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Crown Melbourne to sponsor South Sydney Rabbitohs - 14th May 2013

Gene Simmons visits Hard Rock Cafe, Sydney, Australia - 10th March 2013

SI Swimsuit Issue Body Paint Model: Sports Illustrated bodypainted models

Australian flag bodypainted model: Make love and peace, not war

Zeta Bar's Secret Garden At Hilton Sydney: Secret Garden human statue models every Friday Night - 22nd Feb 2013

SI Swimsuit Issue Body Paint Model: Sports Illustrated bodypainted models

Waratahs rugby union player Drew Mitchell gets bodypainted for team bet

Wallaby Mitchell turns statue (multimedia) - Channel Nine News
video.au.msn.com

January 20, 2013: Drew Mitchell was forced to pose as a statue in body paint by the Waratahs as punishment for not filling out a form, with AFL star Buddy Franklin an amused onlooker.

Unlock Zeta Bar's Secret Garden At Hilton Sydney: Blossoming With Cocktails And Afternoon Tea Every Friday Night

The Star: New Years Eve reports from Sydney, Australia

Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill: Django Unchained co-stars on Sydney Harbour

Lucha VaVOOM to headline the ‘El Jimador Mexican Wrestling Bar' At Big Day Out 2013

Underground illegal casino in Sydney, Australia raided by police - 27th December 2012

James Packer going to Hollywood to help make movies; Big money still talks in showbiz -
13th December 2012

Profiles

Sin City slot game Parramatta Bondi Beach The

Sydney Resolution The Star The Darling Barangaroo

Mission: Impossible online slot game Goanna Gold online slot game

Human Statue Bodyart website

News

James Packer going to Hollywood to help make movies; Big money still talks in showbiz -
13th December 2012

Las Vegas casino boss takes over Echo Entertainment - 12th December 2012

News

Three-time WWE heavyweight champion Mick Foley together with award-winning Australian comedian Brendon Burns, will visit Australia soil in February 2013 for a first ever Australian tour with their brand new double-handed stand-up comedy show ‘Good God Almighty!’.

Good God Almighty! Australian Tour Dates 2013

February 04 Adelaide, SA
Dunstan Playhouse
February 06 Brisbane, QLD
The Tivoii
February 09 Sydney, NSW
Enmore Theatre Sydney
February 11 Melbourne, Victoria
Athenaeum Theatre Melbourne

Get Tickets here
Visit www.facebook.com/LiveNationOzNz

News

Sydney's second casino a step closer - 25th October 2012

The New South Wales Government has announced that James Packer's proposal to build a second casino in Sydney has moved to stage 2 of consideration.

Seven weeks after the Government received an unsolicited proposal from James Packer to build a six-star hotel with high roller gaming rooms at Barangaroo, the heads of the Department of Premier and Cabinet and the Treasury have now given the go ahead for Crown to develop a more detailed plan.

The Premier Barry O'Farrell says the Government will not allow poker machines in the new development, and he has stressed it is only passed the first hurdle in a three-stage process.

"At the end of each stage the Government has the option of either giving the project the green light to proceed or a red light and it simply stops there," he said.

The Opposition supports the proposal on the grounds it will not have poker machines.

Its construction means Sydney will become the only state capital with two casinos - it already has Star City.

The Premier says any new casino will not be allowed to start operation until 2019 because of an exclusivity arrangement with Star Casino.

But if the project is given the go ahead, laws will have to be changed to allow a second casino licence in Sydney.

News

WWE Live RAW Tour: Event Results From Sydney, Australia - 31st August 2012, by Greg Tingle

C.M Punk VS Daniel Bryan - Allphones Arena, Sydney, Australia

Pro wrestling WWE style - Sports Entertainment returns to Sydney, Australia...

WrestleMania (Australian style) returned to Sydney on Friday night and the show did not disappoint.

Pro wrestling fans young and old got their fix of WWE grapplers.

The WWE marketing and media machine can be attributed to what looked to be a 90 percent full Allphones Arena - making it a crowd of approximately 15,000. It's unclear how much of the crowd was papered (unpaid), but the smart money says it was fans who parted with their hard earned money.

A mixed crowd of both hardcore fans, casual fans and families, who were pretty vocal and hyped up for the show.

The show commenced with Brodus Clay VS Jack Swagger. Naomi was with Brodus, no Cameron. Swagger got some good heat, but Brodus got his hand raised quick. Entertaining and fun, but not a classic wrestling match - nor was it supposed to be. Kids just love Clay.

Next was the divas (ladies) match. WWE Divas Champion Layla defeated Rosa Mendes. We appreciated the effort of the ladies but its safe to say the WWE should raise the bar in the Diva's division. Maybe bring in a few Japanese lady pro wrestlers as well as snatch some of TNA Wrestling's best also. WWE have so much TV time to fill up, so ramp up the Diva's for the female and male fans in the WWE Universe.

WWE Tag Team Champions R-Truth and Kingston beat Primo and Epico in a solid match. R-Truth was on fire, both with in-ring skills and the mic, and 'Little Jimmy' was over big time with young and old.

The Miz defeated Alex Riley to retain the Intercontinental Championship. The Miz got strong heat. Nice mic work telling everyone he wasn't "awful", but "awesome". AR was surprisingly over. Maybe because he's a pretty strong worker and Australian fans are not overexposed to the WWE product (with live shows), like rather spoilt American fans. Lot's of Wooooo's! (for the chops), respecting Ric Flair, who most fans want to see return to his rightful home - WWE.

Zack Ryder defeated Tensai. Zack Ryder got a huge pop and Tensai got pretty decent heat and reactions. At least Tensai looks like a pro wrestling "monster" - he has the look and size, and moves well for a big man. Younger fans seem to be scared of Tensai and went nuts when Ryder got the win.

Santino defeated David Otunga. Decent heat for Otunga. Santino is over in Australia, but not as much as he is in the U.S. Keep WWE belts off both these guys... they don't need them. They worked the crowd fairly well and Santino is funny, but this was not a classic wrestling match - and it was never expected to be. Passable - just.

CM Punk defeated Daniel Bryan to retain the WWE Championship in an awesome match which went for almost 30 minutes. Stalling by both at first, but the crowd was pretty into it. Established characters can stall for ages with little fan backlash - the way the late Randy "Macho Man" Randy Savage and living legends Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair used to do. CM Punk worked as a face and was over big time. "Yes" chant all throughout the match as well. Tons of fan signs for both and lots of fans bought their t-shirts.

John Cena defeated The Big Show and John Laurinaitis in the main event. Decent match for these guys. After the match Laurinaitis attacked Cena with a chair, but Cena turned around and hit him with an attitude adjustment to finish the show.

