A NSW Government website

Western Parkland City Authority

Management and Structure

Legal change

There were changes to our establishing legislation (the Western Parkland City Authority Act 2018) in 2020-21. On 17 July 2020, the NSW Government announced the establishment of the Western Parkland City Authority, expanding the responsibility of the former Western City and Aerotropolis Authority (WCAA).

The Western City and Aerotropolis Authority Amendment (Operational Area) Regulation 2020 was published on the NSW Legislation website on 17 August 2020, amending Schedule 2 of the Act and adding the entire area of the Western Parkland City to the ‘operational area’ of the Authority.

In alignment with the increase of the operational area of the Authority, the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2020 No 30 received assent on 27 October 2020 and commenced on 11 December 2020, changing the organisation’s name from the Western City and Aerotropolis Authority to the Western Parkland City Authority.

Administrative Arrangements (Administrative Changes—Transfer of Staff to Western City and Aerotropolis Authority Staff Agency) Order 2020, effective 16 October 2020, transferred the Western Sydney City Deal Delivery Office of the Greater Sydney Commission Staff Agency, and NSW Treasury staff employed in the Western Sydney Investment Attraction Office, to the Authority staff agency. The Administrative Arrangements (Administrative Changes - Miscellaneous) Order 2021 came into effect on 29 March 2021, transferring the Authority from NSW Treasury to the Department of Premier and Cabinet.

Charter

The Authority is a statutory corporation established under the Western Parkland City Authority Act 2018 (WPCA Act) (formerly the Western City and Aerotropolis Authority Act 2018). The Authority reports to the Hon. Stuart Ayres MP, Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney.

Under the WPCA Act, the Authority is required to produce a formal Charter. The Charter is currently under review after the expansion of the Authority’s operational area in July 2020.

Aims and objectives

Aims and objectives The object of the WPCA Act is to encourage the economic growth and development of the Western Sydney Aerotropolis and the rest of the Western City, in particular—

  1. by creating active, vibrant and sustainable communities and locations that—
    1. support national and global business, and
    2. support, and benefit from, the development of the Western Sydney Airport, and
  2. by supporting the creation of precincts that are focused on job intensive land uses and which include knowledge, industrial, educational, commercial, retail and mixed use precincts, and
  3. by promoting investment, and
  4. by promoting development that accords with best practice environmental and planning standards, is environmentally sustainable and applies innovative environmental building and public domain design, and
  5. by facilitating the sharing of financial value arising from, or associated with, the development of the operational area so as to offset the provision of public infrastructure, facilities, places and services, and
  6. by promoting the attainment of value for money and efficiency in the delivery of infrastructure, and
  7. by achieving optimal outcomes from the Authority working collaboratively with the Commonwealth and State governments and with local councils in the Western City. 

Research and development

Research and development is not a core function of the Authority for the purposes of annual reporting. However, research and development activities may form part of investigative studies the Authority undertakes in carrying out its functions.

Board

The WPCA Act provides for the establishment of a Board of the Authority (the Board) and the appointment of a Chief Executive Officer (the CEO). While the Authority is a NSW entity, the appointment of the Chair and three of the Board members is subject to consultation with the relevant Commonwealth Minister. The Board consists of a person appointed as the Chairperson of the Board, three persons nominated by the Minister administering the Act (The Hon. Stuart Ayres, Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney) and three persons nominated by the relevant Commonwealth Minister.

Information on the members of the Board is set out in the table below. The Board met 7 times during the reporting period.

Jennifer Westacott AO, Chair

Qualifications

  • BA (Honours), FAICD, G.C.B, FIPAA, FANZSOG
  • Adjunct Professor at the City Futures
  • Research Centre of the University of New South Wales
  • Chevening Scholar at the London School of Economics
  • Graduate Management Certificate from the Monash Mt Eliza Business School
  • Fellow, Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Australia and New Zealand School of Government
  • National Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration (2012)
  • Honorary Doctorate from UNSW (2017)

Experience

  • CEO, Business Council of Australia (since 2011)
  • Board Director Wesfarmers (since 2013)
  • Chair of the Western Parkland City Authority (since Feb 2019)
  • Board Member of the Cyber Security Research Centre Ltd (Since Feb 2018)
  • Former Co-chair of the Australia-Canada Economic Leadership Forum Organising Committee
  • Member of the Prime Minister’s Cyber Security Review Panel (concluded April 2016)
  • Chair of Studio Schools Australia
  • Patron of Mental Health Australia
  • Co-Patron of Pride in Diversity (since Nov 2017)
  • Patron of The Pinnacle Foundation (since March 2019)
  • Awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2018

Method of appointment

  • Ministerial

Term

  • 3 Years (Expires 24/2/2022)

Meeting attendance

  • 7

Geoff Roberts AM, Deputy Chair

Qualifications

  • B Nat Res (Honours) Resource Management
  • M App Sc, Environmental Science
  • FAICD

Experience

  • 25 years' experience in strategic environmental planning in Australia and overseas
  • Deputy Chair of the Western Parkland City Authority
  • Chief Commissioner, Greater Sydney
  • Commission (April 2020 – present)
  • Chief Investment Officer, Investment NSW (April 2021 – present)
  • Global Head of Relationships, NSW Treasury (November 2019 – April 2021)
  • Chief Coordinator of the Western Sydney City Deal (end November 2019)
  • Deputy Chief Commissioner, Greater Sydney Commission (end 31 March 2020)
  • Economic Commissioner, Greater Sydney Commission (end 31 March 2020)

