New Leadership for Peak Development Industry Body, UDIA WA
It was an absolute pleasure to be appointed President of the Urban Development Institute of Australia in Western Australia (UDIA WA) at the Institute’s Annual General Meeting on Wednesday 18 October 2023. UDIA WA is the leading body representing the urban development industry in WA and I have been a member of UDIA WA Council for the last three years. The UDIA WA Council is made up of a fantastic team of passionate industry leaders. Following the AGM the new Council Executive was determined and I welcome Greg Rowe and Grant Shepherd as Vice Presidents and Adam Shephard as Treasurer.
I am both humbled and excited to take on the leadership position of such an important organisation to the future of Western Australia. The urban development industry is an integral part of the creation of new, and enhancement of existing communities, particularly as Perth becomes a more compact and connected city. Having established the Celsius development division in 2004, I have a passion for quality development that brings a diversity of housing choices to the community in a range of areas.
We are in the midst of a housing crisis and a core aspect of addressing that crisis is working in partnership with all levels of government to deliver a range of housing options from social and affordable through to high end product to suit different household needs. The current hot button issues in Western Australia include housing supply, supporting the medium and high density sectors to deliver greater housing choice, planning reform and strategic environmental assessment. UDIA WA is at the forefront when it comes to representing industry on all of these issues and takes a collaborative approach to finding shared solutions.
UDIA WA is celebrating 50 years of representing the development industry in WA this year, and in marking that milestone, the organisation adopted new Purpose, Vision and Mission statements that speak to the heart of the industry’s role as community creators. UDIA WA’s core purpose is to represent an industry that is ‘delivering great places and housing choice for better lives’. The ultimate vision is for ‘diverse living options in thriving, connected communities’. I am dedicated to delivering on UDIA WA’s purpose and vision. There is no doubt that if we want to achieve greater housing choices for people, then we will need to accept and support more urban infill and increased density in appropriate locations. That is an important goal in the context of improving affordability, sustainability and giving people options as their lifestyles change and evolve.
Outgoing President Col Dutton has provided excellent leadership over the last four years, successfully driving UDIA WA’s strategic advocacy agenda across the three pillars of Liveability, Economy and the Environment. Col led the Institute through a time of significant challenges and opportunities as we navigated the pandemic and the impacts on industry in the years following. I wish Col all the best in his new role as National President of UDIA and look forward to continuing to work with him and the UDIA National Council on issues of national importance.
UDIA WA‘s revised committee structure for 2024-25 has seen over 140 industry members nominate for positions to support the organisation on a volunteer basis and I am very grateful for this outstanding contribution. We have an aim to build on the professional development side of the organisation, with a desire to deliver education opportunities that will assist continuous improvement within industry and government in relation to urban development outcomes. We are also focused on increasing broader community engagement to build understanding around Perth’s future as a more compact and connected city. There are so many opportunities for our industry to continue to grow and evolve, and I am excited to be part of leading the Institute during this new phase!
All the very best,