Landholders in New South Wales are facing a potential three-year surge in land tax, following the 2021 property boom.

While property prices across the state have dipped in recent months, land tax liabilities have increased due to inflated Land Tax assessments combined with a Land Tax formula that has not kept pace with valuations.

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City of Parramatta Council are looking for people in their community with inspiring and powerful stories to share in an upcoming campaign.

Nominate them or yourself by Sunday 12 March for a chance to win one of three $100 Parramatta Square gift cards!

In a global first, Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport has provisionally secured its three-letter code more than three years ahead of opening, with the code WSI ensuring that the airport will truly take Western Sydney to the world.

In securing WSI, our new airport has joined the ranks of other airports with iconic codes such as LAX, JFK, LHR and HKG,” said Western Sydney International Airport Chair Paul O’Sullivan.

“Bag tags, booking websites and airline apps around the world will now feature WSI, as the airport continues to act as a driving force in the region’s renaissance, now with a code that puts Western Sydney on the global stage.”

The code, which is usually provided to airports within 12 months of the start of operations, was designated early by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), reflecting the confidence the international airline industry peak body has in the airport’s progress and its importance to Australia’s aviation landscape.

“This will be an airport for all of Sydney, ultimately growing to become the city’s biggest, but we’re proud that it is home in Western Sydney,” Mr O’Sullivan said.

“Western Sydney is truly Sydney’s cultural heartland and with WSI now confirmed as one of our most important global identifiers, our role connecting the world to Sydney via this exciting and diverse region is clear.

Mr O’Sullivan said that Western Sydney International Airport will not only mean more jobs in the west, but better, higher paying jobs that have traditionally only been found in Sydney’s east.

“This is an airport that communities across Western Sydney will be proud of, driving record investment in transport, job training and social infrastructure across the region, meaning that communities have access to the best.

“As we build the airport, we’ve already invested around $400 million with Western Sydney businesses which is just the beginning of WSI bringing higher quality jobs, closer to home both now and into the future.

“People’s children and their children will have access to great jobs in the west, if their interest is in engineering, cyber and other security, sustainability, aviation or many other jobs of the future the opportunity will be here in Western Sydney.”

Both Qantas Group and Virgin Australia were among the advocates that wrote to IATA requesting early designation of the WSI code for Western Sydney International Airport.

"We’ve had enormous levels of interest from airlines, not only from our Australian MOU airline partners, but from airlines around the world that are excited for what new aviation capacity, 24/7 operations and a modern, digitally enabled airport means, including for Sydney’s brand as Australia’s global city.

“Over the next couple of years, we’ll be excited to let our future passengers across Sydney know which airlines will take them to which destinations from WSI.”

Western Sydney International is on track to open to international, domestic and air cargo services in late 2026.

To celebrate International Women's Day on 8 March, City of Parramatta Council invites you to take part in a series of events showcasing women’s leadership and influence in their community.

The events, which range from movie showings to panel discussions highlight a community of diverse women who embrace equity within their own sphere of influence.

Register now: International Women's Day 2023 | City of Parramatta 

Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport continues to be at the centre of the region’s transformational uplift with around $404 million spent with Western Sydney businesses and a new group of interns and trainees joining the airport to help their careers take off.

Western Sydney International Airport CEO Simon Hickey said the airport and its contractors had engaged more than 250 Western Sydney-based businesses since work on the airport began, from local tradies and construction companies, to caterers, security guards and other small businesses.

“The airport has already injected over $400 million into the local economy, around half of this money has been spent using local businesses to help us bring our world-class terminal to life,” Mr Hickey said.

“This high level of local investment supports local businesses of all sizes, meaning they employ more locals who in turn spend more money in the West.”

Ben Geisker, Director of Blacktown business, BKH Scaffolding said the scaffolding work he has secured at the airport is worth more than $7 million and meant he was able to keep on apprentices and other workers during the pandemic.

“We had around 150 Western Sydney locals working on the airport job during the peak of our contract, helping to construct the formwork and scaffolding,” Mr Geisker said.

“It’s a massive source of pride for so many of us to work on the airport that will connect Western Sydney to the world.”

On top of the significant local investment, Western Sydney International Airport is providing local students with opportunities to start their careers by creating traineeships and by teaming up with the CSIRO to offer game changing new internships.

Mr Hickey said it was another example of Sydney’s new airport opening high quality career pathways.

“By offering paid traineeships for Year 12 school leavers, we are inviting the next generation of young professionals to be part of bringing Sydney’s new airport to life,” Mr Hickey said.

“We are building a skills legacy for this vibrant, diverse region and we are extremely proud of the fact that a third of our current workforce are apprentices, trainees or other workers upskilling while working on the airport.”

More than 2,700 people are currently working to build Western Sydney International Airport, with almost half coming from Western Sydney. The airport project will employ even more people as construction ramps up to its peak phase later this year, when around 3,500 people are expected to be directly employed on the project at that time.

