Parra News April 14 2021

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« parra news Tuesday, April 13, 2021 LOCAL NEWS Boardwalk now open Win for pedestrians and cyclists as $18 million project is completed NICOLA BARTON The City of Parramatta has cut the ribbon on its brand new 20km escarpment boardwalk that lines the Parramatta River. Both cyclists and pedestrians will now be able to enjoy the much-anticipated $18 million project, which was officially opened by Lord Mayor Bob Dwyer and Parramatta MP Geoff Lee last week. Despite the river breaking its banks just weeks ago as major flooding was experienced across the state, the boardwalk was able to open as scheduled. The impressive river-level path is said to fill a critical missing link in the Parramatta Valley Cycleway, connecting Parramatta Park to the Melrose Park precinct and Sydney Olympic Park. Two new sets of stairs connecting the path to Stewart and Macarthur Streets have also been installed. “The new escarpment boardwalk is going to be a game-changer for the nearly two million people who use our riverside paths through the Parramatta CBD every year,” Cr Dwyer said. Parramatta’s new boardwalk is officially open along the Parramatta River. “Since the pandemic hit, more pedestrians and cyclists than ever are accessing the Parramatta Valley Cycleway, so the opening of this vital link could not have come at a better time. The broadwalk and two new sets of stairs will halve the current travel distance, remove steep inclines and avoid a number of road crossings; providing much safer access for all users, including students at Macarthur Girls High School.” The project was co-funded by the Council and State Government through the Cycling Infrastructure Fund and Transport for NSW’s Active Transport Program. Dr Lee said the Council and State Government have built the best continuous pedestrian and cycleway in Sydney. “Residents will now have the opportunity to walk or ride to work from Parramatta CBD to Melrose Park without going on the road,” he said. “This will transform the way people move around our City and suburbs and enable everyone to explore and enjoy our beautiful area safely.” The broadwalk is part of a multi-million dollar upgrade to the Parramatta Quay. This includes the redevelopment of Charles Street Square, the area adjacent to the wharf, which will have an improved riverfront walk, new garden terrace and an amphitheatre with views over the quay, all set to be delivered in 2022. “We want to turn the picturesque Parramatta riverfront into a true destination,” Cr Dwyer said. parra news Connect With Us Online! in TWITTER Follow us for the latest breaking news, traffi c updates, stories and more. twitter.com/ theparranews WEBSITE Visit our website to see a variety of great content. westernweekender. com.au NEWSLETTER Subscribe to our digital edition to get the copy of the paper in your inbox. INSTAGRAM Follow us on instagram for fun and interactive posts. instagram.com/ westernweekender 8 Join our digital community by connecting with us to stay informed with the best local news resource. WW43803
Rising child care costs are hurting working families Australian families pay some of the highest child care costs in the world. And the cost of child care keeps going up. Since the Liberal Government was elected in 2013, child care fees have gone up by 35%. According to the Government’s own estimates, fees will increase on average 4.1% each year for the next four years. Over the same period, wage growth has slowed to a crawl, and wages are only expected to rise 1% this year. This means child care is increasingly unaffordable for working families in Parramatta – one local mum told me recently that her child care fees were higher than her mortgage repayments! In many cases, parents who want to work full time are forced to work part time because the cost of child care would see them actually lose money for working extra days. This isn’t just hurting local families – it’s hurting the economy. Research from the Grattan Institute and KPMG has highlighted the ways our child care system dampens productivity, and the Government’s own Budget papers point to the drag on the economy caused by lower workforce participation rates and a declining population. But there’s a silver lining in all of this. If we fix our broken child care system, we can boost our economic recovery so everyone benefits – whether they use child care or not. Labor has a plan to make child care more affordable by scrapping the annual cap on the child care subsidy, which often sees parents – usually mothers – lose money if they take on extra days at work. Seniors Forum Tell me what matters to you at my next Seniors Forum – call my office on 9689 1455 or scan the QR code to register and we’ll send you an invitation as soon as the date is confirmed ADVERTISEMENT Julie Owens Bulletin We also plan to lift the maximum child care subsidy rate to 90% and increase child care subsidy rates for every family with a combined household income less than $530,000. Under a Labor Government, 97% of families with children in child care will be better off. Research from KPMG and the Grattan Institute estimates that similar reforms could generate GDP growth of between $4 billion and $11 billion every year. Parramatta parents should be free to choose between staying home and quality child care – not penalised by higher child care fees when they take on extra hours or days at work. Nationally, more than 100,000 families are locked out of our child care system because they simply can’t afford it. Our policy will open the door to child care for these families and make it more affordable for virtually all families with children in child care now. If you’ve got children in child care – or you’ve been locked out by rising fees – scan the QR code to find out how much you could save under this policy. And if child care reform matters to you, or you need help navigating the complex child care system, please get in touch with my office. The Government has been silent on this issue, despite predicting a rapid rise in child care costs – so it’s critical that voices in our community are heard. Subscribe to my bulletins Sign up to my bulletins for locals, small businesses and community groups. Scan the QR code to sign up and stay up to date. parra news » Tuesday, April 13, 2021 Julie Owens MP FEDERAL MEMBER FOR PARRAMATTA If I can be of any help please phone me on 9689 1455 or write to 1/25 Smith St, Parramatta NSW 2150 or email julie.owens.mp@aph.gov.au julie.owens.mp www.julieowens.com.au Authorised by Julie Owens MP, Australian Labor Party, 1/25 Smith Street, Parramatta. PN43835 9
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Parra News April 14 2021

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