Image: Blondinrikard Fröberg
The economy of Sydney’s west got a shot in the arm recently when the NSW Government recently announced plans relocate thousands of new jobs to Western Sydney including a new development in Parramatta to house 1,800 Department of Education staff, previously located in Sydney’s CBD.
Minister for Finance, Services and Property, Dominic Perrottet said the Department of Education’s move to the purpose-built 25,000 square metre development at 105 Phillip Street will reduce the government’s CBD footprint and provide more opportunities for people to work closer to home.
“Some of our biggest departments are moving their headquarters out of the CBD and soon Parramatta will be brimming with nearly 2,000 more public servants,” Mr Perrottet said.
Since 2011 the government has relocated more than 1,200 public sector roles out of Sydney’s CBD to Western Sydney and this latest move will involve leveraging public private partnerships.
Dexus Property Group and Built will deliver an innovative, world-class development for the Department of Education that will feature an expansive communal rooftop terrace with an outdoor dining area and sports court.
A Property NSW spokesperson told GovNews that the new development will drive savings for taxpayers through the consolidation of multiple CBD tenancies into one location, enabling space and resource utilisation gains to be realised.
“It will also deliver a sustained economic stimulus initially through private sector investment, including construction jobs, and thereafter through the addition of nearly 2,000 jobs in the heart of Western Sydney,” the spokesperson said.
“By working with the private sector to deliver a custom-built solution, the government is able to secure A-Grade commercial office accommodation tailored to the specifications of the government and, specifically, the Department of Education and its staff.”
Consolidation of Department of Education staff from multiple CBD locations into one location in Parramatta is said to encourage better coordination and collaboration across the department, ultimately leading to greater operating efficiencies and improved service delivery.
“The private sector can efficiently and effectively deliver commercial accommodation solutions, having ready access to assets and property development and management expertise,” the spokesperson said.
“In turn, the government is able to use its purchasing power to canvas the market to secure the optimal balance of quality accommodation in desired locations at a competitive cost.
“Working with the private sector in this way allows the government to recycle dated commercial office accommodation that is often inefficient or unsuitable for modern office uses, costly to maintain and may result in sub-optimal service delivery,” the spokesperson said.
Further public sector jobs are also earmarked for the region, with Property NSW currently leading a search to deliver up to 62,000 square metres of A-Grade office accommodation – the largest ever government agency leasing commitment in Western Sydney.
By delivering more jobs closer to where people live decentralisation will boost productivity and minimise the amount of time people are stuck in congestion travelling to and from work.
“More than 24,000 public servants commute from Western Sydney to Sydney’s east every day so delivering more jobs in the heart of Western Sydney will help ease the strain on our transport networks,” the spokesperson said.
“Relocating jobs to Western Sydney will also generate significant economic activity in the region, supporting local businesses and creating more employment opportunities for local residents.”
