CatalystWest: Can Sydney become a 30-minute city?

More than 300 thought-leaders from industry, government and the community will discuss technology and transit solutions that will shape western Sydney’s future transport networks – at Western Sydney University’s inaugural CatalystWest(opens in a new window) event on 28 February.

CatalystWest – to be held at the University’s Parramatta City campus – is an interactive ideas exchange event that is set to shape the future development of western Sydney.

Dr Andy Marks, the University’s Assistant Vice-Chancellor and creator of the event, said CatalystWest is about western Sydney taking charge of its own future, and not just being written-off as a political battleground or worse, a region in deficit.

“CatalystWest is where we turn the dial from problems to solutions. Our event sponsors are pivotal in addressing, not simply the economic and social challenges confronting western Sydney, but those that the whole nation is contending with in the face of digital disruption, rapid growth and rising inequity,” said Dr Marks.

The diversified property group GPT Group is a silver sponsor of CatalystWest, and is theme sponsor for ‘Transport Infrastructure Transforming Cities’.

In the lead-up to the event, Western Sydney University experts and GPT have produced the ‘Transport Infrastructure Transforming Cities’ (PDF, 1184.2 KB) (opens in a new window) green paper – on the opportunities for property development surrounding transport in Western Sydney – as a means of spearheading conversation and debate at the event.

Paul Walker, Development Director, Retail and Mixed Use Development, at GPT said an important discussion point at CatalystWest will be the notion of the ‘30-minute city’.

“The idea behind the 30-minute city is, if jobs are evenly dispersed across the city, most residents will have access to employment and services within 30 minutes using public transport,” said Mr Walker.

“It is an admirable goal and the notion of the 30-minute city needs to recognise that in the modern economy people are not able to change their housing and community network as easily as their job. Further decisions about where people live are based on more than just proximity to employment.”

Mr Walker said the only way to turn Sydney into a 30-minute city is to deliver faster, improved public transport routes and to establish Parramatta as the true centre of Greater Sydney.

“The timely delivery of the Sydney Metro West and the Parramatta Light Rail is critical to establishing high speed connections between western Sydney and the Sydney CBD and will boost housing, employment and services opportunities in the region.”

Members of the community are invited to attend CatalystWest(opens in a new window) – where they will be immersed in expert talks, panels, live performance and networking.

Upon registration, attendees will have access to the CatalystWest interactive app and will be able to access each of the green papers which address the event’s four key themes: health, resilience, transport and work.

Following CatalystWest, discussions and ideas will be incorporated into a series of white papers that will form actual policy frameworks, projects and action plans for the future of western Sydney.

The Gold sponsor for CatalystWest is KPMG. Silver sponsors are Landcom and UrbanGrowth NSW Development Corporation, GPT, South Western Sydney Local Health District.

Ends

19 February 2018

Daily Telegraph story: 'Metro West rail needed to create Gladys Berejiklian’s ‘30-minute city’(opens in a new window)

Danielle Roddick, Senior Media Officer.