Barry O'Farrell was meant to be standing at Tony Abbott's side as the prime minister announced billions of dollars in road funding for western Sydney.

Instead, the NSW premier sent Mr Abbott a text on Wednesday morning to tell him that not only would he not be making it to Liverpool, he was resigning his job.

Despite being thoroughly overshadowed, Mr Abbott used his press conference to launch an unprompted defence of his Liberal colleague and friend.

Mr O'Farrell had "innocently" and "inadvertently" misled a corruption inquiry, he told reporters.

The premier had done the "utterly honourable" thing by stepping down.

"We are seeing an act of integrity and an act of honour," he said.

Mr Abbott admonished a reporter who queried whether he could still trust partnering the "corrupt" NSW government on his roads plan.

That was an "entirely unjustified smear", he said.

The prime minister said public figures met lots of people who gave them many things - from pens to ties to wine.

So it was reasonable to expect a bottle of vintage wine could be forgotten.

"Given that premiers and other senior politicians have very crowded busy lives, I don't think it is reasonable to expect everything from some years ago to be front of mind," Mr Abbott said.

Mr Abbott said he had no recollection of ever meeting Nick Di Girolamo, whose evidence to the corruption inquiry led to the premier's decision.

But he could not say he had never met the Sydney businessman.

Source: The Daily Telegraph. Original article.

Three thousand public servants will be moved to western Sydney and new office buildings will be built in Parramatta, Penrith and Liverpoool, Premier Barry O'Farrell announced this afternoon.

State-government agencies will move from next year and expressions of interest will be sought for 5000sqm of new commercial space at Penrith, Parramatta and Liverpool.

The plan aims to enable western Sydney residents to work closer to where they live and to reduce congestion in Sydney's CBD.

"THIS IS REALLY THE DAWNING OF A NEW AGE FOR WESTERN SYDNEY."- WSROC PRESIDENT TONY HADCHITI

The individual agencies identified to move into new premises will include:

• NSW Community Relations Commission and divisions within Family and Community Services - moving from Sydney CBD and Ashfield to Liverpool.
  
• Ambulance Service of NSW - moving from Rozelle to North Parramatta.
  
• NSW Sport and Recreation - moving from Sydney Olympic Park to Penrith.
  
• Office of Environment and Heritage, Environmental Protection Agency and NSW Office of State Revenue - moving from Sydney CBD, Hurstville and existing Parramatta offices to be co-located in Parramatta.
  
• Service NSW – moving from Sydney CBD to Parramatta.
  

“Decentralisation makes economic sense and it has the added benefit of ensuring public servants are based in the communities they serve - improving the delivery of their services," Mr O'Farrell said. 

“The relocation of these agencies will also provide more opportunities for western Sydney residents who want to work closer to where they live, and will help reduce congestion in the Sydney CBD."

Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils president Tony Hadchiti said the announcement heralded the ‘‘dawning of a new age for western Sydney’’.  

“Best of all this sends a very strong message to the private sector that the government has confidence in Western sydney and sees it as the future of our city,’’ Mr Hadchiti said.

“Leading by example, this will pave the way for other companies to set up or relocate and provide a great boost to our economic development.”

"THE AIRPORT ALONG WITH GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT RELOCATIONS IS THE SORT OF ACTIVITY WE NEED IN WESTERN SYDNEY TO MAKE A MEANINGFUL DENT IN OUR JOBS DEFICIT"- SYDNEY BUSINESS CHAMBER WESTERN SYDNEY DIRECTOR DAVID BORGER

The announcement increases the necessity of building a second Sydney at Badgerys Creek, according to the western Sydney director of the Sydney Business Chamber David Borger.

"Today's announcement of 3,000 government jobs moving to western Sydney only enhances the argument for the 28,000 jobs benefit of a Western Sydney Airport at Badgerys Creek," Mr Borger said.

"The airport along with government department relocations is the sort of activity we need in western Sydney to make a meaningful dent in our jobs deficit - one that is expected to rise to 400,000 by 2050."

