Parramatta. Indian festival for the city

Premier, Kristina Keneally, has launched, as part of the state's major events program, the Australian Festival of South Asian Arts, to be held in Parramatta, in November 2010, during a highlight of the Indian calendar, Diwali, the Festival of Lights. Dubbed ''Parramasala'', the festival includes Indian art, music and film. The name plays on the Hindi word masala, which means mix. In the 2001 census, 3346 Indians resided in Parramatta. By the 2006 census, the number had increased to 7088, an increase of 111.8 per cent. Indian nationals are the second largest non-English speaking group, after the Chinese, residing in the Parramatta local government area. The majority lives in the Westmead-CBD-Harris Park area.

Region. WSROC supports lifting M7 toll

The Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC) supports the State Government plan to end the M4 road toll, on February 15th. President, Clr. Alison McLaren said: “Keeping the toll to provide funds for other transport projects is simply a tax for Western Sydney commuters. Also, the suggestion that the toll continues and the local resident cash-back payments cease will mean yet another burden on our local motorists. This is especially so as almost 80 per cent have to drive their cars to and from work.” She said maintaining the toll to pay for some transport infrastructure was an ad hoc response to transport issues.