Latest news with #WesternSydney
ABC News
2 hours ago
- General
- ABC News
Sydney's sulphur-crested cockatoos spotted using drinking fountains
First they opened bins, now crackles of Sydney's sulphur-crested cockatoos (Cacatua galerita) have been recorded by scientists waiting their turn to use drinking fountains. The birds, which roost around the Western Sydney Parklands, have figured out how to operate twist-handled bubblers, according to a new study. The behaviour was observed in a group of up to 200 birds, scientists report in The Royal Society Biology Letters. Study co-author Lucy Aplin, a behavioural and cognitive ecologist from the Australian National University, said it took coordinated actions for the birds to access water from the spring-loaded fountains. "It's just one of your bog-standard old-fashioned drinking fountains that you find all across sports fields in Australia," she said. "They [cockatoos] hold on to the stem and they twist with their foot but then they have to lean their weight while they twist as well. Dr Aplin said the whole process looked a "bit funny". "It's a bit of an awkward body position they have to hold, but it's pretty impressive," she said. Sulphur-crested cockatoos are well-known for their urban antics causing havoc on bin night in more than 60 suburbs in Sydney's south. But the population in Western Sydney is a different mob. After the study's lead author, the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior's Barbara Klump, saw the drinking behaviour first-hand, she set up a study to track the behaviour of cockatoos around a well-used drinking fountain. First the researchers identified 24 individual birds by painting them with dots, then they used wildlife cameras to monitor attempts to use the bubblers by these and other birds in the local area. Over 44 days, the cameras recorded 525 attempts and collectively the birds were successful 41 per cent of the time they tried to drink, with the marked birds being slightly more successful. Dr Aplin said about 70 per cent of the local birds, which roosted close by, were using the drinking fountain. "They use them as a preferred place to drink no matter whether it's hot or if there's other water sources available," she said. All ages and sexes participated too, unlike with the bin opening behaviour, which is mostly done by males. "Something about the bin opening requires strength, and that's why it's male biased," Dr Aplin said. "[Drinking from bubblers is] a very complex behaviour that requires lots of different fine scale motor actions, but not brute force." Cockatoos are able to work out something tricky like turning a handle because they have brains that are relatively large for their bodies. Their forebrain, which deals with advanced cognitive abilities like tool use, is packed full of neurons like chimpanzees, which also excel at complex problems. Alex Taylor, who studies biological intelligence at the the Autonomous University of Barcelona, said it was clearly tricky to get a tap to work when you had the body of a bird. "Which explains why birds are only successful 50 per cent of the time when trying to use the tap," Dr Taylor, who was not involved with the research, said. "Still this is a pretty good success rate on a hot day when you are thirsty." Dr Taylor said the study begged the question of why only a single species was exploiting human water taps and not others. The exact reason the cockatoos use the bubbler instead of other water sources like a lake or creek is not understood. But there are several hypotheses that researchers want to test. "One possibility is the water just tastes better," Dr Aplin said. That's a theory Irene Pepperberg, an animal behaviourist from Boston University who was not involved in the study, also thought was possible. "The resource is unlimited, so it is probably worth it to keep trying until they figure out the successful behaviour and, if they fail, they seem to have other water sources. "The birds do seem to learn about the source from one another; whether they learn the specific technique from each other is a bit less clear." Another idea is the birds like how the bubblers sit about 1 metre off the ground. Alice Auersperg, a cognitive biologist from the University of Veterinary Medicine who was not part of the study, said this was because drinking from a ground source was risky and left them exposed to predators. But she said another reason they might use the bubblers was because the birds liked to undertake an activity even if there was no food reward. Dr Pepperberg said she recently did a study with umbrella cockatoos where 40 per cent of the time they chose to shell nuts rather than eat ones that were already shelled. The team behind the new bubbler research hopes to drill down into the reasons behind the behaviour as well as other cockatoo innovations in future studies. Dr Aplin said she had received other reports of cockatoos using bubblers with levers and unzipping bags to access lunch boxes. She encouraged people who saw these kinds of behaviour to report it through the Big City Birds App. Gisela Kaplan, an emeritus professor of animal behaviour from the University of New England, said several bird species seemed to exploit taps in the outback in different ways to cockatoos. "The moment [the taps] are used, the birds now fly in and take the drops that fall down and then, once the person has left, also lick out the last drops that are in the tap," Professor Kaplan, who was not involved with the study, said. She said she had witnessed a great bowerbird in Larrimah, Northern Territory, work with its beak at a tap nozzle attachment until water drops were generated. Dr Aplin said ultimately there was an important message behind all these observed behaviours beyond just funny anecdotes. "Urban animals that are adaptable and have expressed behavioural flexibility and have large brains are going to try and use the habitats that we provide them with," she said. "So if we want to increase biodiversity in cities, we need to think about increasing the sort of habitat requirements for species that might not be so adaptable." On the other hand, Dr Aplin added, we could also use urban design to manage those species that are more adaptable.
