The region will be a focus for initiatives

Western Sydney will be a focus of initiatives to drive growth and productivity under the NSW Economic Development Framework in 2014.

“A major focus will be to encourage greater collaboration between major NSW industries and the State’s world class research community to position the state’s economy for long term economic and jobs growth in an increasingly competitive global economy, “ the Department of Trade and Investment said.

Priorities in 2014 for Western Sydney, regional NSW and key industry sectors include:

• Statewide roll-out of a $1.4 million Supply Chain Accelerator program to develop globally competitive supply chains in key NSW industries through capacity building between NSW companies and business customers, including an Advanced Manufacturing pilot in Western Sydney.
   
• Strengthen promotion of NSW in priority markets through the NSW International Engagement Strategy, including $1.2 million to pilot a new Export Accelerator program to build capacity for NSW exporters with high growth potential.
   
• Knowledge Hubs led by industry in five key sectors (creative digital; energy; financial services; medical technology; transport, logistics & rail) to boost industry competitiveness through access to world leading information and research, information sharing and collaboration.
   
• A Regional Economic Development Strategy to position regional economies for long term growth, and align federal, state and local regional development activities.
   
• An Accommodation Supply Plan to ensure that Sydney and NSW have sufficient capacity to meet future demand for overnight visitor accommodation.

The department said it worked closely with industry and other interested stakeholders to identify priority actions for 2014.

These actions have been selected based on their importance and relevance for industry, degree of industry partnership and collaboration, and potential to deliver outcomes for key NSW industry sectors.

Region. Greiner supports Eastern Creek

Nick Greiner’s Infrastructure NSW (INSW) will tomorrow recommend a second Sydney airport be built at Badgerys Creek, and be operational within 20 years, according to The Daily Telegraph. Premier Barry O’Farrell has ruled out su[pporting another hub, saying Canberra Airport should be upgraded and a high-speed rail link built to service it. 

Region. Quarter of unemployed

A Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations labour market report revelaed the number of people on government benefits increased 6.4 per cent to 666,830 in the year to August . Claims in Auburne soared 16.4 per cent. An extra 4640 people joined diole queues in NSW Centrelink offices over the past year, 2499 of them in Sydney’s west including Auburn, Campsie, Bankstown, Blacktown, Ingleburn, Parramatta, Cabramatta, Penrith, Mt Druitt and St Marys. A breakdown of federal government data showis Western Sydney is now home to more than a quarter of the state’s unemployed – 24,551 people.

Industrial engine room

Greater Western Sydney (GWS), with a gross regional product (GRP) of $95.6 billion, in 2010-2011, represents the industrial engine room of the Sydney Metropolitan economy totalling $296.8 billion. The GWS figure represents 32.2 per cent of the metropolitan output, according to the RDA Sydney Metropolitan Region, Economic Baseline Assessment Update, June 2012.