Region. Government out of touch

Plans by the NSW government to cut language and literacy services by half will severely impact the most vulnerable members of society, said the Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC). Responding to reports that leaked Treasury document showed the state government was planning to cut 2400 education jobs, WSROC president, Alison McLaren, said this decision showed the government was out of touch with the needs of those less fortunate. “These services are vital for many of our residents who need assistance in managing day to day communications,” she said.

Region. Urban degeneration

Outer suburbs are being planned in a way that could lock them in forever as lands of monotonous ticky-tacky housing, ultimately causing urban degeneration and run-down area.. The Australian Financial Review said this view by the Grattan Institute’s Tomorrow’s Suburbs report which said that complex zoning laws, monotonous housing and single-ownership town centres are preventing city-fringe suburbs from adapting and rejuvenating as their community make-up changes. The lack of community areas and transport created run-down areas in Western Sydney, such as , Mount Druitt, as the city expanded during the baby-boom years.

Parramatta. Commercial space for sale

Expressions of interest have been called for a 20-year-old, six commercial office building, at 88 Phillip Street, in the Parramatta CBD. The building, with 112 car spaces and overlooking the Parramatta River, is fully leased at approximately $1.9 million. The net passing income is approximately $1.3 million.

Parramatta. Bids rejected

The owners of hotel and resort chain, Mantra Group, which has the Mantra Parramatta
In the CBD, private equity group CVC Asia Pacific and investment bank UBS, rejected three bids for the company as they did not fully value the operation.