West Ryde. Pfizer to sell directly

The decision by pharmaceuticals company Pfizer, based at West Ryde, to sell drugs to pharmacies, rather than use Australian wholesalers, has affected the share price of the country's leading wholesalers.Pfizer's direct-to-market approach will place further pressure on wholesalers such as Sigma Pharmaceuticals, based at Croydon and Australian Pharmaceutical Industries, at Camellia. Pfizer Australia MD, John Latham, confirmed the decision was a result of Pfizer seeking to meet challenges such as PBS changes and the patent expiry of Pfizer medicines

Region. WSROC urges rethink on mining funds

The Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils has urged the federal government to rethink plans to stockpile the proceeds of the mining boom and instead invest it in desperately needed infrastructure. “We have shown that had the NSW Government paid for Sydney’s eight most recent toll roads using borrowed funds, it would now be $4.6 billion better off, and reaping an income of $380 million a year. “This infrastructure is critical to ensuring the continued economic growth and prosperity of not just Western Sydney but the whole country,” said WSROC president, Clr Alison McLaren, who was responding to comments made by the Reserve Bank Governor, Glenn Stevens who said in a speech to the Committee for Economic Development of Australia that he believed the Federal Government should lock the money away “for a rainy day.” said the government should use windfalls from the resources boom to invest in the future prosperity and economic growth of the nation

North-West. Bunnings to build largest store

Bunnings has bought 3.4 hectares in the $2 billion Sydney Business Park development, in Marsden Park, for $10.2 million, to build its largest chain store. Owen Walsh, Sydney Business Park’s development director, said it was negotiating with four or five major retailers to set up bulky goods or distribution centres at the site.

Region. 400 applications - so far - for 100 jobs

The first round of applications for 100 academic positions at the University of Western Sydney has closed with more than 400 applications being received, including 37 from the US, 29 from the UK, 22 from elsewhere in Europe and 14 from Canada.