The international centre for commerce and the arts needs reinventing.

Ten years after the 2000 Olympics, Sydney faces the competition with Melbourne for the role of the top city in the country. GREATER Sydney Partnership founding chairman Peter Holmes a Court is getting the ball rolling for uplifting the city's appeal on people around the globe.

Holmes a Court said, “Melbourne is having a legitimate crack at becoming the No 1 city in Australia again. Brisbane has got a whiff and says: 'I'm going for No 2'. Sydney has not declined. It's just that all the other cities we compete against are moving ahead quickly.”

The Australian businessman called on public and private sectors to contribute in the marketing efforts to bring back Sydney's lustre as a prime city in Australia. Tourism and Transport Forum managing director Chris Brown supported Holmes a Court's move.

Brown stressed, “"We can't wait for a (state) election... We are losing conventions and exhibitions in this city. Melbourne is kicking Sydney to death. Singapore is about to come on line and take us apart... We want both sides of politics to commit to a start date to expand the convention and exhibition facilities in the city and in Olympic Park.”

Sydney Business Chamber executive director Patricia Forsythe said, “Sydney is Australia's global city, but we are slipping behind other cities in our region.”

At yesterday's conference, tourism industry leaders called on the NSW government to build larger convention and exhibition facilities to prevent the city losing convention business to Melbourne and Asian cities.

Likewise, former managing director of the Australian Tourist Commission John Morse said, “Sydney is now at the stage where Melbourne was around 15 years ago.”