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Kaya,
While you are looking at Yip Yew Chong’s mural in Bond Lane above, imagine yourself strolling down Barrack Street in the early 1900s, unmistakeably anchored by the Perth Town Hall clock tower. Fitting with recent discussions about Perth’s Capital City Plan and Gehl’s suggestion to bring back trams (or light rail) to the CBD, the mural captures the original trams that operated in Perth from 1899 to 1958.
Cities often evolve by revisiting ideas, infrastructure and identity already in place. Progress isn’t always about starting from scratch, sometimes it’s about recognising what works and carrying it forward in a new context, or bringing something back.
In this edition of Urban Scrawl, we explore a simple but powerful idea: building on existing strengths and shaping them with intent.
From Adelaide’s consistent performance across global benchmarks to Calgary’s focus on growing adjacent industries, it can often be more effective to evolve what exists than to expand in a completely new direction. We also look at how this approach can unlock impact from coordinated climate action in India to rethinking existing infrastructure in Germany.
This month's On the Ground Intel with Rob Cole, newly appointed Chair of Committee for Perth and Chair of Perth Airport, offers a grounded perspective on Perth’s trajectory, a trip down memory lane to 1985 and a growing sense of excitement about a city with the potential to become a world class gateway to Asia, India, Africa and Europe. Happy reading,
Committee for Perth Team |
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Image credit: Mariel Pearson's Blog |
How does a relatively smaller Australian city compete on a global stage? The latest report by Committee for Adelaide offers a clear answer: by knowing exactly what it stands for, and leaning into it.
The ‘Benchmarking Adelaide 2025’ report compares Adelaide with global peers across liveability, productivity, sustainability and innovation. It doesn’t top every category, but it performs consistently well, guided by a clear sense of identity as an emerging global leader in 21st-century industries, specifically defence, energy, health, and education, while pivoting towards a "knowledge capital" powered by high-impact research.
That momentum is also showing up beyond the data. Adelaide's recent recognision as 29th in Time Out’s ranking of the world’s most liveable cities affirms the city's growing appeal. Standout themes from the report are: Liveability as a strength — affordability, green space and quality of life
Focused economy — doubling down on sectors like defence, space and health Scale as an advantage — compact, connected and collaborative Sustainability with intent — driven by long-term policy, not one-offs
All themes are clearly aligned across government, industry and institutions. Adelaide shows that global competitiveness isn’t necessarily about size, it’s about making and pursuing choices with clarity and consistency. |
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36% of people globally say they feel safe in self-driving cars, while 36% say they don’t, with 28% being 'unsure'. The finding comes from Ipsos’ international public opinion tracking on emerging technologies, highlighting a near-even split in sentiment towards self-driving cars.
The divide is even more pronounced geographically, with strong optimism in parts of Asia and more scepticism across Western countries. It is a neat snapshot of how quickly technology adoption can vary, not just by innovation, but by perception. |
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READ: Committee for Brisbane has launched a refreshed brand alongside its 2026 Advocacy Agenda, setting a clear direction as the city moves towards the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The agenda is structured around key advocacy pillars, including connected growth, a strong and inclusive economy, and a vibrant, liveable city, positioning Brisbane for long-term success beyond the Games. Worth a read for how brand, advocacy and major event momentum can be aligned into a single, forward-facing narrative.
VISIT: After releasing its list of the world’s most liveable cities, TimeOut has now turned its attention to urban nature, ranking the best cities for green spaces. The measure is refreshingly simple: thousands of residents were asked, “How would you rate the green spaces and access to nature in your city?”
WATCH: In Germany, abandoned oil railway lines are being reimagined as a new form of on-demand, self-driving transport. The MONOCAB system uses small, electric cabins that run on existing tracks, offering a low-cost way to reconnect smaller towns without building new infrastructure. Still in testing, it’s a simple idea with big implications: what if the future of transport isn’t new networks, but making better use of what’s already there? Watch Video
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For this edition of 'On The Ground Intel', we’re delighted to sit down with Rob Cole, newly appointed Chair of Committee for Perth and Chair of Perth Airport. Rob brings a unique vantage point, helping shape how Perth connects to the world while also championing Perth's long-term future on the inside. While many will know him through his leadership roles, Rob is no stranger to Committee for Perth. He previously served on the Board nearly a decade ago, making his return as Chair something of a full-circle moment.
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We wanted to take the opportunity to connect with Rob beyond titles and boardrooms - to explore Perth through his lens, shaped by decades of watching the city evolve, grow in confidence and strengthen its place on the global stage.
You have a front-row seat to how Perth connects with the world, has that changed the way you see it?
Definitely. Perth if often cited as the most “isolated” city in the world. The transformational expansion underway at Perth Airport assumes the opposite. It is the biggest private infrastructure investment in WA history. The business case is based on the tremendous potential growth in Perth’s connectivity to the rest of the world. International travel to and from Perth is set to grow dramatically over the coming decades, which will see Perth become Australia’s second largest international hub after Sydney. There will be an abundance of new routes opened, and growth in inbound and outbound passenger numbers. Perth has the potential to become a world class gateway, or western hub, into Australia connecting Australia to Asia, India, Africa and Europe. It will truly put Perth onto the world stage – not just as a global energy and resources capital, but as a globally connected business and travel hub.
