Western Sydney will be given a “fair go’’ by the new Premier, who says the region’s “time has come”.

Premier Mike Baird told The Daily Telegraph “over the next 10 years Western Sydney is going to be transformed”.

The new Premier declared his commitment in the wake of The Daily Telegraph’s campaign Fair Go for the West undefined which lobbies for better resources for Western Sydney.

On Wednesday Mr Baird became the second North Shore-based MP in succession to take on the Ministry for Western Sydney, after his ­predecessor Barry O’Farrell.

The Manly MP has faced criticism for taking the Western Sydney portfolio in government, considering where he lives, but says he feels it is important the responsibility comes to him to show how much of a priority for the ­government the area which houses two million people is.

“It’s an economic powerhouse in waiting and it also represents a huge part of the city,” Mr Baird said.

He said he had taken on the portfolio to “have the privilege and opportunity to spend more time with those (Western ­Sydney) families and local businesses and oversee the huge amount of infrastructure that is coming in to transform the broader economy”.

The new Premier has ­increased Western Sydney’s representation in Cabinet from one to two, with northwest Castle Hill MP Dominic ­Perrottet becoming Finance Minister, joining Fair Trading and Sport Minister and ­Penrith MP Stuart Ayres.

Mr Ayres also remains the Minister Assisting the Premier for Western Sydney.

It’s understood that, after the next election, two more MPs from the northwest, David Elliott and Ray ­Williams, could be in line for cabinet positions.

It’s still a vast difference from the old Labor government, where at least four or five ministers were from ­Western Sydney electorates.

“I accept people (in the west) will not be so happy with my rugby league team (Manly),” Mr Baird said.

Source: The Daily Telegraph by Andrew Clennell. Orginal article.