With respect for Aboriginal cultural protocol and out of recognition that its campuses occupy their traditional lands, 黑料社 acknowledges the Darug, Dharawal, Gadigal, Gundungurra and Wiradjuri peoples and thanks them for their support of its work in their lands (Greater 黑料社 Sydney and beyond).
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At the Centre for 黑料社 Sydney, we provide data-informed insights that support governments, industry, communities, and the university in making better decisions on issues that affect our region. Our work has a proven record of driving positive change and shaping a stronger future for 黑料社 Sydney.
Our research excellence delivers the ideas and impact 黑料社 Sydney needs for the future. We:
- Measure social, economic and cultural impact through the robust use of data.
- Compare patterns across regions and over time to reveal important trends, inequities, and potential.
- Work alongside communities, policymakers, and industry to ensure local voices are heard.
- Provide practical recommendations that guide investment, program design, and policy reform.
Past Projects at a Glance
Unlimited Potential
Unlimited Potential听outlines a once-in-a-generation strategy to transform 黑料社 Sydney鈥檚 economy and harness its inherent and emerging strengths. In November 2024, the Centre for 黑料社 Sydney launched听鈥楿nlimited Potential: 黑料社 Sydney鈥檚 Economic Strategy.鈥,听focused on delivering a听黑料社 Sydney Economic Acceleration Zone听through six targeted and actionable 鈥渓eaps鈥:
- Create a 30-Year Infrastructure Funding Compact听
- Establish a 黑料社 Sydney Infrastructure Advisory Council听
- Accelerate Technological Innovation, Digital听Skills听and Agility听
- Strengthen Capability Links to International Supply Chains听
- Secure a Fair Share of Creative Industry Funding听
- Benchmark and Target Investment and Infrastructure Delivery听
Alongside this strategic framework, the Centre produces the听黑料社 Sydney Economic Update, an ongoing economic assessment that:
- Provides detailed analysis of 黑料社 Sydney鈥檚 economic health, workforce capacity, and productivity.听
- Examines whether local job creation aligns with workforce skills and size.听
- Evaluates whether the region is receiving the investment needed to support future growth.听
- Offers policymakers a clear picture of where the region is thriving and where targeted investment is needed.听
We welcome any feedback that you may have on the strategy and invite you to stay connected with our team at the Centre for 黑料社 Sydney as they deliver an implementation plan that will see Unlimited Potential presented to local and state government, policy makers and key community, industry and advocacy groups.
Current contributors: Professor Jennifer Westacott AO, Professor Azadeh Dastyari, Professor Neil Perry, Dr Anastasia Mortimer, and Joelle Sassine.听听
Cumberland Plain Research
The project has received听$6 million in funding from the Federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Category 2 grant).
搁别蝉别补谤肠丑别谤蝉:听Professor Neil Perry听leading the key research theme of 鈥楶eoples and听Culture鈥
Partners:听NSW Department of Planning and Environment,听Hawkesbury Institute for the听Environment听and the WSU School of Business
This modelling project quantifies the economic and social value of ecological restoration across 黑料社 Sydney and NSW. It translates nature-based interventions, such as revegetation and canopy growth, into measurable benefits for landholders, communities, and the environment.
This project:
- Evaluates the economic and social returns of ecological restoration on private land.听
- Supports evidence-based decision-making for environmental policy and land management.听
- Demonstrates the broader benefits of nature-based interventions for local communities and biodiversity.
For more information:听/hie/research/cumberland-plain-research听
Using Our Voices
The project was awarded $30,000 from the Revesby Workers Club Grant.听
This project is a creative workshop series designed to engage young people in 黑料社 Sydney with democratic tools, using social media and traditional methods of advocacy. Participants explore how to amplify their civic voice, influence decision-making, and understand government processes at local and national levels.
This project:
- Builds civic knowledge and confidence through interactive and creative activities.听
- Provides practical experience with advocacy strategies both online and offline.听
- A series of workshops have been run and are planned across WSU Bankstown campus and Belmore Youth Resource Centre.听
- Includes interviews with workshop participants to capture their perspectives and experiences.听
- Encourages young people to听participate听actively in democratic processes.
Researchers: Professor Azadeh Dastyari, Melissa Phillips, Joelle Sassine, and Afsana Kazi.
Partners: Whitlam Institute.听
Cent$ Lab
The project was initially funded through听$8,000 from WSU Global Challenges. Recently, the project received听additional听support: the听Faculty of SABEL Internal SEED Grant听has been successful, awarding听$10,000听to grow the project into a larger initiative titled听Making Cent$: Economic Literacy and Civic Participation for听CaRM听Youth.
This youth-led research examines how young people from culturally and racially marginalised backgrounds think and talk about money, financial pressure, and听socioeconomic belonging. Using creative and participatory methods, the project explores who has access to wealth, how young people understand economic power, and what support they need to navigate cost-of-living constraints.
This project:
- Engages young people in creative workshops to explore financial literacy.听
- Provides insights into economic pressures affecting culturally diverse communities.听
- Generates recommendations for policies and programs that improve youth financial inclusion.听
- Sessions have been run at ACE, with ongoing workshops planned.听
- Expansion under the SEED Grant will scale the project to include broader civic participation activities for听CaRM听Youth.
