A recent report by Western Sydney University demonstrates that the gap between jobs and employed residents in Western Sydney has grown significantly over the last 13 years and this trend must be reversed, says the Urban Taskforce.
“The report released by The Centre for Western Sydney based at the Western Sydney University is titled ‘Addressing Western Sydney’s Jobs Slide’ and it explains that the gap between local jobs and workers is increasing from a jobs deficit of 80,000 in 2001 to double this at 160,000 in 2014,” says Urban Taskforce CEO, Chris Johnson.
“Over this 13 year period the number of jobs in Western Sydney grew by 13% but the number of employed residents grew by 21%.”
“Despite government announcements about the need for more jobs in Western Sydney this report demonstrates that much more action is needed to turn rhetoric into reality.”
“There are enormous possibilities for new jobs related to the proposed Badgerys Creek airport but planning decisions that affect the employment lands in this area seem to be on hold.”
“The landowners around the airport in the Western Sydney Growth Area have not seen any planning certainty on the future land use intentions for their land. They have only seen detrimental announcements from government like aircraft noise, compulsory acquisitions and varying locations for new freeways. All these issues could potentially de-value the land from the strategic land use announcement made in 2006 when the Sydney Growth Centre SEPP was proposing future urban uses.”
“Urgent structure planning on land uses in the Western Sydney Employment Area is needed now so that the community in Western Sydney starts to see the 20 year plan for what the area will look like. They need to see new employment lands released, new housing and new retail precincts being planned and the delivery of real jobs.”
“This important report on the ‘Jobs Slide’ in Western Sydney by Western Sydney University is a wakeup call to the NSW Government, local councils and the newly established Greater Sydney Commission. When the Greater Sydney Commission Act was being debated the Urban Taskforce raised concerns that the principal objectives did not include delivery on more jobs but focussed on housing. Leadership on addressing the Western Sydney Jobs Slide is urgently needed.”
“The biggest problem with Western Sydney’s jobs slide is that vast numbers of workers have to drive from the West to the East in the morning and from East to West in the evening adding congestion to Sydney’s roads. This group of urban travellers have become known as the ‘squinters’ as they are always looking into the low level sun.”
