Move NSW Transport Department to Penrith says business community

10 June 2010

The Penrith Business Community has called for the Department of Transport to be relocated to Penrith as part of their 10 Big Ideas to Grow Penrith.

The Penrith Business Community, comprised of the Penrith Valley Chamber of Commerce, Penrith Business Alliance and NSW Business Chamber’s Western Sydney Advisory Council, have created a blueprint, 10 Big Ideas to Grow Penrith, for the future of the Penrith region in the lead up to the Penrith by-election and NSW state election.

A key initiative in the blueprint is the relocation of a major NSW Government department to Penrith.

“Penrith is a great location to relocate a government department due to the lower costs of office space compared to the Sydney CBD as well as the availability of a workforce and shorter commuting times,” said Paul Brennan, spokesperson for the Penrith Business Community.

“Penrith and the surrounding regions are the future growth areas for Sydney. We have to get transport right for the region if Sydney is to function properly.  Importantly, Penrith is well placed to become a significant transport and logistics services hub and the relocation of the Department of Transport to Penrith will add impetus to this business cluster.

“At the moment Penrith is out of sight, out of mind when it comes to decision making and the best way to answer that is to move the department responsible for transport to Penrith.

“Moving Government agencies out of the Sydney CBD is not a radical concept.  The headquarters of other government departments are located outside the Sydney CBD.  WorkCover is located in Gosford, Primary Industries in Orange, NSW Police Force in Parramatta and the Community Services is located in Ashfield.”

“Penrith has missed out on the opportunities and benefits that come from hosting a major government department.  Penrith is an important region for the future success of Sydney – its time we got some recognition of that.

“Transport is a major issue for business owners and residents right across every region of Sydney – but especially in Western Sydney where we face the longest and costliest commuting.

Mr Brennan said that traffic congestion increased the cost of doing business in Sydney and that the Department of Transport would learn a lot more about Sydney’s transport network by being located in a region that needs it the most.