If you’ve ever waited for a Sydney train for a longer trip than, say,
Wynyard to Redfern, you’ll know it’s a good idea to bring some reading
material. You’ll need something to while away the time.

The Sydney Morning Herald has been helping commuters with a massive
series on Sydney’s crumbling infrastructure for more than a week now –
and shows no signs of stopping.

It was positively boasting about its work over the weekend. Buy the
paper to see how important people think we are, the paper’s website urged:

Here’s to the future… if we dare

While the State Government is desperate to show it is actually doing
something for the future by preparing a new Metropolitan Strategy, its
efforts have given all and sundry a chance to say how they want their
city to work. It has provoked much discussion, not just among planners
and transport advocates, but among commuters, home owners and those who
simply want Sydney to have what it deserves.

The Government says it has consulted the community, councils and
experts, but others say it isn’t listening and the strategy could be in
danger of becoming the city’s biggest missed opportunity.

Over the past fortnight, the Herald has sought to show what is not
working in transport, water, air and land use. We’ve suggested ways
these problems can be fixed in a continuing series of blueprints.

None of Sydney’s problems are without solutions. And none are unique to
this city. Countless cities have found the solutions when they have had
the right combination of leadership, will and money.

Read what 20 opinion leaders, councillors and experts had to say about
what they want the strategy to do, and how they see Sydney’s future
unfolding in today’s Sydney Morning Herald.

It’s all worthy enough, if a little predictable – but what do the
journos think of their work? Not that much, we hear. Crikey understands
that Herald staff have nicknamed the series “the school project.”