This Thursday 13 February, The Better Cities Initiative will be hosting a free public forum in Bondi to ‘cut through the noise’ and explore how a citizen-led approach to housing, planning and development can create a more liveable, sustainable and equitable Waverley, Sydney – and beyond.

"A better future is possible. One where our cities are shaped by the people who live in them, not by short-term politics,” says Dr Elizabeth Farrelly, Founder and CEO of The Better Cities Initiative.

“It’s clear that our cities must densify to stop sprawl, improve sustainability and liveability, and enhance affordability. But how do we balance this need with the pressures of coastal tourism, protecting local ecosystems, increasing tree canopy, and supporting healthy lifestyles?

“Citizens’ Assemblies are a smart and proven way to tap into public wisdom and deliver better outcomes for all. Through Citizens’ Assemblies, communities can take the lead in planning vibrant, sustainable neighbourhoods. Our public forums are framed not to push a particular agenda or approach, but to test public support for citizen-first approaches as a path to productive consensus on creating better neighbourhoods and cities. They also come at a critical time when regions across Sydney are facing pressure to hit NSW Government housing targets.”

The Better Cities Initiative is a not-for-profit aiming to sidestep the ‘impossible politics’ of planning and combat our triple crises of housing, climate and democracy by using Citizens’ Assemblies to draw on community wisdom that is too often unheard.

The initiative aims to empower citizens in creating more liveable cities via citizen-led processes that deliver healthier, fairer and more regenerative neighbourhoods. This public forum is part of the first stage in a three-stage Citizens’ Assembly process that will ultimately culminate in a community-driven Local NSW Citizens’ Charter for Better Neighbourhoods, that can be a model for better, citizen-led urban planning.

Waverley is a diverse electorate, from the high-rise buzz of Bondi Junction to leafy Queens Park and the celebrated coastline of Bondi and Bronte. Many people believe Waverley is “full” – yet the NSW Government’s housing targets propose an extra 2,400 dwellings by 2029.

What’s Next for Waverley is a free public forum with no agenda, where everyone is welcome to discuss these important issues and how we can best find solutions.

Speakers include:
•    Prof. Philip Thalis, architect, urbanist, local, 2024 AIA Gold Medallist
•    Sara Stace, President of Better Streets
•    Mora Main, former Mayor of Waverley, local
•    Emeritus Professor Shirley Alexander AM
•    Richard Walsh, author and publisher
•    Philip Graus, architect and local
•    Luke Stewart, Bondi local and planner
•    Iain Walker, New Democracy Foundation

Don’t miss out and book your tickets here.

Image: Bondi / Malisunshine / Envato

Clémence Carayol

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