Overall strong show - especially for an Australian WWE show, which were mixed in the past. We're giving it 8 out of 10 and it was value for money.

Strongest pops:

John Cena
CM Punk
Zack Ryder

Most heat:

The Miz
The Big Show
Jack Swagger

Match Of The Show:

C.M Punk VS Daniel Brian

Room for improvement: More strong WWE Divas, bring back Ric Flair urgently (1000s of fans did the Woooooo!), bring Ziggler and Randy Orton to the next Australian show, have 2 top line NXT talents on the next down under show. It would be nice to see Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan back with the WWE. Strong rumours Flair will be back within a month or two, so hopefully he makes the next Australian tour. Wooooo!

News

Australasian Gaming Expo report from Sydney; Australia - Day 3 - 23rd August 2012

Creative arts for Paltronics by Human Statue Bodyart

Photo by Eva Rinaldi Photography

Today was the 3rd day for the most high profile and successful gaming expo in Australia - the Australasian Gaming Expo, which is being hosted by the Sydney Convention Centre at Darling Harbour. It's gaming, gambling, technology, sales...even creative arts elements and much more.
It's a key time for the gaming industry in Australia with all the regulation elements, responsible gambling initiatives and such, and most of the big boys of the industry were on hand to show off their wares, with some exhibitors demonstrating significant creative flair to help showoff their latest and greatest wares.

Our friends at Human Statue Bodyart were back again and they had a couple of body models made up in bodypaint (Anastasia as a butterfly and Victoria as a panda) - complete with wings and sparkles, for leading gaming brand Paltronics and its latest game 'Jungle Madness'.

The expo centre itself is huge - 15,000 square metres (about the size of an Aussie Rules football oval) and this provided more than ample opportunity for over 750 slot games on display.

The Australasian Gaming Expo is by far the largest event of its type in Australia and one of the world’s biggest.

We learned through the grapevine that a trip for 2 to Las Vegas will be won by a lucky visitor on each of the 3 days of the Expo, and this is compliments of the Gaming Technologies Association which owns the event. It's understood the winner of the trip will be named later this afternoon.

It's tipped over 20,000 people have walked through the games expo thus far, with those in the business being the majority, and no doubt a few punters, checked through the gates (but note that the games on display do not accept coins or notes).

Well done to everyone associated with the success of the expo and we'll see you there again next year.

Websites
Australasian Gaming Expo www.austgamingexpo.com
Gaming Technologies Association www.gamingta.com
PALtronics Australasia www.paltronics.com.au
Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre www.scec.com.au
Human Statue Bodyart www.humanstatuebodyart.com.au
Human Statue Bodyart Flickr www.flickr.com/photos/humanstatuebodyart
Eva Rinaldi Photography Flickr www.flickr.com/evarinaldiphotography
Eva Rinaldi Photography www.evarinaldi.com
Media Man News www.mediamannews.com
Casino News Media www.casinonewsmedia.com

Media

Casino Life Magazine, Street Corner, Media Man

News

Zeta Bar - Hilton Hotel Sydney gets Coney Island Mermaid

The promo from Hilton reads: "Zeta`s "CONEY ISLAND" is our exciting new Friday Nights concept. Experience evenings of the unexpected, perfectly paradoxical and the weird and wonderful, with extravagant entertainment and a creative mix of classic cocktails with progressive and fun elements." It was all of that and more.

We learned that it was all mixed with a specially concocted range of classic cocktails with a twist, like Cosmopolitan Candy Floss, Toffee Apple Martinis and Long Island Iced Tea snow cones and much, much more.

Earlier this eventing the team at Human Statue Bodyart created a Human - Extreme Mermaid which once made up entertained, danced and delighted patrons at Hilton's famous Zeta Bar.

Model Anastasia was painted and made up by the team of artists including Eva Rinaldi, Salvatore and Antonella Erba.

The Coney Island theme was a big hit and mermaid fans will be pleased to hear that yet another mermaid, tipped to be wearing a red number, will be entertaining patrons at the Zeta tomorrow (Friday) evening.

Well done to everyone involved in the mega success of the Coney Island promotion and we're sure the mermaid is just the right bait to keep patrons coming back for more.

It's all there for the taking at Hilton's little slice of paradise in Sydney's CBD.

Websites
Hilton Hotel Sydney www.hiltonsydney.com.au
Zeta Bar www.zetabar.com.au
Human Statue Bodyart www.humanstatuebodyart.com.au

News

Supanova Pop Culture Expo Hits Sydney, Australia - 16th June 2012

The Supanova pop culture expo has returned to Sydney, Australia, and has warmly embraced the pop culture phenom which is taking place at Olympic Park, Homebush, in Sydney's west.

It's a 3 day pop culture mania bringing together fans, actors, game players, information and tons of merchandise and collectibles. Make no mistake - this is big business, but also lots of fun. It brings out the kid lurking inside all of us, no matter what our age.

Witnessing the general public dress up as their favourite hero, heroine or monster was just as much fun as the official exhibitions.

Coming to the expo to join in the fun (and big business) are over 40 international stars from various shows, films, franchises and worlds including Christopher Lloyd (Back To The Future’s Doc Brown), Yvonne Craig (the original Batgirl), Natalia Tena (Nymphadora Tonks in the Harry Potter series, Osha in Game Of Thrones) and Verne Troyer (Mini-Me from the Austin Powers films).

Even our favorite real life superheroes of Australian pro wrestling - AWF Wrestling turned up and put on some very solid chain wrestling and brawling to the delight of the crowd. The wrestlers were also a big favorite with the media and the brawlers got somewhat crowd mobbed with famed actor Verne Troyer (Mini-Me) from 'Austin Powers' fame joining in the fun and games.

The Christopher Lloyd question and answer session was very entertaining and educational, and was a much sought after attraction for both news media and fans. Lloyd shared stories from his illustrious acting and show business career, much of which has been pop culture included such as 'Back To The Future' franchise, where he portrayed Dr. Emmett Brown. Lloyd even talked about the cult film fav 'Suburban Commando', which also featured pro wrestling living legend, Hulk Hogan (not known for great acting), but a very entertaining showman, none the less. Lloyd told the crowd of 500 plus that he enjoyed working with Hulk and that he was a really nice guy and didn't pretend to be a great actor. One lucky fan asked Lloyd if he could have a "high five", and the actor obliged, which got a nice reaction from the jam packed crowd.

More news...

Buffy Star also at Supernova Sydney...

Star of Buffy, Mercedes McNab, has come Down Under for Supernova and is loving it.

The blonde is in Sydney for the Supanova Pop Culture Expo at Sydney Showground, Olympic Park.

Best known for playing mean girl Harmony Kendall on 'Buffy The Vampire Slayer', McNab has enjoyed a successful career as a modern day scream queen.

