Working together for a growing Western Sydney

The past few months have been a busy and productive time for WSROC. As Western Sydney continues to grow at an extraordinary pace, councils across the region are working hard to manage both the opportunities and the pressures that come with that growth.

I’m proud of the work WSROC continues to do to support councils and ensure Western Sydney has a strong, united voice with State and Commonwealth governments.

With major decisions being made about housing, infrastructure and the future of our region, this has never been more important.

Advocacy for Western Sydney remains at the heart of WSROC’s work.

In the latest edition of our regular newsletter, we outline our submissions to both the NSW Government’s draft Sydney Plan and the Commonwealth inquiry into local government funding — reinforcing a clear message: growth must be matched with the infrastructure and funding councils need to support thriving communities.

Transport is another critical issue for Western Sydney.

We welcome the permanent $60 toll cap and the recognition of the North–South Rail Link as a national infrastructure priority — both important steps in easing the cost and time pressures many Western Sydney residents face getting to work.

The WSROC Board has also endorsed a Transport Policy Position, setting out the region’s priorities for a fairer, better-connected transport network.

As Western Sydney International Airport prepares to open, our Board has also endorsed a policy position to help ensure the airport delivers lasting economic opportunities for the region while managing impacts on local communities and the environment.

Beyond advocacy, WSROC also supports councils through practical regional programs that build capability and deliver real value.

This edition highlights several initiatives helping councils tackle shared challenges and strengthen local outcomes — from WSROC’s circular procurement initiative — giving councils practical tools and guidance to embed circular economy principles in everyday purchasing decisions — and litter prevention training, to the Caring for Country grants program, which provides funding directly to councils to support partnerships with First Nations communities.

We also feature a new Graduate Certificate in Business (Local Government), developed with Western Sydney University, which is helping build the next generation of skilled leaders across the local government sector.

These initiatives demonstrate the power of councils working together to share knowledge, build capability and deliver better outcomes for Western Sydney communities.

Western Sydney is also leading on climate resilience. Our heat resilience work continues to attract international attention, including through knowledge sharing with recent delegations from Tokyo as well as the USA.

There is much more to highlight in this edition. I encourage you to explore the stories in this edition to see the breadth of work underway across the region.

Councillor Brad Bunting — President