Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC)

AIRPORT TALKS STRANDED ON RUNWAY ✈️✈️🗣️ | Western Sydney councils have expressed concern with a lack of news from the Australian government about promised community consultations over flight paths at Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport. “The previously published Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Western Sydney International Airport’s preliminary flight paths promised the establishment of a Community Aviation Consultation Group (CACG) and the preparation of a Community and Stakeholder Engagement Plan by the end of 2024,” said Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC) President, Councillor Brad Bunting. “Yet here we are at the end of 2024, but no news of the Consultation Group or the Engagement Plan has been revealed. “Nor does the recently published final EIS provide any detail as to the role and functions of the Consultation Group. “Work is now well underway at the Western Sydney International Airport which is due to come into service in 2026.” See the full story at the link ▶ https://lnkd.in/g8pfQENS Blacktown City Council Blue Mountains City Council Cumberland City Council Hawkesbury City Council Liverpool City Council (NSW) Penrith City Council Camden Council NSW Australia The Hills Shire Council Fairfield City Council Local Government NSW Western Sydney University Australian Catholic University Western Sydney Local Health District South Western Sydney Local Health District

SBS RELOCATION 📺👨🏼👩🏽👧🏽👦🏼 | The Federal Government’s decision to revise plans to relocate the headquarters of the Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) to Sydney’s western suburbs has surprised many Western Sydney mayors. “We do welcome the government’s funding of $5.9 million for the production of a funding hub and we hope this will be the start of providing a permanent home for SBS in Western Sydney," said WSROC President, Councillor Brad Bunting. “Establishing the SBS headquarters in Western Sydney just makes sense,” said Councillor Bunting. “The area offers a rich tapestry of communities with unique perspectives and languages that would provide the broadcasting service with an authentic connection to its target audience." See the full story at the link ▶ https://lnkd.in/g6XmwUAc 📸 Image: 45 per cent of Western Sydney residents were born overseas with over 100 languages spoken in the region Blacktown City Council Blue Mountains City Council Cumberland City Council Hawkesbury City Council Liverpool City Council (NSW) City of Parramatta Fairfield City Council Penrith City Council Camden Council NSW Australia The Hills Shire Council Western Sydney University Australian Catholic University Local Government NSW Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC)

HEAT SMART CITY 🌆🏙️🌇 | An Australia-first taskforce including leaders across health, environment, urban planning, business, government and the community sector, has launched a five-year, multi-sector plan to protect Sydney from Australia’s deadliest natural hazard ─ extreme heat. The Greater Sydney Heat Smart City Plan is a joint initiative of the Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC) and Resilient Sydney; and is funded through the Disaster Risk Reduction Fund supported by the Australian and New South Wales governments. The Heat Smart City Plan was launched in Parramatta on Thursday, 5 December 2024 by the Hon. Penny Sharpe, NSW Minister for Climate Change, Minister for Energy, Minister for the Environment, and Minister for Heritage. See the full story at the link ▶https://lnkd.in/gzhTVxHH Images: 🟦 WSROC CEO Mr Charles Casuscelli; Chair of the Greater Sydney Heat Taskforce, Mr Kerry Robinson OAM; and the Hon. Penny Sharpe, NSW Minister for Climate Change, Minister for Energy, Minister for the Environment, and Minister for Heritage. 🟦 Greater Sydney Heat Smart City Plan stakeholders. Blacktown City Council Blue Mountains City Council Cumberland City Council Hawkesbury City Council Liverpool City Council (NSW) City of Sydney City of Parramatta Penrith City Council Fairfield City Council The Hills Shire Council Camden Council NSW Australia Lithgow City Council Western Sydney Local Health District Western Sydney University Local Government NSW Sweltering Cities University of Sydney Property Council of Australia #HeatSmartCity Swiss Re