From the popular Hatchet horror movie franchise to spooky shows such as Buffy and Angel, the 32-year-old says she has come to feel comfortable within the genre and loves "a good death scene".

"It’s hilarious. I never thought I’d be considered a scream queen, but I guess I’ll take it.

"I think I gravitate more towards comedy and comedy can sometimes be in a darker vein, like sarcasm."

The edgy stuff started early for McNab, with her big screen debut opposite Christina Ricci's Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family movie and its sequel.

At the age of 16 she auditioned for a supporting role on Joss Whedon's Buffy The Vampire Slayer, a move that would change her life.

"We were on a brand new network and the show was based off a B-movie," she says.

"No one expected a spin-off to come of it or such a great fan reaction. No one could anticipate how welcomed and received the show was.

"In the beginning we never knew whether if we were going to get killed off.

"You’d get the script and skip to the end to make sure you weren’t going to die."

McNab experienced quite a character turn on Buffy when her superficial character was transformed into a vampire and eventually went on to join the spin-off series Angel.

"I was flattered".

"To have Joss call you and have him ask you to be a part of anything he does is pretty awesome."

Now that Whedon has found mainstream and box-office success with the hit of the year - 'The Avengers' - McNab says his loyal friends couldn't be happier.

"He’s such a genius. He's just proved to the industry what he can do."

Supanova Pop Culture Expo is on today and Sunday at Sydney Showground, Olympic Park.

Promo...

Our Hero is no longer Expendable. Eric Roberts is “The Master” of Supanova!

In a career spanning five decades, Eric Roberts has become recognisable to millions of film and TV fans. He has appeared in almost 200 movies and in countless TV shows including Heroes, The Drew Carey Show, Frasier, Oz, Touched By An Angel, Law & Order: SVU and even in a Doctor Who telemovie as the Doctor’s nemesis, The Master.

He has filmed in over 17 countries, including Australia (in The Coca-Cola Kid), and received critical acclaim for his performances in Star 80, It’s My Party and Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood. In 2008, Eric joined the cast of Batman: The Dark Knight as Gotham gangster Sal Marone; in 2010 he appeared alongside Stallone, Lundgren, Statham and Li in The Expendables.

Fans of comics and animation know him as the voice of Mongul in the Justice League cartoons. He’s such a familiar face that he has appeared as himself in 63 productions, often making light of his notoriously chequered movie-star lifestyle. Brother to Julia Roberts and father of teen actress Emma Roberts, Eric is a true Hollywood veteran.

He’s therefore also the perfect guest to kick off festivities for Supanova’s TENTH ANNIVERSARY at the Sydney expo, in addition to the Perth expo the following weekend, with an exclusive Q&A and special appearance at each of our Friday evening Preview Nights which are exclusively for full weekend ticket holders (SUPA FAN PASS), in helping us celebrate a decade of successful Supanova Expos; something we couldn’t have done without your wonderful support.

Eric will then spend the weekends meeting fans, signing autographs and posing for studio portraits. (Supernova)

Nintendo Flies High at Supanova with Kid Icarus: Uprising!...

If you’re heading to Supanova this weekend, Nintendo are hosting a Kid Icarus: Uprising Multiplayer Battle Challenge! Bring along your Nintendo 3DS and copy of Kid Icarus as it’s the perfect opportunity to StreetPass with other Nintendo 3DS owners and enjoy some friendly multiplayer fun with the Nintendo community.

Nintendo 3DS consoles and Kid Icarus: Uprising games will also be available to use on the day so everyone is welcome to join in the fun!

Exclusive Kid Icarus: Uprising AR Cards only available at this event will be a special bonus for those who play. These AR cards are very exclusive and availability is strictly limited so please ensure you are there early to ensure you get your hands on one.

Some 25 years after the original Kid Icarus game for NES captured the hearts and imaginations of gamers worldwide, Kid Icarus: Uprising brings the action and adventure of this beloved series to new heights – and new visual dimensions – on the Nintendo 3DS system. The dark goddess Medusa and her Underworld Army have returned, and they’ve got their sights set on the heroic angel Pit. With the aid of Palutena, goddess of light and guardian of the human race, Pit must fend off this malevolent threat. The richly immersive graphics of the Nintendo 3DS system offer incredible depth as Pit battles enemies by air and by land. (Supernova)

Special guests appearing at Supernova Sydney and Perth include:

Jeffrey ‘Chamba’ Cruz
Street Fighter II: Turbo, Udon Comics,

Stanislav Ianevski
Viktor Krum in Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire

Bevan McGuinness
Slave of Sondelle

Jim Cheung
Scion, New Avengers, Avengers: The Childrens Crusade

Suzie Plakson
Lt. Selar, K'Ehleyr, the Female Q, Tarah, in TNG, Voyager and Enterprise

David Mack
Artist on Kabuki, Daredevil, Avengers

Andrew Constant
Author of Torn.

Wolfgang Bylsma
Gestalt Comics

Juliet Marillier
Author of the 'Seven waters' trilogy.

Yvonne Craig
Batgirl in the 60's Batman Series, Orion Slave girl 'Marta' in Star trek

John Viener
Family Guy, The Cleveland Show.

Garth Nix
Author of Sabriel, Lirael and Abhorsen.

Artists Alley promo...

Supanova is all about supporting the local industry and providing a spotlight for the local comic creators. That spotlight is Artists Alley; the place where the fans can meet the creators and explore worlds they may never have known existed before. Whether its a 25 page self-printed black and white comic, or a full color, fully bound graphic novel, or even stunning computer art prints, you’ll find something to astonish in Artists Alley.

The artists are approachable and always willing to give constructive feedback on artwork. As such, Artists Alley can be a fantastic tool for the emerging artist to improve their skills or make new connections and possibly take their first leap into the professional industry! (Supernova)

Special thanks...

Thank you to all involved in the promotion and success of Supernova. We look forward to seeing you all out there again tomorrow. As Marvel Comics living legend Stan Lee says, Excelsior!

Websites

Supernova Pop Culture Expo

AWE Wrestling

Media Man Int

News

The Voice news media report; Hordern Pavilion, Moore Park, Sydney, Australia - 12th June 2012

The Voice enjoyed a media conference at Hordern Pavilion, Moore Park, this morning, with Voice coaches and finalists there to help promote the smash hit TV show, as the finals approach via Channel Nine.

Update...

The culling of eight singers from The Voice last night has set the stage for a controversial finale Channel Nine's talent comp.

Rachael Leahcar, Sarah De Bono, Darren Percival, and Karise Eden will battle it out in next week's grand final.

Only one singer per team was permitted to go through and critics and viewers took to Twitter to complain about the final line-up.

