Creating another favourite city of the world
Newly elected Lord Mayor of Perth, Lisa Scaffidi, has assumed her role with vigour and is keen to see the City achieve its full potential as both a business and residential district and world-class tourism precinct.

Ms Scaffidi is no novice to the business and political arena, having served as a Perth City Councillor over the past seven years. She has gathered a firm base of support from business and the wider community for her work as high profile Perth director of the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (since 1998) and member of CCI’s Tourism Committee.

I caught up with Ms Scaffidi during her first week in office to learn more about her plans for Perth, both in the short and longer term.

Meticulously groomed and with an engaging personality, Ms Scaffidi invited me to sit down and get to business. And that's what she’s all about - getting down to business.

A self-confessed city slicker, our new Lord Mayor has grand plans for the City of Perth with a passion to match. She would like to see our humble city come of age and develop into a city of the times. This is a recurring view we have heard from many different quarters recently, including London urban strategist Charles Landry, president of CEOs for Cities, Carol Coletta, and former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett. There appears no doubt as to what stance the newly formed Perth City Council will be taking from this day forward in the city vibrancy debate.

"I think we need to harness the debate that's been occurring in the city over the last 10 to 12 months and listen to the call from some of the key stakeholders, particularly those companies headquartered here," she said.

"There is definitely a need to create more vitality around the city so that the key executives, many of whom are here during this economically buoyant period, have a place to kick on after hours and relax after a heavy day's work at the office. We need to create the feeling that we experience and enjoy when we visit other great cities in the world - I want to see more of that."

Asked how she plans to enact this grand plan for Perth given the cringe-worthy title of 'Dullesville', she quickly warms to the subject.

"Obviously we need to encourage more inner city living, and I believe we need to double the current number which is approximately 12,000 as quickly as we can through encouraging more developments of all types in the city, because once we have a more robust critical mass we’ll see the flow-on benefits associated. For business opportunities to be enticed here, they need the required base number to make it viable."

Ms Scaffidi is looking forward to the Council examining diversification as a key issue in their strategic review, scheduled in early 2008. She stresses the importance of avoiding the creation of a city comprising only high-rise apartment buildings and office towers, and points out the need for more entertainment and recreational facilities and diversity in general.

"You still want your city to have a variety of services and facilities so we need to ensure we create a really good balance. All our favourite cities around the world such as New York and London offer that type of diversity - there's no reason why we shouldn't have it all as well."

Ms Scaffidi praised the action already undertaken by local chambers and private equity stakeholders involved in the city.

"In this day and age we have very strong interests from some of the private equity players who are doing well as a result of the economic boom and keen to give back because it's a win-win situation for them. If they can participate somehow they know there's a better chance of keeping their talent here."
Of course much of the city vitality debate has centred on the Mounts Bay project and Northbridge Link. Asked why has there been such a delay in these projects, Ms Scaffidi brought up the need for collaboration with all government bodies and key stakeholders.

She is very keen to work closely with the State Government and was pleased to report she's already received a call from the Premier, plus spoken with Alannah McTiernan and Michelle Roberts who attended her swearing-in ceremony, all of whom have reflected similar sentiments.

The Mounts Bay project has been somewhat controversial, mainly due to the amount of time it’s been on the drawing board and frequency of resubmitted designs.

Ms Scaffidi points out this project will be a massive undertaking and one which will truly identify Perth in the future, so it is important the project is not compromised.

"I think we have to go out with a very bold approach with the Mounts Bay project and be very forward thinking because these types of projects are going to sustain the city for the next 100 or so years. We can’t do anything timid down there - we need to do something world-class."

Regarding the Northbridge Link, she said the Minister will be reviewing this project and although there has been an unfortunate pause, she hopes to soon see things moving pretty quickly.

“Most of the bigger property owners have been waiting for the master planning outcomes of Northbridge link to know how they can move forward with their land, so once the decision has been made we should see the wheels in motion.”

With a holistic approach to increasing the city’s vitality, Ms Scaffidi is also keen to see Perth increase its profile in events and tourism.

