Penrith. Call for completion of link to M7

The completion of a three-kilometre road linking the Erskine Park Business Park to the M7 is forcing hundreds of trucks along local roads to get to the motorway. Penrith Mayor, Jim Atkin, said the Government’s failure to deliver one road in an existing area cast doubt on its “ability to deliver the infrastructure for the much touted major expansion to this employment area”, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. “The money is there, the design is there, we’ve even lined up a developer to build it, but we can’t build the thing,” said council director, Craig Butler, at the NSW Business Chamber’s inaugural NSW – Reclaiming 1st symposium.

North Ryde. Graduate school stays autonomous

Macquarie University, Vice-Chancellor, Steven Schwartz, has accepted the recommendation from a panel set up to review the status of the Macquarie Graduate School of Management that it should remain autonomous from the university’s faculty of business and economics.

Penrith. Boost for medical services

Medical services in outer Western Sydney will get a boost with the Federal Government funding the state-of-the-art Nepean Clinical Medical School to the tune of $17 million in the budget. The facility is expected to be operational in 2011.

North Ryde. University gets federal funding

Macquarie University’s marine scientists will benefit from $19.5 million dedicated to turning the Sydney Institute of Marine Science into a world-class marine research facility.Also the Australian School of Advanced Medicine will receive $16.6 million in order to provide leadership in advanced surgical education

Hawkesbury. $40 million boost for research

Funding of $40 million in the Federal Budget has been allocated for the University of Western Sydney to establish a new world-class Centre for Climate Change and Energy Research (CCCER) at its Hawkesbury Campus. Vice-Chancellor, Professor Janice Reid, said the centre would boost research and development in Western Sydney

Parramatta. Will ferry service to the city go?

The State Government looks set to continue running State Ferries, according to The Daily Telegraph, which noted taxpayers might have to subsidise the service by up to $50 million annually. Upgrading the fleet would cost between $300-$500 million. A report to government last year recommended the cessation of the service to Parramatta because of cost pressures.

Libcombe. Parmalat buys milk facility

National Foods has entered into a binding sale agreement with Parmalat Food Products Pty Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Italian company Parmalat. Parmalat will acquire a portfolio of fresh milk assets, including the Lidcombe manufacturing plant. The sale of assets is subject to approval of the ACCC.