What makes a truly global and liveable city? This will be the subject of discussion at a special programme being organised by Lend Lease in partnership with Destination NSW as part of the Vivid Ideas festival.

Vivid Ideas is part of Vivid Sydney, the world’s largest festival of light, music and ideas and is owned and managed by Destination NSW, the NSW Government’s tourism and major events agency.

Lend Lease is collaborating with Destination NSW through the Vivid Ideas festival to bring together global urbanist Tyler Brûlé with a group of Sydney’s thought leaders to explore what makes a truly global and liveable city.

Sydney is currently going through a massive construction phase with over $13bn being invested in major infrastructure and development projects, providing a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape the city and make it one of the world’s best places to live and work. Some of these projects include the new financial services hub at Barangaroo; the world-class International Convention Centre Sydney and ICC Sydney Hotel; the Bays Precinct; and the CBD and South East Light Rail Project with more projects under consideration.

Open to the public, the panel discussion will be introduced by NSW Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events, Stuart Ayres, and includes Lucy Turnbull (Committee for Sydney); Patricia Forsythe (Sydney Business Chamber); Margy Osmond (Tourism & Transport Forum) and Jonathan Emery (Lend Lease).

Speaking of the need to take advantage of the momentum generated by these large scale urban transformation projects, Jonathan Emery, Managing Director, Urban Regeneration, Lend Lease said that it presented a unique opportunity to work together to build on Sydney’s natural beauty and lifestyle and reclaim the city’s position on the global stage as the perfect place to invest, to work and to call home.

According to Turnbull AO, Chair, Committee for Sydney, Sydney is so much more than its harbour and beaches with the emergence of Darling Square as a new city neighbourhood, the construction of Barangaroo and ICC Sydney well underway, and Parramatta emerging as a second CBD.

She notes that Sydney is a leader in innovation with its financial and professional services sector producing more wealth for the nation than the mining sector. Its reputation as an open and diverse city combined with continued investment in infrastructure and integrated urban renewal will ensure Sydney offers the key attractors for global talent and cements its position as a truly global city.

Osmond, CEO, Tourism & Transport Forum observes that Sydney’s public transport connectivity drives its productivity by functioning as the city’s arterial network, pumping the skills, talent and innovation into its centres of activity. It’s imperative that the city continues to be well-serviced by a world-class public transport network that improves the liveability of Sydney, considering that liveable cities also make attractive visitor destinations. Such a transport network will be able to cater for the millions of interstate and international visitors who use public transport to get around the city.

Forsythe, Executive Director, Sydney Business Chamber observes that Sydney is not only the engine room of Australia’s economy and the hub of the nation's financial services sector but also a city where the creative industry sector is thriving. She adds that the possibilities for Sydney are endless, built off the lift in liveability that new infrastructure projects are bringing; at the same time Sydney is also evolving as a city where the creative class is reshaping its traditional industries.

Event details:

‘World-class urban transformation - reshaping Sydney on a global scale’ is a panel discussion presented by Lend Lease in collaboration with Vivid Ideas on 25 May 2015 from 4pm (doors open 3.30pm) at the Dockside Pavilion, Darling Harbour.

Tickets are available online at www.vividsydney.com.

Media must register attendance prior to the event.

Nathan Johnson

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