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Kaya, We’re leading this edition with a mural in the Brookfield Place precinct by Kyle Hughes-Odgers, created with Gina Williams and the late Guy Ghouse in alignment with Noongar cultural knowledge.
Titled Aliwah Yeyi “look out now”, it shows a wardong (raven/crow) and a djiti djiti (willy wagtail) meeting mid-air. The work is grounded in story rather than literal explanation, leaving space for interpretation rather than prescribing one.
In many ways, that’s the point. We each look out for different things, shaped by our own perspectives, yet still find ways to align and move forward together. Sometimes that alignment comes from recognising our place within something larger — whether that’s the role of data centres in a global system, transport designed around equity, or the different ways countries approach truth-telling, truth-hearing and truth-action. In this edition’s On the Ground Intel, we hear from Martina Crowley, who moved to Perth from Ireland 30 years ago and fell in love with the people. She shares lessons from the football field and reflects on what continues to inspire her in cities around the world. Happy reading,
Committee for Perth Team |
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SYDNEY'S DATA CENTRE BOOM |
Sydney is rapidly positioning itself as Australia’s data centre capital, and it’s doing so deliberately. The NSW Government is actively fast-tracking investment, with more than $50 billion in projects moving through a coordinated approvals process. Data centres are being treated less as real estate and more as essential economic infrastructure, tied to broader ambitions around AI, digital services and global connectivity. The model is clear: concentrate scale, attract hyperscalers, and anchor Australia’s role in the global cloud economy.
But Sydney is also where the pressures are becoming visible. Energy demand is surging, grid connections are tightening, and water use, land competition and community pushback are increasingly part of the conversation. As with many fast-moving infrastructure plays, success is arriving alongside constraint.
Globally, this is not unique. The United States have already demonstrated the value of scale, capturing 52% of the global market in 2025 by exporting compute through cloud platforms. At the same time, markets like Singapore are controlling growth carefully due to land, power and sustainability limits. Across Europe and Asia, a parallel trend is emerging: a push for “sovereign compute”, keeping critical data and AI capability closer to home.
Australia sits in the middle - we are a growing market, but not (yet) a global leader. Much of our digital infrastructure still relies on global providers such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud, raising questions about long-term control, value capture and resilience. For Perth, the question is not whether to replicate Sydney’s scale. It is whether to position itself differently, complementing the national network with more targeted, strategic infrastructure that leverages its proximity to Asia and growing renewable energy capacity. The opportunity may lie not in becoming another hub, but in becoming a gateway.
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22,500 people applied to join the European Space Agency astronaut program. From that global pool, Katherine Bennell-Pegg was selected to complete Basic Astronaut Training, graduating in 2024. She is Australia’s first fully qualified female astronaut and the 2026 Australian of the Year, not to mention an inspiration for anyone to reach for the stars. We’re honoured to partner with Auspire - Australia Day Council (WA) to welcome Katherine to Committee for Perth’s Future Ready Forum on 26 May. Join us!
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LISTEN: ‘Mr Mamdani, THIS is what makes a city thrive’ with Eamon Waterford, by Uncomfortable Conversations. In this thought-provoking conversation, Waterford explores what actually makes cities successful beyond economic growth alone, from housing affordability and density to public life, social connection and the role of governments in shaping more liveable communities.
READ: Parks, housing and keeping young people around: five (actually six) mayors on the future of their cities, by Monocle. A sharp snapshot of the challenges shaping cities globally, from housing affordability and transport to retaining young talent and balancing growth with liveability. Drawing on conversations with mayors at the global urban development conference Mipim, the piece highlights a growing consensus that parks, culture, public transport and quality of life are central to economic competitiveness and long-term city success.
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We were delighted to sit down with Martina Crowley, Perth Managing Partner at PwC Australia. Originally from Ireland, Martina moved to Perth more than 30 years ago and quickly fell in love with the people, the lifestyle and the sense of possibility the city offered.
Today, she brings a globally informed perspective to Perth’s future, shaped by leadership across business, sport and community. |
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When you moved here from Ireland, what made you fall in love with Perth?
I arrived in Perth as a backpacker 30 years ago and fell for the people first; they were warm, welcoming and up for a chat, which felt very familiar to an Irish girl. The beaches were a very close second: Cottesloe, City Beach, Trigg and, of course, every beach on Rottnest. It’s also been fantastic to see the Irish community here continue to thrive over the years. You work closely with private businesses and family enterprises — what’s one thing that Perth could do better as a business community?
Perth has done an extraordinary job creating wealth through resources, and many families have benefited from that. But if we want to be truly future-ready, we need to be bolder about diversification by backing innovation, entrepreneurship and high-value industries alongside mining. The Committee for Perth vision talks about moving from a “resources city” to a more “resourceful one,” with a more diversified, resilient economy powered by innovation and collaboration, and I think that’s exactly the mindset we need.
What is your go-to coffee or tea spot?
The best coffee spot is the PwC office at Brookfield Place, partly because the coffee is excellent, and partly because it’s free for our 500+ people, which never hurts. There’s something about a barista-made coffee first thing in the morning that gets people into the office, chatting with colleagues and starting the day with real energy. The buzz is palpable, and frankly, so is the caffeine. |
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As a WA Football Commissioner, what is one thing you have learnt on the field that has helped you with community engagement?
