Bronwen Clark is Executive Officer of the National Growth Areas Alliance, the peak body representing 20 Councils on the outskirts of capital cities, where one fifth of the Australian population lives.

As Executive Officer, Bronwen brings advocacy, policy and government relations expertise to the Alliance. She has consulted extensively to local government, small business and not-for-profits, and has worked with the Federal Government on multilateral trade negotiations, including representing Australia at the World Trade Organisation.

Alliance Members are united by shared experiences of population growth rates at double the national average, inadequate infrastructure to cope with the increased demand, and long-term lack of government investment in roads, public transport and essential services.

The National Growth Areas Alliance advocates for a dedicated focus on Australia’s fast growing outer suburbs. Our work is supported by a national research program proving the need for, and benefits of, long-term planning and funding of critical infrastructure.

Daniel Simms is the Chief Executive Officer at the City of Wanneroo – one of the largest growing local government areas in Western Australia and Australia. He has extensive experience in local government in both metropolitan and regional Western Australia, working across many disciplines including planning and development, finance and administration, governance and strategic planning.

Daniel holds a Bachelor of Applied Science and a Graduate Diploma in Business in Local Government Management from Deakin University. He is Chairman of the Growth Alliance Perth and Peel and Committee of Management Member of the National Growth Areas Alliance.

For the past decade Joanne has been CEO of some of the fastest growing local governments in Australia, planning and building entire new cities, stimulating major economic growth and leading hundreds of staff through complex organisational change.

As CEO of the City of Armadale, Joanne is currently responsible for a $134 million budget, a workforce of over 450 staff and assets valued at $1.3 billion. The City is the third fastest growing local government in WA and the seventeenth in Australia. Armadale is home to the world class venue for rowing and water sports at the Champion Lakes Regatta Centre and also state of the art award winning community facility – Armadale Fitness & Aquatic Centre. Joanne’s role includes leading the economic development of two industrial precincts – Forrestdale Business Park and Rowley Road and creating an employment hub in the City Centre.

In 2015 Joanne won the Telstra Business Woman of the Year Award for Government and Academia in WA and received international recognition at the United Nations backed Liveable Communities Awards in 2011 for excellence in integrated strategic planning.

Joanne has held Ministerial appointments on both the Board of the Peel Development Commission, as well as the Women in Local Government Advisory Committee, and was a long serving member of the Western Australian Local Government Association’s Finance and Services Committee. More recently Joanne was appointed to the State’s Streamline WA initiative, created to find better ways of applying regulations and encouraging more investment in WA.

Joanne has a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Bachelor of Science (Distinction) and is a registered practitioner in program management.

Mark holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Western Australia as well as a Municipal Treasurer’s Certificate of Qualification and the Municipal Clerk’s Certificate of Qualification, is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, an Associate of the Local Government Managers Association and Local Government Chief Officers Group of Australia.

Mark has been the Chief Executive Officer at the City of Mandurah since 2003 and previously held various Director roles at the City of Mandurah. Other previous employment was with Town of Bassendean, Shires of Broome and Wanneroo and with the Local Government Department.

Mark has overseen strategic plans, structural plans and visionary documents such as:

• Southern City Strategy
• Mandurah CBD Revitalisation Plans
• Mandurah Foreshore Focus 2020
• City of Mandurah Scenario Plan