Event Recording
With existential threats from global health to climate disaster through to ‘super-gentrification’ and exclusion, is urbanism – the diversity, creativity, and progress associated with urban life, and social connectivity in cities – still viable? Eminent speakers discuss the challenges and whether urbanism as we know it is ‘over.’
panel
Dr Elizabeth Farrelly, Journalist and author
Dai Le, Councillor, Fairfield Council
Gabriel Metcalf, CEO, Committee for Sydney
Dr Paul Maginn, University of Western Australia
chaired by
Fenella Kerneborne, Sydney Ideas
Fenella Kerneborne, at the start of June 2021, was appointed as the Head of Programming for Sydney Ideas at the University of Sydney. She is also the Director of Frankly Group and is Head of Curation for TEDxSydney where she is responsible for leading the programming for one of the largest TEDx events in the world.
Dr Elizabeth Farrelly is a Sydney-based columnist and author and a regular commentator, broadcaster, blogger and critic on architecture and public issues. Elizabeth trained in architecture and philosophy, and holds a PhD in urbanism from the University of Sydney, where she is also a former Adjunct Associate Professor. As an independent Sydney City Councillor, she initiated Sydney’s first heritage and laneway protection policies.
Dai Le is a passionate community advocate who champions for diversity and inclusive leadership. Born in Vietnam, Dai was resettled in Australia as a refugee. She currently serves as an Advisory Board Member to Multicultural NSW, is an Ambassador for Fairfield Relay for Life and NSW Cancer Council Greater Western Sydney. Dai is also an Independent councillor on Fairfield City Council, one of the most culturally diverse Councils in Australia.
Gabriel Metcalf is the CEO of the Committee for Sydney, a research and advocacy organisation that works with Sydney leaders to solve the most important problems facing the city. Formerly CEO of SPUR, an urban policy group in San Francisco, Gabriel has led initiatives on housing, transport, economic development, and climate adaptation, among other topics. Gabriel has a Master’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley College of Environmental Design.
Dr Paul Maginn is an urban planner and geographer with research interests in the “3 S’s” – strategic metropolitan planning; (sub)urbanisms; and, the sex industry. He is co-editor/contributor of several books and Editor-in-Chief of the scholarly journal Urban Policy and Research and was Co-convenor of the Australasian Cities Research Network from 2018-2021.