The ruling meant fan favourites on the same team were culled.

Both Leahcar and Percival battled a virus as well as the high-pressure nerves, which told in their limited vocal performances last night.

Good Charlotte rock god Joel Madden, who had culled Prinnie Stevens and Layken Heperi, chose Sarah DeBono over popular lad Ben Hazlewood.

During the show's preamble, Madden likened the semi-final line-up to The X Men: "We all have super powers. No one is better than anyone else."

The final performances will be on Sunday, with each contender performing one cover and one original song. The winner revealed on Monday night, no doubt to massive TV ratings, the likes of which have not been seen by Nine for years, is the inside word.

Each contender will perform one cover and one original song.

May the best man or woman win, and hopefully its also a win for the Australian entertainment industry.

News...

Australian TV Report With Ratings - The Voice leads...

The Voice leaped to 2.13 million viewers as the talent show heads towards to its finale.

That figure (based on actual broadcast time - not the preliminary figure of 2.15 million) is up on last Monday's 1.90 million audience in the capital cities and it appears the two finales on Sunday and Monday should hit around three million viewers for Nine.

The program gave Nine a 29.6 per cent channel share against Seven's 21.0 per cent and ABC1's 13.3 per cent, with its current affairs line-up led by 736,000 viewers for PM Julia Gillard's appearance on Q&A.

A key result for Nine was Tricky Business's performance into its fifth week. Preliminary figures from OzTAM demonstrate the Aussie drama rose to 1.091 million viewers, higher than its launch episode in May. But the actual figures based on broadcast times show the drama starring Gigi Edgley averaged 682,000 viewers with its number rocketed by The Voice's over-run as "Team Seal" decided its contestant for Sunday and Monday's finale.

Seven News came in second for the night with 1.55 million viewers and rare wins over Nine in Sydney and Melbourne. The Block continued to build for Nine, up to 1.49 million in the 7pm slot, besting Masterchef Australia (1.08 million), ABC News (1.05 million) and Home and Away (1.01 million).

Revenge continued its awesome run for Seven with 1.218 million viewers.

ABC1 had a stronger Monday night than usual, led by Q&A. Four Corners was up to 734,000 viewers, Australian Story 719,000 and Media Watch 712,000, all well up on their 2012 averages in the 600,000 region.

Fox Sports Monday Night Football match between the Panthers and Warriors bested the platform, with 278,000 viewers while 210,000 watched the afternoon AFL match between Melbourne and Collingwood. Seven's AFL figures were not yet available for publication.

OZTAM OVERNIGHT RANKINGS FOR MONDAY JUNE 11, 2012

1 THE VOICE Nine 2,154,000

2 SEVEN NEWS 1,549,000

3 THE BLOCK Nine 1,485,000

4 TODAY TONIGHT Seven 1,296,000

5 NINE NEWS 1,279,000

6 REVENGE Seven 1,218,000

7 A CURRENT AFFAIR Nine 1,137,000

8 TRICKY BUSINESS Nine 1,091,000

9 MASTERCHEF AUSTRALIA Ten 1,082,000

10 ABC NEWS ABC1 1,053,000

11 HOME AND AWAY Seven 1,006,000

12 THE FORCE - BEHIND THE LINE Seven 998,000

13 BORDER SECURITY - AUSTRALIA'S FRONT LINE Seven

14 TEN NEWS AT FIVE Ten 837,000

15 BILLY CONNOLLY'S ROUTE 66 SNEAK PEEK Seven 799,000

Media Man does not represent The Voice, Shine Australia or Channel Nine

Sydney NYE Fireworks

Sydney's Harbour Bridge once again provided the stunning focal point for the city's New Year's Eve fireworks display, with a pyrotechnic rainbow and cascading golden waterfall.

This year it was a rainbow symbol at the centrepiece of the $6.5 million display, symbolising the theme of "Time to Dream" conceived by creative director Marc Newson.

Sydneysiders and visitors crowded the foreshore while up to a billion viewers from around the world tuned in for the live broadcast.

News

Sydney’s fireworks set the standard (ABC News - multimedia) - 1st January 2012

Sydney Roosters South Sydney Rabbitohs

MediaManCasino.com MediaManPoker.com MediaManGames.com

Media Man News.com

Mission: Impossible online slot game Goanna Gold online slot game Australia

Captain Cooks Casino

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Australia To Get Sports Stadiums Branded By Gambling and Gaming Companies, by Greg Tingle - 15th January 2011

G'day punters, journos, high rollers, sports news, entertainment news junkies, politicians, insiders, outsiders... one and all. Today we probe the situation where a number of Australian sports grounds could soon be named after gaming and gambling companies. How do like the sound of Betfair Stadium, Centrebet Park and PartyGaming Cricket Ground? Don't laugh, this type of scenario is on the cards, with local gaming brands likely the first to pounce, followed by international powerhouses. Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com and Gambling911 with another ground breaking news report from the land of world class casino, media companies and sports arenas...

Australia Will Get Gambling Arenas; Aussie Aussie Aussie; Oi Oi Oi...

With Australia being in the world's top 10 gambling nations, it shouldn't shock or surprise that we're tipped to soon have a number of sporting arenas and grounds named after gambling and gaming companies, both national and international brands. Yep, money will talk where B.S sometimes walks.

James Packer's Betfair is understood to build upon their Betfair Park branding, Europe's PartyGaming is keen, and currently Centrebet looks to be leading the charge, with many insiders saying its a case of when, not if, for the household name brand.

Centrebet already has significant branding, thanks in part to a swag of TV and online adverts, plus who can forget the Centrebet branded part of Network Nine's 'The Footy Show'.

The gambling companies already have a number of key targets, and many cash strapped and / or cash handy NRL team and home grounds are near the top of the hit list.

For instance NRL team, The Penrith Panthers, are seriously considering having their home stadium named Centrebet Stadium. We kid you not punters.

If the deal goes through, they will make history becoming the first major Australian sporting team to snatch a betting firm as the naming-rights partner for a playing venue.

Horse Racing already has some naming rights deals with tracks and in the mix such as Betfair Park and then you have races named after gambling brands such as the Lasseters Cup, Lasseters known for its hotel - casino up in Australia's top end.

The forecast Betfair deal comes as a police continue to probe the NRL gambling scandal that from last season following a number of "irregular" wagers was picked up in the Canterbury Bulldogs VS North Queensland Cowboys match up.

The Panthers, Centrebet and a swag of gambling companies, have rather pissed off the gambling and gaming haters, who continues to get organised into lobby groups.

