A Parramatta Economic Development Forum held at the Sydney Opera House and attended by some of the country’s most influential leaders in business, planning, education, politics, tourism and sport, has highlighted the key role of Parramatta in providing a solution to Sydney’s growth problems.

 

Lord Mayor of Parramatta, Cr Lorraine Wearne, said that with Western Sydney expected to house half of Sydney’s population within the next 25 years, the time for talking was over.

 

“I was excited by the willingness of many of our guests – the planners, our political leaders and key decision-makers – to make Western Sydney a priority and get on with the job of building the ‘city of cities’ as outlined in the State Government’s Metropolitan Plan for the future of Sydney,” she said.

 

“These are people that recognise that there is a clear imbalance when it comes to where the jobs are in Sydney, how they’re being dispersed and the issues, such as traffic congestion, losses in productivity and declining liveability that are being caused because of it.

 

“They also recognise that we need to start building cities and creating jobs where the people are and Parramatta, as the heart of Sydney, has the current foundation and vast access to an ever-expanding Western Sydney labour market that make it an ideal starting point.”

 

Cr Wearne said that getting the ‘centre of Sydney’ right needed the support of all three levels of government, plus the private sector.

 

“All the great cities of the world have strong centres, we need to get it right and if we don’t then everything else fails – the simple message is for Sydney to succeed, Parramatta must succeed,” she said.

 

“As a Council, we’ve taken a lead role in advocating for the needs of our City, and wider Sydney through events like today, and our strategies such as the Western Sydney light rail network and the jobs campaign Parramatta 10,000.

 

“It is a role we’re excited to continue to drive and following today’s forum feedback, we’ll continue to develop the strategic partnerships that will fuel the growth of Western Sydney and relieve the stress on Greater Sydney. Let’s make it happen.”