Parramatta. Website to showcase tourism

A Parramatta City Council report notes that the city “does little to capitlaise on opportunities to promote its vast tourism potential”and will establish a dedicated website in 2008-09 to showcase its attractions and boost visitation. The site will provide a platform for local businesses and operators to reach a wider tourist audience and encourage people to experience more, stay longer and spend more.

Parramatta. City's north-south income divide

ATO statistics in 2005-06 (the latest figures available) highlight the north-south divide in mean personal taxable income (MPTI).in the Parramatta area Workers in the Epping area had a MPTI of $56,300 and those in Granville had a MPTI of $37,498 – a gap of $18,802. The MPTI for NSW was $49,833 and, other than Epping no other postcode, in the Parramatta area, recorded a MPTI above the figure. The Parramatta postcode 2150 which includes the CBD had a MPTI of $38,723. Nine areas in the metropolitan Sydney had an MPTI over $100,000; the top three being Darling Point $146,253, Mosman $126,884 and Hunters Hill $125,177.

Parramatta. Focus on foreign entreprenuers

Parramatta City Council states one of the key focus areas in boosting the small business sector will be those businesses which are run by entrepreneurs from non-English-speaking backgrounds which make up approximately 40 per cent of business owners in the city.

Region. Tourism development program

The Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC) said consultations with most of its member councils are leading to a tourism development program around the three themes of indigenous culture, food and markets with the region’s culturally and linguistically diverse communities, and colonial settler heritage. As part of the marketing strategy a web-based platform is proposed involving in-kind support of over $200,000 from Tourism NSW. Other partners include Arts NSW, which is particularly keen to be involved in the development of indigenous contemporary arts.