A Media Man spokesperson such "Many people in and out of news media and gaming, the general public, are starting to get really pissed off at the gaming, gambling and sports betting haters. The bible bashers. Who do they think they are trying to push their beliefs onto others. Many Australians just love a punt, and that's the way it is. Some of the gaming haters have strong ties to church groups and there appears to be some sort of brainwashing system going on. They keep discussing the 'evils of gambling'. I mean, seriously, come on. People know not to over-do it on on the slots, sports events, poker and the like, but the haters keep trying to be the thought police. Gambling companies in Australia have a very high focus on responsible gambling with warnings everywhere. It's great to see the gambling and gaming industry place so much focus on safe better. The sports stadiums will be great for business, , but no one is forcing anyone to have a bet. It's a personal decision, as it always has been. 2011 is going to be a very exciting year for punters, especially those who like to have a bet of sports matches, and television and online website portals and brands will bring it all together nicely".

Back to the first prime target #1...The modest 22,500-capacity sports ground, owned by Penrith City Council, was in a past life known as CUA Stadium. What's up is that the club's contract with the Brisbane financial services company has expired, and negotiations between Panthers, the footy club and Centrebet have been taking place, even prior to Christmas about renaming the stadium. Other clubs and stadiums have also caught the buzz and are opening chequebooks and crunching the numbers.

The first of its kind business agreement between the club and Centrebet is just about a done deal, and ink is expecting to try on contracts sooner rather than later, possibly within a fortnight. An exciting, if not controversial type of announcement is fully expected by the Panthers in the coming week. Sports and gambling commentators are quick to point out that Penrith already has ties to Centrebet, the gambling brand being lit up across the top of the video screen at the stadium. This kind of exposure has also been very good for their mobile - hand held device sector.

Anti-gambling campaigner Senator Nick Xenophon is especially unhappy with the development of the gambling branded sports stadiums in Australia. He went on recent with:

"How can a footy code currently embroiled in a betting scandal possibly allow a stadium to be named after a betting agency? There was a time when rugby league was all about the game. Now it's all about the odds, and that is ruining the game".

Over the last couple of years the NRL (and AFL) has watered down its laws and regulations relating to clubs' deals and partnerships with gambling - sports betting firms, allowing them to be branded on footy jerseys for a virgin time. Cronulla Sharks have sponsor PokerStars (.net) on their jersey sleeves while cashed up Manly Sea Eagles are tipped to have Centrebet's signage on the back of their jerseys this season after a widely reported $1 million plus deal with the Northern Territory based betting outfit announced just before Christmas. Yep, it looks like a few clubs and stadiums will be getting their Christmas presents and will have lots to celebrate, while the gambling haters will be spewing in Grinch like fashion.

The National Rugby League of course also has corporate ties with TAB Sportsbet, and is understood to snatch a 5% "product fee" via the company's rugby league betting profit.

NRL spokesman John Brady advised he would not comment on individual clubs' sponsorship agreements but maintained there was no concern about the prospect of gambling agencies assuming naming rights for the game's venues, at least from his take on the situation.

"It's an area that was relaxed last year. As such there are a number of betting sponsorships that are available to clubs in terms of jerseys and other opportunities," Brady said.

He advised any and all betting firms involved with the NRL via sponsorship of clubs were made to sign "integrity agreements" to ensure transparency.

The majority of NRL clubs now have corporate deals with betting agencies. Centrebet sponsors five teams: Penrith, Manly, Parramatta, St George Illawarra and North Queensland. "Comon' Betfair and PartyGaming, pull you're finger out", a Media Man sports journalist was overheard shouting when he found out the news of Centrebet's ongoing infiltration of the sport.

Penrith's stadium pending name change has been intertwined we understand by some to the financial problems that have hit the football club's parent body, Panthers Group.

The licensed club is no longer quite the licence to print money as it was in the 90s Some audited figures about to do public by the conclusion of the month are expected to show black and white confirmation of a Murdoch - News Limited news story of last February that said Panthers were due to report a rather embarrassing net loss of $11 million bucks.

Panthers are not afraid to speak on the record about their on and off field performance, which has seen better days.

Ric Simpson, Panthers Group chief exec since last July, said a culture change and "renewal of process" across Panthers clubs had improved their situation. Analysts question that was a PR line or absolute truth. Mind you, we don't blame club for trying to focus on positives. "We're probably looking at reducing that loss by somewhere in the order of $8-$9 million," Simpson said.

A Media Man spokesperson said "At this stage of the gaming the overseas trend of seeing sports groups and football teams pick up sponsorship and strong branding for gambling, gaming... sports betting companies looks to be moving full speed ahead down under in Australia. Centrebet might become the Bwin of Australia. PartyGaming is said to be currently crunching numbers to see if an Australian sports ground deal is viable. They already have a Aussie Millions former champion sponsored by their poker brand and a couple of Aussie poker players signed up, so anything is possible. James Packer's Betfair, a direct competitor of Centrebet is not likely to take the situation lying down either. Betfair is 50% Packer owned and wants to keep building their sports betting brand, as well as opening up many online casino games in Australia, poker and more. Could an Australian sports stadium ever be known as PartyGaming stadium or WPT Stadium? Not overnight, but never say never, stranger things have happened. It's all going to add a lot of money into the game and business of sport and entertainment, and already our firm is starting to experience some positive spin off benefits. It's all very exciting and profitable".

Profile

Sydney is the largest and most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. Inhabitants of Sydney are called Sydneysiders, comprising a cosmopolitan and international population of people from numerous places around the world.

The site of the first British colony in Australia, Sydney was established[6] in 1788 at Sydney Cove by Arthur Phillip, commodore of the First Fleet as a penal colony. The city is built on hills surrounding Port Jackson which is commonly known as Sydney Harbour, where the iconic Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge are featured prominently. The hinterland of the metropolitan area is surrounded by national parks, and the coastal regions feature many bays, rivers, inlets and beaches including the famous Bondi Beach. Within the city are many notable parks, including Hyde Park and the Royal Botanical Gardens.

In 2010, Sydney was ranked 7th in Asia and 28th globally for economic innovation in the Innovation Cities Top 100 Index by innovation agency 2thinknow. Sydney also ranks among the top 10 most livable cities in the world according to Mercer Human Resource Consulting and The Economist.

Sydney has a reputation as an international centre for commerce, arts, fashion, culture, entertainment, music, education and tourism, making it one of GaWC's Alpha + world cities. Sydney has hosted major international sporting events, including the 1938 British Empire Games, the 2000 Summer Olympics, and the final match of the 2003 Rugby World Cup. The main airport serving Sydney is Sydney (Kingsford Smith) Airport.

