|
Project Name Employment Prospects for South West Sydney |
  |
|
| Project Details | ||
|
The Hill PDA study of the Macarthur Region challenged the view of developing a "two" Sydney phenomenon by identifying how the South West could be a dynamic urban centre in its own terms. The study achieved this objective by looking at the employment prospects for the South West compared to the targets and making recommendations to enhance its share of job creation and job containment. The study was commissioned by the Councils of Camden, Campbelltown, Wollondilly and Liverpool through the MACROC organisation (Macarthur Regional Organisation of Councils) in response to the release of the draft South West Subregional Strategy in December 2007. The Strategy established targets and principles for development within the South West across a range of areas including housing, economy and employment, transport, environment, heritage, and resources. In relation to employment and economic matters it was recognised however that there was a need for a detailed study of the South West to check the applicability of the targets suggested in the draft South West Subregional Strategy and outline policy directions and mechanisms for their realisation. On a Sydney subregional basis the forecast distribution of jobs suggests a rising concentration of employment in the North West, Lower North and Sydney City in comparison to resident population, benefiting from the growth and affluence of the macro position of Sydney as a Global City. By contrast, the South West will host 23% of population growth but only 13% of growth in local employment. If realised, the ratio of local employment will fall from 0.304 jobs per capita to 0.286 and it will become a major impediment for the vitality of the Subregion that is already burdened by longer work travel times. Over the same period the Greater Metropolitan Area (GMA) ratio will strengthen from 0.474 to 0.485 taking the South West to the lowest ratio in the GMA despite having significant natural advantages for employment growth. This view is consistent with a conclusion that is enjoying some currency, that Sydney is tending to bifurcate into two communities with the affluent one to the East, housing higher paid knowledge workers while the one to the West being dominated by the lower paid production and in-person service/trades workers. This study was motivated by the intention of the South West Subregion to respond to these forecasts by identifying the factors that appear to be leading the South West into such poor future prospects in order to reverse the trends. It examined the employment dynamics of the Subregion in terms of labour market drivers, employment and business requirements and related community attributes with a view to recommending principles for their co-ordinated development in the Subregion. It examined existing local industries and related them to trends in industry and employment affecting Sydney as a whole and related these to the opportunities provided in the South West. From these, a set of mechanisms were identified for the realisation of employment goals believed to be both realistic and effective in raising the prospects of the South West to a more acceptable level. The study had a 25 year timescale that considers employment issues from a base year of 2006 to 2031.
|