Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has reaffirmed his Government’s commitment to infrastructure and economic growth, calling Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport a “transformational project” that embodies ambition, opportunity, and innovation.
Addressing the 2025 Airport City Summit, the Prime Minister highlighted the airport’s role in shaping the future of Western Sydney and Australia’s broader economic landscape.
Albanese praised aviation pioneer Nancy-Bird Walton as a woman of “curiosity and extraordinary courage,” whose vision for flight as a means of connecting people and communities is now realised in an airport bearing her name. “This is such a fitting way to honour her,” he said. He described Western Sydney International as the “beating heart of an entire economic ecosystem” in the state’s fastest-growing region.
The Prime Minister reinforced the Government’s vision for “A Future Made in Australia,” stressing that Western Sydney International is about “ambition for our nation, and optimism for all that we can achieve when we work together.” He underscored the importance of building a resilient economy with jobs and opportunities that allow Australians to stand more firmly on their own feet, particularly in an uncertain global landscape.
Recalling his long-standing advocacy for the airport, Albanese referenced his first speech to Parliament in 1996, in which he criticised delays in decision-making.
“As I have learned, patience is every bit as important as passion – but that doesn’t mean waiting forever.”
The Australian Government has since invested $5.3 billion to fully fund the development of Western Sydney International, a project expected to drive economic activity for decades.
According to the Prime Minister, the airport has already injected over $500 million into the region through contracts awarded to Western Sydney businesses and supported Australian manufacturing. The terminal roof alone was constructed with over 40 kilometres of Australian-made steel purlins and more than 3,500 tonnes of steelwork. The project has also created more than 11,000 direct jobs during construction and is projected to support nearly 28,000 jobs within five years of its opening in 2026.
Albanese highlighted the social and economic benefits of local job creation, noting that “every one of those jobs will make a difference to an individual, to a family, to a community.” He emphasised that Western Sydney International will reduce long daily commutes for many workers, improving work-life balance and strengthening local communities.
Beyond aviation, the airport will serve as a catalyst for urban development and economic growth, reinforcing Greater Sydney’s vision of a “metropolis of three connected cities.” The Western Sydney Aerotropolis will drive innovation and job growth, with the Bradfield City Centre at its core, housing an Advanced Manufacturing Readiness Facility.
Infrastructure investment remains a priority for the Albanese Government, with plans to extend the South West Rail Line past Bradfield. The Government has committed $1 billion to preserve land corridors for future rail extensions to Leppington and Macarthur, ensuring communities have access to emerging job opportunities. Albanese also stressed the importance of connecting St Marys and Tallawong via Schofields and Marsden Park to bridge the northwest and southwest growth corridors.
The Government’s broader transport infrastructure agenda includes co-investments with the New South Wales Government, such as $1 billion for the Fifteenth Avenue transit corridor from Liverpool to the new airport. Other projects include the new Sydney Metro, the M12 Motorway, and key road upgrades, including Mamre Road Stage 2, Elizabeth Drive, and Townson and Burdekin Roads.
Albanese positioned the Western Sydney transformation within the wider context of national infrastructure and economic resilience. The Government has committed to finishing the NBN with fibre, investing in renewable energy, and supporting Australian steelmaking. “We are working to deliver nationally significant infrastructure projects that increase productivity and resilience, improve liveability and enhance sustainability,” he said.
The Prime Minister reinforced his Government’s commitment to supporting Australian industries, including aviation and manufacturing. He cited recent investments in regional airports, such as upgrades at Whyalla, Hobart, and Newcastle. He also vowed to continue advocating for Australian steel and aluminium industries following the US Government’s refusal to exempt Australia from global tariffs.
Reflecting on Australia’s economic trajectory, Albanese pointed to positive indicators: inflation is down, wages are up, interest rates are stabilising, and 1.1 million new jobs have been created since his Government took office. He credited these achievements to “responsible economic management” that balances investment in people and infrastructure with fiscal discipline.
“This is not a time to cut or wreck or aim low,” he said.
“It is a time to keep building. Because building Australia’s future is about all of us.”
Concluding his address, Albanese said Western Sydney is a symbol of Australia’s future—a region defined by ambition, innovation, and growth. “What we see in Western Sydney International – and all that it is already driving – is the very power of aspiration that drives Australia. It is the ambition we must all have for Australia,” he declared.
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