Interested in an unforgettable experience that will make a real difference in the lives of seriously ill children and their families?

Join WSBC Charity Partner Ronald McDonald House Westmead and lend a helping hand in 2016 through their Corporate Volunteering Program.

Your team will assist in a variety of tasks ranging from administrative support to housekeeping, gardening and maintenance and will also have the opportunity to interact with the families, staff and volunteers. 

Support families when they need it most and help make Ronald McDonald House Westmead a ‘home away from home’ for seriously ill children and their families.

Interested?  Then contact Michelle Burman at Ronald McDonald House Westmead on 02 9845 0600 or michelleb@rmhwestemad.org.au

I’m sure that you share with me the immense sense of pride in what we have achieved together to date. To have the NSW Premier, the Hon. Mike Baird MP, formally launching the economic blueprint with an endorsement from his Government that this blueprint is not only important in achieving the future economic and social success of Western Sydney, but also as the engine room of Sydney and NSW’s success, was a true reflection of what we can achieve by working together as a region.

i hope you had an opportunity to sign the Charter at the launch. If you didn’t have a chance to, and would like to add your name to the charter, please review the charter by clicking here and send a scanned copy with your signature attached to vmulcahy@deloitte.com.au.

How can you help?

As you are no doubt aware, 200,000 great new jobs will not suddenly materialise in Western Sydney. And the hard work of creating the conditions and opportunities to achieve this ambitious goal starts in earnest from today!

Deloitte is proud to continue to lead the conversations and bring stakeholders across Western Sydney together to discuss the issues and formulate the strategies to achieve our goals. The 25 strategies featured in the blueprint provide a fantastic structure to address the opportunities that we have identified over the past few months of discussion within our workshops, focus groups and summits. Please contact me or any Deloitte Partner if you are interested in participating in activities focused on any of the 25 strategic recommendations

I encourage you to maintain the conversation with Deloitte and our Shaping Future Cities: Designing Western Sydney community. Please click here to access some suggested Tweets that you can share with your social media networks.

In addition to the hard-copy of the blueprint and the infographic scroll you would have received last week, I have enclosed a link to :

• a PDF copy of the Shaping Future Cities: Designing Western Sydney blueprint
• a PDF of the infographic scroll
• the Shaping Future Cities: Designing Western Sydney webpage, where we will post all new and updated information.

On behalf of Deloitte and the Steering Committee of Shaping Future Cities: Designing Western Sydney, I sincerely thank you for your continued commitment to achieving our vision of creating 200,000 great new jobs by 2020. "

Is your business part of the Medical Technologies and Pharmaceuticals industry?

A new Medical Technologies and Pharmaceuticals Growth Centre has been launched to help the sector improve productivity and competitiveness.

What are Industry Growth Centres?

Industry Growth Centres are not-for-profit organisations that work with their industry to develop strategies to:

• reduce regulatory burden
• collaborate with researchers and increase commercialisation
• engage with international markets and global supply chains
• enhance management and workforce skills.

The Medical Technologies and Pharmaceuticals Growth Centre will be led by a small group of industry experts. It will work with the sector, CSIRO, Cooperative Research Centres, universities and other research institutes to encourage research outcomes that meet the needs of the sector.

Other Growth Centres

The Medical Technologies and Pharmaceuticals Growth Centre is part of the Industry Growth Centres Initiative.

The Food and Agribusiness Growth Centre and Mining Equipment, Technology and Services Growth Centre are now operating.

The Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre has been approved and will begin operating shortly.

Growth Centres are also being established for the sectors of:

• Oil, Gas and Energy Resources - proposal has been finalised.
• Cyber Security - announced as part of the National Innovation and Science Agenda  on 7 December 2015, and expected to be operational by mid-2016.

Find out more...

• Check out the Medical Technologies and Pharmaceuticals Growth Centre page for more information on the newly launched Growth Centre.
• Find out more about Industry Growth Centres.

Dozens of new community infrastructure projects will be carried out across the Parramatta LGA after Council finalised details of the works to be funded from its Special Ward Reserve.

Seven million dollars has been allocated to the Reserve for the completion of community projects, over and above Council’s regular works program.  The funds have been allocated from the proceeds of the sale of former Council land on Victoria Road.

“Ensuring that these funds are spent on improvements in our suburbs is an important investment in our community and it will help make Parramatta a more liveable and loveable city for all of its residents,” Lord Mayor of Parramatta Cr Paul Garrard said.

After consultation between Councillors and Council staff, a number of projects have been identified in each of Parramatta’s five wards.  Among the projects endorsed by Council is the upgrade of facilities at Lake Parramatta, upgrades at a number of parks and reserves, infrastructure to improve pedestrian safety, and footpath improvements in various locations.

The largest projects to be undertaken will be the construction of a Regional Playground at Fred Spurway Reserve, Carlingford and additional works at Boronia Park, Epping.

