Badgerys Creek. Landowners waiting in hope

Nearly two years after Badgerys Creek was officially dumped as a site for the city's second airport, thousands of hectares in the area remain under aircraft noise zonings. At least 1700 landowners stretching from Horsley Park to the foot of the Blue Mountains are caught in a tangle of development restrictions that vary according to their proximity to the Badgerys Creek ''flight paths''. Federal Transport Minister, Anthony Albanese, has repeatedly declared the idea dead and last year's aviation green paper said it was ''no longer an option''. But he has so far refused to make the necessary amendments to the Aviation Act to pave the way for the zoning restrictions to be lifted at the state and local level, incensing the landowners and drawing criticism from local Labor MPs, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.

Region. Land still purchased for NW rail link

NSW Opposition leader, Barry O'Farrell said the NSW Government has continued to buy-up land along the route of the northwest rail corridor despite the project being shelved indefinitely, according to The Sydney Morning Herald which said $141 had been spent million snapping up land for the ghost train corridor. Mt O'Farrell said the disparity between the transport-deprived outer suburbs and the inner west, where a new $5 billion metro currently is being constructed, was incredible.

Penrith. Call for volunteer mentors

The Penrith-based Schools Industry Partnership (SIP) seeks retired and semi-retired people professional and industry knowledge and experience to act as volunteer mentors to senior school students, in its Job Advice and Mentoring 4 Students program, which aims to provide advice of pathways most beneficial to the students’ chosen career, said Evett Freelingos, career transition manager, with the Schools Industry Partnership.

Auburn. Cumberland Ind. creditors meeting

A creditors meeting on September 1 will decide whether to place Cumberland Industries Limited, at Auburn, into liquidation. The non-profit charity employing more than 500 disabled people, plus 170 support staff, in Western Sydney, was placed into voluntary liquidation in May. Administrator, Peter Hedge and Associates, said the Enrico’s Kitchen business, purchased in 2006 for about $2.5 million had been sold for about $500,000. other “non-core” business are on the market.

Badgerys Creek. Missing out on benefits

The developer lobby group, Urban Taskforce, said that while the Commonwealth made up its mind regarding the “no longer an option” Badgerys Creek airport, NSW was missing out on the economic benefits of developing the land. The Sydney Morning Herald understands that the Government wants the 1700 hectares it owns to form the centre of a large residential development and is unwilling to lift the restrictions until this plan is further developed. "Business parks, pharmaceuticals, information and communications technology and advanced manufacturing could all be located there. There's no point holding development activity back to accommodate a future airport if no-one has any intention of building one,'' its chief executive, said Aaron Gadiel, CEO of the the lobby group.

Norwest. ResMed profit up 33 per cent

ResMed, sleep disorder company founded in Sydney but now based in the USA – its Asia Pacific office is based at Norwest Business Park – has reported sales and profitability for the June quarter were at record highs. Revenue was$A3000 million, up 7 per cent on the same quarter last year, while profit was $A54 million, an increase of 53 per cent.