Contemporary Issues of Sydney

Sydney has many of the same social welfare issues that other large cities have.

Illegal drugs are a problem, in part because Sydney is an international city and the major gateway to Australia.

Crime and gang activity is of concern in some communities.

Water pollution in Port Jackson and along the ocean beaches is an ongoing issue.

Improvements to sewage treatment facilities are in the preliminary stages.

A major engineering project to help prevent sewage overflow during heavy rain is slated for completion in 2001.

Additional upgrades to both coastal and inland sewage treatment plants are needed, however.

A broader concern is the impact of urban expansion on the environment.

Deforestation caused by urban sprawl threatens bushland, open space for recreation, and the little remaining rural land near the metropolitan area.

Bushfires (wildfires) are a serious environmental hazard in bushland areas bordered by urban development.

Urban expansion to the west and northwest is expected to further compromise the health of the Nepean-Hawkesbury river system.

The state government has responded in part by proposing an increase in housing density in selected areas of existing suburbs, but local councils have vigorously opposed this proposal.

Despite the resounding success of the Olympic Games and the generally positive financial result, uses need to be found for the newly built facilities.

The costs of building these facilities were mostly recouped in the tourism dollars the events brought into the city.

However, state taxpayers may be subsidizing the continued operation of these facilities for many years to come.

The Olympics are also remembered for bringing contemporary Aboriginal issues into the spotlight. This helped raise appreciation of Aboriginal culture and awareness of the issues Aboriginal people face, such as their longstanding struggle to reclaim lands they lost due to European settlement.

However, public attention to these issues waned somewhat after the event.