Westies seeking common ground

SYDNEY - Sydney's Westies think Auckland's Westies can teach them a thing or two.

Parramatta Council, in Sydney's west, voted on Monday night to send five elected members to Auckland to see how Waitakere City Council goes about its business.

Parramatta Council general manager John Neish said the two cities both shared a "Westie" status.

"Waitakere has many similarities to Parramatta in that it is situated to the west of Auckland and has a strong identity associated with being a 'Westie'," his report to the council said.

"Waitakere has a similar organisational structure to Parramatta City and is undergoing similar reforms."

Parramatta mayor Julia Finn defended the two-day trip and said the A$5200 ($5560) cost was a maximum figure, the Daily Telegraph newspaper reported.

Waitakere had a major project under way to develop a new town centre, like Parramatta's A$1 billion Civic Place, which will have new office and apartment towers.

Some Parramatta councillors were interested in establishing a sister-city relationship and wanted to ask Waitakere officials how their Chinese sister-city relationship was faring, Ms Finn said.

A Waitakere council delegation has previously visited Parramatta.

But not all around the council table were happy.

Councillor Chiang Lim said it was wrong for councillors to be jumping on a plane just a month after voting for a 6 per cent rate rise and new parking meters which could raise an extra A$10 million.

"If the councillors wanted to see a western suburban city they could just go to Blacktown or Penrith," he said.

"I am struggling to understand how much Parramatta will benefit from Waitakere."

- NZPA