North Ryde. Graduate school appointment

The Macquarie Graduate School of Management has appointed Dr Debbie Haski-Leventhal as senior lecturer of management. Dr Haski-Leventhal has specialised skills in Australian third sector, volunteerism and corporate social responsibility. For the past three years, she has been the NAB research fellow, at the Centre of Social Impact, at the University of NSW.

Auburn. Costco to open this week

Costco, the world’s eighth-largest retailer, plans to open its first Sydney outlet, a 13,5000-square-metre store on Parramatta Road, Auburn, on July 21. The site will include the head office of the USA-based company, which has an outlet in Melbourne and one nearing completion near Canberra airport, with plans for Queensland and South Australia.

Parramatta. Inaugural business function

Representatives of the Turkish Consulate, including Consul General, Gulseren Celik, and Vice Consul Emin Akseki are expected to attend the inaugural Turkish-Australia Business Networking function, to be held in Parramatta, on August 24. It is the intention that this will become an annual event.

Liverpool. Hovercraft on the river?

Transport buff and former public transport operator, John Harrington, said a modern, high speed, amphibious hovercraft would be a perfect vehicle to transport passengers along the Georges River. "On the Georges River, apart from an express service to and from the international airport terminal, they can have an all-stops service to all the attractions along the river as well as an express service, They can service Liverpool, Warwick Farm Racecourse and the Bankstown Airport and all those important places,” he said. A Department of Transport spokeswoman said any proposal for a ferry service would be considered on its merits and would need to comply with the requirements of the Passenger Transport Act and relevant maritime legislation.

Leppington. Stockland buys 339 hectares

Stockland has bought 339 hectares of land to develop in the East Leppington precinct with an estimated end value of over $1 billion. The purchase, announced in June, comprises a significant portion of the East Leppington precinct, a proposed new suburb, which has not yet been released for planning. The site is 1.5 kilometres from the proposed Leppington train station and is on the east side of Camden Valley Way. A spokesman for the Department of Planning and Infrastructure said a release date has not been set. He said the site was expected to include about 3000 new dwellings to house about 8000 people when fully developed and may include two or three neighbourhood centres.