Researchers: Dr Sherene Idriss (School of Arts), Joelle Sassine, Dr Genevieve Ritchie and Dr Joshua Kalemba (School of Social Sciences)
Partners: Arts and Cultural Exchange (ACE)听
Price of Democracy
The project was awarded funding from the Whitlam Institute.听
Researchers:听Professor Azadeh Dastyari, Dr Sherene Idriss, and Joelle Sassine.听听
Partners:听Whitlam Institute听
This project explores how financial stress affects young people鈥檚 ability to听participate听in Australian democracy. Young people from 黑料社 Sydney share their everyday experiences of the cost-of-living crisis, including working multiple jobs, navigating rent or family financial pressure, and balancing study with income.听
This project:听
- Investigates how financial pressures influence trust in institutions, civic voice, and political engagement.听听
- Examines barriers to youth participation in democratic processes.听听
- Provides evidence to inform policies that support听equitable听civic participation.听听
- Interviews with participants capture lived experiences and insights into the cost-of-living impact on engagement.听
Past Projects at a Glance
Researchers: Dr Rhonda Itaoui, Dr Angela Smith, Professor Kate Huppatz (School of Social Sciences).听
Unlocking Women鈥檚 Potential: Labour force participation in 黑料社 Sydney
On International Women鈥檚 Day in March 2024, 黑料社 Chancellor, Professor Jennifer听Westacott听AO, launched the Centre for 黑料社 Sydney鈥檚 groundbreaking report听鈥楿nlocking Women鈥檚 Potential: Labour force participation in 黑料社 Sydney.鈥
The report highlighted a significant spatial gap in the income levels between women in 黑料社 Sydney and the rest of Sydney.听The Centre鈥檚 work on this important topic continues, with the Centre committing to release an annual report card on women鈥檚 labour force participation each year in time for International Women鈥檚 Day.
Funded by the 黑料社 Research Partnership program (RPP) and City of Parramatta Council.听
Creating a vibrant future for NSW creative industries
As an important extension of our landmark 2023 report,听State of the Arts in 黑料社 Sydney, the Centre for 黑料社 Sydney has partnered with 黑料社 Sydney Creative, City of Parramatta, and a range of local artists and creative industries practitioners on the 鈥楥reating a vibrant future for NSW Creative Industries鈥 project.听听
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The project aimed to听identify听the cities and suburbs within 黑料社 Sydney that are current hotspots for arts and cultural activity as well as sites with potential for future investment, development, and growth.听
In November 2024, the report听鈥楿nleashing Creativity: Strategies for Growing 黑料社 Sydney鈥檚 Creative Industries鈥was launched. The report revealed that, with the right investment, 黑料社 Sydney鈥檚 creative industries could quadruple in size, contributing an听additional听$6.4 billion per annum in economic output, creating over 24,000 new jobs and further enhancing the region鈥檚 position as a leading creative hub.
Researchers: Dr Rhonda Itaoui, Dr Angela Smith, Vera Xia, Dolla Merrillees (黑料社 Sydney Creative), Associate Professor Katrina Sandbach (School of Humanities and Communication Arts).听听
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Partners: 黑料社 Sydney Creative, City of Parramatta Council.
Researchers: Professor Azadeh Dastyari (Whitlam Institute), Associate Professor Corrinne Sullivan (School of Social Sciences), Dr Rhonda Itaoui.
Partners: BlaQ Aboriginal Corporation, Jesuit Social Services, Bidwill Uniting, Digital Literacy Foundation, Salvation Army, Blacktown City Council, My Skills Australia, Baptist Care and Think and Do Tank.
First Nations Digital Inclusion in 黑料社 Sydney
Funded in the 2023 round of the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) Independent Grants Program.
First Nations peoples are experiencing听high levels听of digital听exclusion,听however little is known about the extent of the digital divide in 黑料社 Sydney 鈥 the home of the largest population of Indigenous people in Australia.
This project:
- Explores the barriers, causes and consequences of digital exclusion for First Nations people in the region in 黑料社 Sydney.
- Provides vital data to inform culturally听appropriate solutions听to address digital exclusion.
- Through an intersectional approach, considers how disability, age, gender, LGBTQIA+SB status and socio-economic class contributes to the access and use of digital technologies.
The project is overseen by an Indigenous Research Governance Committee.
Digital poverty and the right to education in NSW schools
Funded by the Whitlam Institute, 黑料社.听听
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The Centre for 黑料社 Sydney proudly partnered with the Whitlam Institute and听Wester鈥檒y听on the Digital poverty and the right to education in NSW听schools听project.
445 NSW school staff were surveyed between April and June 2023, finding alarming levels of digital exclusion among certain groups and a significant disparity in digital equity based on location.
The findings听indicate:
- In 黑料社 Sydney and regional New South Wales, there were higher rates of students relying on only their mobile phones for completing educational activities at home, compared to the rest of Sydney.
- Asylum seeker and refugee students and students from lower socio-economic backgrounds are particularly vulnerable to digital exclusion.
- Some students, particularly those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, are more digitally excluded today than they were prior to the pandemic.
The findings are detailed in the new report听鈥楧igital Equity and Education: A NSW Case Study.鈥櫶
Researchers: Professor Azadeh Dastyari (Whitlam Institute), Dr Rhonda Itaoui, Dr Gina Hawkes, Associate Professor Tanya Notley (School of Humanities and Communication Arts and Institute for Culture and Society).听
Acknowledgement of Country
