Who We Are

Who we are
About Committee for Sydney

Our members include major companies, universities, not-for-profits, local and state government departments and key cultural, sporting and marketing bodies. We represent no one sector or interest but we share one passion: Sydney and the role it plays as Australia’s global city.

Given Sydney’s economic importance to Australia, the Committee’s agenda matters not just for Sydneysiders, but for the nation.Our members include major companies, universities, not-for-profits, local and state government departments and key cultural, sporting and marketing bodies.

Board & Team
We all share the same passion Sydney — and the role it plays as Australia’s global city.
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How we work

  1. Advocacy

  2. Collaboration

  3. Engagement & Communication

  4. Research

While seeking practical solutions to immediate challenges, we develop long-term, city-shaping thinking. We aim to be visionary, ensuring that Sydney retains and enhances its competitive, global status and key economic role for Australia. Our experienced Board and Team work with our members and stakeholders to develop innovative, best practice policy and advocate for the enhancement of Australia’s global city. Through our research, advocacy and events programs we stimulate discussion and provide expertise to support decision-makers and promote action on the issues which really matter for Sydney.
We are ambitious for our city and build effective coalitions with those who share this perspective. We promote new kinds of partnerships between the public and private sectors to tackle the issues and opportunities facing Sydney. We have become a ‘go-to’ organisation for government and firm allies of those pursuing the bold reforms that Sydney needs. We provide members with an effective conduit for communication with government and a voice in the public arena on the most important issues for our city.
The Committee has six Taskforces and a number of Working Groups aligned with our priority areas. These groups drive the agenda within these priority areas, provide thought leadership and help identify actions that can be delivered by members or by government. We offer our members knowledge sharing events and briefings with domestic and international speakers. We also facilitate invaluable networking opportunities with key decision-makers, in both the public and private sectors. We regularly publish our research, position papers and submissions. Through effective engagement with the media we leverage our research and ideas to further drive our agenda, influence policy development and enhance the civic dialogue in Sydney.
Bringing together the resources of our Team with the expertise and strategic input from our members, we develop original, evidence-based research and policy development which has traction with decision makers and which provides valuable insight for members.
What we do
What people say about us
“Sydney’s ability to move to the next echelon of global cities will, in part, be determined by whether its leadership class will make smart, empirically grounded decisions--the very agenda identified and led by the Committee.”
JULIE WAGNER, SENIOR FELLOW, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION, WASHINGTON D
“I love how the committee for Sydney thinks about, cares about and ultimately brings together people to discuss issues that matter to the citizens of Sydney. A very valuable role in our great city.”
GEOFF ROBERTS, DEPUTY CHIEF COMMISSIONER, GREATER SYDNEY COMMISSION
“Successful cities usually have great city leaders. They increasingly also have civic leaders who know how to make a difference. Businesses, Entrepreneurs, Institutions, Media, and Infrastructure owners are the civic leadership of a city if they are willing to act in the common interest of the citizens, be organised, push agendas that have long term benefits beyond political cycles, inspire innovation and convene collaboration. This is what the Committee for Sydney does to extraordinary effects. Bravo!”
PROFESSOR GREG CLARK CBE FACSS, GLOBAL ADVISOR AND CHAIRMAN, THE BUSINESS OF CITIES
“The Committee for Sydney thinks seriously about the challenges facing one of the world’s most successful cities.  Its recommendations benefit not only Sydney but provide models for all of the world’s great cities.”
CARL WEISBROD, FORMER CHAIRMAN OF THE NEW YORK CITY PLANNING COMMISSION & THE DIRECTOR OF THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF CITY PLANNING
“The Committee for Sydney’s thought leadership is outstanding. Long may it continue.”
TIM REARDON, SECRETARY, NSW DEPARTMENT FOR PREMIER AND CABINET
“What the Committee for Sydney does really well is advocate for the city as a whole.”
THE HON. DOMINIC PERROTTET, NSW TREASURER
“The Committee is a passionate advocate for our city, proving independent policy advice and ideas which help to make Sydney one of the great global cities.”
THE HON. MICHAEL DALEY MP, NSW LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION
“I commend the Committee on the role they are playing in intellectual thought leadership for Sydney.”
THE HON. GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN MP, PREMIER OF NSW