Mr O'Farrell revealed the plan at a NSW Business Chamber event at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse this afternoon.

Parramatta response

Parramatta Lord Mayor John Chedid said the decision is part of a trend in recent years that has seen state agencies such as Sydney Water and the Department of Attorney-General and Justice move to Parramatta.

“More than 3,000 new public service jobs put us in a solid position to further build on this success. It’s also a strong vote of confidence in the pro-growth vision our council has developed in recent years,” Mr Chedid said.

“This is great news for Parramatta as it will further cement our status as the capital of western Sydney and an economic powerhouse at the geographical heart of Sydney."

Parramatta Chamber of Commerce president Roger Byrne said the additional jobs would be a huge boost for small businesses. 

"It's good news for Parramatta, good news for small businesses, good news for the cafes and hopefully it's the start of more businesses moving out here," Mr Byrne said.

"We need more jobs out here and it's good that the government has taken the initiative and moved some of the jobs west. It's also a good thing that they are being spread around the rest of western Sydney as well." 

Source: Parramatta Sun. Original article.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal a final submission to give the go-ahead for an airport at Badgerys Creek will go to a Cabinet meeting in Canberra today undefined with the Prime Minister’s endorsement.

The approval will be part of an unprecedented $10 billion, 10-year infrastructure plan centred on Western Sydney. But the airport will only be one element of the package for Western Sydney involving federal government, state government and private sector funding expected to be announced later this week, and rolled out concurrently.

The proposal will also have the strong backing and recommendation of Treasurer Joe Hockey and Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss, who will present the submission.

It is believed approval will be given for an initial single runway configuration with a slow build-up of flights. Capacity would be built into the precinct to even expand to a parallel runway operation, if and when needed.

The first flights in and out of the airport are not expected until the mid-2020s with a 10-year horizon on its construction and a long planning and consultation period before a final configuration is decided upon.

Lindsay Liberal MP Fiona Scott said it was important the details of the airport were worked out with the community in mind, saying she did support a curfew.

“What happens with the people in the eastern suburbs should be exactly the same as what happens to the people in the western suburbs,’’ she told Sky News.

She said her success at the next election would be determined by how well she listened to the community’s concerns.

Labor frontbencher Brendan O’Connor said the opposition supported the concept but wanted to see the details before giving a fuller response.

“This is long overdue. It’s something that needs to be done,’’ he told Sky News.

“It’s not just a Sydney matter, it’s for the nation. It’s our largest airport and therefore it’s critical that we eventually determine this second airport.

“But we’d like to see the detail. We’d like to see what is in store for Sydneysiders. And I guess we will await the details so we can respond more fully.’’

Government minister Eric Abetz said he was not going to speculate on what would be announced but that an infrastructure package would have to accompany any airport plans.

New modelling by the Department of Transport and Infrastructure, which is believed to form part of the submission and revealed to The Daily Telegraph, estimates 4000 jobs will be created in Western Sydney during the initial construction phase.

By 2035 the employment boom generated by the airport will add 35,000 more jobs through the airport’s operations, businesses and industry.

This new employment in Western Sydney figure is forecast to rise to 60,000 jobs over time, the new updated modelling has estimated.

The projections outline an airport that by 2060 could be servicing between 70 and 100 flights a day and more than 600,000 inbound and outbound passengers a year.

It will be pitched by the federal government as a national economic project which will add another $24 billion in economic activity to the nation’s GDP.

It is understood Mr Abbott, after extensive consultation with nervous Western Sydney MPs, refused to approve the airport unless it was part of a broader infrastructure plan for western Sydney.

The initial plan for a $200 million capital works package to upgrade local roads and rail around the airport is believed to have been scrapped for the more significant infrastructure plan for the entire Western Sydney region.

The airport is expected to generate demand from airlines, through domestic, international and freight air traffic.

In February, Federal Labor leader Bill Shorten and State Labor leader John Robertson publicly announced in The Daily Telegraph their bipartisan support to build a second airport at Badgerys Creek subject to curfew restrictions.

NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell also threw his support behind the proposal after having opposed a second airport in the Sydney basin in favour of a fast train link with Canberra Airport. A secret report commissioned by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet confirmed almost a year ago, on the advice of then infrastructure minister Anthony Albanese, an overwhelming majority wanted a second airport at Badgerys Creek.

Source: The Daily Telegraph by Simon Benson. Full and original article.

WSBC is proud to support Platinum Partner TAFE NSW - Western Sydney Institute (WSI) as it commences the first stage of a fundamental shift in the VET market by introducing an entirely flexible course offering - “Mix + Match”  which puts learning on the terms of the student by giving them the choice of how, when and where they study units within a qualification.

Research: Eight in ten students want flexibility to fit study around busy lifestyles

This is the first release of what will be a wider range of Mix + Match products which will progressively increase throughout 2014 and 2015.

The innovative offering was created in response to research conducted by TAFE WSI which showed eight in ten (81 percent) students wanted greater flexibility in where, when and how they study to fit their study program around their individual lifestyle. The research also showed three quarters (75 percent) wanted the option of completing their studies faster by combining classroom learning with self-paced online learning.

Mix + Match will be available across more than 12 study areas* and will allow students to fit their studies around their current work and life schedule, with options to choose how, when and where they study.  They can choose to learn online or face-to-face – or a combination of these – as well as being able to fast-track qualifications using previous qualifications and work experience.

“Western Sydney’s population is expected to grow by more than half a million people in the next 25 to 30 years and will be the engine powering growth for Australia’s economy with the development of the Broader Western Sydney Employment Area . We need to ensure people in this area have easy access to training options that are practical and relevant so they are job-ready with the right skills to work in growth areas,” said TAFE-WSI Associate Director Organisational Capability, Ms Francesca Saccaro.

“We have undertaken a significant amount of research with our student population and industry partners across western Sydney to identify what they need from their local TAFE. mix+match directly responds to these needs, as well as aligning with the TAFE NSW Owners Expectations released by the Minister for Education as part of the NSW-wide Let’s Talk About TAFE research initiative. 

“The mix+match web portal has been designed to make enrolment simple, including the online shopping-style experience of selecting the modes of learning that suit the student. The flexibility of mix+match requires our customer service and educational resource capability to be able respond rapidly to our customers,” Ms Saccaro continued.

“In today’s market, students are demanding choice.  While some may prefer to attend their TAFE college full-time or part-time, others may have jobs, families and other demands on their busy lives, around which studying needs to be accommodated and that’s where Mix + Match is a great option for our students,” Ms Saccaro concluded.

“TAFE-Western Sydney Institute has always provided industry relevant training that produces job-ready graduates for western Sydney businesses and beyond through regular consultation with industry reference groups,” said Mr Michael Sugg, General Manager Western Sydney Business Connection. 

“Western Sydney is a fast growing region that requires increased skills to meet the demands of industry. TAFE WSI’s mix+match responds to the region’s commitment to further education by providing students with the flexibility to fit study around their work and their lives, which in the end will produce more work-ready graduates for the region and beyond,” Mr Sugg concluded.

One of the students featured in the campaign for Mix + Match is 38 year old Eric Fanene who is studying Diploma of Mental Health. Eric welcomes Mix + Match, “The course I’m studying has made a massive difference to my life, I have just started a new job in the area of mental health, which a TAFE teacher helped me get. I want to encourage other people to be role models for the community too and it’s not always easy to fit study in with other commitments.  The flexibility of being able to combine what units I study in class at any of the TAFE WSI campuses or  online, makes it much simpler.  There are no more excuses for not pursuing further qualifications.”

TAFE WSI’s Mix + Match courses will be available online at www.mixmatch.org, from April 11 on campus at Baulkham Hills, Blacktown, Castle Hill, Kingswood, Mount Druitt, Nirimba, Richmond, Katoomba and Wentworth Falls campuses.

Students can visit the website: www.mixmatch.org, Facebook:WSI Facebook, Twitter: WSI Twitter or call [131 870] for information on their flexible study options.

