Building Bradfield: paving the way for Australia’s technological future

Ken Morrison, CEO of the Bradfield Development Authority, discusses the construction of Australia’s first new town in a century, a high-tech urban project linked to the new Western Sydney International Airport.

Paul Sanger: I’m Paul Sanger from Finance News Network and today I’m talking to Ken Morrison, CEO of the Bradfield Development Authority. Ken is leading one of Australia’s most ambitious urban development projects, Bradford City and the Western Sydney Aerotropolis. Ken, great to see you here.

Ken Morrison: It’s a pleasure to be here, Paul.

Paul Sanger: So Ken, let’s dive in. For those unfamiliar, can you give us a brief overview of the Bradford Development Authority and what it represents?

Ken Morrison: Well, we’re trying to create Australia’s first city in a hundred years, and we’re doing it with the new Western Sydney International Airport opening in 2026. But this is more than an airport, it is an economic development strategy aimed at creating an aerotropolis around this airport. And at the center of this Aerotropolis is the new city of Bradfield, creating 20,000 jobs, high technology, taking advantage of the airport’s proximity and Western Sydney’s expertise in advanced manufacturing. So this is a vision, and it’s very exciting, and it’s right in front of us.

Paul Sanger: And it’s an incredible vision. How does the BDA, working with various stakeholders, government, industries and communities, bring these projects to life?

Ken Morrison: All of these stakeholders are really important. And, in essence, the organization that I lead is a product of the Western Sydney City Deal, an agreement between all three levels of government to create this new city that will create high-paying jobs in a part of Sydney that needs it. this, as well as ensuring that innovation in the manufacturing sector accelerates. This means that there are a number of important sectors. This is a government initiative, but of course the tech companies, the manufacturing sector, the real estate sector, the university sector – they are all really important and actively involved in what we do.

Paul Sanger: It is clear that the BDA will have a huge impact on Western Sydney. Moving on to another topic, I understand that Bradfield Development is supporting the Semiconductor Australia conference taking place next Thursday the 24th. Can you tell us why this event is so important?

Ken Morrison: We actually do two things. We’re creating a new city, so there are those city building elements that we see in many places around the world, but we’re also creating an economic development strategy for Bradfield, and that’s really led by our cutting-edge manufacturing research center. , which is an innovation accelerator dedicated to advanced manufacturing and providing them with shared access to high quality equipment that they will not be able to access anywhere else, as well as access to our skilled staff, they can accelerate their innovation and therefore stimulate growth in the region. And semiconductor technology is really important to that and will essentially be the focus of our second phase of our AMRF facility. So it’s great to be a part of this conference and to be able to talk to people who will be really important to this part of our strategy.

Paul Sanger: Fantastic. And it appears that the future of technology and manufacturing is an important part of Bradfield’s vision. What do you hope will be the key takeaway for those attending the Semiconductor Australia conference?

Ken Morrison: Well, there’s something new and different coming that we don’t have in Australia that could help them grow their business. This is also something that universities and these institutions are very actively involved in, so they can be sure that they are getting exposure to what the university sector can bring here. And I think that also means that you have enough time to consider your future business plans. You know, next year we’ll be building a building that will house the second phase of our AMRF, which is focused on the semiconductor sector. So we’re not asking people to think about it five minutes before it comes out, we’re asking people to think about it for two years after it comes out. This gives businesses plenty of time to factor this into their growth plans and really think about how this facility can help their business and accelerate innovation.

Paul Sanger: And I think from a global perspective, this is a big step for Australia on a global platform, that this is actually coming to fruition and creating a futuristic city for our children, their children and for future generations, which is what we all need to do. something to be very proud of as Australians.

Ken Morrison: Well, I hope so, and of course that’s our goal, and when we looked at how we were going to create what we create, we looked at the best examples around the world. So we think we’re doing something as good as everyone else, and it’s something that builds on the amazing qualities that we have in Sydney – of course one of the key ones being the brand new airport that will open in 2026.

Paul Sanger: Am I right? I saw a plane landing at the airport for the first time this week?

Ken Morrison: You’re not wrong, Paul. So, pretty exciting. For a five billion dollar piece of infrastructure, this airport is ahead of budget and ahead of schedule, which is fantastic. Of course, it’s not just an airport: a total of $20 billion of government infrastructure money flows into the region, including what we deliver at Bradfield, as well as almost $10 billion of private sector investment projects delivered through the planning system, as we say, internally of this Aerotropolis. So public money, private sector money and innovation are the focus. It’s a very exciting future.

Paul Sanger: Ken, it was great to hear about the great work BDA is doing and your involvement in the future of the semiconductor industry. Thanks for your time today.

Ken Morrison: Thanks, Paul. It was great and I’m looking forward to the conference. Thank you.

Ends

Click here to visit the Semiconductor Australia 2024 website.