History

Radio carbon dating suggests that the Sydney region has been inhabited by indigenous Australians for at least 30,000 years. The traditional Indigenous inhabitants of Sydney Cove are the Cadigal people, whose land once stretched from south of Port Jackson to Petersham. While estimates of the population numbers prior to the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788 remains contentious, approximately 4,000–8,000 Aboriginal people lived in the Sydney region prior to contact with British settlers. The British called the Indigenous people the "Eora", because being asked where they came from, these people would answer: "Eora", meaning "here", or "from this place" in their language. There were three language groups in the Sydney region, which were divided into dialects spoken by smaller clans. The principal languages were Darug (the Cadigal, original inhabitants of the City of Sydney, spoke a coastal dialect of Darug), Dharawal and Guringai. Each clan had a territory, the location of said territory determined the resources available. Although urbanisation has destroyed much evidence of these settlements (such as shell middens), a number of Sydney rock engravings, carvings and rock art remain visible in the Hawkesbury sandstone of the Sydney basin.

In 1770, British sea Captain Lieutenant James Cook landed in Botany Bay on the Kurnell Peninsula. It is here that Cook made first contact with an Aboriginal community known as the Gweagal. Under instruction from the British government, a convict settlement was founded by Arthur Phillip, who arrived at Botany Bay with a fleet of 11 ships on 18 January 1788. This site was soon determined to be unsuitable for habitation, owing to poor soil and a lack of reliable fresh water. Phillip subsequently founded the colony one inlet further up the coast, at Sydney Cove on Port Jackson on 26 January 1788. He named it after the British Home Secretary, Thomas Townshend, Lord Sydney, in recognition of Sydney's role in issuing the charter authorising Phillip to establish a colony. The original name was intended to be Albion until Phillip decided upon Sydney.

The International Exhibition of 1879 at the Garden Palace

In April 1789 a disease, thought to be smallpox, killed an estimated 500 to 1000 Aboriginal people between Broken Bay and Botany Bay. There was violent resistance to British settlement, notably by the warrior Pemulwuy in the area around Botany Bay, and conflicts were common in the area surrounding the Hawkesbury River. By 1820 there were only a few hundred Aborigines and Governor Macquarie had begun initiatives to 'civilise, Christianise and educate' the Aborigines by removing them from their clans. Macquarie's tenure as Governor of New South Wales was a period when Sydney was improved from its basic beginnings. Roads, bridges, wharves and public buildings were constructed by British and Irish convicts, and by 1822 the town had banks, markets, well-established thoroughfares and an organised constabulary. The 1830s and 1840s were periods of urban development, including the development of the first suburbs, as the town grew rapidly when ships began arriving from Britain and Ireland with immigrants looking to start a new life in a new country. On 20 July 1842 the municipal council of Sydney was incorporated and the town was declared the first city in Australia, with John Hosking the first elected mayor. The first of several Australian gold rushes started in 1851, and the port of Sydney has since seen many waves of people arriving from around the world.

Sydney harbour in 1932
Rapid suburban development began in the last quarter of the 19th century with the advent of steam powered tramways and railways. With industrialisation Sydney expanded rapidly, and by the early 20th century it had a population of more than a million.In 1929 the novelist Arthur Henry Adams calls it the "Siren City of the South" and "Athens of Australia". The Great Depression hit Sydney badly. One of the highlights of the Depression era, however, was the completion of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1932. There has traditionally been a rivalry between Sydney and Melbourne since the gold rushes of the 1850s made the capital of Victoria Australia's largest and richest city. Sydney overtook Melbourne in population in the early years of the 20th century, and has remained the largest city in Australia since this time. During the 1970s and 1980s Sydney's CBD with a great number of financial institutions including the headquarters of the Reserve Bank surpassed Melbourne as the nation's financial capital. Throughout the 20th century, especially in the decades immediately following World War II, Sydney continued to expand as large numbers of European and later Asian immigrants populated the metropolitan area.

Economy

As the financial and economic hub of Australia, Sydney has grown to become a wealthy and prosperous city, ranking as the second wealthiest city in the world in terms of per capita purchasing power. The largest economic sectors in Sydney, as measured by the number of people employed, include property and business services, retail, manufacturing, and health and community services. Since the 1980s, jobs have moved from manufacturing to the services and information sectors. Sydney provides approximately 25 percent of the country's total GDP.

The Australian Securities Exchange and the Reserve Bank of Australia are located in Sydney, as are the headquarters of 90 banks and more than half of Australia's top companies, and the regional headquarters for around 500 multinational corporations. Of the ten largest corporations in Australia by revenue, four have headquarters in Sydney: Caltex Australia, the Commonwealth Bank, Westpac, and Woolworths. Of the 54 authorised deposit-taking banks in Australia, 44 are based in Sydney including nine of the 11 foreign subsidiary banks in Australia and all of the 29 local branches of foreign banks. Major authorised foreign banks in Sydney include Citigroup, UBS Australia, Mizuho Corporate Bank, HSBC Bank Australia and Deutsche Bank.

Shopping locations in Sydney include Pitt Street, George Street, King Street, Market Street, and Castlereagh Street, shopping complexes such as the Queen Victoria Building and Westfield Sydney, arcades such as The Strand Arcade and Mid City Centre, and department stores such as Myer and David Jones, all of which are in the shopping district in the city centre, a place to find major international brand name labels. Also in the city centre is Chinatown, which includes Paddys Markets, which is Sydney's city markets, a place for bargain hunting.

Outside the city centre there are number of other shopping destinations of interest. Inner eastern suburbs such as Potts Point, Darlinghurst and Surry Hills provide a diverse range of shops for the culturally creative and alternative lifestyle groups that live there, whilst other inner eastern areas like Paddington and Woollahra are home to boutiques selling more niche products. Inner western suburbs like Newtown and Glebe cater more towards students and alternative lifestyles. Double Bay in Sydney's harbourside eastern suburbs is un upmarket area known for its expensive boutiques. Seaside areas, including Bondi Beach in the eastern beaches area and Manly in the northern beaches area, have a retail scene based upon their beach locations, with many surfing and surfer style clothing shops.

Sydney received 7.8 million domestic visitors and 2.5 million international visitors in 2004. In 2007, the (then) Premier of New South Wales, Morris Iemma established Events New South Wales to "market Sydney and NSW as a leading global events destination". Fox Studios Australia has large film studios in the city.

As of 2004, the unemployment rate in Sydney was 4.9 percent. According to The Economist Intelligence Unit's Worldwide cost of living survey, Sydney is the sixteenth most expensive city in the world, while a UBS survey ranks Sydney as 15th in the world in terms of net earnings. As of September 2009, Sydney has the highest median house price of any Australian capital city at $569,000, and a median unit price of $400,000. Sydney also has the highest median rent prices of any Australian city at $450 a week.

