FAQs

In 2019, Wollongong Council endorsed the Economic Development Strategy 2019-29.

The Strategy has been in place for six years now and has performed very well. It has achieved all three of its original goals and the ten-year jobs target for the city has been achieved. 84% of actions outlined in the strategy are either now complete or underway, demonstrating the city has made strong progress in supporting local business, attracting investment, and growing the economy.

Some of the key achievements under the Economic Development Strategy 2019-29 include: 

• Giving more weight to local business content in procurement applications, increasing it from 5% to 10%. This change was intended to increase the number of local suppliers bidding for Council works and support local jobs. Also, hosting an annual 'Doing Business with Council' showcase
• Establishing the Wollongong CBD Night Time Economy Policy 
• Developing the Tourism Accommodation Strategy 2025 
• Ensuring Invest Wollongong has an ‘always on approach to marketing Wollongong beyond the region’
• Developing a Wollongong ‘Buy Local’ campaign – ‘We Shop the Gong’ 
• Sending out a monthly e-newsletter to our 28,000+ business contacts

Due to this success, rather than continue with the current strategy for another five years, Council has developed a new ten-year strategy to continue the current momentum of our economy. This new strategy will set new goals, a higher jobs target, and outline future priorities to ensure Wollongong continues to grow as a diverse, resilient, and innovative economy.

The new Strategy sets out a roadmap for economic prosperity for the city. 

It outlines a new vision for Wollongong’s economy: “Wollongong is a diverse, resilient economy that foster innovation, attracts investment and supports a thriving business friendly community”. 

It outlines 3 objectives: 

1. Continue the diversification of the Wollongong economy 
2. Provide more local jobs for our Wollongong residents and those in the broader Illawarra Shoalhaven region, generating 20,500 new net jobs by 2035. 
3. Continue to attract new investment and support our local businesses to prosper, including new startups and entrepreneurs. 

1. The BlueScope Port Kembla land transformation project Continuing Wollongong CBD’s transformation

2. Continuing Wollongong CBD's transformation

3. Critical transport projects to reduce the travel time and improve resilience between Wollongong and the Sydney basin

4. Capitalise on the opportunities associated with the South West growth corridor and the Western Sydney Aerotropolis including the opening of the new Western Sydney International Airport in 2026.

5. The ongoing development of the port of Port Kembla through a range of infrastructure

6. The ongoing development of the Clean Energy sector, including the Illawarra Urban Renewable Energy Zone and the Port Kembla Hydrogen Hub

7. Attraction of more major events and tourism infrastructure, including new hotel supply

8. Development of unused and under utilised employment lands to unlock additional industrial land supply

9. Advocate for infrastructure requirements to unlock housing supply in West Lake Illawarra Urban Release area

10. Build the capacity to advocate on behalf of the city and the region

Council plays an important role in economic development within the Wollongong Local Government Area. The new strategy sets out a series of priority areas that provide a broader framework through high level actions that will shape Wollongong’s economic development over the coming decade. 

The five strategic priority areas below provide a broader framework through high-level actions that will shape Wollongong’s economic development over the next decade.

Priority area 1. A city that is open for business, supports new growth and investment 

• We will continue to proactively attract new jobs that underpin Wollongong's role as the regional capital
• We will market and promote the region to attract investment and support local businesses to export into external markets
• We will advocate for key enabling infrastructure to support and facilitate local employment and economic growth
• We will work with regional stakeholders to support ongoing workforce development and future skills needs of the region

Priority area 2: A business-friendly city 

• We will continue to support our local businesses and business networks
• We will provide a regulatory environment that supports local business
• We will continue to monitor economic conditions and provide insights for our local business community

Priority area 3. A vibrant and connected city

• We will continue to enhance our reputation as a major events and conferencing destination
• We will support the ongoing development of our 24-hour economy
• We will support initiatives that promote Wollongong as a Screen Friendly City and nurture the ongoing development of the screen industry ecosystem
• We will ensure our CBD is accessible and well-connected day and night

Priority area 4: An innovative and inclusive city 

• We will continue to promote the various initiatives being undertaken in the city as the “City of Innovation” and work with local stakeholders to strengthen our innovative ecosystem
• We are an inclusive city that provides opportunities for all, through building a workforce that reflects the diversity of the community

Priority area 5: An environmentally sustainable city 

• We will support investment and innovation in a clean energy transition increasing benefit to local businesses
• We will support local businesses to incorporate sustainability principles into their operations and contribute to Wollongong’s net zero community emissions by 2050 target
• We will support waste reduction and circular economy principles from local businesses  

Underneath these high-level action items, sit 58 detailed action items Council can undertake to help drive economic development in Wollongong. 

The new draft Economic Development Strategy for Wollongong was shaped by listening to a wide range of voices across the community. This included:

• Local businesses, through the 2024 Wollongong Business Survey.
• Industry and education representatives, via an external reference group made up of local peak bodies, universities, and the NSW Government.
• Council staff, through workshops and one-on-one meetings with different teams.
• Councillors and senior leaders, through briefings to ensure alignment and input from decision-makers.

The draft Economic Development Strategy will help guide Council’s decisions over the next 10 years to support local businesses. It is a key supporting document under Our Wollongong Our Future - Community Strategic Plan, which guides everything Council does, including working in partnership with our wider community, other organisations and government bodies to deliver shared outcomes.

The project team will review all the feedback we heard from the community during the engagement period. 

All feedback is important and is one factor in the decision-making process for Council. The graphic below shows some of the factors we consider in our decision making:

The project team will consider all feedback received after the closing date of 6 November 2025.

A report will be prepared for Council detailing what was heard and present recommendations on final amendments. 

Council will consider this report and provide a resolution on how to proceed. 

All those that have given feedback will be notified of the date of the Council meeting and how to view the relevant documents.