TOYOTA'S site at Caringbah and land around the Lucas Heights nuclear facility will be considered as locations for a high-tech business park in Sutherland Shire.
The venture was suggested by Liberal candidate for Miranda, Eleni Petinos, at an election forum organised by Sutherland Shire chambers of commerce.
And Labor candidate for Miranda Greg Holland agreed with the need, adding "we are starting discussions with the University of Wollongong".
Ms Petinos said: "We are one of the only regions in Sydney that doesn't have a business centre of any description and it's actually quite criminal in this day and age because we are losing business to other parts of Sydney.
"We are losing Toyota, Caltex has gone . . . and we are not actually looking at anything to encourage business out here."
Ms Petinos said the business park suggestion was her "personal position, not party platform", and the community needed to be consulted.
Mr Holland said he was "happy to take it to the party".
"I see it as a joint venture with public-private ownership," he said.
Mayor Kent Johns said later Sutherland Shire Council had looked at the idea "but not in depth".
"We are working with [business organisation] ShireBiz and entrepreneurs," he said.
Councillor Johns said the Toyota site, which the company will vacate by 2018, was only one possible site.
"I'm trying to get a meeting with Toyota, and we are also looking at what opportunities may exist around ANSTO [the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation]."
Cr Johns said the council did not have an official view on the future zoning of the Toyota land, but he had made it clear he believed it should be retained for employment.
He said a business park would cater for "industry with an innovative edge, providing modern jobs".
Miranda and District Chamber of Commerce spokeswoman Joanne Ryan said it was "a fantastic idea".
Labor candidate for Heathcote Maryanne Stuart suggested a "think tank" of retired successful business operators be established to formulate ideas on how business could be expanded in the shire.
"While there is a lot of promotion in western Sydney, we hear very little about promoting economic development in the shire and southern Sydney," she said.
"State government departments and agencies have moved to Parramatta.
"We need to get our act together."
‘MORE FACTORIES’
Labor candidate for Cronulla Peter Scaysbrook, an engineer, said the
shire needed more manufacturing businesses.
‘‘All businesses are important, but I would like to see shire business focused on more than selling cups of coffee and cheap mattresses,’’ he said.
‘‘We have to make things.
‘‘A product for me is something you can drop on your foot.’’
Mr Scaysbrook said there was a dearth of industrial land in the shire because so much had been given over to housing.
Other points raised:
■ A Caringbah business owner said she had 10 staff and "I lose everyone every two hours" because they had to move their cars in parking zones.
■ A chartered accountant said state taxes hurt businesses and property owners, and, following big property price increases, the latest land tax assessments were a "money grab".
■ Greg Holland (Labor) said "overdevelopment" was to blame for the shire's "massive" traffic and parking problems, but Mark Speakman (Liberal) said it was a "myth" that there was a huge difference between Labor and the Liberals on development matters.