A recruiter’s perspective on how social infrastructure challenges are affecting talent and growth in Australia’s fastest-growing region
Standing in Blacktown’s award-winning Exercise Sports & Technology Hub – listening to Kerry Robinson, CEO of Blacktown City Council, outline the social infrastructure challenges facing Western Sydney – I was struck by a sobering reality: we’re witnessing one of Australia’s most significant growth stories unfold without the social infrastructure foundation to support it. As an executive recruiter with Brown & Chase, I’ve seen firsthand how infrastructure influences where talent chooses to live and work. The conversation around Western Sydney often focuses on transport links and business investment, but Kerry’s presentation highlighted a different challenge entirely: the struggle to deliver the social infrastructure such as libraries, pools and other facilities, that makes communities liveable.
The numbers that tell the story
Western Sydney councils are managing unprecedented population growth – from 2.4 million people today to a projected 4.1 million by 2041 – while operating within systems that weren’t designed for this scale of development. Blacktown City Council, the largest council in NSW and one of the fastest growing in the country, exemplifies this challenge. Despite the fact that Western Sydney comprises over 10% of Australia’s population, the region has historically received as little as 1% of Commonwealth infrastructure funding. This isn’t just about fairness – it’s about functionality. As backyards shrink and open space becomes harder to find, demand for community facilities is exploding. When I’m talking to candidates for executive roles in Western Sydney, the conversation inevitably turns to lifestyle and amenities. Where will their children swim? What community facilities exist? These aren’t luxury considerations; they’re the basics of liveable communities.
Systematic constraints
The presentation outlined three key issues that prevent councils from delivering the social infrastructure their communities need:
Financial Constraints: NSW councils operate under strict financial limitations that restrict their ability to raise revenue in line with population growth. Rate caps limit council funding, while state developer contributions don’t stretch to grassroots infrastructure. Developer contributions are collected over long timeframes and often insufficient. Meanwhile, councils lack access to borrowing mechanisms that could enable forward investment.
Grant Funding Catch-22: Current grant systems require matched funding and “shovel-ready” projects. But councils can’t afford to make projects shovel-ready without funding certainty. It’s like asking a startup to have a fully developed product before securing seed funding.
Commercial Dependencies: Faced with these constraints, councils increasingly turn to public-private partnerships. While these can be effective, they create complex negotiations and infrastructure delivered where it’s profitable rather than where it’s most needed.
The result? Councils watch new suburbs fill with families while lacking the financial tools to build the libraries, community centres, and sporting facilities these communities need.
Talent implications
From a recruitment perspective, these infrastructure gaps have real consequences. When discussing Western Sydney opportunities with executive candidates, I regularly encounter concerns about community amenities. Young families particularly struggle with the gap between housing availability and social infrastructure. This creates a talent retention challenge for the region. Western Sydney is home to significant economic growth – from the Western Sydney Airport precinct to advanced manufacturing – but without the social infrastructure to support quality of life, attracting and retaining top talent becomes increasingly difficult.
Beyond transport: the Social Infrastructure gap
Recent government commitments provide important context. The Australian Government is investing $2.9 billion over ten years in Western Sydney infrastructure upgrades, while the combined Australian and NSW governments are investing $4.4 billion in the Western Sydney Infrastructure Plan. However, these investments are primarily focused on transport infrastructure rather than social infrastructure. While transport connectivity is essential – and I’ve seen how the Metro and planned connections are already influencing talent decisions – communities also need local social infrastructure to function effectively. The Blacktown Exercise Sports & Technology Hub where Kerry presented is a perfect example of what’s possible when investment in social infrastructure is prioritised.
Blacktown Council’s $273 million infrastructure rollout demonstrates what’s achievable when funding aligns with need. The revamped Seven Hills Hub, new PCYC facilities, arts and cultural centres, and a $40 million partnership with Vinnies in Mt Druitt show how strategic investment can transform communities. These projects prove that with the right funding mechanisms, councils can deliver the social infrastructure their communities need.
What this means for business
Councils need revenue tools that can scale with population growth and streamlined pathways that don’t penalise prudent planning. The current system creates a structural disadvantage for one of Australia’s fastest-growing regions. But there’s reason for optimism. The conversation at Blacktown highlighted that solutions exist – from strategic partnerships that leverage private investment to innovative funding models. What’s needed is the political will to reform planning systems and funding mechanisms to match the scale of the challenge.
But here’s what struck me most about the presentation: these aren’t new problems. The systemic constraints he outlined have been identified and discussed for years. The same issues that prevented adequate infrastructure planning a decade ago are still preventing it today. As someone who works with organisations investing in Western Sydney’s future, I see the talent and economic potential of this region daily. Yet I’m also seeing the practical consequences of these unresolved infrastructure gaps when discussing opportunities with executive candidates in the region. The gap between recognising these problems and solving them is where Western Sydney’s growth story gets complicated.
The talent and economic potential of Western Sydney is undeniable, but realising that potential requires more than transport links and business parks. It requires the social infrastructure that makes communities places where people want to live, not just work. The question isn’t whether Western Sydney will grow – it’s whether it will grow as a place where Australia’s best talent chooses to build their future.
This article reflects observations from a presentation on 3 July 2025 by Kerry Robinson, CEO of Blacktown City Council, followed by discussion with Kerry Robinson and Kylee Anastasi led by David Borger, at the Blacktown Exercise and Sports Hub, along with additional research on Western Sydney social infrastructure challenges.
Background Reading
Government Sources:
- Infrastructure Australia: “Australian Infrastructure Audit 2019 – Social Infrastructure” – national perspective on social infrastructure gaps
- NSW Government: “Western Sydney Infrastructure Grants Program” – current funding initiatives for Western Sydney infrastructure
- Australian Bureau of Statistics: Population Projections – official population data and projections
- Infrastructure Investment Program Budget 2024-25 – current infrastructure commitments
Research and Analysis:
