KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

 

Senator Nick Xenophon
Independent Senator for South Australia

Nick first became involved in politics in the 1997 South Australian election, where he campaigned on a 'No Pokies' platform. He ran to simply make a point. Nick scraped in with a little under three per cent of the statewide vote due to a large number of preferences being directed to him. Nick was re-elected to the State's Upper House in 2006 with just over 20.5 percent of the state's vote.

Over the next eight years, Nick worked to fight the spread of poker machines. He also campaigned on issues where individuals and communities weren't getting a fair go, including asbestos victims, victims of crime and land tax.

Nick made the decision to leave state politics and run in the November 2007 Federal Election because he believes that he can do more for South Australians in the Senate on key issues such as gambling regulation and water. Nick was elected to the Senate with just under 15 per cent of the vote. He is the first Independent to be elected to the Senate in a generation. Nick currently shares the balance of power in the Senate with the Greens and Family First.

Since assuming his role in the Senate in July 2008, Nick has continued to push for changes in the key areas of gambling reform, the water crisis, consumer law and food labelling.

Some of Nick's biggest achievements to date include negotiating the fast tracking of $900 million in funding for the Murray Darling Basin, river communities and stormwater harvesting as part of the 2009 stimulus package; his campaign for victims of Scientology; consumer rights; and the many Private Senator's Bills he has introduced on gambling, consumer law and water management. Nick believes the most important part of his job is speaking up for people who might not otherwise have a voice. His approach to politics is perhaps best summed up in his First Speech in the Senate when he simply said: "I would rather go down fighting, than still be standing because I stayed silent."

 

Chris Davis
Commissioner
National Water Commission

Chris is an Honorary Life Member of the Australian Water Association and has worked in the water industry for 38 years, covering many facets, but mostly in urban water. He is a National Water Commissioner; Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology, Sydney; Independent Chair of the SEQ Urban Water Security Research Alliance and Chair of the Independent Review Panel for the Sydney Metro Water Plan. Chris has degrees in Civil Engineering and an MBA.

 

Peter Newman
Professor of Sustainability
Curtin University Sustainability Policy (CUSP) Institute
Western Australia

Peter Newman is the Professor of Sustainability at Curtin University and is on the Board of Infrastructure Australia that is funding infrastructure for the long term sustainability of Australian cities. His two new books ‘Resilient Cities: Responding to Peak Oil and Climate Change' and ‘Green Urbanism Down Under', both written with Tim Beatley, are a positive look at sustainability opportunities.

In 2001-3 Peter directed the production of WA's Sustainability Strategy in the Department of the Premier and Cabinet. It was the first state sustainability strategy in the world. In 2004-5 he was a Sustainability Commissioner in Sydney advising the government on planning issues.

In 2006/7 he was a Fulbright Senior Scholar at the University of Virginia Charlottesville . In Perth , Peter is best known for his work in saving, reviving and extending the city's rail system.

Peter invented the term ‘automobile dependence' to describe how we have created cities where we have to drive everywhere. For 30 years since he attended Stanford University during the first oil crisis he has been warning cities about preparing for peak oil. Peter's book with Jeff Kenworthy 'Sustainability and Cities: Overcoming Automobile Dependence' was launched in the White House in 1999. He was a Councillor in the City of Fremantle from 1976-80 where he still lives.

 

Professor Tony Wong
Director
Centre for Water Sensitive Cities
Monash University

Professor Tony Wong was a founding director of the consulting firm Ecological Engineering, now a part of the global design firm Design + Planning @ AECOM. Tony has over 25 years experience and is internationally recognised for his research and practice in sustainable urban water management.

Professor Tony Wong is a founding co-director of Monash University 's Centre for Water Sensitive Cities and Program Director and Chief Executive of the Centre's $20M flagship research program, Cities as Water Supply Catchments. The Centre aims to create cities and towns that are resilient to the twin challenges of accommodating an increasing population, and the effects of climate change that have implications for almost every aspect of water in our urban environments.

Tony was one of the industry leaders that led the original development of the principles of Water-Sensitive Urban Design. Through his research and practice leadership, he has led many innovative designs of stormwater quality improvement, water conservation and alternative water sources measures. Their integration into the urban landscape and building architectural underpins Water-Sensitive Urban Design as we know it in Australia today. He was the editor-in-chief of Engineers Australia's recent book entitled Australian Runoff Quality: A Guide to Water Sensitive Urban Design. He has over 100 publications in the field of sustainable urban water management.

Tony provides advice to governments and industry on sustainable water management. He is a member of the Urban Water Advisory Group of the Australian Government's National Water Commission and served on the Prime Minister's Science Engineering and Innovation Council's working group on Water for Cities in 2006-2007.

 

Tan Nguan Sen
Director of Catchment and Waterways
Public Utilities Board
Singapore

Tan Nguan Sen is the Director of Catchment and Waterways Department in PUB which manages all the reservoir catchments and rivers/waterways in Singapore. He has extensive experience in planning and designing both drainage and used water infrastructure as well as in the construction, operation and management of drainage and water reclamation facilities.

Prior to becoming the Director of Catchment and Waterways Department in 2006, he was also involved in formulating key policies for water related issues. His experience spans the whole water cycle, from stormwater collection, drainage planning and development, potable water treatment and used water collection, treatment and reuse. Over a period of 25 years, he served in various capacities in the key operational departments in PUB and the job scope ranged from policy development, planning and design work, project management and operations and maintenance.

Since 2005, PUB has embarked on many programmes to generate greater awareness by the community on the importance of valuing and enjoying our water, the implication of living in water catchment areas and the need to keep the catchments clean.

One of these is the ABC Waters Programme which will transform local waterways and their vicinity into vibrant lifestyle attractions, and create a sense of collective stewardship of local water resources among Singaporeans. Mr Tan is the Director in charge for the launch and implementation of the ABC Waters Programme.