The Sydney Summit, organized by the Committee for Sydney and sponsored by the Herald, is a one-day event examining how to future-proof Sydney through liveability, density, climate resilience, and urban design.

Sydney’s summit reveals cost-of-living pressures and housing affordability as the top issues for residents, with climate change playing a persistent secondary role.

The editor pushes for real-time updates via a live blog and notes recent opinion pieces that challenge the cost-of-living narrative and celebrate a farewell tribute to Marie Bashir.

NSW Planning Minister Paul Scully criticizes entrenched planning processes and NIMBYism, linking them to high housing costs, and announces new planning controls for four transit-oriented precincts to unlock more than 31,000 homes near transit.

Polling at the summit shows roughly 48% of Sydneysiders back higher housing density in their own suburb, and about 67% support increased density across the city, even as concerns about living costs persist and many feel they have little influence over development decisions.

Prior coverage is cited on livable laneways, surfacing waterways to cool and create spaces, burying power poles for trees, offshore seawalls to counter rising seas, communal composting for apartments, gig passes to support live music, and better public toilets.

The conference program features discussions with former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane.

There’s debate over car-free residential high-rises as a growth solution, arguing that removing parking can cut costs and congestion when paired with strong transit and car-sharing.

Federal Cities Minister Clare O’Neil urges councils to accept sensible density increases, warning sprawl aggravates Sydney’s inequality.

Live updates incorporate Ipsos poll context and reference related articles and future-proofing ideas, emphasizing housing supply, transport, and urban policy.

Committee for Sydney CEO Eamon Waterford calls for bold leadership and ongoing metro expansion to spur jobs and growth, and urges a national dialogue on housing and tax reform.

NSW Planning and Public Spaces Minister Paul Scully acknowledges that the state is underperforming against national housing targets.