LIP Newsletter - Q1 2025
G’day and welcome to the latest Liverpool Innovation Precinct newsletter.
Momentum is building to make Liverpool Sydney’s next CBD. Big employers, startups and unis are paying attention – and with Liverpool at the doorstep of the new Western Sydney Airport, the future is looking bright.
This edition wraps up a big few months of advocacy and progress. Enjoy the refreshed format!
Regards
David Borger
Chair, Liverpool Innovation Precinct
Executive Director, Business Western Sydney
Federal Election Wrap
A big election win has implications for communities across Western Sydney.
Congratulations to Dai Le (re-elected as the Member for Fowler), Angus Taylor (Hume), Anne Stanley (Werriwa) and David Moncrieff (the new Member for Hughes). In a time of global uncertainty, the Albanese Government has strengthened its mandate and now has renewed expectations to deliver in its second term.
Significant policy commitments were made to Liverpool during the campaign. These include $1 billion downpayments to upgrade Fifteenth Avenue connecting Liverpool and Bradfield, and to build new Metro and rail links in South West Sydney.
The Liverpool Innovation Precinct looks forward to partnering with the Commonwealth as it provides more detail on these projects and works to deliver them.
Revitalising Liverpool’s CBD
A new report calls for changes to improve public amenity and make Liverpool more visitor friendly.
A new report commissioned by the Liverpool Innovation Precinct calls for improved recreation, dining and public spaces to help transform Liverpool into Sydney’s next major CBD.
Featured in the Daily Telegraph’s “Future West” campaign, the report by Arup Group outlines a bold but achievable vision. Key ideas include better maintenance, lighting up trees and parks, regular markets and support for late-night dining – making the city more family-friendly, especially after dark.
“Liverpool today reminds me of where Parramatta was 10 or 15 years ago,” said David Borger, Executive Director of Business Western Sydney and Chair of the Liverpool Innovation Precinct. “Major employers, startups and institutions like universities are circling and want to be here. For minimal investment we can make it much safer, extend the economy into the evening and create more vibrancy. Simple improvements are not going to break the bank.”
The Arup report will be a valuable input as Liverpool City Council applies for Commonwealth grants, including to upgrade Elizabeth Street.
Add to that Liverpool’s strategic position as the gateway to Western Sydney International Airport and South West Sydney – it's clear the city's time is near.
Advocating for Better Health and Transport
Liverpool Innovation Precinct members urge urgent new investments to support Liverpool’s growth.
On February 6, the Liverpool Innovation Precinct hosted around 40 members from Business Western Sydney and the South West Sydney Alliance to provide feedback to the NSW Government on investment priorities for Liverpool and the region.
NSW Health Secretary Susan Pearce and Chief Transport Planner Simon Hunter heard calls for urgent action on the long-overdue Liverpool Transport Plan, high street upgrades, better cycleways and hospital shuttle buses.
Health and transport issues in Liverpool are linked. For example, congestion and poor connectivity around the CBD create risks for ambulances accessing Liverpool Hospital. Inadequate active transport infrastructure also contributes to poor health outcomes, such as obesity and heart disease.
With no current plans for a Metro extension from Bankstown to Liverpool, Mayor Ned Mannoun outlined Council’s interim proposal for a Liverpool-Bankstown express train, cutting commute times to Central. Aras Labutis from Coronation Property also provided an update on plans to revitalise nearby Moore Point, including pedestrian bridges that would reshape Liverpool’s waterfront.
Welcome to Genesys
Liverpool continues to strength its global reputation for medical innovation.
Genesys Electronics Design has officially joined the Liverpool Innovation Precinct, reinforcing Liverpool’s growing status as a MedTech hub.
Founder Geoff Sizer said the move puts Liverpool “on the global MedTech innovation map”. It builds on the city’s existing three world-class universities, the $840 million redevelopment of Liverpool Hospital, the Ingham Institute’s expansion plans, and the new Perich Centre for Robotics, Medical Devices and Health Technology.
“By joining the precinct, Genesys will help commercialise the best of this research in partnership with industry and entrepreneurs,” said Co-CEO George Bou-Rizk. “In over 30 years, we’ve worked on some of Australia’s most significant MedTech innovations. Our wireless sensor platform is one of several tools we’ve developed to accelerate progress. We’re excited to bring this capability to help create products that improve lives.”
Lance Chia, Director of the Liverpool Innovation Precinct, added that the partnership would strengthen Liverpool’s ability to develop cutting-edge medical devices – helping “innovators deliver solutions to global health challenges faster, with less risk and lower cost”.
UOW Moving to Civic Place
University responds to the growing needs of South West Sydney.
The University of Wollongong will expand its presence in South Western Sydney by relocating from Moore Street to Liverpool Civic Place in early 2026.
Interim Vice-Chancellor Senior Professor Eileen McLaughlin said the move reflects UOW Liverpool’s growth since becoming the first university to open a campus in Liverpool in 2017. “Since then, UOW Liverpool has continued to grow and thrive, to the extent that we have outgrown our current campus in Moore Street,” she said.