ABC News
2 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
Labor's 'lucky escape' in Greater Western Sydney a second chance for government
On a bustling day in south-west Sydney, the smoky scent of a charcoal barbecue wafts through the air, as meat skewers sizzle outside a Middle Eastern restaurant. Nearby, groups of locals gather in the shade, locked in lively battles of dominoes and chess. Liverpool healthcare worker Sarwan Al Mubarki enjoys wandering these streets, taking in the familiar sights that make his multicultural neighbourhood a community. The 29-year-old has lived in this area since the age of four, when his family arrived in Australia as asylum seekers from Iraq. "It was quite an ordeal for my parents to make a decision about my future and theirs, to try to get me somewhere I'd have safety and opportunity," he said. But he's also concerned many who share his postcode have not had the same opportunities he's had. Growing up, he attended three different schools in the area — one in the public system and two religious colleges. That's when he first noticed what he describes as "pockets of disadvantage" in parts of Western Sydney. "There was under-resourcing in the public school, there was graffiti — kids were generally kind of fed the narrative you would have a harder time, you were disadvantaged," he said. He fears rapid population growth in the outer suburbs is adding to the inequality by intensifying the pressure on health services, schools and infrastructure. Australian National University demographer Liz Allen described it as the "postcode lottery" — and argued people in the outer suburbs were often the ones missing out. "In newly built areas on the fringes of our cities, there is a lack of significant infrastructure," Dr Allen said. "That means families are not being supported adequately, there aren't the medical services, there aren't the hospitals, there aren't the schools." And she believes the disadvantage could worsen as the rising cost of living drives more families to the outer suburbs. Greater Western Sydney was often front and centre during the recent federal election campaign — as Peter Dutton targeted mortgage-belt voters in traditional Labor heartland, where support for the ALP had been slipping for years. Despite his efforts, the Liberals failed to pick up any new seats in the region — and even suffered a surprise loss in Banks. Labor now holds 11 of the 14 seats in Western Sydney, but failed to oust independent Dai Le from the seat of Fowler. Mr Al Mubarki, who lives in the electorate, said many people in the region felt ignored by the major parties. Despite its landslide victory across Australia — some political analysts say the ALP should view its success in Western Sydney as a "lucky escape". Paul Smith, YouGov's Director of Public Data, said polling showed voters in the region turned their backs on the Coalition just weeks ahead of the election, after the Opposition revealed plans to force more workers back to the office. "What we know from all the data — fundamentally — people chose to reject Peter Dutton and the Coalition because their policies were seen to be anti-working class people," he said. "Labor should view the result as a second chance to win working class voters, rather than an endorsement of the government as a whole." The federal government has promised billions of dollars to improve infrastructure, healthcare and education, which could address some of these issues in the outer suburbs. Education Minister Jason Clare said an extra $16.5 billion will be pumped into public schools across the country, under agreements struck with the states and territories. "For too long public schools in our community and across the country have been underfunded, but that is now changing because of these agreements," he said in a statement to the ABC.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Key road exposes brutal Sydney divide
Tolls on the Sydney Harbour Bridge and tunnel will rise for the second time in 16 years to help bridge the brutal divide forcing Western Sydney commuters to fork out up to $39 for round trips to the city. A weekday peak hour return trip from Liverpool or Campbelltown to the CBD costs commuters about $39.10 in tolls, while those travelling from Blacktown to the city are similarly out $38.03. Back in 2009, the same trips cost about three times less. The fees are in stark contrast to those travelling return from Neutral Bay to the city, who pay just $4.41 to cross the iconic bridge — only a $0.41 increase since 2009. The NSW government have now announced tolls on the Harbour Bridge and tunnel will rise for the second time since 2009 in a bid to give motorists hit hard by the road fees some relief. The peak hour weekday toll to use the key road in the CBD will rise by about 14 cents from July 1. Commuters travelling on weekdays between 6.30am and 9.30am, and 4pm to 7pm will be $4.41 out of pocket when the change comes into effect, compared to the current toll of $4.27. All extra cash collected will be put into the government's $60 toll cap, which allows eligible drivers to pay a maximum of $60 per week on tolls. NSW Transport Minister John Graham said the move would provide much needed relief to those in Western Sydney, who pay the highest tolls. 'A toll rise on the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Tunnel remains a rare occurrence, with this marking only the second time in 16 years since they have gone up,' Mr Graham said. 'In our city's west they have gone up every quarter or every year. 'We are focused on delivering a fairer tolling network and this inflation-linked increase will go into toll relief that has become so important to motorists who pay the highest toll bills in the suburbs of Western Sydney.' The $60 cap, introduced in January last year, is set to expire at the beginning of 2026.
