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Phillip O'Neill

Director, Centre for Western Sydney, Western Sydney University
Professor Phillip O’Neill is Director of the Centre for Western Sydney at Western Sydney University. Previously he was Foundation Director of the Urban Research Centre at WSU, and Director of the Centre for Urban and Regional Studies at the University of Newcastle.

Phillip is a widely published international scholar with expertise relating to economic and industrial change especially in large cities.

He had held visiting research fellowships at Bristol University, The University of Massachusetts, the National University of Singapore, the University of Oxford and University College London. Phillip was Editor-in-Chief of the journal Geographical Research 2010-14. He sits on the editorial boards of a number of leading international journals and is a member of the advisory board of iBuild, a leading UK infrastructure research venture.

Phillip has held six prestigious Australian Research Council grants including his current grants which investigate Australia’s obstinate infrastructure problems and international infrastructure financing trends.

Phillip writes regular columns for the Fairfax regional and community press and is a prominent media commentator.

In recent times he has completed a 25 year outlook study of employment for Western Sydney, an investigation of mortgage distress in significantly affected Western Sydney neighbourhoods, a detailed audit of Sydney’s threatened agricultural lands, and a path-breaking analysis of Sydney's fresh fruit and vegetable supply chains.

Recession will hit job-poor parts of Western Sydney very hard

Jul 02, 2020 15:55 pm UTC| Economy

This is the second of three articles based on newly released research on the impacts of a lack of local jobs on the rapidly growing Western Sydney region. After 2016 but before COVID-19, it should be said Western...

Congestion-busting infrastructure plays catch-up on long-neglected needs

Apr 03, 2019 10:29 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics Economy

Infrastructure spending is one of the central themes of Treasurer Frydenbergs budget speech. His headline announcement was the promise to increase the ten-year federal infrastructure spend from the A$75 billion announced...

Economy

Japan's Business Confidence Rises Despite Iran War Uncertainty, BOJ Rate Hike Expected

Japans large manufacturers reported improved business sentiment in the three months to March, according to the Bank of Japans closely watched Tankan survey released Wednesday. The headline index for big manufacturers...

South Korea Manufacturing PMI Hits 4-Year High in March 2025 Driven by Semiconductor Demand

South Koreas manufacturing sector delivered a standout performance in March, with factory activity accelerating to its strongest level in over four years. Data from SP Globals Purchasing Managers Index showed a reading of...

Gold Prices Rebound But Head for Worst Month Since 2008 Amid Iran War Uncertainty

Gold prices climbed on Tuesday as investors returned to safe-haven assets during a brief equity market rally, though the precious metal remained on course for its steepest monthly decline in nearly 17 and a half years....

Oil Prices Climb as Middle East Conflict Keeps Supply Risks Elevated

Oil prices edged higher in early Wednesday trading as ongoing Middle East instability continued to rattle energy markets, even as diplomatic efforts between the U.S. and Iran showed tentative signs of progress. Brent crude...

South Korea's Exports Hit Record High in March on AI-Driven Chip Demand

South Koreas exports surged to an all-time high in March, beating analyst forecasts and recording their fastest annual growth in nearly four decades. Driven by booming global demand for semiconductors tied to artificial...

Politics

U.S. Senator Pushes to Permanently Block Chinese Automakers from American Market

Republican Senator Bernie Moreno announced plans to introduce legislation next month that would permanently and comprehensively ban Chinese automakers from the U.S. automotive market. The proposed bill would expand on an...

Trump Threatens Federal Intervention in Los Angeles Ahead of 2026 World Cup

President Donald Trump signaled on Tuesday that the federal government is prepared to assert authority over Los Angeles when the city hosts matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, citing concerns over public safety and...

Syria Vows Neutrality Amid U.S.-Israeli Conflict With Iran

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa reaffirmed on Tuesday that Syria intends to remain neutral in the ongoing U.S.-Israeli military conflict against Iran, unless the country itself becomes a direct target with no remaining...

Rubio Directs U.S. Diplomats to Use X and Military Psyops to Counter Foreign Propaganda

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has instructed American diplomats to leverage social media platform X and collaborate with Pentagon psychological operations units as part of a broader strategy to combat foreign...

Trump Signals U.S. Military Exit From Iran Within Weeks After Declaring Nuclear Mission Accomplished

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that U.S. military forces are expected to withdraw from Iran within two to three weeks, declaring that the mission to neutralize the countrys nuclear threat has been successfully...

Science

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

SpaceX Prioritizes Moon Mission Before Mars as Starship Development Accelerates

Elon Musks SpaceX is shifting its near-term space exploration strategy, choosing to prioritize a return to the Moon before pursuing missions to Mars, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report citing sources familiar...

NASA and SpaceX Target Crew-11 Undocking From ISS Amid Medical Concern

NASA has confirmed that the agency, in coordination with SpaceX, is targeting no earlier than 5 p.m. Eastern Time (2200 GMT) on Wednesday, January 14, for the undocking of the SpaceX Crew-11 mission from the International...

Neuralink Plans High-Volume Brain Implant Production and Fully Automated Surgery by 2026

Elon Musks brain-computer interface company Neuralink is preparing for a major expansion, announcing plans to begin high-volume production of its brain implant devices and transition to a fully automated surgical procedure...

Technology

Apple Turns 50: From Garage Startup to AI Crossroads

In early 1976, engineer Steve Wozniak finished designing a computer circuit board he planned to share with fellow hobbyists at a local California tech club. His friend Steve Jobs recognized a commercial opportunity, and...

Microsoft Eyes $7B Texas Energy Deal to Power AI Data Centers

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) is reportedly in exclusive negotiations with Chevron Corp (NYSE: CVX) and investment firm Engine No. 1 to develop a massive energy complex in West Texas dedicated to powering its...

California's AI Executive Order Pushes Responsible Tech Use in State Contracts

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a landmark executive order Monday, setting new standards for artificial intelligence governance in state contracting. The directive requires companies seeking government contracts to...

Cybersecurity Stocks Tumble After Anthropic's Claude Mythos AI Leak Sparks Market Fears

Major cybersecurity stocks took a sharp hit Friday following reports that Anthropic accidentally exposed details about its next-generation AI model before its official launch. CrowdStrike fell 7%, Palo Alto Networks...

Chinese Universities with PLA Ties Found Purchasing Restricted U.S. AI Chips Through Super Micro Servers

Procurement records reveal that four Chinese universities, two of which have direct ties to the Peoples Liberation Army, acquired Super Micro Computer servers loaded with restricted Nvidia AI chips over the past year. The...