YOUTH HEAT SUICIDE LINK ☀ | A new study by researchers from the University of New South Wales, of 55,000 youth presentations to emergency departments with suicidal thoughts and behaviours demonstrates a clear link with hot weather. According to a report in the Medical Journal of Australia today: "Youth emergency presentations with suicidal thoughts and behaviour have increased in Australia, and globally over the past 10–15 years and these rises are not accounted for by known risk factors such as bullying, mental illness or the disruptions linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. "Over the same time period, exposure to hotter weather has also increased, leading us to investigate a possible link between hot weather and youth emergency presentations with suicidal thoughts and behaviour. "Our suspicions were confirmed," say researchers Drs Cybele Dey, Lai Heng Foong & Emma Skowronski For details, follow the link ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gqZt9ByA Blacktown City Council Blue Mountains City Council Cumberland City Council Hawkesbury City Council Liverpool City Council (NSW) Penrith City Council Fairfield City Council Camden Council NSW Australia Swiss Re The Hills Shire Council Western Sydney University Centre for Western Sydney Western Sydney Health Sweltering Cities UNSW Medicine & Health Local Government NSW

IN THE MEDIA 📰📺📲 | "Why is western Sydney so much hotter than the eastern suburbs?" asks The Guardian's science writer Donna Lu. "As a spring heatwave breaks temperature records, experts say urban design will play a vital role as extreme heat becomes more frequent and severe." "In 2022, the Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC) launched Cool Suburbs, an evidence-backed tool for design that takes heat resilience into account. It has already been used to assess planning projects in the City of Sydney and City of Blacktown." See the full report at the link ▶ https://lnkd.in/gd8549n9 Blacktown City Council Blue Mountains City Council Cumberland City Council Penrith City Council Liverpool City Council Hawkesbury City Council Camden Council NSW Australia The Hills Shire Council Fairfield City Council Sweltering Cities Western Sydney University Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue Australian Red Cross City of Sydney City of Parramatta Medicine and Health - University of Sydney

#BeHeatSmart Get the home ready for summer by checking fans and air-conditioning work, and putting up extra shade For more information on preparing the home for heat visit https://lnkd.in/gAF7usda This Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC) project is brought to you by Resilience NSW. Blacktown City Council Blue Mountains City Council Cumberland City Council Hawkesbury City Council Liverpool City Council City of Sydney City of Parramatta Swiss Re Local Government NSW NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water Western Sydney Community Forum Fairfield City Council Camden Council NSW Australia Penrith City Council

#BeHeatSmart. Keep your body cool during a heatwave. ✅ Reduce physical activity ✅ Drink plenty of water 💦💦 ✅ Use cooling Tip: If you don’t have air-conditioning, cool the skin with water and fans. For more tips on how to stay cool during heatwaves visit https://lnkd.in/gAF7usda This Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC) project is brought to you by Resilience NSW Blacktown City Council Blue Mountains City Council Cumberland City Council Hawkesbury City Council Liverpool City Council City of Sydney City of Parramatta Swiss Re Local Government NSW NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water Western Sydney Community Forum Fairfield City Council Camden Council NSW Australia Penrith City Council