News.com.au
4 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Road tolls to rise on iconic bridge to address brutal Sydney divide
Tolls on the Sydney Harbour Bridge and tunnel will rise for the second time in 16 years to help bridge the brutal divide forcing Western Sydney commuters to fork out up to $39 for round trips to the city. A weekday peak hour return trip from Liverpool or Campbelltown to the CBD costs commuters about $39.10 in tolls, while those travelling from Blacktown to the city are similarly out $38.03. Back in 2009, the same trips cost about three times less. The fees are in stark contrast to those travelling return from Neutral Bay to the city, who pay just $4.41 to cross the iconic bridge — only a $0.41 increase since 2009. The NSW government have now announced tolls on the Harbour Bridge and tunnel will rise for the second time since 2009 in a bid to give motorists hit hard by the road fees some relief. The peak hour weekday toll to use the key road in the CBD will rise by about 14 cents from July 1. Commuters travelling on weekdays between 6.30am and 9.30am, and 4pm to 7pm will be $4.41 out of pocket when the change comes into effect, compared to the current toll of $4.27. All extra cash collected will be put into the government's $60 toll cap, which allows eligible drivers to pay a maximum of $60 per week on tolls. NSW Transport Minister John Graham said the move would provide much needed relief to those in Western Sydney, who pay the highest tolls. 'A toll rise on the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Tunnel remains a rare occurrence, with this marking only the second time in 16 years since they have gone up,' Mr Graham said. 'In our city's west they have gone up every quarter or every year. 'We are focused on delivering a fairer tolling network and this inflation-linked increase will go into toll relief that has become so important to motorists who pay the highest toll bills in the suburbs of Western Sydney.'
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
How you are being forced to pay for Australia's mega population surge four times a year
Those living in Australia's most populous city can expect a steep increase in their water bills as utilities struggle to keep up with immigration-fuelled population growth. Sydney Water had planned to increase its customers' bills by 18 per cent from October 1, under its 2025 to 2030 plan. While the application for the hefty rate rise was blocked by the state's Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART), residents will still be slapped with a six per cent increase - more than double the 2.4 per cent inflation rate. The utility pointed to huge population growth as justification for the increase, which equates to about $73 for a typical bill. A Sydney Water board meeting last year warned of the strain on infrastructure in the city's outer suburbs, which house a higher proportion of new migrants. 'The biggest drivers behind Sydney Water's planned investments are growth and renewing existing infrastructure,' the meeting minutes said. 'Most of this investment will support growth in both new and established areas – especially in western Sydney, where development is booming and where population growth is pushing existing water and wastewater systems to their limits.' To cope with the population surge, Sydney Water expected the average bill to rise by $226 during the next financial year, and by $111 every year until 2029-30. 'We know this may cause payment difficulties for some of our customers. We have programs in place to assist them,' the provider said. 'We'll deliver services to 300,000 new homes to support the NSW government's growth ambitions, and our growing population and cities.' Relief is unlikely in the coming five years, with IPART proposing a 4.6 per cent annual increase in Sydney Water bills each year, subject to community feedback. This would see homeowners and renters pay an average of $1,293 a year in 2025-26 rising to $1,527 in 2029-30, before inflation is even factored in. Like Sydney Water, IPART chair Carmel Donnelly acknowledged increases in water bills were necessary to fund infrastructure upgrades amid strong population growth. 'We have set draft prices that are lower than Sydney Water's proposed prices,' she said. 'However, some increase is necessary to allow Sydney Water's services and infrastructure to keep pace with Sydney's growth and deliver safe, reliable services that meet community expectations.' Overseas migrants are accounting for more than 80 per cent of the population growth in Sydney and Melbourne - putting pressure on transport and water infrastructure. Immigration levels were still high in the year to March with 437,440 people moving to Australia on a net permanent and long-term basis, with this net figure factoring in departures including skilled migrants and international students. In Sydney, Australia's most populated big city, 120,886 overseas migrants moved in during the last financial year - making up 81 per cent of the net population increase factoring in births and those who moved interstate. In Melbourne, 121,240 migrants moved in during the same period, making up 80.7 per cent of the population growth. Both cities are overcrowded with 41,086 Sydney residents leaving for another part of Australia over the year to escape the congestion and unaffordable housing. Despite that exodus, Sydney's population is still increasing by two per cent a year in a city that is already home to 5.5million people. Building activity is also failing to keep pace with Anthony Albanese's plan to build 1.2million homes over five years, or an average of 240,000 a year. But in the year to April, just 182,034 new homes were approved, new Australian Bureau of Statistics data released on Friday revealed. Morgan Begg, the director of research at the Institute of Public Affairs think tank, said new housing supply was likely to fall further behind population growth. 'With housing approvals so low, Australia is being set up for a disaster, as in the last three years to June 2025, net migration is on track to be 1.3million, meaning the gap between demand and supply is drifting further apart,' he said.
