The ABC, University of Sydney looking to expand to Parramatta
SYDNEY’s latte-loving lefties are headed to Parramatta with the ABC among some of the city’s inner-city elite companies investigating a move to Western Sydney.
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SYDNEY’s latte-loving lefties are headed to Parramatta with the ABC among some of the city’s inner-city elite exploring a move west.
As Parramatta is reborn as an academic and business hub, a local government source said the ABC was examining three options for its Ultimo newsroom, ranging from relocating the entire newsroom to a greater journalistic presence in Parramatta.
While the news organisation has a cameraman based in Parramatta, a spokeswoman confirmed investigations were underway to expand its footprint in Western Sydney.
“We are interested in exploring whether we should expand our presence to have more news-gathering resources assigned to Western Sydney amid the growing presence of government agencies, businesses, education and cultural institutions,” she told The Sunday Telegraph.
“This work is in its early stages.”
Local government sources also revealed plans for the University of Sydney to establish a campus in Parramatta.
The Camperdown-based university is understood to be eyeing off the historic Cumberland Hospital, which is also in the sights of developers.
The psychiatric institution is part of Westmead Hospital, where Sydney University medical students undertake some of their practical studies.
Around 60 university students take part in the Westmead Medical School program, which also involves practical experience at the Children’s Hospital Westmead.
“The unique demography of western Sydney, with a substantial population of socially disadvantaged people, make it an ideal place for our students to undertake their community rotation,” the school’s head, Professor Tania Sorrell, said on the university website.
Allowing the university to take over the Cumberland Hospital site would potentially be more acceptable to the local community, which has expressed opposition to plans to redevelop the site for up to 1600 homes.
The University of NSW in Kensington is also investigating setting up a campus in Parramatta, with a focus on engineering.
A local government source said the university wants to enter into a joint venture with the University of Western Sydney in setting up the campus, with an announcement imminent.
Also taking advantage of the boom is multinational Ernst & Young, which is exploring setting up a western Sydney office in Parramatta.
The scramble to secure a presence west of Sydney Olympic Park comes despite Sydney’s elite attacking the State government over its plans to relocate the Powerhouse Museum.
Buckling to pressure, the government has instead been exploring a compromise option with the original site to keep its design and fashion displays with Parramatta to showcase the science and technology exhibits.
However, last week, the government deferred its decision amid Labor leader Luke Foley withdrawing his support of the relocation together with Liberal MP Matthew Mason-Cox crossing the floor to demand his colleagues prepare a business case for the move.
Western Sydney Business Chamber director David Borger said it was time the government made its decision.
“They really need to get their act together,” he said.
“It’s spending hundreds of millions of dollars in the Sydney CBD — it’s time western Sydney had something it could be proud of.”
An Upper House inquiry into the relocation triggered a flood of criticism, with Sydney’s elites declaring Parramatta residents to be “indifferent” to the proposal.
High-profile artistic director Leo Schofield said the relocation was costly in terms of “money and loss of prestige”.
“Parramatta residents are hardly marching in the street demanding the Powerhouse be moved there,” he said in a submission.
* Follow Linda Silmalis on Twitter @LindaSilmalis