Sydney, like all good global cities, is constantly evolving. The challenge for communities, policymakers and political leaders is how best to manage that changing environment.

We have a responsibility to find the right mix of balancing budgets, protecting our heritage, ensuring diversified housing options, creating open green space and sporting fields, enhancing natural landscapes and encouraging private sector investment to create jobs in order to best shape our future communities.

If you are driving into the congested M5 tunnel today, do you really want the government to delay duplicating it for another 12 years? Credit:Jon Reid

The leadership of our state has historically been separated into two categories: the "builders" and the "termites".

The builders have stayed the course during challenging times to deliver long-term social and economic prosperity for Sydney. Think the Domain, the Harbour Bridge, the Opera House and the International Convention Centre.