Est. 1973
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY

Half of Sydney is being built out here.

One in eleven Australians lives in Western Sydney. It is younger, faster-growing and hotter than anywhere else in the city — and it is where the country's housing, transport and climate challenges will be won or lost.

1.1M
Residents
5
Member councils
$55B
Regional economy
4,800
km² of country
+330k
New residents by 2041
10°C
Hotter on extreme days
What we’re asking government

Four priorities, four clear asks.

A minister’s office should understand our position in under a minute. These are the decisions that would change outcomes for 1.1 million people.

  1. 01
    Transport

    Fund the Leppington–St Marys north–south rail link.

  2. 02
    Heat & Climate

    Establish a dedicated Western Sydney Heat Fund.

  3. 03
    Housing

    Make growth pay for growth — reform infrastructure contributions.

  4. 04
    Finance

    Restore Financial Assistance Grants to 1% of Commonwealth tax revenue.

Priority themes

Six campaigns, one region.

Each theme is a living campaign — a recent win, a current ask, and the evidence behind it.

01

Housing & Planning

Homes people can afford — with the infrastructure to match.

Western Sydney is absorbing the lion’s share of Sydney’s growth. We push for housing that comes with the schools, transport and open space that make a suburb liveable.

Recent win · Apr 2026

Secured a commitment to sequence housing targets against infrastructure delivery, not ahead of it.

Current ask

Reform infrastructure contributions so growth pays for growth — not existing ratepayers.

Evidence

Homes & Infrastructure: Closing the Western Sydney Gap (2026)

02

Transport

A region this size cannot run on roads alone.

Connectivity decides whether the new Western Sydney works. We advocate for the north–south rail spine and bus priority that link homes, jobs and the new airport.

Recent win · Mar 2026

North–south rail corridor protected from development in the latest state transport plan.

Current ask

Fund the Leppington–St Marys north–south rail link in this budget cycle.

Evidence

Moving Western Sydney: The Connectivity Deficit (2025)

03

Heat & Climate

The fastest-warming corner of Sydney needs a heat response now.

On extreme days, parts of Western Sydney run up to 10°C hotter than the coast. We coordinate canopy, cool materials and shade so heat doesn’t fall hardest on those least able to escape it.

Recent win · Feb 2026

Regional “Cool Suburbs” benchmark adopted across four member councils.

Current ask

Establish a dedicated Western Sydney Heat Fund for canopy, shade and cool public buildings.

Evidence

Turn Down the Heat: A Western Sydney Heat Strategy (2025)

04

Waste

Keep materials in the economy and out of landfill — together.

Pooling the scale of five councils lets us build circular-economy infrastructure none could deliver alone, and negotiate better outcomes for ratepayers.

Recent win · Dec 2025

Joint regional procurement diverted 38,000 tonnes from landfill in a single year.

Current ask

Return the full waste levy to the communities that pay it, to fund circular infrastructure.

Evidence

Closing the Loop: Regional Circular Economy Roadmap (2026)

05

Energy

Affordable, reliable, clean energy for households and councils.

From bulk renewable supply for council operations to community batteries for households, we lower bills and emissions at regional scale.

Recent win · Nov 2025

Regional power-purchase agreement now supplies council operations with renewable energy.

Current ask

Back community batteries and rooftop solar for low-income Western Sydney households.

Evidence

Powering the West: A Regional Energy Pathway (2025)

06

Financial Sustainability

Councils can’t keep delivering more on a shrinking funding base.

Growth councils carry rising costs while their funding base is capped. We make the case for a fairer share so services keep pace with the population.

Recent win · Jan 2026

Secured a Treasury review of the rate peg’s impact on fast-growing councils.

Current ask

Restore Financial Assistance Grants to at least 1% of Commonwealth taxation revenue.

Evidence

The Funding Squeeze: Financial Sustainability of Growth Councils (2026)

The evidence

Data is the case for the region.

Western Sydney is absorbing Sydney’s growth
100140180’11’16’21’26’31’41Western SydneyGreater Sydney

Member-council population, indexed. Illustrative — for concept only.

The housing gap: homes needed vs delivered
0k4k8k12k2022202320242025Homes neededHomes delivered

Annual dwellings, member councils. Illustrative — for concept only.

Also on our agenda · Tier 2

One size does not fit all. Beyond the six headline campaigns, we work a second tier of priorities that matter to particular councils and communities.

Water & Flood Resilience
Living safely with the Hawkesbury–Nepean.
Digital Inclusion
Connectivity as essential infrastructure.
Open Space, Canopy & Biodiversity
Green the growth, not just the map.
Community Safety & Resilience
Preparedness for heat, flood and fire.
Jobs, Skills & the Aerotropolis
Local jobs for a local workforce.
Ageing Well & Social Infrastructure
Services that grow with the suburbs.
For member councils

A working library, not a noticeboard.

Meeting papers, reports, grant alerts and program dashboards — a reason for council staff to return every week.

Member sign-in →
Governance
Board & committee papers

Agendas, minutes and meeting packs in one place.

Library
Regional report library

Every WSROC report, submission and position paper.

Funding
Grant & funding tracker

Live alerts on grants relevant to member councils.

Programs
Program updates

Waste, heat, procurement and energy program dashboards.

Advocacy
Advocacy toolkit

Briefing templates, key messages and data for your council.

Network
Member directory

Contacts across councils, committees and working groups.

Our members
Blacktown council area
Blacktown
433,000

One of Australia’s largest LGAs by population.

Cumberland council area
Cumberland
239,000

Among the most culturally diverse in the nation.

Liverpool council area
Liverpool
246,000

Gateway to the Western Sydney Aerotropolis.

Hawkesbury council area
Hawkesbury
69,000

Floodplain, farmland and bushland on the city edge.

Blue Mountains council area
Blue Mountains
80,000

A World Heritage city of villages.