A report released by the Sydney Chamber of Commerce has found that Sydney’s governance structures lack the authority to shape the future direction of the city.
"The report reveals a stark contrast between Sydney and other global cities," Patricia Forsythe, Executive Director of the Sydney Chamber of Commerce said.
The University of Sydney report was commissioned by the Sydney Chamber of Commerce to question whether our current system of government best serves the interests of the business and wider community.
The Who’s Governing Sydney? report is the first of its kind in Australia to be advocated by a peak business group. The Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore MP, has welcomed the debate about whether Sydney’s governance structures could be improved.
"The report's comparisons with other leading global cities such as London, Toronto, San Francisco, Frankfurt and Shanghai show that courageous leadership and visionary thinking are vital to preserving Sydney's enviable lifestyle and our competitiveness as a business destination," Mrs Moore said.
"Through our own creativity and by learning from the world's best, we can achieve a sustainable Sydney through to 2030 and beyond, tackling the distinctive environmental, transport, economic, cultural, urban design and governance challenges of our city." Mrs Moore added.
Mrs Forsythe said that Sydney is over-governed by world standards and that the number of local councils in Sydney relative to our population size is out of proportion. "Reforming government is the new frontier for achieving greater economic efficiency and growth," Mrs Forsythe said.
"In the 1980s and 1990s the economic reform agenda was defined by deregulation and privatisations – we now must look at reforming government itself.
"It is time for a debate about whether current city governance structures foster or inhibit economic growth. Sydney must have a city governance structure which has the capacity to make bold and visionary decisions.
"The mandate of city governance must go beyond roads, rates and rubbish. Into the future city governance needs to be tackling big picture issues such as climate change, quality of life and economic development.
"City governance must be about developing sustainable communities and securing economic growth in a global environment.
"This report is just the start of what will be a vigorous debate about how to reform government to better represent the unique needs of a global city.
Who’s Governing Sydney? was co-authored by Professor Ed Blakely, a city planner governance expert, who is currently leading the New Orleans reconstruction efforts.
