What it does
The Western Parkland City Authority Act 2018 establishes a statutory corporation, the Western Parkland City Authority (the Authority), with the object of encouraging economic growth and development of the Western Sydney Aerotropolis and the rest of the Western City (s 3). The Act provides the Authority with a range of functions to pursue that objective, including preparing master plans for development within precincts, carrying out development on its own behalf or on behalf of others, participating in the planning and co-ordination of public infrastructure, and co-ordinating and attracting investment (s 13(1)(a)-(d)). The Authority may also develop and, if directed by the Minister, implement schemes for funding public infrastructure, facilities, places and services (s 13(1)(e)). The operational area within which the Authority exercises these functions comprises the Western Sydney Aerotropolis (as identified on the map in Schedule 1) and any other area within the Western City specified in Schedule 2 or 3 (s 4, definition of “operational area”). The Western City itself is defined as the local government areas of Blue Mountains, Camden, Campbelltown, Fairfield, Hawkesbury, Liverpool, Penrith and Wollondilly (s 4, definition of “Western City”). The Act allows the operational area to be amended by regulation, after the Minister has taken all reasonable steps to consult with the Commonwealth Minister (s 5). A local council in the Western City may request the inclusion of specified land within its area (s 5(3)). The Act also establishes the Western Parkland City Fund (the Fund) into which money advanced by the Treasurer, appropriated by Parliament, or received by the Authority from other sources must be paid, and from which all expenditure of the Authority is to be met (s 19). The Act originally constituted the Authority under the name “Western City and Aerotropolis Authority”; this was altered to “Western Parkland City Authority” by the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2020, with section 53 of the Interpretation Act 1987 providing that the body continues in existence under its new name and that references to the former name are to be read as references to the new name (s 27).