VPELA 2020: Richard J Evans and Fellows Awards Awards

ceremony held online, 13 August 2020

Congratulations to our amazing award recipients, each of whom has made an outstanding contribution to the industry and the Association. These are the citations which were presented by VPELA President, Tamara Brezzi at the awards ceremony.

Michael is one of Australia’s leading town planners with experience in excess of 40 years and a long association with VPELA. His expertise in major infrastructure, airport redevelopment, retail and commercial development and strategic urban renewal projects are the core of his expansive skills. Michael is a quiet achiever who has inspired and supported the Australian planning and property sector, contributing to its international reputation.

Michael undertook his qualifications at RMIT (Diploma of Applied Science). In his early career he was the City of Melbourne’s appeals officer where he was held in high regard by his worthy opponents.

In 1985 he commenced work with AT Cocks (which was later to merge and become Urbis). In that period he established a career as a preeminent expert planning witnesses, regularly led by many of Melbourne’s top Barristers and QCs (including Richard Evans).

Michael has been a director at Urbis since 1990. In the early 2000s he became the National Managing Director of Urbis and over the next eight years led the growth and evolution of Urbis as Australia’s largest privately owned property consultancy.

His technical knowledge and understanding of the interaction between planning and property markets is of the highest order and he was an early leader in his analysis of the multi disciplines that influence positive land use and development outcomes.

Michael’s rational thinking – always spiked with a keen eye for opportunities for innovation has led him to be a trusted advisor of private clients and governments in Australia and internationally.

Our final presentation this evening is the award that is VPELA’s highest honour, the Richard J Evans Award

The criteria for this award include:

• An outstanding contribution to, and leadership in, town planning or the environment;

• Service to the profession with distinction; and

• Being of good character, inspiration as a leader and held in high esteem within the profession

Some previous recipients of the award are with us this afternoon, and include Justice Quigley, Kathy Mitchell, Helen Gibson, Jane Nathan, Geoff Underwood.

It’s my great pleasure to announce that this year’s Richard J Evans’ award winner is director of Urbis, Michael Barlow

His reputation extends well beyond Victoria and Australia, having been invited in 2018 to consult to the Hong Kong Planning Authority as part of a committee of international experts rethinking the future of land use planning and development in Hong Kong.

Other international experience includes advice on planning of the new city servicing Yangshan Port (Shanghai Deep Water Port), China 2005 and preparation of the Dubai Urban Development Framework Plan for the Emirate of Dubai 2007-2008.

Closer to home Michael has led the assessment of key projects (too many to mention), but including redevelopment of Melbourne Central Shopping Centre and Station in 2002, reviewing the urban growth potential associated with the $10 billion Melbourne Metro Underground Rail Project (2015), and advice to Government in relation to planning and land use impacts and uplift opportunities associated with North East Link and various Level Crossing Removal Projects (2018- 2020).

Michael’s personal and work ethic is a hallmark of his professional excellence and he sets an admirable standard for his staff and colleagues. He has a comprehensive knowledge of all aspects the discipline of city shaping demonstrating intellect and rigor and providing frank advice in his interactions.

Michael’s skill and generosity of knowledge have been an inspiration for many emerging and established professionals in the fields of town planning and property. He is liberal with his time, mentoring staff through sharing his genuine fascination for

Fellows

Teresa Bisucci, Deputy President, VCAT

Many of you will have worked with Teresa during her career as a planning lawyer with Best Hooper until the time that she was appointed to VCAT in 2018. Many of you may not know that she has a very interesting and diverse working history, having commenced her professional career as a research scientist for a private research company based in one of Melbourne’s leading hospitals. She has a long list of published papers in both national and international science and medical journals on topics such as wound healing and diabetes.

After completing a law degree she accepted a role in 2004 as Associate to Justice Morris (as he then was) who at the time was also President of VCAT. In 2007 she joined Best Hooper Lawyers, becoming a principal in 2012. Her legal career has been focused on planning law with regular appearances at VCAT, Planning Panels Victoria and the Heritage Council. Teresa says that her greatest achievement in her legal career was her dedication to community service including representing many community groups.

She has been an active supporter of VPELA, and has participated in many seminars and conferences since joining the Association.

Last year, Teresa was appointed as Head of the newly created Planning and Environment Division of VCAT.

[In my experience] As a solicitor, Teresa was always a fair and skilled opponent with a keen eye for finding practical solutions for her clients and for living by consistently strong principles that improve the standards of the planning professions and the contribution it makes to the community.

