Wollongong is a city located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales,Australia. The name is believed to originate from the Dharawal language,meaning either 'five islands/clouds','ground near water' or 'sound of the sea'. Wollongong lies on the narrow coastal strip between the Illawarra Escarpment and the Pacific Ocean,85 kilometres south of central Sydney. Wollongong had an estimated urban population of 302,739 at June 2018,making it the third-largest city in New South Wales after Sydney and Newcastle and the tenth-largest city in Australia by population. The city's current Lord Mayor is Gordon Bradbery AM who was elected in 2021.
The Illawarra is a coastal region in the southeast of the Australian state of New South Wales. It is situated immediately south of Sydney and north of the South Coast region. It encompasses the two cities of Wollongong,Shellharbour and the coastal town of Kiama. Wollongong is the largest city of the Illawarra with a population of 240,000,then Shellharbour with a population of 70,000 and Kiama with a population of 10,000. These three cities have their own suburbs. Wollongong stretches from Otford in the north to Windang in the south,with Maddens Plains and Cordeaux in the west.
The Illawarra Mercury is a daily newspaper serving the Illawarra region of New South Wales,Australia. It has been published since 1855,making it one of Australia's oldest newspapers and the second oldest regional newspaper in New South Wales. It has been published daily since December 1949,and has had no local daily competition since the 1960s. It has strong links to the Illawarra community.
Michael Costa is a former Australian Labor politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 2001 until 2008,and Treasurer of New South Wales from 2006 to 2008 and held other ministerial portfolios in the governments of premiers Bob Carr and Morris Iemma.
Morris Iemma is a former Australian politician who was the 40th Premier of New South Wales. He served from 3 August 2005 to 5 September 2008. From Sydney,Iemma attended the University of Sydney and the University of Technology,Sydney. A member of the Labor Party,he was first elected to the Parliament of New South Wales at the 1991 state election,having previously worked as a trade union official. From 1999,Iemma was a minister in the third and fourth ministries led by Bob Carr. He replaced Carr as premier and Leader of the New South Wales Labor Party in 2005,following Carr's resignation. Iemma led Labor to victory at the 2007 state election,albeit with a slightly reduced majority. He resigned as premier in 2008,after losing the support of caucus,and left parliament shortly after,triggering a by-election. He was replaced as premier by Nathan Rees.
Gareth James Ward is an Australian politician who was the New South Wales Minister for Families,Communities and Disability Services in the second Berejiklian ministry from 2019 to 2021. Ward is a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly and has represented the seat of Kiama since 2011. He was suspended from NSW parliament in March 2022 until the end of that term in March 2023,after being charged with sexual intercourse without consent,and indecent assault.
Barry Robert O'Farrell is an Australian former politician who was Australia's High Commissioner to India and non-resident Ambassador to Bhutan from February 2020 to 30 June 2023. O'Farrell was the 43rd Premier of New South Wales and Minister for Western Sydney from 2011 to 2014. He was the Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party from 2007 to 2014,and was a Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1995 to 2015,representing Northcott until 1999 and representing Ku-ring-gai on the Upper North Shore of Sydney from 1999 to 2015. He was President and Independent Board Chair of Diabetes Australia,Chair of the Wests Tigers Rugby League Football Club and CEO of Racing Australia Ltd until taking up his role in India.
Keira is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is currently represented by Ryan Park of the Labor Party.
The City of Wollongong is a local government area in the Illawarra region of New South Wales,Australia. The area is situated adjacent to the Tasman Sea,the Princes Motorway and the Illawarra railway line.
Shellharbour Junction railway station is a railway station located in Dunmore in the City of Shellharbour,New South Wales,Australia,on the Illawarra railway line. The station is served by NSW TrainLink South Coast Line trains traveling south to Kiama and north to Wollongong and Sydney. Premier Illawarra operates a connecting bus service from the station to Shellharbour.
Matthew James Brown is an Australian politician,elected as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Kiama between 1999 and 2011. He was appointed Minister for Police and Minister for the Illawarra in the New South Wales Government on 8 September 2008 but resigned three days later after allegations of inappropriate conduct at a party in Parliament House occurring in June 2008.
John Kevin Dorahy,also known by the nickname of "Joe Cool",is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer and coach. He played in the Australian New South Wales Rugby League premiership and also represented for NSW Country,New South Wales Origin and Australia. Dorahy later played and coached in the English Championship,and coached in the Super League. He began his playing career at fullback and in later years moved into the centres. As coach of Wigan,he is one of a select few to have a guided his club to the league championship and Challenge Cup 'double'.
Nathan Rees is an Australian former politician who served as the 41st Premier of New South Wales and parliamentary leader of the New South Wales Labor Party from September 2008 to December 2009. Rees was a Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Toongabbie for Labor from 2007 to 2015.
Colin William Markham was an Australian politician. He was a Labor Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1988 to 2003,representing the electorates of Keira (1988–1999) and Wollongong (1999–2003). He was a parliamentary secretary in the first two terms of the Carr Labor government.
The 2011 New South Wales state election held on Saturday,26 March 2011. The 16-year-incumbent Labor Party government led by Premier Kristina Keneally was defeated in a landslide by the Liberal–National Coalition opposition led by Barry O'Farrell.
Ryan John Park is an Australian politician. He has been a Labor Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly since March 2011,representing the electorate of Keira. He is the current Minister for Health. He previously served as the NSW Shadow Minister for Health since 2019,and the Shadow Minister for the Illawarra since 2013. He is the third most senior Labor MP in the NSW Legislative Assembly.
Lee Justin Evans,an Australian politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Heathcote for the Liberal Party from 2011 until 2023.
The Rees ministry was the 91st ministry of the Government of New South Wales,and was led by the 41st Premier Nathan Rees.
The Keneally ministry is the 92nd ministry of the Government of New South Wales,and was led by the 42nd Premier Kristina Keneally.
The Sydney Metro is a fully automated rapid transit rail system in Sydney,New South Wales,Australia. It currently consists of the Metro North West &Bankstown Line,running between Tallawong and Sydenham and consisting of 21 stations on 52 km (32 mi) of twin tracks,mostly underground. The first stage of the line opened on 26 May 2019,running between Tallawong and Chatswood. This line was extended from Chatswood to Sydenham on 19 August 2024 as part of the first stage of the City &Southwest project. The second stage of the project will then further extend this line to Bankstown as part of a partial conversion of the existing Bankstown Line with a scheduled completion in 2025.
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