Steel Builders are the largest supplier of structural steel, lintels and bricklayers hardware to the domestic housing market servicing Greater Sydney & beyond.

From a smaller owner builder, right through to a major construction partner, Steel Builders offers a complete package; from an initial estimate with CAD and 3D drafted shop drawings, through to painting/galvanising and final delivery to site state-wide and even into the ACT!

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Holdmark, in partnership with Western Sydney University (WSU), is pleased to launch the inaugural Urban Transformation Summer School, an innovative new course aimed at educating and empowering the next generation of urban designers and transformers.

Designed by the Chair of WSU’s School of Architecture Paul Sanders, this year’s course will focus on the influence of Powerhouse Parramatta’s design on the local area’s urban environment.

Students will hear from world-leading architects and the designers of Powerhouse Parramatta, Nicolas Moreau & Hiroko Kusunoki (Moreau Kusunoki) and Steve Toia (Genton) as well as Abbie Galvin (NSW Government Architect) and leading urban planner Kelly van der Zanden (City of Parramatta). Students will also work on real-world design, engineering and architecture challenges alongside industry professionals, giving them the chance to apply their knowledge in a practical setting.

Founder and Chief Executive of Holdmark Sarkis Nassif said the company is thrilled to be partnering with Western Sydney University on this unique program to provide students with the skills and knowledge they need to make a real impact in the world of urban design and transformation.

“As our cities continue to grow and evolve, it is more important than ever to have a new generation of professionals who are equipped with the knowledge and skills to address the challenges and opportunities of urbanisation,” said Mr Nassif.

“I am confident that the students who participate in this program will emerge with a deeper understanding of the complexities and opportunities of urban design, and a renewed sense of purpose and commitment to creating liveable and sustainable cities.”

“Western Sydney University is proud to partner with Powerhouse Parramatta and Holdmark to deliver this innovative summer school program, which will simultaneously develop students’ design thinking capability and advance practical solutions for issues directly identified by the local Western Sydney community,” said Professor Barney Glover AO Vice-Chancellor and President of Western Sydney University.

“Fostering sustainable design excellence is of paramount importance for Powerhouse. It is our great privilege to play a role in supporting and enabling designers across their careers, as they reimagine urban development and cultural infrastructures for future generations,” said Lisa Havilah, Powerhouse Chief Executive.

The summer school initiative follows a $10 million commitment to Powerhouse Parramatta by Holdmark Property Group, which supports the establishment of the Holdmark Gallery and a new biennial exhibition focusing on innovation in design, engineering, and architecture. The commitment has also seen Holdmark become the principal partner of Sydney Design Week.

For more information on the summer school course, visit: WSU website

On Tuesday 14 February, NASA Deputy Administrator Pamela Melroy joined high school students from Western Sydney who are part of Powerhouse: Future Space to launch their next mission - a student-designed experiment which will be conducted on the International Space Station in 2024.

As part of the Lang Walker Family Academy In-Schools Program, Powerhouse: Future Space in collaboration with Magnitude.io and the NSW Department of Education is in its second year of a three-year program. It has been providing students from Western Sydney and regional areas with ground-breaking technology, advanced educational opportunities, and exposure to international scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs.

The 2022 mission ‘Carbon Farmer’ used scientific inquiry to teach students about importance of the carbon cycle on Earth and in space. This year, students will use NASA-inspired design thinking techniques to plan their own space and Earth-based experiment between February and August and pitch their ideas to a panel of experts during the 2023 Sydney Science Festival. The winning design will be selected for ground trials and active experiments on the International Space Station in early 2024.

The esteemed guest for the launch event, Melroy was one of only two female commanders of NASA space shuttle missions. She went on three space shuttle assembly missions in 2000, 2002 and 2007 to help build the International Space Station. She is also a pioneer for the Australian Space Agency, having spent a significant amount of time in Australia, inspiring the future of space undertaking. Powerhouse connected 150 students from Hurlstone Agricultural High School, East Hills Girls Technology High School, Arthur Phillip High School, Jamison High School, Seven Hills High School and Casula High School with the distinguished leader to hear her inspiring recollections from an outstanding STEM career. Melroy also offered advice to students on their experiment proposals for the mission, followed by Q&A.

‘We are thrilled to be a participating school in the Powerhouse: Future Space program and supporting the launch of the 2023 mission. It has been a rewarding journey to see Future Space students applying their learnings from the world-class immersive STEM education program to prepare an actual space mission on the International Space Station,’ said Christine Castle, Principal of Hurlstone Agricultural High School.

‘The Lang Walker Family Academy is excited to have Pamela Melroy to launch the next mission for the Powerhouse: Future Space program. Inspiring students in Western Sydney and regional NSW by connecting them with industry experts and providing hands-on experiment opportunities is at the core of the program. It is exciting that this year students can apply their learnings to design their own experiment which will be conducted both on-ground and on the International Space Station,’ said Sophie Poisel, Head of Lang Walker Family Academy.