Competitive cities are reported to have a strong economy, a flexible workforce, and good quality of life, including good transport and infrastructure.
However, Sydney is struggling to cope with the influx of people, said Waterford (Eamon Waterford), policy director of the Sydney committee, as the world`s population flocked to big cities and 75 percent of the population would live in the city in 2050.
The Council on High-rise buildings and Urban Settlements, (CBTUH), held a meeting this week to connect cities. Sydney lags behind rival cities of the same size in several ways, Watford said in a panel discussion.
Specifically, young office workers` affordability, transportation options, Internet speed, and digital industry competitiveness have held back harbour cities.
As Australia`s most populous city, unexpected growth has become increasingly evident, Watford said. "rising costs, a decline in livability and a lack of infrastructure are beginning to affect many aspects of Sydney`s performance."
Derek (Christian Derix), a researcher in architecture and space design, said Sydney`s results were different from the point of view of destination and residence. Sydney`s brand is strong, often tied to the Harbour Bridge and Opera House, and with the fun of the beach and harbour. But living in this city is a completely different experience. "
According to population projections, Sydney will increase its population by 1/4 by 2030, outpacing comparable cities such as Toronto.
Key issues discussed in the "branding cities" panel include providing infrastructure for such population growth, meeting housing needs and boosting economic prosperity.
On the one hand, Sydney has performed well in global financial services, attracting investment and multinationals, mainly because, geographically, Sydney is the gateway to Southeast Asia.
However, Sydney did not perform as well as 2016 in terms of business friendliness, transportation, infrastructure and liveability, Watford said.
Last year, Sydney ranked second in the world in livability, and this year`s ranking fell in part because the livable index believes that natural landscapes such as waters, beaches and national parks alone are not enough.
Part of Sydney`s challenge, Waterford says, is that traffic is disappointing. Sydney`s ranking is now fluctuating as traffic at urban attractions is included in livable surveys.
