Councillor Georgina Valjak is calling on Parramatta to provide better access to local news by constructing more newspaper boxes across the city.
Recently elected City of Parramatta councillor Georgina Valjak is following in the footsteps of former Lord Mayor Bob Dwyer by aspiring to install more newspaper boxes across the North Rocks ward, as well as Parramatta.
To provide locals with easy access to the latest news in the area, a newspaper box was installed in the Chisholm Centre at Winston Hills as a trial.
“Our previous Lord Mayor, Bob Dwyer, started this initiative and, alongside Parramatta Council, they decided to trial it here at Chisholm Centre,” Cr Valjak said.
“Given the success that we’ve had here in Winston Hills at the Chisholm Centre, I would like to see these newspaper boxes rolled out in other areas, not only the North Rocks ward but across Parramatta as well.”
Based on designs from American-style newspaper stands, the newspaper box was built by Northmead Community Men’s Shed Outreach Program of Northmead Uniting Church. Predominately a woodworking group, the Northmead Community Men’s Shed provides a place for men to meet and relax while establishing new friendships, learning new skills and improving old ones.
Cr Valjak believes it’s important that more of these newspaper boxes are installed across the area for the local community.
“We no longer get the newspapers delivered to our homes, and they’re such important pieces of information,” Cr Valjak said.
“Not everyone has time to or has access to go online.”
Planning to file a notice of motion to the City of Parramatta council, Cr Valjak is hopeful that they will be able to provide more locals with the latest council updates and news in the community.
“As a relatively low in cost initiative, it provides an opportunity for an outreach program like Northmead Men’s Shed to be able to help build them,” Cr Valjak said.
Parra News makes copies available for any local newspaper boxes.
Ellie Busby is a news reporter for Western Sydney Publishing Group. A graduate of the University of Hertfordshire and Western Sydney University, she is a journalism Major. Ellie has worked with Universal Media, The Cova Project and for a range of other organisations. In 2024, Ellie was named Young Writer of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.