NSW Premier Mike Baird announced today that the next community cabinet meeting would be held in Parramatta in June, giving the public a chance to ask him questions directly.
Mr Baird said community cabinet was coming to western Sydney at the invitation of local MPs Geoff Lee (Parramatta), David Elliott (Baulkham Hills), Tony Issa (Granville) and Andrew Rohan (Smithfield).
A community cabinet was last held in Parramatta in 2012, while the only western Sydney community cabinet meeting last year was in St Marys.
‘‘Community cabinet provides an important vehicle for us to hear people’s concerns first-hand, before we can get to work to address them,’’ Mr Baird said.
“We are already delivering for the region; we have started work on WestConnex and the roll-out of Opal electronic ticketing on trains in western Sydney is complete.
‘‘Planning has begun on the first stage of a major redevelopment of Westmead Hospital, and last year we opened the $5 million upgraded Westmead emergency department.
‘‘As part of the NSW government’s decade of decentralisation policy we have announced plans to relocate and consolidate more than 3000 public servants to new offices in western Sydney from 2015 to boost the region’s economy and support local jobs.’’
Mr Lee said it was appropriate community cabinet was held in the heart of western Sydney, ‘‘one of the country’s fastest growing economies’’.
‘‘It’s important the region has the homes, infrastructure, services and jobs needed to cater for the growing number of families who will call this region home in the future,’’ he said.
Mr Elliott said: ‘‘It’s important that people who already call this region home are kept informed about the major building works and service upgrades taking place.’’
The community cabinet will be on Monday, June 2, 6.30pm-8pm, at Parramatta RSL Club, corner Macquarie and O’Connell streets, Parramatta.
■ Registration forms: http://www.dpc.nsw.gov.au/programs_and_services/community_cabinet_meetings
At 6.30pm on June 2 the premier and ministers will address a public forum with a question and answer session from the audience.
All members of the public wishing to attend must register before the meeting. See the link, above.
