info@gcc.nsw.gov.au
A Metropolis of Three Cities highlights the importance and role of the NSW Government in leading the development and coordination of sectorspecific industry development strategies to grow and globally position key sectors of the economy.
The NSW Government recognises that these sectors are important in fostering innovation in the development of highly skilled jobs which drive productivity and global competitiveness.
The strategies are being developed in consultation with industry, government partners and other key stakeholders. They build on and leverage existing industry and government activities and plans, and focus on delivering high impact practical initiatives to drive sector growth through industry, academia and government collaboration.
A Metropolis of Three Cities outlines the strategies to support industry sectors. They cover the areas of:
- industry skills and capacity building
- investment attraction
- export growth and facilitation
- industry showcasing and promotion
- opportunities through government procurement
- government and industry partnerships.
To support these strategies, Objective 24 of A Metropolis of Three Cities emphasises the need to work with internationally competitive trade sectors by considering the barriers to growth, including regulatory barriers.
The Central City District also includes part of Greater Sydney's Metropolitan Rural Area, where agricultural processing and export is a key economic sector.
This Planning Priority reinforces the need to:
- support the growth of internationally competitive industry sectors
- respond to changing technologies
- plan for tourism and visitation
- protect and support agricultural production and mineral resources.
Tourism and visitation
The Central City District's tourism and visitation offer is multifaceted. Sydney Olympic Park is a major attractor, hosting sporting and cultural events. Investment in industries is set to increase with the Western Sydney Stadium, Stadium Australia and the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences.
The Blacktown International Sportspark was developed as a major playing and training venue for the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. The Sportspark has continued to grow and develop. It now hosts over 5000 events annually and attracts over 750,000 visitors.
The District is also increasingly hosting a number of cultural events such as Tropfest, the Arab Film Festival, the Orange Blossom Festival, the Lunar New Year Festival, the Country Music Festival and the Maltese Folkloric Festival, which attract tourists and visitors to the District.
Agriculture
The rural area of the Central City District includes agricultural clusters at Maroota, Middle Dural, Gaston and Arcadia. The District also has mineral and extractive resources at Maroota, producing construction materials such as sand.
The proximity of rural residential development to agricultural, mining and extracting industries that generate odour, noise and other pollutants can be a source of conflict. There is a need to provide important rural industries with certainty and ensure their operations can continue without encroachment from incompatible land uses.
At the same time, the protection of biodiversity and rehabilitation of exhausted resource extraction areas support the re-establishment of significant ecological communities in the rural area.
Mineral resources
Construction material resources are extracted by a number of operations in the north and west of the District. Marsden Park, Rouse Hill and the Schofields area have a history of clay and shale extraction for brickmaking, road material and fill to supply the Sydney construction market. Sourcing construction materials locally minimises transport requirements, and reduces the cost, environmental footprint and social impact of construction, supporting growth in Greater Sydney.
These resources have potential to drive regional economic development by generating employment and supporting infrastructure, housing, jobs creation and other development needed for a growing population. Land use planning will respond to the lifecycle of the mineral resources by adopting a multiple or sequential approach to the location of compatible activities on or near mineral resources land. Land use will need to be carefully considered to ensure a balanced approach to managing growth and development in this region, including economic, social and environmental considerations.
Adapting to changing technologies
Rapid technological changes and digital advancements are disrupting established business models and the workplace worldwide. These are dramatically changing the way people and goods move around, providing more efficient transport services. While technological changes can reduce demand for certain types of jobs, they also help to deliver innovation, new knowledge-intensive jobs and business opportunities. Businesses and governments must continually engage with industry, assess regulatory barriers and manage data to update governance and policies to capitalise on changes.