“These projects have all been identified as being of benefit to the wider community and will provide the people of Parramatta with access to first-rate facilities to enjoy across our suburbs,” Cr Garrard said.

“As we build Australia’s next great city here in Parramatta, Council is also focussed on the needs of our wider community.  We have dedicated 2016 as the year of ‘Our Community, the People We Serve’, and by targeting investment in the areas where people live we can foster a stronger sense of ‘neighbourhood’ in our city and increase people’s involvement in their local communities.”

The works will now be individually assessed by Council and completed on a project by project basis.

The list of approved projects is as follows:

Parramatta City Council is moving to realise its vision of a revitalised and world-class river foreshore after acquiring properties critical to the success of its River Strategy.

Council has now finalised the purchase of four sites along Phillip Street – the historic Willow Grove, St Georges Terrace and other commercial buildings – at a total cost of $35.5 million. The acquisitions open the way for Council to improve the CBD’s connection to Parramatta River.

"These purchases will allow Council to provide a critical civic link within the City from Parramatta Square through to Riverbank and the foreshore. It allows Council to be more flexible in its activation and rejuvenation of a core precinct in our CBD," Lord Mayor of Parramatta Cr Paul Garrard said.

“Prudent negotiations mean Council was able to achieve the best possible purchase prices in a competitive market in order to achieve its vision for Riverbank. Council is making a smart investment in the River Strategy that will deliver cultural and social benefits and another economic injection into the city.

“Historic Willow Grove will be included in our plans to activate the Riverbank precinct which is a crucial part of Council’s River Strategy adopted earlier this year.”

Council has also resumed control of the former David Jones car park site, which together with the four key purchases will create an 18,000sq m foreshore site that will become a lively mixed-used precinct featuring a variety of social, cultural and community assets as well as apartments.

The River Strategy sets out plans to revitalise the foreshore between Gasworks Bridge and Rings Bridge, O’Connell Street. New and improved spaces will be created for walking, cycling, picnicking, outdoor dining and hosting major events such as New Year’s Eve and Loy Krathong.

The $200 million River Strategy project will be completed in stages over a 20-year timeframe with funding from a range of sources including Council, the State Government and the private sector.

“These acquisitions are just another example of Council’s commitment to moving forward with its vision for Parramatta as Australia's Next Great City,” Cr Garrard said.

“The development of the $2 billion Parramatta Square and our visionary River Strategy will ensure our City remains vibrant while celebrating our unique cultural, historical and economic credentials.”

A blueprint for the Riverbank is currently being considered by Council.

PARRAMATTA Council looks set to win the tussle for Sydney Olympic Park with the long-awaited State Government decision on amalgamations expected to be released this week.

The announcement could see the number of metropolitan councils reduced from 41 to about 20.

Parramatta is likely to absorb Sydney Olympic Park from Auburn Council and its boundaries redrawn to include suburbs that will receive the light rail — from Westmead to Parramatta and on to the sporting hub.

The new council will be touted as the new economic precinct for western Sydney and matches up with the government’s metropolitan strategy for Sydney’s growth and economic future.

Under this plan, Parramatta Council could lose some territory to the newly amalgamated councils of Auburn and Holroyd, including Lord Mayor Paul Garrard’s electorate of Woodville. Woodville takes in the suburbs of South Granville, Chester Hill, and parts of Guildford, Merrylands and Granville.

Several sources have told The Advertiser it made sense to have one local government authority manage the light rail.

Cr Garrard said he would not be pleased if the government removed his ward and added it to another council area.

“I would be very disappointed if that happened and I would think it would be a very average result for Parramatta. But I don’t want to speculate on that until I have more information,” he said.

Sydney Business Chamber of Commerce Western Sydney director David Borger said the chamber was excited at the opportunities for building strong local government.

“A bigger Parramatta means it will become a more strategic council but it’s important we don’t set council boundaries based on political outcome. We need to make sure boundaries are set for the right reason,” Mr Borger said.

As part of its submission to the Fit for the Future report, Auburn Council requested it merge with Burwood and Canada Bay councils under the banner of Sydney Olympic Park Council, however this plan now seems unlikely.

Redrawn boundaries would have to be looked at by the Boundaries Commission before going back to Local Government Minister Paul Toole for consideration.

Holroyd has been a strong opponent of forced amalgamations, constantly stating it did not want to join with Parramatta.

MAKING WESTERN SYDNEY GREATER

Achieve positive change for Western Sydney businesses! 

Only a few weeks left to influence Government policy and Western Sydney economic and social strategy.

We know it's a busy time of year, yet we also know that over 250 business leaders have already contributed to our ever growing piece of research and we encourage you to do the same.