Footy constantly reminds me that community is built through belonging. In WA we have around 90,000 registered players, 1,500 games played every weekend during the season, and another 200,000 people involved through volunteering, umpiring and family support. That’s not just a sport; that’s a living, breathing community. What I’ve learnt is that the broader and more inclusive your offering, the stronger your community becomes.
What is your favourite way to wind down before or after work?
I’m definitely a morning person, so my favourite way to reset is reformer Pilates at 6am, three times a week, from the depths of winter right through to those brilliant summer mornings. It’s my way of taking time for myself before the day gets busy. It’s equal parts self-care and survival strategy. What does your favourite weekend in Perth look like?
In winter, it’s all about football; AFL, WAFL and my son’s PFL games, which makes for a pretty happy weekend in our house. In summer, I become much more social and love trying new places around town. This year, my local favourite has definitely been Bert’s at City Beach. It’s hard to beat dinner with my family and a Perth sunset. Which international city inspires you the most and why?
I love so many cities in Europe. Paris, Rome and London all have their magic but if I’m honest, Cork wins every time. It’s my hometown, my mum is there, and that gives it a very unfair advantage. Sometimes the most inspiring place is simply the one that feels like home. |
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TRUTH-TELLING IS NOT THE END, IT'S THE START |
As National Reconciliation Week approaches, much of the focus turns to awareness, reflection and participation. Important moments, all of them. But if there’s one insight from global research into truth-telling, it’s that truth alone is not the outcome. What follows is what matters.
In this context, we looked at a 2022 Churchill Fellowship Report named ‘Truth Telling, Healing and Sustainability’, written by one of Committee for Perth’s board members and CEO of Reconciliation WA, Jody Nunn, and Aboriginal Noongar Elder Robyn Smith-Walley. Jody and Robyn set out to explore how different countries approach truth-telling and healing, and what actually leads to lasting change. What stands out is that many countries are not grappling with whether to tell the truth. They already have. The real differentiator is what happens next.
In New Zealand, truth is embedded in a decades-long process through the Waitangi Tribunal, linking storytelling directly to land settlements, apology and economic redress. In Canada, truth-telling has been paired with long-term healing programs and national education efforts, rebuilding language and identity across generations. Germany’s post-war reckoning shows what sustained national commitment can look like when truth is backed by justice and accountability. And then there are the cautionary lessons. In South Africa, one of the world’s most recognised truth processes, many communities were left without the reparations that were promised. The result? Truth told, but not fully resolved. Across all these examples we find a consistent pattern: truth-telling only works when it is Indigenous-led, properly resourced, and designed to leave people better off. Without that, it risks becoming symbolic, something acknowledged but not changed.
This is where we find ourselves at a rare point in time. Unlike many countries, Australia is not decades into a truth process, we are at the beginning of one. We have an opportunity to learn, deliberately, from what has worked elsewhere, and what hasn’t. Place names, cultural recognition, and growing visibility of First Nations stories are all meaningful shifts. But the report makes clear that symbolism is only the first step. The next phase is harder and more important: translating recognition into systems that enable equity, opportunity and long-term change.
Because truth-telling is not just about speaking. It’s about listening and then doing something with what we hear – truth-action. We are not short of stories in Australia. What we are still building is a shared willingness to act on them. If there’s one thing the international examples reinforce, it’s that the countries making the most progress are those that have decided what kind of society they want to be and then built systems to support that identity over time. For Western Australia, this question is still open.
Reconciliation, done well, is not about looking back. It’s about defining the next 200 years, grounded in truth, shaped by understanding, and carried forward with intent so that being home to the oldest living culture in the world can help shape our identity.
For individuals and organisations alike, the next step is not to have all the answers, but to stay engaged. Support First Nations-led organisations and businesses, create space for ongoing conversations, listen with curiosity rather than defensiveness, and look for ways to turn recognition into action within your own sphere of influence. It also means being willing to speak up for respect, especially in everyday moments where division, dismissal or disrespect might otherwise go unchallenged. Progress is rarely driven by one moment alone, but by consistent choices made over time.
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INTERNATIONAL INSPIRATION |
BOGOTA: DESIGNING MOBILITY AROUND EQUITY |
In Bogotá, mobility is being used as a lever to reduce inequality — not just to move people. Transport investment is explicitly directed at connecting lower-income communities to jobs, services and opportunity, recognising that access to the city is often what shapes economic and social mobility. It’s an approach that has not gone unnoticed. Bogotá is one of the few cities to have won the Sustainable Transport Award twice — in 2005 for its pioneering Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) system and again in 2022, specifically for improving mobility and safety for its most vulnerable residents.
From there, the city continues to expand its Bus Rapid Transit network, roll out electric buses and deliver its first metro line, creating a more integrated network that also reduces congestion and emissions. Crucially, this sits within a broader effort to align transport with land use and climate goals, shifting mobility from a series of projects to a coordinated system. It’s a reminder that the most effective transport strategies are not just about movement, they’re about who gets access, and what that access enables. Read More |
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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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