What We Thought Would Kill Us - Learnings and Recommendations Report
As the seven case studies in our What We Thought Would Kill Us series has shown us, almost any significant change proposed to the skyline, coast or on-the-ground often becomes a hard-fought contest between proponents and objectors.
For Perth to grow to accommodate 3.5 million people in a sustainable way, a new approach is needed to secure community support for a changing and adapting environment.
We invite you to join us for the launch of our latest report, which details the combined learnings and recommendations from the What We Thought Would Kill Us series.
Over lunch, we will discuss processes that help to build community ownership and acceptance, remove the fear and controversy that often accompanies major developments and encourage a shift towards celebrating bold and quality design.
The report makes 10 recommendations to improve community engagement and minimise the potential for major conflict associated with significant land use and development projects and provides a best practice guide to the delivery of major and potentially controversial development and infrastructure projects.
Following the keynote address, there will be a panel session with a range of business leaders and experts, who have been involved in one if not more of the projects.
Attendees will receive a hard copy of the report at the completion of the event.
Meet our speakers and panellists
Ronni Hurst
Former Project Director of the Optus Stadium project, currently Executive Manager Customer Engagement, Activ Foundation
Ronnie was the Project Director for the Optus Stadium project. One of the hallmarks of the Optus Stadium project was the significant amount of consultation that Ronnie lead with a broad range of industry groups, elite sports clubs and sports fans.
Prior to that Ronnie was Director, Strategic Projects at the Department of Sport and Recreation, where he provided strategic leadership and advice to key departmental projects. He has also worked in Local Government as Manager Community Development at the City of Melville
Ronnie’s professional skills in sport, recreation and community development complement his strong sporting background. He represented Scotland in springboard and highboard diving at the Commonwealth Games and has also represented Edinburgh and Western Australia in Rugby Union.
Ronnie is currently the Executive Manager Customer Engagement with the Activ Foundation.
Ingrid Cumming
Founder and CEO, Kart Koort Wiern (Head Heart Spirit) and Community Engagement Specialist, City of Canning
Ingrid Cumming is a Whadjuk Noongar woman from Fremantle, Western Australia. A graduate of Murdoch University and Melbourne Business School, she has during her career, presented and published articles internationally including one with the United Nations Women Leaders Collective in Israel, represented Indigenous Australian Business in the US, presented at TedXPerth 2014 and is internationally recognized for her work in leadership, Indigenous knowledge, research and cultural development. Her business Kart Koort Wiern has won and been a finalist for various awards including Business News 40 under 40, NAIDOC Perth, Belmont Small Business Awards for her work as an entrepreneur.
Mrs Cumming is the founder and CEO of Kart Koort Wiern (Head Heart and Spirit), founded in 2010, is a Perth based Indigenous consultancy that offers consultancy, training and workshops across Australia promoting reconciliation and increasing awareness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander strengths and strategy. She is one of the youngest Aboriginal women to serve as a Commissioner for the state governments Conservation commission and donates her time to the Starlight Foundation and local schools like Ashfield Primary, in which she sponsors the Ingrid Cumming Reconciliation award, paying for two children school costs for the year.
After a successful 8 years in business, Ingrid decided to take on a role in local government as the Community Engagement Specialist at the City of Canning, in which she lead the development of the cities Community Engagement Framework. Last year she was promoted to Community Outreach Project Lead, where she leads a range of community development and engagement initiatives on behalf of the city. Her commitment and passion for her community, leadership, youth and reconciliation is the driver behind the work.
Andrew Howe
Director, element
When the state government decided to sink the rail line through Subiaco to unify the town centre and create Perth’s first true TOD – Andrew Howe was at the forefront of designing its planning and delivery framework. Fast forward to today and he has worked across numerous revitalisation projects - from large scale city to small regional towns, infrastructure-led delivery and transit oriented places, Andrew is a redevelopment and urban design expert who brings together finely tuned technical skills and delivery experience, enabling creative ideas to land in practical execution.
Stephen McConkey
Regional Director, Multiplex
Steve has over 42 years construction experience both in Australia and overseas. Steve joined Multiplex in January 2002 and has held the appointment of Regional Director of Multiplex Constructions (WA) Pty Ltd since March 2003. As Regional Director Steve has been involved in the delivery of various high profile developments in Western Australia including Raffles redevelopment, Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre and the Fiona Stanley Hospital.
Steve is an active board member of the Master Builders Association, elected Councillor of the MBA’s Construction Council, sits on the Committee of Management for the Construction Contractors Association of Western Australia and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Building.
Georgia Harford-Mills
Research Officer, Committee for Perth
Georgia is a Research Officer with the Committee for Perth, joining the organisation in 2014. She holds a Bachelor of Science, Geography and received First Class Honours in Urban and Regional Planning from The University of Western Australia. In addition, Georgia received the 2015 Patrick Armstrong Prize in Geography for her research thesis. To date, she has been involved in researching and coordinating a number of Committee for Perth projects including the landmark Get a Move On! report and the What We Thought Would Kill Us series. She is also responsible for coordinating the annual FACTBase Research program and the Committee’s Working Groups and Project Steering Committees. Georgia is an Adjunct Research Fellow with The University of Western Australia and a Member of the Westport Taskforce Reference Group.