ABSTRACT
Australian cities continue to integrate globally, despite their relative geographical remoteness from other key global and world cities. However, the dominant primacy of Sydney in Australia and the Australasian region also continues to grow. The intense marketing by Sydney’s officials since the 2000 Olympiad has intensified to create a very definitive city ‘brand’ of Sydney, namely that of a blend of global business acumen, but also outstanding natural and manufactured aesthetic beauty. A succession of ten-year plans by the City of Sydney outlined distinct policies to propel, and then secure Sydney as a prominent city on the Pacific Rim. In 1991, the ‘Living City’ strategy encouraged high population growth in the central business district (CBD) and greater pedestrian amenities and vibrancy on the streets. Enacted in 1995, the living city programme has been heralded a success, in that Sydney has increased its dominance over Melbourne through public spaces improvement policies and a focus on the Olympics as a catalyst for improving the city’s infrastructure. The newest scheme set out by the city’s officials is the Sustainable Sydney 2030 Vision, aimed at creating a ‘green, global and connected city’ (www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/2030).