The Sydney Region accounts for 12 percent (approximately $1 billion per annum) of the total agricultural production, by value, of NSW. Sydney provides 55% of NSW's flower production and 58% of its turf production, as well as 44% of state's nurseries.[61] In 1994-1995 Sydney produced 44% of New South Wales' poultry meat and 48% of the state's eggs.

Culture of Sydney
Sydney hosts many different festivals and some of Australia's largest social and cultural events. These include the Sydney Festival, Australia's largest arts festival which is a celebration involving both indoor and free outdoor performances throughout January; the Biennale of Sydney, established in 1973; the Big Day Out, a travelling rock-music festival which originated in Sydney; the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras along Oxford Street; the Sydney Film Festival and many other smaller film festivals such as the short film Tropfest and Flickerfest. Sculpture by the Sea, Australia's largest outdoor sculpture exhibit, began in Bondi Beach in 1996.

Australia's premier prize for portraiture, the Archibald Prize is organised by the Art Gallery of New South Wales. The Sydney Royal Easter Show is held every year at Sydney Olympic Park, the final of Australian Idol takes place on the steps of the Opera House, and Australian Fashion Week takes place in April/May and September. Sydney's New Year's Eve and Australia Day celebrations are the largest in Australia.

A survey based on tracking the frequency of words and phrases in the media, cited Sydney as number 9 on a list of the world's top fashion cities in 2009. The city is the site of the world renowned Rosemount Australian Fashion Week, which occurs biannually, and is home to many of Australia's premier fashion houses. Most international designers have a major presence in Sydney and Australia's Next Top Model is one of the most watched shows on national television.

]Entertainment and performing arts.

Sydney's cultural institutions include the Sydney's Opera House. It has five halls, including a large concert hall and opera and drama theatres; it is the home of Opera Australia—the third-busiest opera company in the world, and the Sydney Symphony. Other venues include the Sydney Town Hall, City Recital Hall, the State Theatre, the Theatre Royal, Sydney, the Sydney Theatre and the Wharf Theatre, the Capitol Theatre and the Lyric and Star Theatres, Star City.

The Sydney Conservatorium of Music is located adjacent to the Royal Botanic Gardens and serves the Australian music community through music education and biannual Australian Music Examination Board exams. The Sydney Dance Company was under the leadership of Graeme Murphy during the late 20th century. The Sydney Theatre Company has a regular roster of local plays, such as noted playwright David Williamson, classics and international playwrights.

In 2007, The New Theatre celebrated 75 years of continuous production in Sydney. Other important theatre companies in Sydney include Company B and Griffin Theatre Company. From the 1940s through to the 1970s the Sydney Push, a group of authors and political activists whose members included Germaine Greer, influenced the city's cultural life. The National Institute of Dramatic Art, based in Kensington, boasts internationally famous alumni such as Mel Gibson, Judy Davis, Baz Luhrmann and Cate Blanchett. Sydney's role in the film industry has increased since the opening of Fox Studios Australia in 1998.

Prominent films which have been filmed in the city include Moulin Rouge!, Mission: Impossible II, Star Wars episodes II and III, Superman Returns, Dark City, Son of the Mask, Stealth, Dil Chahta Hai, Happy Feet, Australia and The Matrix. Films using Sydney as a setting include Finding Nemo, Strictly Ballroom, Muriel's Wedding, Our Lips Are Sealed, and Dirty Deeds. Many Bollywood movies have also been filmed in Sydney including Singh Is Kinng, Bachna Ae Haseeno, Chak De India, Heyy Babyy. As of 2006, over 229 films have been set in, or featured Sydney.

Sydney's most popular nightspots include Kings Cross, Oxford Street, Darling Harbour, Circular Quay and The Rocks, which all contain various bars, nightclubs and restaurants. Star City Casino, is Sydney's only casino and is situated around Darling Harbour. There are many traditional pubs, cafes and restaurants in inner-city areas such as Newtown, Balmain, Leichhardt and Surry Hills. Sydney's main live music hubs include areas such as Newtown and Annandale, which nurtured acts such as AC/DC, Bliss n Eso, Sparkadia, Midnight Oil and INXS. Other popular nightspots tend to be spread throughout the city in areas such as Bondi, Manly, Cronulla and Parramatta.

Tourism
Tourism in Sydney

In the year ending March 2008, Sydney received 2.7 million international visitors. The most well-known attractions include the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Other attractions include Royal Botanical Gardens, Luna Park, some 40 beaches and Sydney Tower.

Sydney also has several popular museums, such as the Australian Museum (natural history and anthropology), the Powerhouse Museum (science, technology and design), the Art Gallery of New South Wales, the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Australian National Maritime Museum.

Sport and outdoor activities

Sydney is well-endowed with open spaces and access to waterways, and has many natural areas, even in the city centre. Within the CBD are the Chinese Garden of Friendship, Hyde Park, The Domain and the Royal Botanic Gardens. The metropolitan area contains several national parks, including the Royal National Park, the second oldest national park in the world, and several parks in Sydney's far west which are part of the World Heritage listed Greater Blue Mountains Area.

Sport
Sport is an important part of Sydney's culture. The most popular sport in Sydney is rugby league. The NSWRFL (today known as the NRL) began in Sydney in the 1908 season and is the largest and most prestigious domestic rugby league competition in the Southern Hemisphere. The city is home to nine of the sixteen teams currently in the National Rugby League competition: the Canterbury Bulldogs, Cronulla Sharks, Manly Sea Eagles, Penrith Panthers, Parramatta Eels, South Sydney Rabbitohs, St George Illawarra Dragons, Sydney Roosters and Wests Tigers.

Cricket is the most popular summer sport in Sydney. The Ashes Series between Australia and England is widely popular among the people. As the state capital, Sydney is also the home of the NSW Blues cricket team in the Sheffield Shield cricket competition. Sydney Cricket Ground and ANZ Stadium here host cricket matches. This city has also hosted 1992 Cricket World Cup and will also host the 2015 Cricket World Cup. Sydney Cricket Ground is at present the only test venue in the city. Plans are going on to accommodate ANZ Stadium as an international cricket venue for Australia.
Sydney is the only city other than Brisbane and Melbourne to have an elite presence in the 4 major football codes of Australia - rugby league, football (soccer), rugby union and AFL. Association Football is represented by Sydney FC and Sydney Rovers FC (from 2011) in the A-League, whilst the second tier competitions NSWPL and NSW Super League provide many players to the A-League. Sydney also hosts major association football events of the national team, the Socceroos, most notably the World Cup Qualifier against Uruguay in 2005. Rugby Union is represented by the NSW Waratahs in the elite Southern Hemisphere Super 14 competition. The Suburban rugby competition is the Shute Shield which provides many Super 14 players. High profile Wallabies games are held in Sydney such as the Bledisloe Cup, Tri Nations matches, British and Irish Lions games, and most notably the final of the 2003 Rugby World Cup against England.