This year, UOW Liverpool has introduced two new degrees to meet the region’s workforce needs: a Bachelor of Primary Education and a Bachelor of Laws – Bachelor of Criminology double degrees.
“The Liverpool Innovation Precinct is working with our partners in health, education and local government to strengthen Liverpool as a true knowledge city,” said Liverpool Innovation Precinct Chair David Borger.
“This is about creating real opportunities for local students while tackling critical workforce shortages that impact our schools, courts and communities.”
Game on for Brain Rehab
Liverpool pioneering new treatments through the Ingham Institute’s Assistive Technology Hub.
Rehabilitation after a brain injury can be long and difficult, with traditional methods often repetitive and demotivating. The Assistive Technology Hub, part of the Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, is revolutionising this process using gamification and robotics technology.
Project Manager Brendan Worne says game-based therapy significantly boosts patient motivation, participation and recovery outcomes. A recent trial at Liverpool Hospital’s Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit led by Senior Physiotherapist Kavya Pilli tested robotic-assisted therapy for upper limb recovery. Results showed patients engaged in more frequent and intense sessions, made functional gains, and required less hands-on support.
“Video games, virtual reality, and robotic therapy tools turn routine exercises into enjoyable challenges, encouraging greater participation and effort while tracking progress in real time,” Mr Worne said.
This innovative approach is not only improving motor skills and cognition but also helping patients re-engage with daily life and community activities. With continued research and clinical collaboration, gamified therapy is transforming brain injury recovery into a more effective and empowering experience.
The Perich Centre for Robotics, Medical Devices and Health Technology will open in July 2025, with the Assistive Technology Hub as an early occupant.
Liverpool to Host TAFE Connect Workshop
Local leaders and organisations are invited to take part in a new model of community engagement.
TAFE Liverpool is inviting expressions of interest to participate in its TAFE Connect Community Workshop to be held at the Liverpool TAFE Campus on June 19.
TAFE Connect workshops are designed to identify community needs, explore TAFE NSW’s role in addressing them and discuss ways to enhance services for the future.
Similar workshops are being held at TAFE campuses in Baulkham Hills, Granville and Wetherill Park.
If you are an industry or community leader, local business representative, community organisation or government or non-government agency, don't miss out on this opportunity to have your voice heard.
To express interest in participating in the TAFE NSW Connect Workshop, please complete the following form.
Inspire Scholarship Launched
New initiative to support women from forced migrant backgrounds.
Women from forced migrant backgrounds face major barriers to employment, including limited English, unrecognised qualifications, discrimination and caregiving responsibilities. Even highly skilled women often experience underemployment and exclusion from meaningful work.
To support their entrepreneurial goals, the new Inspire Scholarship has been launched by UNSW JEINA, UNSW Founders, Liverpool Innovation Precinct and UOW iAccelerate. It offers up to $4,000 for course fees, seed funding and professional development, along with access to entrepreneurial education, accelerator programs, mentoring and networking. To apply, email jeina@unsw.edu.au.
The scholarship builds on this year’s International Women’s Day event in Liverpool, where UOW and UNSW honoured the resilience of forced migrant women. Speakers included Dr Parisa Glass, Narges Andar, Zeljka Jovanovic, and Elahe Minaei, who shared powerful stories of overcoming adversity and pursuing entrepreneurship.
Countdown to Perich Centre Opening
Liverpool will have a dedicated home for robotics, medical devices and health technology.
Ingham Institute’s program in robotics, medical devices and health technology was launched in 2020 by the NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer. The research platform supports a thriving virtual hub of more than clinician scientists.
This July, the new Perich Centre will give the program a physical home within the Ingham Institute. Co-located with a major tertiary hospital and partnered with world-leading universities, it sits at the heart of the Liverpool Innovation Precinct.
The Perich Centre is an interdisciplinary hub focused on assessing, accelerating and adopting health innovations. Aligned with the Institute’s mission, its core focus is TECH-QUITY – ensuring better health and care are accessible to all.
Recent ventures include AI-supported autism diagnosis for rural families, mobile dental care for disadvantaged communities, telemonitoring for long COVID patients and desktop electron microscopy for remote regions. The Centre also leads cutting-edge work in surgical robotics and pre-hospital heart care, making innovation truly inclusive.
UOW Liverpool to Host Cybercrime Forum
Leading legal and technology experts will examine the evolving threat landscape.
UOW Liverpool is hosting a Knowledge Series on cybercrime and safety next month, bringing together experts to explore evolving cyber threats, risk management and legal implications for businesses.
Key speakers include David Vohradsky, CEO of MyRISK, known for AI-driven cyber risk solutions, and Sermin Yavuzer, Director of Executive Education at the AI and Cyber Futures Institute. The event will be moderated by Associate Professor Niamh Kinchin, an expert in refugee law and the potential role of AI in refugee status determination.
Register here to join fellow community members, UOW alumni, and industry professionals for an evening of networking, and to gain a deeper understanding of today’s cyber risk landscape.
Link: 2025: Liverpool Knowledge Series: Cybercrime & Security - University of Wollongong – UOW