WESTERN SYDNEY POWERING AUSTRALIA’S FOOD SUPPLY

WESTERN SYDNEY has emerged as a food and grocery manufacturing powerhouse, generating $17 billion in output per year and employing 24,400 workers, according to new research released today by the Australian Food and Grocery Council.

The report shows that Parramatta is the food and grocery manufacturing capital of Sydney, employing 4,980 workers, followed by Blacktown (4,176), Canterbury Bankstown (3,914), Cumberland (2,984), Liverpool (2,154), Campbelltown (2,113), Fairfield (2,081), Penrith (1,428) and Camden (562).

Western Sydney exports $2.5 billion of food and grocery manufacturing products a year and sells a further $5.7 billion to interstate and domestic regional markets. Between 2016 and 2017, international exports grew by 10.1%.

Australian Food & Grocery Council CEO, Tanya Barden, said Western Sydney’s current population of 2.1 million is expected to grow by a further 1 million people over the next 18 years, and it is critical to ensure jobs are available in the same areas in which people lived.

“We are constantly being told that manufacturing in Australia is on its knees, but food and grocery manufacturing in Western Sydney is growing rapidly,” Ms Barden said.

“Since 2011, a total of 1,200 new jobs have been created across Blacktown, Camden, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield and Penrith.

“Importantly, these jobs allow residents to live and work in their own neighbourhoods, rather than facing a long-haul commute into the city, which takes pressure off our public transport and road networks.

“Food and grocery manufacturing has the fifth largest output of all industries in Western Sydney, paying $138 million per annum in tax.”

“We should all be thankful of the critical role that food and grocery manufacturing plays in supporting our lifestyles by putting food on our tables, and delivering the highest quality hygiene and personal care products.”

Key points in the report:

• Wages – Wages and salaries pump $1.9 billion into the Western Sydney economy annually, worth an average $80,000 for every full-time and part-time worker.
• Jobs – Western Sydney food & grocery manufacturing businesses employ 24,391 workers, making the sector the 11th largest jobs provider in Western Sydney.
• Economics – The sector contributes $17.2 billion in annual output and more than $2.5 billion in international exports.

Ms Barden said Australians needed to be proud of their food manufacturing sector as a driver of jobs growth and a major contributor to the national economy, particularly with parts of the state battling drought conditions.

“Food and grocery manufacturing employers in Western Sydney range from major global companies like Campbell Arnott’s in Huntingwood and Kimberly-Clark in Ingleburn, through to strong Australian brands like Coca-Cola Amatil in Eastern Creek and smaller mum and dad operations,” she said.

“All these operations are dedicated to ensuring the safety and highest quality of their products.”

 

Table 1: Food and Grocery Employment numbers by local government area

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table 2: Economic contribution

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the nine Western Sydney local government areas:

• Blacktown is located north of Western Sydney and halfway between Sydney CBD and the Blue Mountains.
• Camden is bounded by Liverpool City in the north, Campbelltown City in the east and Wollondilly in the south and west.
• Campbelltown is located 53 kilometres southwest of Sydney CBD and covers the area from Glenfield in the north, Menangle Park in the south, the Scenic Hills in the west and the Georges River in the east.
• Canterbury-Bankstown is in the eastern most part of Western Sydney and is bounded by Inner Sydney in the east, the Georges River to the south and the rest of Western Sydney to the west.
• Cumberland Shire is in the north-east of Western Sydney and centred between Parramatta City in the North, Strathfield Shire in the east, Blacktown to the west and Canterbury-Bankstown City and Fairfield City to the south.
• Fairfield City is bounded by Blacktown City and Cumberland Shire in the north, Canterbury-Bankstown in the east, Liverpool in the south and Penrith in the west.
• Liverpool consists of 42 suburbs and the Liverpool central business district has become the major commercial centre of south-west Sydney, as it includes many shopping centres and high-rise office buildings.
• Considered as the second CBD of Sydney, Parramatta is the geographical, commercial and cultural capital of Western Sydney.
• Penrith is a major metropolitan area located in the western most parts of Western Sydney. It sits on the edge of the Blue Mountains with Hawkesbury to the north and Wollondilly and Liverpool to the south.

-ENDS-

AFGC Media Contact: James Mathews 0407 416 002