A First for NSW: 50% Women Targeted on Major Construction Project
In a landmark move for gender equality in construction, the NSW Government has announced that women will make up at least 40% with a stretch goal of 50% of the workforce building the new Bank Street Park in Pyrmont.
The 1.1-hectare waterfront park, positioned beneath the southern pylon of the Anzac Bridge, will be the first project in the state to proactively target gender parity on-site. That’s a dramatic leap from the industry’s current average of just 12% female participation.
For an industry long seen as male-dominated, this initiative, part of the Women in Construction pilot program, represents more than just a new park. It’s a statement: change is not only possible but underway.
Setting the Standard for Inclusion
Infrastructure NSW, working alongside head contractor BESIX Watpac, has committed to achieving the target through direct recruitment, leadership training, mentoring, and inclusive design of on-site facilities.
“Having collaborated extensively with the NSW Government on key community projects, BESIX Watpac is proud to lead the way,” said CEO Mark Baker. “This project will demonstrate that large-scale construction can be inclusive, high-quality, and community focused.”
The goal isn’t symbolic. A 50% female workforce will include roles across all levels from project management and design to trades, site supervisors, and apprentices.
“This is not about tokenism,” said Minister for Women Jodie Harrison. “It’s about building a workforce that reflects our community, improves culture on site, and ensures women can see construction as a long-term career.”
Why This Matters for the Industry
For The Good Builder audience builders, suppliers, and trades who value progress this initiative highlights an emerging truth: diversity drives performance.
Studies from the Property Council of Australia and Workplace Gender Equality Agency show that companies with balanced gender participation report higher productivity, improved safety outcomes, and stronger employee retention.
In practice, that means less turnover, better team dynamics, and a stronger reputation among clients and investors outcomes every builder should care about.
Transforming Blackwattle Bay
The Bank Street Park is also a cornerstone of Sydney’s broader Blackwattle Bay renewal, a 10-hectare transformation of former industrial land into a sustainable harbourfront destination.
Located beside the new Sydney Fish Market, the park will connect communities through a continuous 15-kilometre harbour walk stretching from Woolloomooloo to Rozelle Bay.
Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said the project embodies both social and environmental sustainability.
“This new park is about opening the harbour back up to the community and doing it in a way that reflects modern values,” Kamper said. “The fact that half the workforce will be women makes it even more meaningful.”
Addressing a Structural Problem
Despite steady progress, women still represent fewer than 1 in 8 workers across Australia’s construction workforce, according to ABS data.
Barriers range from cultural norms and lack of visible role models to inadequate site amenities and inflexible work arrangements.
The Women in Construction initiative aims to tackle these head-on through structured pathways, mentorship programs, and inclusive procurement. The state’s “stretch target” for Bank Street Park is designed to prove what’s possible when inclusion is prioritised from the start, not treated as an afterthought.
“The industry can’t afford to keep drawing from only half the population,” said Harrison. “Diversity isn’t just a fairness issue. It’s a workforce issue.”
What Builders Can Learn
For builders across Australia, the lesson here is simple: government procurement is evolving.
Future contracts are increasingly tied to workforce diversity, sustainability, and community outcomes, not just cost and delivery time.
Those who build inclusive businesses today are positioning themselves for tomorrow’s opportunities.
That includes:
- Hiring differently: Opening apprenticeships and site roles to women and underrepresented groups.
- Investing in leadership: Supporting women in supervision and project management roles.
- Designing for inclusion: Ensuring worksites have suitable amenities, safety gear, and flexible policies that encourage participation.
BESIX Watpac’s involvement demonstrates that Tier 1 builders see diversity as part of their competitive edge — not a compliance exercise.
Beyond Symbolism: The Social Legacy
When the park opens, it will stand not just as a new piece of public space, but as proof of what happens when policy meets purpose.
It’s a place where Sydney residents will walk their dogs, watch the sunset, and picnic beneath the Anzac Bridge all made possible by a workforce that better represents the city it serves.
For The Good Builder community, it’s another reminder that the industry’s future depends on inclusion, innovation, and integrity.
As Minister Kamper put it:
“We are not only building a park. We’re building a better construction industry.”
The Bigger Picture
With NSW setting this precedent, other states will be watching closely. Queensland’s Women in Construction Advisory Committee and Victoria’s Building Equality Policy have already begun embedding gender targets in major projects.
If Bank Street Park succeeds, it could become the new benchmark for how governments and contractors approach workforce diversity across the country.
This isn’t a one-off headline, it’s a model for what the next decade of construction could look like: smarter, fairer, and stronger because of it.
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