Chancellor's Address: State of the City

Chancellor Image for use on the News Centre.

The following speech was delivered by Western Sydney University Chancellor, Professor Jennifer Westacott AC at the State of the City event at CommBank Stadium Parramatta, on Friday, 11 July 2025. Please check against delivery.

Thank you.

I would like to also acknowledge the Burramattagal People of the Darug Nation as the Traditional Owners and pay my respects to their Elders, past and present.

Can I also acknowledge all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People here today.

I won’t run through all the list of notable people again, except to thank the Parramatta Chamber of Commerce for the invitation to speak with you.

And can I also say what a terrific speech by the NSW Treasurer, the Honourable Daniel Mookhey.

Global outlook

I’m going to start today by looking at the global context in which we find ourselves.

We are living in a world where volatility, change, and disruption are the new normal.

There is no returning to quieter, slower, or simpler times.

Ongoing international economic, political, and social turmoil means we will see a seismic reshaping of the global economic order and trading structures.

This will lead to 3 major forces:

These massive shifts in global dynamics present enormous opportunities for Parramatta and Western Sydney.

These forces of astonishing change in the world coincide at the same time as our region is emerging as the economic centre of Australia.

All we have to do is seize this moment.

How are we positioned?

So, how are we positioned?

First to Western Sydney.

This is one the nation's fastest-growing economies, generating one-quarter of the state's economic value.

One-third of the population of NSW lives here – or one in 10 Australians - and our population is expected to grow by 1.5 million extra people by 2036.

Opportunities are also growing – with Western Sydney expected to experience a 20 per cent increase in jobs by 2041.

This is off the back of a record infrastructure boom.

This includes a $5.3 billion investment in the 24/7 Western Sydney International Airport.

This is a game changer for our region.

We have another $20 billion being spent in Bradfield and across the region.

Bradfield is the first new city to be built in Australia in 100 years.

And we have the Aerotropolis – an enormous jobs and innovation precinct that will lead the way in creating new technologies and advanced manufacturing.

At the Aerotropolis alone, there is $14 billion worth of development applications in the pipeline for private sector projects that will generate 100,000 new jobs.

Western Sydney is a magnet for new investment including mega logistics, defence industries, and technology companies.

We must be ready to seize the opportunities from:

The big companies of the world are locating their supply chains in Western Sydney.

And at the centre of Australia’s economic shift to the west - is Parramatta.

Parramatta

The Parramatta 2050 strategy puts forward a vision to be a global city, full of world class experiences.

It centres on accelerating the city’s strengths, acting boldly and dreaming big.

As you know, I too like to think – and act – big.

And that’s why I continue to call for the High-Speed Rail to start at Newcastle and come through Parramatta on the way to the Western Sydney International Airport.

From there, it should go down to Campbelltown, through Goulburn and onto Canberra.

That’s a way we can unlock the potential of our Parramatta and really turbo charge everything the city – as the gateway to our region – has to offer.

Another is to think about Western Sydney as an economic acceleration zone.

This is not about differential tax rates – but putting in place the right incentives and conditions to step up:

As an economic acceleration zone, Western Sydney would be able to drive nationally significant precincts through:

At the very least, we should receive a guaranteed percentage of national funding and a Council of Mayors working with the state government to prioritise projects.

Hand in hand with unlocking the region’s potential, we must take urgent action on housing in the region, particularly in Parramatta.

We need the full suite – affordable housing, commercially focused housing, and houses for our essential workers.

Parramatta has an enormous opportunity to make affordable housing a competitive advantage in attracting skilled workers.

The key sites in Parramatta need to be given priority as part of the State Government’s ambitious housing program, including:

I’ll turn to education in a moment, but also with industry development and infrastructure, we cannot overlook the importance of arts and culture in our region.

Don’t we all think it is time that Western Sydney got its fair share of federal and state arts funding?

Those living in the rest of Sydney receive about 24 cents in every dollar of federal arts funding while Western Sydney receives just 3 cents.

It just doesn’t pass the pub test when we represent 10 per cent of the population.

So, let’s work together to argue for more funding for Western Sydney, including to support projects in Parramatta such as:

I’m enormously proud that Western Sydney University is developing an Indigenous Centre of Excellence at our Parramatta South Campus.

This dynamic space will celebrate Indigenous culture, creativity and knowledge including exhibitions, performances, educational activities and community events.

I urge you all to back this important project – and thank the Minns Government for its support.

Today, I’ve spoken about the unlimited potential of Parramatta and Western Sydney.

My message is that we cannot be mere bystanders – or just participants – we have to be drivers in the region’s once-in-a-generation transformation.

Western Sydney University

This is exactly what Western Sydney University is striving to do.

As the university of this region we take seriously our responsibility to ensure Western Sydney and its people can prosper.

We all know education transforms lives.

But as I said at the start, the world is undergoing rapid change.

So, to ensure we – and the generations after – can thrive in the workplaces and industries of the future which will be built in our backyard, we need to ensure our graduates have what we are calling the Western Edge.

We are making changes at our University to ensure we are fit for the future, and we focus on our mission of:

It’s about putting students at the centre of everything we do and support them to reach their full potential.

We want our graduates to be:

We want our research to:

And we are working to ensure that Parramatta and Western Sydney

Conclusion

But fundamentally this requires a mindset shift.

When I hear people refer to Parramatta as Sydney’s second CBD – it does my head in.

I’m sure you agree.

Years ago, when I ran the Department of Planning, we put forward the City of Cities plan.

It saw each of the key cities in Sydney, including Parramatta, Liverpool, and Penrith, for example – as cities in their own right.

It recogised that each city has its own characteristics and strengths that make it unique.

So, let’s stop talking about Parramatta as a second CBD.

Let's start talking – and thinking – of it as it is – a global city in its own right.

I spend a lot of time travellling including to the Asian super economies.

I admire them – and I also envy them because they have an absolutely unequivocal vision about what needs to happen.

They know what they want to be, and they strive for it every day.

If we do that – we can:

If we embrace this vision, we truly can take Parramatta to the world and the world to Parramatta.

Thank you.

ENDS

11 July 2025

Media Unit.

Latest News

ABC RN transcript: Vice-Chancellor Professor George Williams discusses higher education sector, student support, and the impact of AI

The following is a transcript of an interview that aired on ABC Radio National Saturday Extra between presenter, Nick Bryant and Vice-Chancellor, Distinguished Professor George Williams AO.

Western Sydney University are the number one Australian solar car team at the 2025 Bridgestone World Solar Challenge

Western Sydney Solar Car team has crossed the finish line placing preliminarily sixth in the world overall, and the number one Australian team in the world’s most prestigious solar car challenge.

Western Sydney University Statement on Cyber Incidents

Western Sydney University has issued an update to its community following confirmation that previously stolen personal information was published online, including on the dark web.

role
sidebar