Sydney mojo is working but more needs to be done - The Daily Telegraph

IT'S not fashionable at the moment to be upbeat or positive about anything.

But looking beyond the trends and politics of the day from a couple of steps back it's clear: Sydney has regained its momentum.

The challenge now is for all in business, politics and community leadership to get behind this momentum and ensure this is not a short-term uplift, but a long-term change. Above all, we should ensure the good news is not confined to one part of Sydney.

Our evidence comes from a survey of Committee for Sydney members. These include some of the biggest global companies such as PwC and KPMG, but also icons such as the Opera House and not-for-profits such as St George Community Housing.

They are saying Sydney's back on the up. The post-Olympic malaise is over and our city is re-finding its mojo.

This is partly about projects like Barangaroo, Darling Harbour, the North West Rail Link and WestConnex. It is also a response to improved governance. The state government is perceived as both competent and quietly reforming. However, Sydney's strategic challenges remain.

Fifty eight per cent of those surveyed nominated reducing congestion on Sydney's transport network as extremely important. A vital key was airport capacity. A huge 91 per cent nominated this as a major issue for Sydney's competitiveness. This means business wants our existing airport to be allowed to maximise its operational effectiveness and we need to plan for a second airport.

The survey thus reinforced the importance global companies attach to Sydney as the gateway to Australia.

Better alignment between federal and state governments in terms of policies for Sydney was also a key priority.

We need to turn this positive momentum into a strategic breakthrough.

We have simply not managed Sydney's growth well over the past decade. In particular, our failure to build enough homes where people want and need them - close to jobs - has cost the city and, indeed, the nation dearly.

We need to end the anti-growth mentality and secure continued public and private investment in Sydney's infrastructure, its roads, rail, airport capacity and housing.

We also need to end the increasing divide between east and west and ensure the economic potential of western Sydney is realised through policy and targeted investment to ensure more high-value knowledge economy jobs are located in the west. Parramatta must be supported fully to become a genuine second CBD.

The message to decision makers at a local, state and federal level should be clear: add to the dividend by ending the divide.

Dr Tim Williams is CEO of the Committee for Sydney