Meeting with Tourism WA CEO Richard Muirhead just recently, she is looking forward to bringing more big name events such as the Red Bull Air Race to our sunny shores.

That blight called 'skills shortage' however, seems to extend its tentacles to every sector of growth and another flow-on effect which may thwart Perth’s efforts in playing host to international events is the crippling lack of accommodation due to demand from the corporate sector. Perth quite simply does not have the inner city accommodation required for both contract workers and tourists drawn to big-name events.

"Even if we were to get development approval for a brand new five star hotel tomorrow, it would probably take three to five years before it was constructed, opened and operating. So we are in a dire situation, but I can tell you there are certain spots being earmarked for hotel developments and I am very confident that the planning arm of Council will be looking at potential incentives to somehow fast-track these developments for the future," Ms Scaffidi said.

"Again, it's a whole-of-government approach we need to undertake - all tiers of government, plus private sector to get some solutions which are going to prove viable for our city in the time it's in."
It certainly appears that given Ms Scaffidi's commitment and passion, we'll soon see some much needed activity in the short rather than long-term future. Who knows, maybe Perth can shake that "Dullsville" tag once and for all!

Ms Scaffidi is determined to make her mark and reinstate confidence in the business sector. She is very aware of the expectations placed upon her and hopes to be remembered as more than Perth's first female Lord Mayor.

"As I learn and evolve in this role, I hope I can re-inspire the local community to be more trusting of local government and have more respect for the Perth City Council and the office of Lord Mayor."

CCI will be asking members to complete a survey on the effects of property crime on their businesses.

CCI’s Board has recently noted concern in the business community over the incidence of property crime, and the costs it imposes on business and the wider community.

CCI’s Retail and Small Business Unit and Economics Research Service have been instructed to investigate the extent of property crime against business in WA, with a view to developing some concrete policy suggestions.

CCI is looking for input from business on this important issue.

For more information or to discuss this issue, please contact Nicky Cusworth on 9365 7508, e-mail: cusworth@cciwa.com or Brian Reynolds on 9365 7606, e-mail: reynolds@cciwa.com

CCI members will now be able to access cost-effective training in emergency management following CCI’s acquisition of UK-based training company RGIT Montrose’ Perth operations.

Previously, oil and gas companies from all over the world had to send staff to Scotland to access the world-class emergency management training provided by market leader, RGIT Montrose.

CCI now has exclusive rights to provide this type of training in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific region. CCI is licensed to deliver key courses in Management of Major Emergencies, Control Room Operators Training and Person-In-Charge coaching and assessment.

CCI has secured a state-of-the-art control room simulator which allows course participants to learn skills in an interactive setting. Specialised software re-creates the cause / effect relationships that underpin the operations of an oil production or gas processing facility.

The simulator can also be adapted to imitate other environments that use a computerised control room, which means training programs can be developed for other industries.

During a typical course, participants will re-create emergency scenarios such as explosion and fire, a helicopter incident, a process incident, well control, collision or wave damage causing structural collapse, terrorist attacks and other possible causes for an emergency or crisis.

During training, participants act as both team leaders and members in a simulated emergency setting, thus familiarising themselves with different aspects of managing an incident.

Following the course, participants can be assessed for competency against the standards set by industry through the globally recognised Offshore Petroleum Industry Training Organisation.

Steve Hyslop and Dan Robertson, staff previously employed by RGIT Montrose, have joined CCI to ensure the same high standard of service is maintained for local training programs as is provided elsewhere in the world.

This type of training became commonplace when new safety regulations were introduced following the “Piper A” disaster. However, many large operators in the hydrocarbon industry see such training as a means of managing risk and ensuring safety standards are improved.

The creation of new standards for major hazardous facilities in Australia will drive an increased demand for similar training.

CCI is currently developing a range of additional specialist courses designed to complement its three key emergency management training courses.

For more information contact Martina Stanley on 9365 7539 or e-mail: stanley@cciwa.com