NSW Government must keep the faith in Western Sydney on all major infrastructure projects after COVID-19
The Western Sydney Business Chamber has cautioned the NSW Government on any plans to scrap or shelve major infrastructure projects in Western Sydney such as the Powerhouse Museum, ANZ Stadium or Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2. These projects will be crucial to the economic stimulus and recovery of the region after COVID-19.
“The NSW Government is not going to support the economic recovery of our state by ripping off Western Sydney of the essential infrastructure we need to support our economic revival,” said David Borger, Executive Director of the Western Sydney Business Chamber.
“Up until this point the NSW Government has been making the right calls on how to respond to the impact of COVID-19 and said it was committed to delivering its $93 billion infrastructure pipeline – getting on with these major infrastructure projects is going to be the way we get the region back on its feet, not putting them on the shelve.”
“The NSW Government has built a strong narrative with the people of NSW over the last 9 years that they deliver what they promise – well its now crunch time on and I’d hate to see the government throw that hard work away by abandoning Western Sydney when we need these type of major construction projects the most.”
Mr Borger said shelving the Powerhouse Museum relocation to Parramatta would do absolutely nothing to address the historic imbalance of Western Sydney being ripped off when it comes to Arts funding.
“We can’t emphasise enough what a game-changer moving the Powerhouse Museum will be to the success of Parramatta as Sydney’s central city. Millions of people will visit the new museum each year helping to turbocharge the city’s visitor economy.
“The relocation of the Powerhouse Museum is about fairness and equity for the people of Western Sydney to be able to access some of the cultural institutions that their tax dollars are paying for. The Government should not be listening to the inner city whingers who want to keep Western Sydney as a cultural wasteland.
“ANZ Stadium is a nearly ‘shovel ready’ project that could lead the economic recovery in Western Sydney providing construction jobs in Sydney Olympic Park that has been hit very hard by COVID19 and the shut down of its major event facilities. ANZ Stadium needs to be reconfigured into a rectangular stadium to deliver a modern spectator experience if we want it to continue to be a competitive and attractive facility for major events.”
Mr Borger said that Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2 was another critical project to the successful growth of Western Sydney and should be accelerated as an economic stimulus project alongside Sydney Metro West.
“Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2 is a brilliant project for Western Sydney that continues the job of connecting Parramatta and Olympic Park to their surrounding communities. The people moving into Wentworth Point and Melrose Park would grade the government very low if it fails to deliver on its promise of improving transport to these high-density communities. A ‘trackless tram’ just won’t cut it.
“Western Sydney will be bitterly disappointed in the NSW Government if it turns out that all the government’s promises have been worthless and once again Western Sydney is left to wait in the ‘Never Never’ on the projects that should have been built years ago.”
Media contact: Chris Taylor 0423 272 494