Last week, it was my honour and privilege to speak at the launch of the City of Sydney's draft Social Sustainability Policy, "A City for All."

This draft is the culmination of months of consultation and now opens the policy up to feedback from all members of the community. This opportunity reflects one of the key pillars of the policy - Engaged City - with its emphasis on transparent decision-making, public participation and civic skills. It was this pillar that I focused my remarks on.

Civic participation is not just a meaningful end in itself, it strengthens many of the other principles and priorities expressed in the plan. If Sydney is to be an inclusive, equal, resilient and vibrant city, if it is to be a place where everyone has the chance to fulfil their potential, it is going to be democratic participation that creates and defends all these goals.