Method of appointment

  • Ministerial

Term

  • 3 Years (Expires 24/2/2022)

Meeting attendance

  • 7

Alan Stoneham

Qualifications

  • Chartered Planner
  • Diploma of Environmental Science
  • Associate Diploma Local Government Management
  • MAICD

Experience

  • General Manager of Penrith City Council 2008 - September 2018
  • Deputy General Manager of Penrith City Council 2003 - 2008

Method of appointment

  • Ministerial

Term

  • 3 Years (Expires 24/2/2022)

Meeting attendance

  • 7

Mark Binskin AC

Qualifications

  • Grad. Dip. Management Studies
  • GAICD

Experience

  • Air Chief Marshal (ret’d)
  • Deputy Chair of the Airservices Board
  • Chair of the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements (2020)
  • Chair of the Australia Pacific Security College Advisory Board (2019-present)
  • Deputy Chair of the Sir Richard Williams Foundation (2018-present)
  • Board of Australian International Military Games (Invictus Games) (2016-present)
  • Chief of the Australian Defence Force (June 2014 - July 2018)
  • Vice Chief of the Australian Defence Force (2011 - 2014)
  • Chief of the Royal Australian Air Force (2008 - 2011)

Method of appointment

  • Ministerial

Term

  • 3 Years (Expires 24/2/2022)

Meeting attendance

  • 4*

*Member seconded as the Commissioner to the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements, est. Feb 2020

Elizabeth Montano

Qualifications

  • BA LLB
  • Solicitor of the Supreme Court of NSW and the High Court
  • FAICD

Experience

  • Non-executive Chair/Director of various public sector boards (since 2001)
  • Principal of Advisory Practice in program and project delivery, assurance, risk, strategic and corporate planning, performance reporting and ICT governance including roles as Chair/Member of audit and risk committees (since 2001)
  • Chief Executive Officer of AUSTRAC (1996-2001)
  • Head Australian Delegation to OECD Financial Action Task Force (1996-2001)
  • Former Consultant to King & Wood Mallesons, Solicitors
  • Board Member large independent school, Sydney (since 2018)
  • Member Executive Committee of a NSW Rural Fire Brigade in Western Parkland City area (since 2016) and Member of associated local emergency services infrastructure incorporated association (since 2020)

Method of appointment

  • Ministerial

Term

  • 3 Years (Expires 6/5/2022)

Meeting attendance

  • 7

Gabrielle Trainor AO

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Laws (Melb)
  • Master of Arts in Cultural and Creative Practice (WSU)
  • FAICD

Experience

  • Current directorships include:
    • the Australian Football League;
    • Infrastructure Australia;
    • Major Transport Infrastructure Authority (VIC);
    • Zurich Australia Ltd;
    • ACT City Renewal Authority; and
    • WAM Global Ltd.

Method of appointment

  • Ministerial

Term

  • 3 Years (Expires 24/2/2022)

Meeting attendance

  • 7

Vince Graham AM

Qualifications

  • BE (Civil) Sydney University
  • Post Graduate Diploma of Management, NSW Institute of Technology
  • Churchill Fellow 1981
  • FAICD

Experience

  • Current directorships include
    • Australian Rail Track Corporation, NSW Public Service Commission, Sydney University Senate People and Culture Committee, Audit and Risk Committee, Catholic Schools NSW, and Western Sydney Airport
  • Chief Executive Ausgrid, Endeavour Energy & Essential Energy (Networks NSW) 2012-2015
  • CEO Endeavour Energy 2008-2012
  • CEO Railcorp NSW 2003-2008
  • CEO National Rail Corporation 1992-2002

Method of appointment

  • Ministerial

Term

  • 3 Years (Expires 6/5/2022)

Meeting attendance

  • 7

Leadership team

The Authority's leadership team, as at 30 June 2021, is shown below.

Dr Sarah Hill

Role

  • Chief Executive Officer

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy 
  • Master of Urban & Regional Planning
  • Bachelor of Science
  • Certificate of UK Planning Law & Practice
  • Australian Institute of Company Directors Graduate

Tim Poole

Role

  • Chief Operating Officer & Chief City Coordinator

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Civil Engineering
  • Chartered Engineer

Anne Skewes

Role

  • Head, Aerotropolis Development

Qualifications

  • Master of Arts
  • Graduate Diploma Applied Social Psychology
  • Bachelor Behavioural Science
  • Australian Institute of Company Directors Graduate

Ben Kitcher

Role

  • Executive Director, Research, Skills & Technology

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering

James Passmore

Role

  • Executive Director, Commercial & Economics

Qualifications

  • Executive Master in International Business
  • Bachelor of Commerce
  • Bachelor of Arts

Natalie Camilleri

Role

  • Executive Director, Multi-Utilities, Environment and Circular Economy

Qualifications

  • Master of Public Administration
  • Bachelor of Town Planning

Stephanie Barker

Role

  • Chief City Planner

Qualifications

  • Master of Urban and Regional Planning
  • Bachelor of Science (Architecture)

Lyndsay Brooker

Role

  • Executive Director, Audit, Risk and Governance

Qualifications

  • Master of Laws
  • Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice
  • Diploma in Law
  • Australian Institute of Company Directors Graduate

Peter Anderson

Role

  • Executive Director, Development & Place

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Commerce (Land Economics)
  • Graduate Certificate of Management