Region. TVS sets up a foundation

TVS, Sydney’s free-to-air community TV channel has set up the Television Sydney Foundation to seek tax-deductible donations from viewers and from socially engaged companies and individuals. Funds will be used to support the creation of locally made programs from the Sydney communities. TVS, located at the University of Western Sydney’s Werrington South campus, at Penrith, is a not-for-profit company licensed under the provisions of the Commonwealth Broadcasting Services Act (1992) governing community television. Its transmitter’s coverage includes Wollongong, the lower Blue Mountains and Central Coast.

Region. Impact of climate change

Western Sydney would face significant employment implications in at least three major domains, according to a UWS report on employment strategies in the region. One would be the direct impact of a carbon emissions trading scheme (ETS) or a carbon tax on the region’s producers, The second domain would be the movement of freight as the region is the prime destination for Sydney’s goods traffic Western Sydney had an “extremely” high rate of car-based commuting and this was noted as the third domain, said the UWS Urban Research Centre’s 398-page North-West and West-Central Sydney Employment Strategies report prepared for the Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils.

Region. New employment area

The NSW Government expects to announce at the end of May a “major initiative”, which would cater for 50,000 workers, on a 10,500-hectare parcel of land stretching from the M4 and M7 junction to Kemps Creek and Badgerys Creek. The Minister for Planning, Kristina Keneally, said the Western Sydney Employment Lands would solidify the area’s economy for the next 30 years.

Parramatta. Parking issues

Parramatta City Council is examining the possibility of 15-minute free parking areas for businesses. Council will consider at its meeting on April 14, the deletion of a condition that a new automatic pay station, on the ground floor of the Hunter Street car park. The reason for the deletion is that the ground floor is only used by permanent parkers who use a swipe card to access their reserved spot, thus not requiring an automatic pay station at that level.

Parramatta. Provision of catering services

Parramatta City Council has appointed Amadeus, Prospero’s, Arcadia, The Bite and Amory Catering to provide catering services for council for the next three years, on a monthly roster and rotating basis, and that a survey be undertaken in six months of all users of the caterers, including councillors, on the quality of the service provided and food safety inspection.