Region. RDA seeks more staff

RDA Sydney, Sydney’s regional development Australia committee, based in Parramatta, continues to boost its staff numbers with advertisements for marketing, communications and project manager (salary package of $65,000) and an events and projects officer ($63,000). A recent advertisement was for a project development manage ($65,000). RDA is a partnership initiative between the Australian, state, territory and local governments to support the growth and development of Australia’s regions, RDA Sydney was formed through the amalgamation of the Greater Western Sydney Regional Development Board (GWSEDB) and the GROW Sydney Area Consultative Committee, both of which were based in Parramatta

Region. Perishable products under threat

Urban expansion competes for land with agricultural production. The urban fringes of Australia account for a significant proportion of some types of food production, particularly perishable vegetables – the Sydney region is estimated to be responsible for producing around 90 per cent of cabbage and lettuce consumed in the city. The north-west and south-west growth centres of Sydney, designated to be progressively released for urban development over the next two decades, contain 52 per cent of Sydney’s vegetable farming properties, 60 per cent of greenhouse industries, and 46 per cent of outdoor hydroponic vegetable industries in the region, according to the State of Australian Cities 2010 report, published by Infrastructure Australia, Major Cities Unit.

North Ryde. Top award for professor

David Weisbrot, newly-appointed Professor of Law and Governance, at Macquarie University, received the top award at the National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) annual Awards for Excellence in Health and Medical Research. Professor Weisbrot received the prestigious ‘Most Outstanding Contribution’ award for 2010 for his work. The NHMRC awards recognise outstanding contributions to ethics, health and medical research and are decided on the basis of research quality, innovation and leadership. For the last four and a half years, he has been an active member of the NHMRC’s Human Genetics Advisory Committee. He also served on the NHMRC’s Working Group on Research Integrity.

Region. Western Sydney website

Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC) has assembled a panel of leading experts on regional planning, transport, infrastructure and the environment to put forward a vision for how Western Sydney should be in 2030. WSROC said the expert panel would turn that information into an integrated picture of what life could be like in Western Sydney. “Through our web site (westernsydney2030.com.au) we are asking people to tell us of their hopes, dreams and aspirations for the future. In this way the people of Western Sydney will be able to see clearly whether or not policy proposals and promises made will make life better or not,” a spokesperson said. The Western Sydney 2030 plan would work in conjunction with the recent Christie report that incorporates fully-integrated transport infrastructure and land-use planning.