New vision for The Hills

ALONG-term plan to create thousands of new jobs, drive economic opportunities, and position The Hills Shire as a region for innovation, health and science has been released for community feedback.

Mayor of The Hills Shire, Dr Peter Gangemi said the draft Economic Growth Plan aims to create 56,000 new jobs and attract new investment opportunities to the area by 2041.

The plan also details how Council aims to retain and enhance employment land, invest in people and their skills and grow opportunities for residents to work close to home.

“The Hills has always been a great place to live, but it’s increasingly become a great place to do business, spurred by major investment in infrastructure like the

Sydney Metro Northwest and bolstered by the growth of Norwest Business Park,” Mayor Gangemi said.

“Our draft Economic Growth Plan provides a vision to take that growth even further and establish The Hills as a leader in health, innovation, and science.

“Just as important as building new homes, it’s essential to also create opportunities for new jobs that residents can access, and that is why we are protecting and enhancing our business land by upgrading our green spaces, roads, pathways and cycleways – all the things that make our employment areas an attractive place to work and visit.

“We are also looking to capitalise on our already established health precincts and advocate for more infrastructure and transport routes, including connecting the train line to the Aerotropolis and a new mass transit link between Norwest and Parramatta, via Baulkham Hills. This will enable better business-to-business links and increased accessibility to the Shire.”

Another focus will be providing more opportunities for residents to work close to their homes.

“The Hills’ economic future will be built on our people’s talent, skills, creativity and education,” Mayor Gangemi said.

“Time and again, our talented residents leave our Shire for work, and while we understand the need for our young people to broaden their horizons through education and travel, we must create an economy with opportunities for them to return.

“That’s why a focus of this plan will be to grow local industry and attract more

Katherine Hawes – Unpacking Legal Complexity

The principal at Digital Age Lawyers focuses on making legal information meaningful and actionable for small businesspeople and individuals. In this engaging session

Katherine will lead her audience through key principles for creative solutions to everyday problems and discuss insights to common issues including social media, succession, contracts and property.

More information at: www.wexpo.com.au businesses that can stimulate economic growth for the local area and increased job opportunities close to home that are matched with our highly skilled residents.”

The draft Economic Growth Plan will be available for comment via Council’s website, www.thehills.nsw.gov.au, under the ‘Have Your Say’ tab. Council will also be holding a workshop and drop-in sessions throughout the consultation period, which will run until July 31, 2023.

Council’s Economic Development Team will also be on hand to answer questions via the Forward Planning Hotline, 9843 0597.

Submissions and input from the consultation period will be considered by Council later in 2023 when deciding on whether to adopt the draft Economic Growth Plan.

Get your blood pressure checked

CARDIOVASCULAR disease (CVD) is a major health issue in Australia, leading to the hospitalization of over 600,000 people annually.

World Hypertension Day, which was on May 17, aimed to increase awareness of the significance of knowing and maintaining a healthy blood pressure level.

About 1.28 billion adults aged 30-79 worldwide suffer from high blood pressure, with 46% of adults unaware of their condition and only one in five having their blood pressure under control.

Blooms The Chemist, a leading community pharmacy network, supports their local communities by promoting blood pressure monitoring and encouraging individuals to visit their pharmacy for a blood pressure test.

This initiative aims to combat low awareness rates, particularly in low to middle-income areas.

Blooms The Chemist provides free blood pressure evaluation tests as a core health service across their pharmacy network, aiming to prevent future health issues through early detection and intervention.

Greyhounds off to America

IN a historic partnership, retired Australian greyhounds will be sent to the United States to serve as companion animals for law enforcement officers.

The Pacific Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Greyhounds Australasia, Greyhound Racing NSW, and the US Fraternal Order of Police (FOP).

The FOP, with over 367,000 members across 3,000 lodges nationwide, aims to provide greyhounds as PTSD dogs and pets for its officers.

The initiative is inspired by successful programs in Australia with the Australian Federal Police Association and Police Association of NSW.

The partnership is seen as a merging of human and animal welfare, providing comfort to officers exposed to traumatic incidents. The initiative has attracted widespread support in the Australian greyhound industry.

Doctors back vaping crackdown

THE Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has expressed support for the Albanese Government’s crackdown on vaping.

The Minister for Health and Aged Care, Mark Butler, has announced measures to curb the e-cigarette black market, including restrictions on flavors and colors, pharmaceutical packaging, limits on nicotine concentrations and volumes, and a ban on single-use disposable products.

The RACGP President, Dr. Nicole Higgins, welcomed these actions and emphasized the need to protect young people from nicotine vaping.

She praised the $63M advertising campaign aimed at discouraging vaping and smoking and highlighted the im- portance of limiting the appeal of vaping products, which often target children.

Dr Higgins also emphasized the RACGP’s willingness to collaborate with the government and promote vaping as a smoking cessation strategy under medical supervision.

She encouraged individuals to seek help from their GPs for various quitting options.

$7M for disadvantaged students

THE NSW Government has allocated over $7M to support disadvantaged students in vocational training.

The funding will remove the cap on needs-based loadings for Smart and Skilled approved training providers, benefiting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, students with disabilities, and the long-term unemployed.

Previously, providers could only receive one loading per enrolment, but the removal of the cap acknowledges that students may have multiple needs, allowing for additional loadings.

The decision is based on a report titled “Disadvantage, Disability, and Vocational Education and Training” commissioned by the NSW Department of Education, which found that disadvantaged students have a 15% lower completion rate.

TAFE NSW, known for training a higher proportion of disadvantaged students, will receive the majority of the additional funding.

The Department of Education will also establish a community of practice to share best practices and learnings among training providers.