving them hopes and dreams. Channelling their pathways into new interesting jobs. It is important for us all to commit to this today.”
Business Woman Media founder and publisher Amanda Rose said she would like to see an inclusive and caring Western Sydney.
“I’d like to see small businesses thrive, in particular women in small businesses. I would like to see women from Western Sydney be leaders of the world.
“I want families to be proud they are from Western Sydney. Proud to say in every meeting they go to ‘I’m from Western Sydney’ and I want people to fear them.”
Western Sydney Airport CEO Simon Hickey has called on authorities to “over-invest” in the region’s cultural life, alongside its booming investment in bridges and buildings.
“We need to build social infrastructure, particularly in the West. We need to over-invest in that … whether that be arts, we need to make sure that’s available in western Sydney,” he said.
“When I grew up in Sydney, it was geographically impossible. We need to ensure we can build an interconnected city.”
Western Sydney University Professor Andy Marks said he wanted a “western Sydney (which) is about being in a place where anything is possible”.
Transurban’s Michele Huey nailed it when she said her vision of western Sydney was “creating a place which is not even labelled as a certain portion of a Greater City”.
‘WESTERN SYDNEY HAS BEEN NEGLECTED FOR TOO LONG’
Daily Telegraph editor Ben English kicked off The Telegraph’s Future Western Sydney forum by saying the upcoming economic engine room has been neglected for too long.
“As we all know, western Sydney is not a set and forget place, even if it has been treated that way for too long,” Mr English told business and political leaders at Parramatta Square on Thursday morning.
Mr English said Greater Western Sydney is both home to the third largest economy in Australia and roughly one in every 11 Australians.
“Yet traditionally it has suffered from higher than average unemployment and lower than average salary levels,” he said.
“Does this really have to be the eternal future for Western Sydney?
“The place that does all of the work and gets none of the glory?”
In his speech, the editor said he was looking to business, the media and the government to work on making Western Sydney the best version of itself it can be.
“What I’d like to see is us work to figure out how to create new models of living, suburbs that people want to live in, not just because they managed to afford to buy in,” he said.
“Let’s breathe the life of our ideas into western Sydney, and make its future bright.”
WESTERN SYDNEY’S TECH HUB COULD BE THE NEXT SILICON VALLEY
Sydney’s west is set to become the next tech industry heartland, thanks to Western Sydney University’s Launch Pad innovation hub.
“If you look at Sydney, all the growth is out west. There’s a lot of great new infrastructure, there’s population growth, there’s activity,” said Don Wright, Launch Pad’s director of innovation and entrepreneurship.
“The future for Western Sydney is innovation. If we get the support in place to attract investment, it changes the opportunities for young people.”
Alta VR is a Launch Pad success story.
Started in 2018, the virtual reality game developers have grown from a team of five to a company valued at $62 million.
“It’s good to see a company can come from Western Sydney and become a global product. It always seemed like a far-off dream,” said Alta co-founder Boramy Unn.
“You hear stories about start-ups succeeding in places like Silicon Valley, but you don’t expect it to happen where you live.”
“Launch Pad is showing there is a path towards success that’s measured on a global level. It’s becoming evident that people can find success without necessarily having to leave their homes.”
“We just want equity of access,” Mr. Wright said.
“We don’t want people having to travel all the way into the city, sitting in their cars for two hours just to get access to business opportunities.”
Key to Alta’s success, Mr. Unn said, is the creative environment at Launch Pad.
“Just being able to talk to some of the start-ups around us, even though they were in different industries as us, was really helpful.”
“It made us feel like we were part of the start-up scene, we could share advice with each other.”
Launch Pad is already able to measure its success in jobs created.
“We’re currently in the middle of a big hiring blitz,” said Mr. Unn.
“We’ve hired probably 85 per cent of our company in the last six months. We’ve grown from five people to about 30 and we’re planning on hiring more.”
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Originally published as Leaders gather for The Daily Telegraph’s Future Western Sydney Conference
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