Parramatta Local Court to close for a year

The 12-month, $11 million refurbishment of the building housing the Parramatta Local Court is expected to commence in July. A magistrate will be rostered to sit at the adjacent NSW Trial Court complex and additional magistrates will be sit at Bankstown, Hornsby, Manly and Ryde local courts to handle work from Parramatta.

Virgin 'takes off' from Silverwater

Virgin Blue’s international airline, V Australia, has set up an operational base in Sydney and commissioned its new $14 million Boeing 777 aircraft simulator, at CAE’s Silverwater facility. The simulator is a replica of the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft allowing pilot recruits to “take off” prior to the commencement of long haul flights to the USA, from December. V Australia will be the only Australian-based airline to operate the globally popular 777 airliner. The Canadian-based CAE is a world leader in providing simulation and modelling technologies and integrated training solutions for the civil aviation industry and defence forces around the globe. It has a facility at the Richmond RAAF base.

RTA could save with move to Parramatta

The RTA could have saved $7 million in taxpayers’ money had it moved its head office to Parramatta rather than to North Sydney, according to The Daily Telegraph. The RTA said it would pay $400 per square metre in the former Optus building when Parramatta agents said it could have paid $350 per square metre for space in Parramatta. The RTA said it was unable to find space available in the CBD.

Penrith and Xicheng co-operative agreement

Penrith and Xicheng, in China, have benefited from the economic, cultural and social
Programs over the past 10 years as part of a mutual co-operation between the two cities, said Penrith Mayor, Greg Davies, at a function attended by Li Jiang, senior adviser of the People’s Government of Xicheng district. Cr Davies said the relationship had achieved excellent results in municipal and corporate training, tourism and business development areas.