Our Fair Go for the West campaign will highlight all of these issues and present compelling solutions from men and women with the west’s interests at heart.

Already, there have been a range of positive developments for Western Sydney, including the O’Farrell government’s shift of 3000 bureaucrats to the west, a $30 million boost to arts funding from James Packer’s Crown Resorts and an $11.5 billion commitment to build the WestConnex motorway.

Together with our partners NAB, NRMA Road Services, the University of Western Sydney, Harvey Norman and Crown Resorts, and with the media support of Channel 7 and Nova, The Daily Telegraph and NewsLocal will carry the momentum for Western Sydney forward.

A Fair Go for the West began with a brief meeting. It’s now a machine, and it will deliver a bolder and brighter future for an area that is crucial for both our state and our nation. We invite all of our readers to join The Daily Telegraph’s campaign, and to share in the excitement of building a west that is the best.

Source: Daily Telegraph. Original article.

Property prices are booming in Sydney's west, with some houses rising in value by more than 50 per cent over the past five years.

House price growth in Auburn, Holroyd, Fairfield and Parramatta outpaced most of NSW and was 10 percentage points higher than the 42.9 per cent rise in City of Sydney property values, figures from Australian Property Monitors show.

Quarterly auction data shows that the west has been the best performing region in Sydney this year, clocking 8.8 per cent price growth over the March quarter.

The linchpin for this explosion in western Sydney house values is Parramatta, which was recently crowned the most liveable centre in NSW. ''Parramatta 10 to 15 years ago didn't have a lot of sparkle to it,'' Bill Randolph, director of the city futures research centre at the University of NSW, said.

''But if you go there now it's got theatres, it's got a very active restaurant scene, it has a lot of activity, and that is generated by that concentration of jobs and deliberate planning action.''

Rapid price growth in the inner city has driven many buyers to Parramatta and nearby areas that offer more affordable housing. ''Affordability was the main thing,'' said first home buyer Brendon Clark, 36, who has just bought an apartment south of Parramatta in Guildford with his girlfriend, Jade Grimwood, 33.

The couple, who rented in Erskineville for six years, secured a modern three-bedroom apartment with two bathrooms, two balconies and a car spot for $465,000.

''We all know how insanely expensive it is in the inner city, so I was fairly surprised to get something this good at this price,'' Mr Clark said.

The couple commute to the city and to the inner west for work but for shopping and restaurants they have Parramatta.

Guildford is within both the Holroyd and Parramatta local government areas, which both have experienced 51.3 per cent house price growth over the past five years. Last year, both areas clocked just over 15 per cent house price growth.

APM senior economist Andrew Wilson said impressive price growth in Parramatta and nearby areas was a story of ''gradual gentrification''.

Population and price growth in inner Sydney has underpinned a ''hunt for residential amenity'', Dr Wilson said, with home buyers wanting to find affordable suburbs that have good infrastructure.

Parramatta lord mayor John Chedid said he was not surprised by the price growth.

''We've got all the right attributes for our city to be able to market itself and for people to come invest in the city, which creates jobs,'' he said.

''We are also very fortunate to have one of the best eat streets in Sydney [Church Street].''

But Mr Chedid said the most urgently needed development was light rail connecting people from Parramatta to the Hills as well as Macquarie Park.

The chief executive of Starr Partners, Douglas Driscoll, said, apart from Parramatta, families buying homes had been propping up demand in other hotspots such as Penrith, Pemulwuy, Rouse Hill and Narellan. But not all of the west is doing well.

''It's not black and white; it is a patchwork of leading and lagging areas,'' Professor Randolph said.

''The south-west is more of a problem because there is less access to the global arc and job opportunities as there is in the north-west. I think the south-west is going to lag for some time.''

Danish architect Jan Gehl said the key to ''saving the suburbs'' was to promote better transport.

''The suburbs were made on the condition that we had cheap gasoline for eternity,'' he said. ''We don't. We need to move in other ways than with a rubber wheel in all four corners.''

