Parramatta. New website has 300 visitors daily

A council website, www.mynewworkcity.com.au , an initiative promoting Parramatta as a place “to build a career” has been attracting up to 300 visitors per day, according to a council report. The site provides information on opportunities in Parramatta, plus detailed information on different types of businesses and a salary guide. Council said the joint-initiative with SEEK is the first website of its kind by local government in Australia. A promotional DVD of the city is being completed

Region. Fast rail service proposal 'sound'

Following the rejection by the NSW Government of the fast train proposal from the Sydney CBD to Penrith, Michael Easson, leader of the Western FastRail consortium, wants it back on the table. "Some ideas never die because they are sound. Western Sydney needs better transport links. A high-speed link to Penrith ought to be part of the answer to Sydney’s beleaguered transport system. Any government worth a candle would examine that need regardless of whether we have a cracker of an idea or not,” he said in The Sydney Morning Herald. The Government claims the service would be too expensive to extend it from Parramatta to Penrith.

Bankstown. 777 rudder production at airport

Boeing Australia will move rudder production for 777 aircraft from Melbourne to its Hawker de Havilland plant, at Bankstown Airport, following the company’s decision to retrench about 550 jobs, at its Port Melbourne plant, within 18 months. “Because the (Bankstown) plant has not been operating at capacity, there will only be a very small number of jobs moving there,” the company said. Boeing’s major NSW business interest is the Hawker de Havilland plant, which produces components for a number of aerospace manufacturers, including Boeing, Airbus, Lockheed Martin and Bombardier. Boeing has an overall investment of more than $800 million, employing nearly 4000 people at 28 sites around Australia,

Baulkham Hills. Only regional LGA on the table

The Baulkham Hills local government area (LGA) was the only Western Sydney LGA included in the top 15 places in which to live, in the inaugural BankWest Quality of Life Index. At the national level, it ranked 12th and 4th at the state level. Ku-ring-gai LGA topped the table at the national and NSW levels. Data was gathered from official government sources on such factors as health, home ownership, employment, earnings, education, crime rates, internet access and volunteering.

Parramatta. DA processing times down

The greatest improvements in the median processing time for non-domestic development applications, by Parramatta City Council, in the June quarter, were in the mixed-use sector, 44 days (down from 89 days), and the office-building sector, 45 days (down from 86 days), However, the time processing DAs in 2007/08 increased. “This result is unfavourable and is the result of the determination of a large number of applications which have been in the system for some time and have been deferred for redesign. Reforms will be made within the (September) quarter to address the unfavourable result,” a council report said.

Sydney Olympic Park. Japanese firm in $910 million deal

The board of Dairy Farmers Co-operative, headquartered at Sydney Olympic Park, has approved the sale of the business to a consortium lead by National Foods, owned by brewing firm, Kirin Holdings, for $910 million. If the transaction is approved by the co-operative’s 2000-plus shareholders later this year, it will take Kerin’s investment in the Australian diary industry to almost $3.9 billion, according to The Australian Financial Review. The ACCC has given its approval to the sale.

Parramatta. Sydney Water calls for EOI

With the recent “topping out” ceremony to mark its new HO, on the corner of Smith and Darcy streets, in Parramatta, reaching its maximum height of 17 storeys, Sydney Water has called for expressions of interest to be registered as a tenderer for the removal of 1500 staff from the Sydney CBD, early next year.

Erskine Park. Goodman Fielder gets go-ahead

Goodman Fielder has NSW Government approval for a $20 million food production and warehouse facility, at Erskine Park, that will deliver around 150 construction jobs and a further 120 staff when operational. The facility will produce liquid groceries such as salad dressings, mayonnaise, table sauces and vinegar with a production capacity of around 20,000 tonnes, as well as dry products such as cake and bread mixes. The company’s net profit for the year to June 30 was $27.7 million, down from $239.8 million in 2007. Reasons for the fall of 88.4 per cent included rising commodity prices, transport costs and competition from supermarket giants’ house brands.