Region. Borger appointed director

David Borger, who held positions minister for Western Sydney and lord mayor of Parramatta, has been appointed the Western Sydney director for the Sydney Business Chamber. Sydney Business Chamber’s main priority is to identify, develop and promote the major issues that contribute to economic activity and growth in the city and to reduce the barriers that threaten our global competitiveness.

North West, No federal funding for link

The NSW government’s planned $8.5 billion, 36-kilometre North West Rail Link has not been included for federal funding in Intrastructure Australia’s six “ready to proceed” priority infrastructure.projects. The project has been listed as an “early stage” one requiring more work. “This is a joke,” the Weekend Australian Financial Review reported NSW Minister for Transport, Gladys Berejiklian, as saying. Michael Deegan, of Infrastructure Australia, said the agency looked forward to seeing the government’s long-term transport plan, due latter this month.

Wilton. Tender for airport study

The federal government is expected, soon, to call a tender for a scoping study of a new airport in Wilton, about 75 kilometres south-west of the Sydney CBD. The study, which will examine the environmental, social and economic impact on Wilton, could take six to 12 months.

Penrith. Meetings on the web

A report will be prepared for Penrith City Council’s a Policy Review Committee meeting about the feasibility of webcasting ordinary council meetings. Many local government authorities around NSW including Port Stephens, Shellharbour and Wollongong councils have introduced web-casting services to ensure greater transparency and more accessible information on local government to the community.

Blue Mountains. Boeing simulator

The official opening of the Boeing 737 NG-800 simulator has taken place at The Edge Cinema, in Katoomba. Katoomba-based VS made the full motion replica cockpit, which has operated within the cinema foyer for several months. “Not only is this an exceptional additional drawcard to the region, the VS Jet simulator is unique to the southern hemisphere,” said Blue Mountains, Lithgow and Oberon Tourism chairman Randall Walker.

The simulator is Civil Aviation Safety Authority-approved for flight simulator training and courses will soon run for experienced pilots and those wanting to make the transition from light to heavy commercial licence. As well as those for general public use, the company manufactures flight simulators for the aviation industry and is currently building several simulators for CareFlight Queensland.

Camden. Gas well drilling reduced

AGL has altered its proposal and its drilling techniques in the Camden area following community concerns. The company is now proposing to reduce the planned 20 wells to just 11 using a new technique which involves drilling horizontally along a coal seam instead of vertically through the seam. Head of operations at the Camden Gas Project, Mike Roy, said the introduction of the horizontal drilling technique allowed the company to limit the need to work on other people's land. He said the new wells would help AGL to increase its gas supply to NSW from 5 per cent to 10 per cent of the state's gas requirements.

Campbelltown. Seven-storey building approved

Clintons Motors Investments has received approval for its seven storey Aurora building which will have 167 residential units and about 400 square metres of retail space. Applicant, Shane Clinton, said construction would start next year after the Toyota car dealership moved to Blaxland Road. Co-ordinator of the Campbelltown Main Street Association, Maureen Fairless, said the building would improve the gateway to Queen Street and attract high-calibre developments.

Parramatta. Consul-General visit

His Excellency Duan Jielong, Consul-General of the People’s Republic of China in Sydney recently visited the UWS Parramatta campus. He was greeted by acting UWS Vice-Chancellor, Ms Rhonda Hawkins, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Engagement and International) Professor Gary Smith, and Director of the Whitlam Institute and Parramatta campus Provost, Eric Sidoti. “UWS is proud to have forged many strong partnerships with leading Chinese universities across all aspects of our teaching, research and international engagement, and we look forward to these important relationships continuing to grow well into the future. Our international student population includes over 1200 Chinese students studying across our campuses,” Ms Hawkins, said.

North Ryde. Only one in hemisphere

Macquarie Neurology, a specialist neurology practice located at Macquarie University, and providing services to Macquarie University Hospital, is one of 24 official study sites for the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI), and the only site in the southern hemisphere.

Parramatta. Showcasing Western Sydney

TEDxParramatta will be an opportunity for Western Sydney to showcase the diversity of ideas and talent represented in the region. The theme, Beginning Becoming Beyond, represents a story in progress. Its aim is to find those stories from Western Sydney that highlight the constant evolution of the region. There is heritage and history, changes in technology, education and culture, and also incredible growth in medical practice.

The inaugural TEDxParramatta will bring people together and explore ideas worth spreading.event will be held at Riverside Theatres, on August 3, in partnership with the Information and Cultural Exchange (ICE), in Parramatta.TED is a nonprofit organisation devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started in 1984 as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: technology, entertainment, design, and since then its scope has become ever broader.