Professor Randolph said Parramatta was a success story, but it was critical for investment to be spread more evenly through the western suburbs.

''The game changer of all time would be a second airport,'' he said.

Source: The Border Mail by Toby Johnstone. Original article.

Those plains signalled an opportunity for the region to be much more than an English penal colony.

At the time his vision to create “Five Towns’’ and a food bowl were ridiculed but history tells us Macquarie got it very right.

Fast forward 200 years and Western Sydney is now home to more than two million people and one of Australia’s most important growth sectors. The conversation has now turned to very different “planes’’.

For many years Western Sydney and Badgerys Creek have been at the centre of discussions around a potential second Sydney airport.

While I accept that the time may have come for a decision on Sydney’s airport needs, I remain unconvinced that Western Sydney is the answer.

I am sceptical at the forecast employment growth numbers and the integrity of impact assessments on the communities that would surround the Badgerys Creek site.

I don’t believe anyone wants aircraft noise over their homes undefined particularly if the airport arrives without a comprehensive infrastructure and jobs plan.

The benefits for local residents need to go beyond proximity to an airport.

While there are differing opinions on the merits of a second Sydney airport, it is good to see people of all political persuasions finally acknowledging the value of Western Sydney to the growth of Australia.

Show the people of Western Sydney some respect about their future needs and I’ll show you a community prepared to listen.

For Western Sydney to thrive and prosper, the debate needs to move beyond simply where a second Sydney airport should be located to a more sophisticated conversation about the very real infrastructure needs our region is crying out for.

For decades Western Sydney has been a beacon for Australians, and recent arrivals to this country, who have deciding it was the best place to build a new and rewarding life.

Unfortunately those decades saw successive governments, both state and federal, fail to plan and fund much needed physical and social infrastructure.

For far too long Western Sydney has been underutilised, undervalued and, most of all, underestimated.

The current jobs shortfall in Western Sydney is in excess of 180,000 and projected to grow to 290,000 within 20 years. Meanwhile, the population grows.

In the electorate of Lindsay there are five housing estates under construction undefined Jordan Springs, Mulgoa Rise, Caddens, Waterside and Thornton undefined with major developments under way in the north west and southwest growth sectors to meet demand. But the question remains, where will these people work?

The emergence of the University of Western Sydney as a world-class institution, together with Sydney University establishing a teaching facility adjacent to Nepean Hospital, highlights the fact we are establishing a highly educated workforce seeking skilled employment.

Currently two-thirds of Penrith residents travel east every day to work, which is unsustainable and creates strain on our inadequate road and rail infrastructure.

The people of Western Sydney deserve the opportunity to compete economically and to do that we need to create smart jobs and tap into the innovative minds of our local community.

The discussion needs to be focused more on the infrastructure needed to link the employment hubs of Western Sydney to create an economic corridor.

We need to look beyond city-centric infrastructure and truly connect the regions across Sydney.

Mulgoa, Mamre and Northern roads must be upgraded, with the latter linking Luddenham to the M4 allowing for the longer term construction of the outer Sydney Orbital.

Consideration should also be given to intermodal terminals and key rail and road infrastructure upgrades designed to meet the growing needs of the region.

The delivery of key infrastructure in Western Sydney will lead to housing, employment and continued investment in services.

Quite simply, we need a more balanced and equitable Sydney, not simply tarmac in a cow paddock.

I remain committed to fighting for the Western Sydney region and open to constructive conversations about infrastructure and investment in our region.

Fiona Scott MP is the federal Member for Lindsay, and represents Penrith, St Marys, Glenmore Park, Cranebrook, Colyton and Mulgoa residents

Source: The Daily Telegraphy by Fiona Scott MP. Original article.

Don't miss the final Asian Champion's League pool match where Western Sydney Wanderers take on Guizhou Renhe.

Book now to see the Wanderers take on Asia's best and take advantage of a networking opportunity with key Australian and Asian businesses in a relaxed sporting environment.

The match will be held on Tuesday 22 April at Parramatta Stadium.