Introduction to GWS

Greater Western Sydney is the economic powerhouse of Australia. From its origins as the food and manufacturing heartland of Sydney, it is now regarded as a global centre for trade, innovation and learning. The 14 council regions which comprise the Greater West together generate more than $80 billion (2007 AEC Group) in economic output a year, making its economy the third largest in Australia behind the Sydney CBD and South-East Queensland. In every possible area, Greater Western Sydney is a place on the move.

Its population - already at 1.85 million - is the fastest growing in Australia. More than 150 of Australia's top 500 companies are located within the Greater West, while industries including advanced manufacturing, tourism, information technology, business services and retail trade are growing at much faster rates than the national average.

The multicultural community of the Greater West is one the most diverse in the world, with more than 100 nations represented amongst its population. The region is also regarded as a capital for advanced education, with tertiary institutions such as the University of Western Sydney creating a highly skilled and available workforce where two-thirds of workers hold post-secondary qualifications.

Thanks to a strong, diverse business environment and NSW and Federal government policies focused on investment, Greater Western Sydney today enjoys the fastest growing population and economy in Australia. Within the next decade hundreds of thousands more people will call the region home.

Meanwhile, large parcels of industrial land with excellent transport and telecommunication infrastructure are now being developed to support demand. The labour force of Greater Western Sydney is also emerging as one of most skilled, multicultural and productive in the world.