Starting next year, more than 3,000 public servants will be relocated and consolidated to new offices in Parramatta, Liverpool, and Penrith in a move that will boost the economy of Western Sydney and support local jobs.
The decision forms part of my government’s commitment to decentralisation, which will allow more public servants to live and work in the communities they serve, improving the delivery of government services.
The agencies that have been identified to move are the NSW Community Relations Commission and divisions of the Family and Community Services, which will move to Liverpool. NSW Sport and Recreation will move to Penrith, while the Ambulance Service of NSW will head to North Parramatta.
Service NSW will open its new headquarters in Parramatta while the Office of Environment and Heritage, the Environmental Protection Agency and NSW Office of State Revenue will also move all offices to Parramatta.
Relocating these Government agencies will provide more opportunities for Western Sydney residents who want to work closer to where they live, and will help reduce traffic congestion in the Sydney CBD by reducing the number of people making return trips to the city each day.
The initiative is a credit to local MPs including Stuart Ayres, Geoff Lee, Tony Issa and Melanie Gibbons who have been lobbying for a greater share of government job opportunities across the region.
Decentralisation will complement the massive infrastructure projects the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government is already delivering for Western Sydney, including WestConnex, the North West and South West Rail Links, and the upgrades of Campbelltown and Blacktown hospitals.
Leases will be allowed to expire before agencies are required to relocate. However, as we prepare for a smooth transition, the NSW Government will be seeking expressions of interest for 5,000 square metres of commercial space in each of the three chosen relocation centres. The area we are after equates to between five and 10 stories of additional space in each location of Parramatta, Liverpool and Penrith.
I expect the relocation and consolidation of these government agencies will create a huge amount of activity in Western Sydney, which is one of Australia’s fastest growing regions and home to more than two million people.
The relocation will also have a multiplier effect across the economy with new jobs created during the construction phase of the new offices, while the extra money spent by thousands of new office workers will provide an ongoing boost to local businesses.
Decentralisation makes economic sense and this plan is a clear demonstration of our commitment to Western Sydney.
Published in Indian Magazine, Australia
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