Earlier this week we hosted Graham Millett, Chief Executive Officer of WSA Co, the government-owned corporation established to build Western Sydney Airport, on a visit to the Illawarra.
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Mr Millett encouraged the business community and other stakeholders to advocate strongly for linking our region to what will become the largest and most advanced airport in the nation.
As someone who is central to decision-making about this transformational project, and with a formidable career to date in aviation and major infrastructure delivery, Mr Millett’s views carry significant weight.
Western Sydney Airport will create 28,000 direct and indirect jobs, and will process 10 million passengers per year, alongside a significant trade and freight capability.
It will eventually take over from Kingsford Smith as Sydney’s air transit hub, and is being future-proofed by design in preparation for drones and other innovations coming down the pipeline.
The development of the airport, and particularly the surrounding ‘Aerotropolis’, provides an opportunity that must be leveraged by the Illawarra.
The growth and diversification of our economy will be vitally linked to the Aerotropolis, a new ‘city within a city’, which will see 114 hectares of Commonwealth land at North Bringelly developed into a state-of-the-art industrial and commercial precinct which will create 200,000 jobs during the next 20 years.
The industrial focus of the Aerotropolis will be on aerospace and defence, together with agribusiness, advanced manufacturing and health technology and medical research.
Thanks to a ‘city deal’ agreement we’re seeing unprecedented cooperation between Commonwealth, state and local governments as they carve out transport linkages to the new city which includes a North-South Rail Link from St Marys to Campbelltown-Macarthur, via the Western Sydney Airport, with the aim of it being ‘rail-ready’ by the time it opens in 2026.
Our advocacy on improving the Illawarra’s transport connectivity (via the proposed South West Illawarra Rail Link - a dual freight and passenger line along the Maldon-Dombarton route) is more important than ever if we are to be ready to capitalise on the opportunity inherent in the Western Sydney Airport and the Aerotropolis.
We answer many of the questions being considered in south-western Sydney right now, with the Illawarra providing a linkage to a deep water port, access to an advanced and diverse manufacturing base and a highly-skilled, available workforce.
A South West Illawarra Rail Link would facilitate freight connections from Western Sydney Airport and the Aerotropolis all the way through to Port Kembla.
As a passenger service also, the booming populations of the Illawarra and Wollondilly residential growth areas, together with our skilled labour force, would be connected into the Aerotropolis to address the workforce needs of the south-west Sydney economy.
Enhanced transport connectivity would establish an interaction between established steel, manufacturing and defence industries based across the Illawarra and those planned for the Aerotropolis.
It would provide residents of south-western Sydney with educational opportunities, via the University of Wollongong, as well as access to coastal tourism.
As they cooperate on the development of the Aerotropolis, the Commonwealth and NSW governments must consider how the cessation of freight movements along the South Coast Line by 2030, which is foreshadowed by Infrastructure NSW, will be handled if they shift to our road network, key corridors of which will reach peak capacity around 2025.
This cannot be put on the backburner as infrastructure solutions take time to deliver, and must be commenced soon.
Consider too the impact on our economy if the South Coast Line had a major disruption and was closed for an extended period.
Our analysis has found that major upgrades to the Line are cost-prohibitive and would not address issues within the Sydney rail network.
Again, the most appropriate linkage to Greater Sydney, and economic opportunity, lies to our north-west.
Mr Millet also spoke about Western Sydney Airport becoming a major tourism hub for the Asia Pacific region.
If the NSW Government’s ambitious regional tourism targets are to be met, consideration should be given to how tourists will be able to access the Illawarra and South Coast via linkages to the new airport.
Ease of connectivity to the Illawarra would encourage visitation, and we should not rule out the new airport as a gateway for passengers to access a future cruise terminal at Port Kembla.
The proposed South West Illawarra Rail Link is not about how we enhance connectivity alone – it is about creating opportunities for the Illawarra, and alleviating the pressures on a congested Sydney.
There is no doubt that Western Sydney Airport and the Aerotropolis are key to the Illawarra’s economic future.
Adam Zarth is the Executive Director of the Illawarra Business Chamber.