What’s one Perth experience you think every visitor should have?
You can’t beat a trip to King’s Park to visit the War Memorial and get a stunning view of Perth and the Swan River. I have lived here for most of the past 40 years, and I still love visiting the park from time to time to take in this view. It really is a spectacularly beautiful city. If your younger self walked through Perth today, what would surprise them most?
The growth in population and the shape of the city. When I first moved to Perth in 1985 the population had just reached one million. Today, the greater metropolitan area is 250% higher than this – at around 2.5 million. I think that would have surprised me. Also, in the 1980s Mandurah and Yanchep were separate towns – each a decent drive away from Perth’s metropolitan outer limits. Today, the city stretches over 150 km up and down the coast and is often cited as the longest city in the world. Again, that would probably have surprised me.
Perhaps another change would be the transformation of Perth from a mining hub, with an abundance of entrepreneurs, into a true global energy and resources capital based on the exponential growth in the iron ore and LNG industries as well as the gold, lithium and rare earth industries. The extent of this growth, and the changes to the face of the city that have come with it (with headquarters or major offices of many of the world’s largest energy and resources companies now here) would probably have surprised me as well.
Where do you go to reset or gain perspective when the week has been full?
I am a keen windsurfer and windfoiler. When the wind is in, which Perth is famous for, I will go down to Pelican Point and go windsurfing/foiling across Melville water. This really takes my mind off things. It is a very physical sport, and you have to concentrate 100% on it when you are out for a sail. It’s a great way to reset when the week has been full. What’s one small Perth ritual you’d miss if you lived elsewhere?
I would miss the windsurfing and foiling. Perth gets great, reliable wind (the Fremantle doctor) and I launch from a spot that is only a five-minute drive from where I live. It would be very hard to find this combination elsewhere in the world. I would also miss a walk along Cottesloe beach. My wife and I do this from time to time and really enjoy it.
You have a lot of experience in different sectors, what's one decision we should make today that will shape Perth most over the next 25 years
I think we need to start by deciding on a true vision for Perth that all stakeholders embrace. It needs to be compelling. It needs to be inspiring. It needs to be concise. It needs to be unifying. It needs to be the compass that guides all stakeholders and all decisions going forward.
In one sentence: Perth in 2050 — what does it feel like?
It would feel like an international hub – deeply connected as Australia’s western gateway to the world - and one of the most liveable cities in the world, with a strong and diversified economy built on multiple foundations. |
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CALGARY'S DIVERSIFICATION BUILDS ON WHAT WORKS |
Instead of chasing the “next big thing”, Calgary, Canada, is taking a different approach to growing its economy: build on what’s already there.
Its strategy, ‘Uplook: An Action Plan for our Economy’, is grounded in research and global benchmarking. But at its core, the idea is simple: Calgary is using its existing strengths in energy and engineering as a foundation to grow related industries, from clean energy and hydrogen to agtech, digital technology and advanced manufacturing.
It’s a concept that will feel familiar in the business world. Most successful companies grow vertically, not by jumping into new areas, but by expanding into related ones, building on their expertise, networks and infrastructure - cities can do the same. Alongside this, Calgary is focusing on the conditions that help industries succeed: attracting skilled people, maintaining a high quality of life, creating a strong business environment, supporting innovation, and building a clear city identity. Initiatives range from skills and training programs to revitalising the downtown and investing in innovation, all working together to support long-term growth.
Calgary shows that diversification does not have to be about new industries. It’s about evolving existing ones and creating the right environment for them to grow over time. |
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INTERNATIONAL INSPIRATION |
TAMIL NADU: COORDINATING CLIMATE ACTION AT SCALE |
In the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, climate action is being approached less as policy and more as a delivery system. At the centre is the Tamil Nadu Green Climate Company (TNGCC) - a government-backed, not-for-profit entity designed to coordinate climate action across the state. Structured as a special purpose vehicle, it brings together more than 30 government departments under a single framework.
Rather than isolated projects, the model operates through state-wide missions, from ecosystem restoration to coastal resilience, aligned across sectors such as water, forestry and urban development. By embedding climate action into existing government systems and enabling more flexible funding, the approach shows how coordination, not just policy, can drive delivery at scale. |
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WHAT INSPIRES YOU RIGHT NOW?
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Urban Scrawl is shaped by ideas and actions from around the world. If you’ve seen something while travelling, read an article that stuck with you, heard a great conversation, or are working on a project that’s reshaping how cities work and grow, we’d love to hear about it. Share it with us and help shape future editions: nathalie.heppeler@committeeforperth.com.au
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Committee for Perth conducts its work on Whadjuk Noongar Boodjar. We recognise their peoples' ongoing connection to land, culture and community and in doing so, pay our respects to Elders past and present. |
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