Sydney also has an Australian Football League (AFL) team called the Sydney Swans; with a second team - GWS (Greater Western Sydney) forming to enter the main AFL league in 2012, a woman's netball team (Swifts), a baseball team (Patriots), a field hockey team (Waratahs), two ice hockey teams (Penrith Bears & Sydney Ice Dogs) and a WNBL team (Sydney Uni Flames). The Sydney Kings will be re-entering the NBL competition at the end of 2010.

The NSW Blues rugby league team contests the annual Rugby League State of Origin series against the Queensland Maroons. Large sporting events such as the NRL Grand Final and Bledisloe Cup games are regularly held at the ANZ Stadium, the main stadium for the 2000 Summer Olympics.

Other events in Sydney include the start of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, the Golden Slipper horse race, and the City to Surf race. Prominent sporting venues in Sydney include the Sydney Cricket Ground or SCG, ANZ Stadium, The Sydney Football Stadium, Eastern Creek Raceway, Royal Randwick and Rosehill Gardens Racecourse.

Media
Media in Sydney

ABC building in Ultimo
Sydney has two main daily newspapers. The Sydney Morning Herald is the oldest extant newspaper in Australia, having been published regularly since 1831. The Herald's competitor, The Daily Telegraph, is a News Corporation-owned tabloid. Both papers have tabloid counterparts published on Sunday, The Sun-Herald and the Sunday Telegraph, respectively.

The three commercial television networks (Seven, Nine, Ten), as well as the government national broadcast services (ABC and SBS) are headquartered in Sydney. Also a community television station, TVS, broadcasts in the Sydney area. Historically, the networks have been based in the northern suburbs, but the last decade has seen several move to the inner city. Nine has kept its headquarters north of the harbour, in Willoughby. Ten has its studios in a redeveloped section of the inner-city suburb of Pyrmont, and Seven also has headquarters in Pyrmont, production studios at Epping as well as a purpose-built news studio in Martin Place in the CBD.

The ABC has a large headquarters and production facility in the inner-city suburb of Ultimo and SBS has its studios at Artarmon. Foxtel and Optus both supply pay-TV over their cable services to most parts of the urban area.

The five free-to-air networks have provided digital television transmissions in Sydney since January 2000. There are also nine additional Freeview Digital Services. These include ABC2, ABC3, ABC News 24, SBS Two, 7TWO, 7mate, GO!, GEM HD and ONE HD.

Many AM and FM government, commercial and community radio services broadcast in the Sydney area. The local ABC radio station is 702 ABC Sydney (formerly 2BL).[82] The talkback radio genre is dominated by the perennial rivals 2GB and 2UE. Popular Music radio stations include Triple M, 2Day FM and Nova 96.9, which generally target people under 40. In the older end of the music radio market, Classic Rock 95.3 and Mix 106.5 target the 25–54 age group, while WS-FM targets the 40–54 age group with their Classic Hits format mostly focusing on the 70s and 80s. Triple J (ABC), 2SER and FBi Radio provide a more independent, local and alternative sound. There are also a number of community stations broadcasting to a particular language group or local area.

On 1 July 2009, DAB+ Digital Radio officially started. ABC and commercial radios provide full programing.

Government

Sydney's Local Government Areas
Apart from the limited role of the Cumberland County Council from 1945–1964, there has never been an overall governing body for the Sydney metropolitan area; instead, the metropolitan area is divided into local government areas (LGAs) which are comparable to boroughs in cities such as London. These areas have elected councils which are responsible for functions delegated to them by the New South Wales State Government, such as planning and garbage collection.

The City of Sydney includes the central business area and some adjoining inner suburbs, and has in recent years been expanded through amalgamation with adjoining local government areas, such as South Sydney. It is led by the elected Lord Mayor of Sydney and a council. The Lord Mayor, however, is sometimes treated as a representative of the whole city, for example during the Olympics.

Most citywide government activities are controlled by the state government. These include public transport, main roads, traffic control, policing, education above preschool level, and planning of major infrastructure projects. Because a large proportion of the New South Wales population lives in Sydney, state governments have traditionally been reluctant to allow the development of citywide governmental bodies, which would tend to rival the state government. For this reason, Sydney has always been a focus for the politics of both state and federal parliaments. For example, the boundaries of the City of Sydney LGA have been significantly altered by state governments on at least four occasions since 1945, with expected advantageous effect to the governing party in the New South Wales Parliament at the time.

The 38 LGAs commonly described as making up Sydney are

Ashfield
Auburn
Bankstown
Blacktown
Botany Bay
Burwood
Camden
Campbelltown
Canada Bay
Canterbury
Fairfield
The Hills
Holroyd
Hornsby
Hunter's Hill
Hurstville
Kogarah
Ku-ring-gai
Lane Cove
Leichhardt
Liverpool
Manly
Marrickville
Mosman
North Sydney
Parramatta
Penrith
Pittwater
Randwick
Rockdale
Ryde
Strathfield
Sutherland
Sydney
Warringah
Waverley
Willoughby
Woollahra

The classification of which councils make up Sydney varies. The Local Government Association of New South Wales considers all LGAs lying entirely in Cumberland County as part of its 'Metro' group, which excludes Camden (classed in its 'Country' group). The Australian Bureau of Statistics defines a Sydney Statistical Division (the population figures of which are used in this article) that includes all of the above councils as well as Wollondilly, the Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury, Gosford and Wyong.

Utilities
Water storage and supply for Sydney is managed by the Sydney Catchment Authority, which is an agency of the NSW Government that sells bulk water to Sydney Water and other agencies. Water in the Sydney catchment is chiefly stored in dams in the Upper Nepean Scheme, the Blue Mountains, Woronora Dam, Warragamba Dam and the Shoalhaven Scheme. Historically low water levels in the catchment have led to water use restrictions and the NSW government is investigating alternative water supply options, including grey water recycling and the construction of a seawater reverse osmosis desalination plant at Kurnell. As of May 2009, the plant was 80% completed, and was due to start supplying fresh water to Sydney at the end of the year.

In late January 2010, the NSW government announced that desalination plant was operating and people in different regions were being supplied with desalinated water. There were no complaints or reports about water odour, which people had previously perceived was going to be present.[citation needed] Sydney Water also collects the wastewater and sewage produced by the city.

Four companies supply natural gas and electricity to Sydney: Energy Australia, AGL, Integral Energy and Origin Energy. The natural gas supply for the city is sourced from the Cooper Basin in South Australia. Numerous telecommunications companies operate in Sydney providing terrestrial and mobile telecommunications services. (Credit: Wikipedia)

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