Council
2 April, 2026
Wollondilly seeks to strengthen relationship with Illawarra
Wollondilly Shire Council will take steps to strengthen its relationship with the Illawarra by becoming a full member of the Illawarra Shoalhaven Joint Organisation (ISJO).
Wollondilly Shire Council will take steps to strengthen its relationship with the Illawarra by becoming a full member of the Illawarra Shoalhaven Joint Organisation (ISJO).
Wollondilly has been an associate member of the ISJO for a number of years but wasn’t allowed to become a full member under the previous Joint Organisation framework.
However, the framework is currently under review – paving the way for Wollondilly to become a full member of the ISJO for the first time.
Council says it will be important to expand its links with the Illawarra given that more than two thirds of Wollondilly’s population will live closer to Wollongong by 2041 than to Liverpool, Penrith or Parramatta.
At the same time it says it will continue its “strong advocacy partnership” with the councils of Macarthur and Greater Western Sydney – particularly given the “significant additional opportunities” expected to be delivered to Wollondilly through the new Western Sydney International Airport.
Wollondilly has been a longstanding member of The Parks – an alliance of seven councils partnering with the NSW and Australian governments to deliver the Western Sydney City Deal.
Other member councils include Blue Mountains, Camden, Campbelltown, Hawkesbury, Liverpool and Penrith.
Wollondilly mayor Matt Gould said The Parks – soon to be renamed the Outer Western Sydney Alliance – had already achieved “significant outcomes” through a strong and coordinated regional voice.
“This strong collaboration with the councils of Outer Western Sydney is delivering positive results for our community with the strong, united voice of many councils advocating for major infrastructure such as the Macarthur Metro, major road upgrades and community infrastructure,” Cr Gould said.
“We now have a significant opportunity to strengthen our existing collaboration, share resources and work collectively on issues that matter to our community by expanding our links into the Illawarra.
“In future this would allow Wollondilly to be a full participant in regionally important matters.”
Last year, Wollondilly joined with seven other councils – Camden, Campbelltown, Kiama, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven, Wingecarribee and Wollongong – to form the ‘LG8’.
The review of the Joint Organisation framework will provide an opportunity to formalise the LG8 relationship.
Cr Gould said Wollondilly was at the “geographical heart” of an important economic corridor between Western Sydney International Airport to the north and Port Kembla to the south and it was in Wollondilly’s best interests to continue building strong relationships with both Greater Western Sydney and the Illawarra/Shoalhaven.
The NSW Government has acknowledged that while the JO model works well in many regions, there has been a desire for change in the local government sector.
Councils and JOs are seeking greater flexibility in membership and boundaries as the current framework limits JOs to regional planning boundaries and membership changes have been slow to occur in recent years.
It says the review currently underway will help shape a ‘refreshed’ framework that better reflects current and future needs and continues to support effective regional collaboration between councils.
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