Region. ACCC approves turf clubs merger

The merger of the Sydney Turf Club and the Australian Jockey Club needs only to be signed off by NSW Racing Minister, Kevin Greene, after being given the all-clear by the ACCC. An incentive of a $174 million package will be used to refurbish Randwick and Rosehill racecourses. The $150 million renovations to the stands at Randwick will be funded through a deal with the TAB, while the NSW government has provided a $24 million grant for an upgrade to the facilities and access routes at Rosehill. The combined membership of the two clubs will be about 14,000, with about 250 full-time and 200 part-time staff. The name of the meged club is yet to be announced.

North Ryde. $108 million hub approved

The NSW government has approved the construction of the $108 million, six-storey
Australian Hearing Hub, a major state-of-the-art medical research and teaching facility, at Macquarie University. The Minister for Planning, Tony Kelly, said the government had provided $360,000 to bring together three non-profit hearing organisations, the Sydney Cochlear Implant Centre, the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children and the Shepherd Centre, to work with leading researchers at the university He said the project would support the growth of the Macquarie Park Specialised Centre which was identified in the Metropolitan Plan for Sydney 2036, released in December.

Region. Sydney Festival attracts crowds

While the box office receipts have not been disclosed, The Australian Financial review reports that Sydney festival events in Parramatta, Penrith, Minto and Campbelltown attracted enthusiastic crowds” helping to exceed the overall box office target of $4.7 million for the $17.6 million three-week event.

Region. Over $2.7 million in savings

Efforts by the Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC) supply management team has resulted in a collective savings of over $2.7 million in existing supply contracts. WSROC said details of all existing procurement projects would be posted shortly on the organisation’s website for easy access by participating councils. To ensure continuous improvement in this area WSROC appointed Mal Ackerman, in 2010, as a full time procurement and joint activities coordinator.