Our biannual research is already used by local and State Government to shape their strategy and its results have recently featured in Deloitte's 'Shaping Future Cities' economic strategy for Western Sydney. This research is delivering and achieving positive impact from people of influence like you!

Be part of achieving positive change for Western Sydney businesses and click the link below.

Join the conversation and over 250 businesses already contributing to 

Making Western Sydney Greater. 

Led by William Buck, and supported by Western Sydney Business Connection, St. George Bank and Western Sydney University, the results are used to contribute to and influence discussions on NSW Government policy. Our aim is to achieve positive changes for businesses in Greater Western Sydney. 

In this edition, we're looking into:

• the benefits and issues of being a Western Sydney business
• access to Government support
• trends in business sentiment
• international trade
• and the collaboration between industry and education

Be a person of influence and click the link below.

Join the conversation and over 250 businesses already contributing to 

Making Western Sydney Greater. 

If you missed the release of our second Making Western Sydney Greater report please follow the link.

Announcement!

The exhibition period for the Western Sydney Airport draft Airport Plan and draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will close soon, with submissions being called for by Friday 18 December 2015. 

The community consultation on draft Airport Plan and draft EIS provide the opportunity to find out more about the project and your say by making a submission. Submissions received will be taken into account in finalising the Airport Plan and EIS.

For more information, to view the draft Airport Plan and draft EIS, or to make a submission, visit www.westernsydneyairport.gov.au. 

NSW Premier Mike Baird and Transport Minister Andrew Constance today announced the preferred network for light rail in Parramatta. This will run between Westmead and Camellia through Parramatta CBD, branching to Strathfield via Sydney Olympic Park and out to Carlingford, maximizing transport connections, jobs growth and urban revitalisation.

The spine of the network, which could be the core of a future wider light rail network, will link areas that are being transformed through significant Government and private investment, including Westmead Health Precinct, Parramatta North renewal area and Pirtek Stadium. It will serve a revitalised Camellia and allow students at Western Sydney University’s Rydalmere campus to catch light rail from the CBD. Light rail will also serve a new technology and education precinct at Rydalmere, creating jobs in Sydney’s growing knowledge economy.

A branch will continue to Strathfield via Sydney Olympic Park, which is already a premier destination for sporting and entertainment events and is set to grow further as a new town centre surrounded by quality parkland. Another branch between Camellia and Carlingford will provide users with more frequent services than the current train line provides, serving the growing precincts of Telopea and Dundas.

The NSW Government will continue to identify opportunities for future light rail and bus rapid transit corridors in parallel with development of the preferred network. This will include looking at ways to strengthen transport links between Carlingford and Epping.

More information about the preferred network is available on the Transport for NSW website at http://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/lightrail-program/parramatta-light-rail.

The NSW Government has already set aside $1 billion for the light rail network. Early estimates indicate that further funding is needed to deliver the entire new network. The Government will now work closely with businesses and councils to look at new funding models to meet the total cost of this crucial infrastructure.

From early in 2016, the project team will be contacting key stakeholders to arrange meetings. These discussions will help determine the detailed design of the preferred network which will be taken to the Cabinet in the middle of the year. We would then commence engagement with the wider community to ensure that Parramatta Light Rail best meets the needs of local communities. 

Parramatta City Council has welcomed the State Government’s commitment to develop light rail routes to Carlingford and Strathfield as the first stages of a wider Western Sydney network.

Premier Mike Baird confirmed today that a Light Rail line will be built from Westmead to Carlingford via the Parramatta CBD and North Parramatta. The line will connect Sydney’s largest health precinct and the $2 billion Parramatta Square urban renewal project, which includes a new Western Sydney University campus.

A line will also be built from Parramatta to Strathfield via Sydney Olympic Park, which Council had identified as a future growth corridor for the network. 

Lord Mayor of Parramatta Cr Paul Garrard said building the two routes as the first stage made financial sense and would provide the best chance of success for an expanded network.

“These routes will be the first step in a wider Western Sydney Light Rail Network that will completely revolutionise public transport and transform not only Parramatta, but western and north-western Sydney,” Cr Garrard said.

“I am pleased that Premier Baird has left open the prospect of extending the network to other growth centres which could potentially include Epping, which was part of Council’s preferred route option.

“Residents, workers, students and visitors will all benefit from an integrated Light Rail Network that connects economic, education, health, residential and sporting hubs, allowing faster and more efficient travel.

“We are delighted that Council’s long-standing vision for this project is becoming a reality.

Parramatta is central to both of the identified routes and having light rail centred in the heart of our CBD will transform the city for locals, visitors and workers. It will go a long way in helping Parramatta to secure its future as Sydney’s dual CBD.”

“I also welcome the Premier’s commitment to relocate more than 1800 Department of Education employees to Parramatta. It further demonstrates the State Government’s commitment to Western Sydney and their firm belief in the future of this region.”