Sydney’s Mayor will deliver the Australian Institute of Architects’ annual national lecture in Canberra today (Wednesday 16 July), the topic: ‘Should cities rule the world?’

In a first for the Institute, the annual Walter Burley Griffin Memorial Lecture will be presented at the National Press Club in Canberra and televised on the ABC (it's also possible to stream past episode online). 

Clover Moore, Mayor of the City of Sydney will deliver the 47th Griffin Lecture.

In a prelude to the speech, Moore said: “There is a global trend of recognising and supporting the importance of cities as crucibles of innovation, creativity and economic powerhouses.”

“Urbanisation is also important because we can’t keep developing our food basin and we shouldn’t sentence young people to a life in the outskirts of suburbia, cut off from effective transport and services. The facts that Australia has one of the biggest ecological footprints and highest rates of obesity in the OECD should be of concern to government leaders.”

“The Abbott government is yet to articulate a cities’ policy and instead is funding roads that cripple city life by congestion, rather than investing in public transport.”

As mayor, Moore has led the development and implementation of the City of Sydney's long-term plan, Sustainable Sydney 2030. The plan includes ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse emissions.

The City of Sydney plans to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 70 per cent by 2030, with trigeneration considered a measure to help reach this goal. Image: City of Sydney Decentralised Energy Master Plan Trigeneration, 2010–2030. Prepared by Kinesis for the City of Sydney, March 2013. 

In a press statement from the Institute, Moore is credited with leading Sydney as it developed a global reputation for delivering award winning facilities, protecting open space, promoting design excellence, delivering new transport options, championing sustainability and initiating progressive solutions to complex city social problems.

“Throughout her public life, Clover has championed progressive policies,” the Institute states. “Small bars, Freedom of Information laws, whistle-blower protection, disclosure of government contracts, boarding house protection, tenants’ rights, strata title reform, making it illegal to incite hatred against members of the GLBT community and making same sex adoption legal are among her achievements.”

“When she held the balance of power alongside other Independents in NSW she delivered a Charter of Reform, called the most radical state political reform agenda of any Westminster Parliament in the 20th Century. “

Currently serving her third term, Moore is the first popularly elected woman to lead the City of Sydney and previously served on the City and South Sydney councils. From

March 1988 Clover was continuously elected to represent the Bligh/Sydney electorate as an Independent MP in the NSW Parliament. She was forced to resign on 21 September 2012 after a state law made it illegal for her to continue in both roles.

Established in memory of Walter Burley Griffin, the lecture focuses on the big issues in design and architecture, with regard to the future of the city of Canberra and looking beyond to examine national matters of interest to everyone in an urban environment in Australia.

This is the first time the event will be held at the National Press Club and televised nationally. The Institute says it marks a new era for the lectures, with the National Press Club series will feature a stellar line up of high profile guest speakers, tackling the most urgent and thorny issues facing our profession and the community.

For more information and to attend the lecture visit http://architecture.com.au/events/state-territory/act-chapter/act-events