GET ‘HEAT SMART’ ☀😎⛱ | Temperatures are predicted to hit the high-30s Celsius today in Western Sydney - perhaps even reaching 40 Celsius. It's time to get 'Heat Smart' for Western Sydney’s killer heat. Heat kills more Australians than floods, fires and storms combined. Western Sydney residents should start planning now and preparing for extreme heat and heat waves in the lead-up to summer. WSROC has been working with councils and local health districts to prepare people for heatwave events, including developing a range of ‘Heat Smart’ brochures in English and nine other languages to step households through heatwave planning. To download a brochure, Google ‘Heat Smart Western Sydney’ – or go to https://lnkd.in/gb-K76f5 ◼ Talk to your doctor: Ask your doctor about how heat may affect your risk. Heat can worsen existing health conditions, while some medicines can affect our ability to cope with heat. ◼ Check cooling works: This includes fridges, fans and air-conditioners. Don’t wait until the middle of a heatwave. Getting your air-conditioner serviced at the start of summer will ensure it is working efficiently when you need it most. ◼ Put up shading to protect windows and walls from heat: One of the most effective ways to prevent the home heating up is by shading walls from the hot sun. Now is the time to think about putting up external shade, and installing curtains. ◼ Plan your cool spots: Decide whether you will stay home or go to a cool place such as a library, shopping centre, or friend’s home during a heat event. If travelling, consider how you will get there and back safely. ◼ Plan for others: Think about how you will assist those who require care or support to stay safe. This could include children, family or pets. ◼ Talk to others: Know who you can call if help is needed. The start of summer is a great time to get to know your neighbours, and check their plans for the holiday period. ◼ Prepare a blackout kit: Power outages are common during heatwaves and can affect key services like public transport, water and phone services. Your kit could include a torch and batteries, a first aid kit and a mobile power pack. ◼ Prepare cool packs: It’s always handy to keep cool packs in the fridge or freezer for a hot day. ◼ Put up shading to protect windows and walls from heat: One of the most effective ways to prevent the home heating up is by shading walls from the hot sun. Now is the time to think about putting up external shade, and installing curtains. For more about Heat Smart Western Sydney, go to https://lnkd.in/g4BwwPBC Blacktown City Council Blue Mountains City Council Cumberland City Council Hawkesbury City Council Liverpool City Council Sweltering Cities City of Sydney City of Parramatta Penrith City Council Fairfield City Council Swiss Re Green Building Council of Australia Committee for Sydney Western Sydney Community Forum

NEW PRESIDENT & EXECUTIVE for WSROC 🏙️| Councillor Brad Bunting, the Mayor of Blacktown City, has been elected President of the Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC) at our Annual General Meeting held on Thursday, 21 November 2024. As its President, Mayor Bunting chairs the WSROC Executive which sets region-wide project priorities and strategies for the WSROC Board and provides organisational direction to WSROC’s Chief Executive Officer and staff. Joining Mayor Bunting on the Executive Committee are: 🟦 Blacktown City Councillor Julie Griffiths AM - as Senior Vice President, 🟦 Hawkesbury City Councillor Amanda Kotlash - as Junior Vice President, and 🟦 Hawkesbury City Councillor Mary Lyons-Buckett - as Treasurer. To meet our new President and Executive team, visit the link ▶ https://lnkd.in/gDfptdxd Blacktown City Council Blue Mountains City Council Cumberland City Council Hawkesbury City Council Liverpool City Council Western Sydney Community Forum City of Parramatta City of Sydney Penrith City Council The Hills Shire Council Camden Council NSW Australia Fairfield City Council Local Government NSW Sweltering Cities Endeavour Energy (NSW) NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

We are pleased to invite you to the official launch of the Greater Sydney Heat Smart City Plan; a world-leading initiative to enhance heat resilience across Greater Sydney. Event Details: 🟥 Date: Thursday, December 5, 2024 🟥 Time: ▬ 9:00 am (for a 9.30 am start) – 1:00 pm. Formal Launch with address by the Hon. Penny Sharpe MP, NSW Minister for Climate Change, Minister for Energy, Minister for Environment & Minister for Heritage. ▬ 12.45pm – 4 pm. Networking and deep dives to progress next steps ▬ 4.00pm – 5.00 pm.  Afternoon tea and drinks 🟥Location: Western Sydney University, PSQ1, Level 9, 169 Macquarie Street, Parramatta Join us to celebrate the Greater Sydney Heat Smart City Plan. This is not your standard launch event. The Plan has been co-designed by diverse Taskforce members who are serious about solving problems and taking tangible actions together. This symposium is a chance to understand the work so far and work with us on the next important steps. For more information and to register, go to ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gkKX7QiA With thanks to our event partner Urban Transformations Research Centre (UTRC) Hear directly from government, industry, community and research-sector leaders who developed the Plan together, to drive positive action across our city. Blacktown City Council Resilient Sydney Liverpool City Council (NSW) NSW Police Force NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure NSW Reconstruction Authority NSW Health NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water Swiss Re Green Building Council of Australia Committee for Sydney Endeavour Energy (NSW) Sweltering Cities Western Sydney Community Forum Australian Red Cross