Parramatta. Rees wants to upgrade RiverCat

Premier Nathan Rees said he planned to upgrade the Parramatta RiverCat services when announcing the State Government the calling for expressions of interest from private companies to operate all ferry services. The problem with the service to Parramatta was the narrowness of the river's upper reaches, causing ferries to slow down to limit wash. Changes to Parramatta services might involve Parramatta Council building a new car park by the wharf. The Maritime Union of Australia was confident Sydney Ferries could reach world's best practice and stop the service from being privatised, according to AAP.

Parramatta. Council supports national program

The 3CBDs program, established in 2005 by the cities of Sydney, North Sydney and Parramatta, together with the Department of Environment and Climate Change, to reduce energy use in commercial office space, has gone national and been renamed CitySwitch Green Office. Council will continue to contribute $10,000 annually to the program management. Its officers will continue to promote and support the implementation of the national program at the local level.

Kings Park. Sales slump for fashion retailer

Kings Park-based Noni B, one of Australia's leading fashion retailers, said poor sales in the past four months may force it to cut its 12000-strong workforce. He company had hoped this year would be an opportunity to turn around its fortunes after a horror 2007-08 in which its profit slumped by nearly 70 per cent. MD, David Kindl said there were no immediate plans to cut staff. “We can’t rule out any action,” he said in The Sydney Morning Herald. The company, founded in 1977, operates 207 stores across Australia, with 40 per cent in NSW.