Keynote Speakers

 

The Hon. Rob Stokes MP, Minister for Infrastructure, Cities, and Active Transport, NSW

Rob is the Member for Pittwater and Minister for Infrastructure, Cities, and Active Transport in the NSW Government.

Rob has previously served as Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Minister for Transport and Roads, Minister for Education, Minister for Environment, Minister for Heritage, and Minister for the Central Coast.

Outside Parliament, Rob is an Honorary Fellow with Macquarie Law School, has been a director of the Sydney Centre for Innovation in Learning at Duffy’s Forest, and an Assessor with the Northern Beaches Branch of Surf Life Saving Australia. Rob has also worked as a solicitor in general commercial practice in Mona Vale and the Sydney CBD.

Rob was first elected as the parliamentary representative for Pittwater in 2007, and was re-elected in 2011, 2015 and 2019. He holds a double degree in arts and law from Macquarie University, a Masters of Science from the University of Oxford, and a PhD in planning law completed under a Commonwealth scholarship.

Outside work, Rob has been an active patroller and competitor at Mona Vale Surf Club for more than 25 years and is an active member of St John’s Church in Mona Vale.  Rob and Sophie live in Newport and are busy raising three children.

The Rt Hon the Lord Mayor of Sydney, Councillor Clover Moore

Clover Moore was elected Lord Mayor of Sydney in 2004, the first popularly elected woman to lead the City of Sydney. She is also the longest serving Mayor since city government incorporation in 1842. She was re-elected for her fourth term in 2016 with her Independent team receiving a 10% swing.

Clover also served as an Independent member of the NSW Parliament from March 1988 to September 2012, and was concurrently Lord Mayor and Member for Sydney for 8 years until the State legislated against the one person holding both positions.

Throughout her public life, in both State and Local Governments, Clover has championed progressive policies, achieving reforms which increase government transparency, defend our environment, protect the vulnerable and advance animal welfare.

As Lord Mayor, Clover initiated Sustainable Sydney 2030, an internationally renowned long term plan to secure Sydney’s future as a leading green liveable and creative city. This plan includes ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse emissions. In 2007, the City became the first government in Australia to be carbon neutral, and in 2014 received the European Solar Prize for its Renewable Energy Master Plan. The City will use 100% renewable energy by July 2020 and have reduced emissions by 70% by 2024.

Under her leadership, the City of Sydney has developed a global reputation for delivering award winning facilities; protecting and enhancing open space; promoting design excellence for private development; delivering new transport options, particularly safe cycling; promoting and expanding the City’s cultural and creative life and initiating progressive solutions to complex city social problems such as affordable housing and related homelessness.