Congratulations Teresa

Michael Deidun, VCAT Member

Prior to his appointment as a VCAT member in 2011, Michael spent many years as a planner at various municipalities; Yarra Ranges 1995-1996, Maroondah 1996-2001, Baw Baw 2002-2004 and Boroondara 2004-2007, before moving to private sector work with Coomes Consulting Group.

Michael’s service to VPELA has been nothing short of exemplary. He joined the Association in 2004, served on the board from 2010 until 2019, including as a member of the Executive from 2011, and Secretary from 2015. His contribution to the Association has been enormous, through the organisation and delivery of many seminars, but in particular through his involvement with VPELA’s urban systems. This reach has extended far and wide through government and private practice with the many Urbis alumni. annual conference. He has consistently brought intellectual debate to the conference committee table and has played a major role or been convenor of the conference every year since 2010. His impact on the organisation has been significant.

Michael has made an outstanding contribution to planning in Victoria through his established career. He is also currently a member of the Women’s Housing Limited Board where his expertise in land use planning and development is highly value.

Congratulations Michael.

Michael is one of those valued members of the community who regards making a contribution to society as core to his existence. He regards the duty to serve as being fundamental and his work in the community, but in particular, as a foster parent of many years, is testament to that.

From my perspective, I am so grateful to have had an opportunity to serve with Michael on the Board. I came to rely on him to absolutely keep me on my toes, to always ask questions and to always bring the perspectives of a broad spectrum of the VPELA community to the table. He is much missed on the Board now that he has retired, and we still get to some agenda items where we ask each other “would Michael have any questions if he were here” in order to check in for ourselves that we are thoroughly and diligently performing our roles as Board members.

Michael – congratulations and thank you for your service to VPELA.

Congratulations Michael

Mark Sheppard, Principal, kinetica

Mark has been a long-time member and supporter of VPELA. He has presented at our seminars and conferences many many times over the last 10 years.

Mark established David Lock Associates (Australia) in 1998 and recently transformed that business into kinetica.

He is renowned as having set the benchmark for good urban design and has made an enormous contribution to VPELA and to the profession. Throughout his career he has specialised in large-scale master planning and urban design renewal projects. His urban design advice is frequently sought by both the private and public sectors and he has long been one of a very small number of urban design experts working in Victoria. His name has become synonymous with the giving of urban design evidence as an expert witness in relation to development proposals and planning scheme amendments. And with overseas experience in the UK he also brings a wealth of international knowledge and expertise to his profession.

Mark is an author and his book, Essentials of Urban Design, demonstrates his talents in communicating the fundamental concepts of urban design, to provide the understanding and tools needed to achieve better design outcomes.

Mark is a great thinker and regularly gets in touch to discuss current issues and topics that he thinks would be of interest to VPELA members, either to propose seminar debates and discussions or to publish material in the VPELA Magazine.

I’ve been the beneficiary of Mark’s thought provoking style as over the years we have come to realise that we share a keen interest in organisational behaviour, team building and how to look after staff and the profession like they’re your family. These discussions, together with those about planning and design and the law, have always demonstrated to me that Mark is a kind, generous, smart, intelligent man, applying consistently high standards to his professional pursuits.

Congratulations Mark

Revue Delivery Options

Nick Tweedie SC, Victorian Bar

Nick’s great capacity to see things from alternative perspectives is perhaps partly explained by the fact that he grew up in Western Australia. Nick practiced as a solicitor there from 1992 before seeing the light and moving to Victoria to work for Maddocks in 1996. While in Western Australia, Nick worked as a Solicitor Advocate with the Crown Solicitor for WA, the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Youth Legal Service in Perth. He was also Associate to Commissioner Sir Ronald Wilson at the Royal Commission into WA Inc.

Since moving to the bar in 1998 and taking silk in 2013, Nick’s practice has focused on planning, land valuation, liquor and gaming, statutory crime and administrative and governmental matters regularly appearing before VCAT, Advisory Committees, planning panels and the Courts, including the Supreme Court.

Nick is a wonderful guitarist, vocalist and lyricist; and his passion for live music has fuelled his interest and work as an advocate for and contributor to the development of Victorian music noise policies. He has offered guidance and counselling to music industry associations and conferences, and to music venues, not for profit associations and statutory authorities in finding the statutory balance required to ensure music venues can continue to operate within a complex and ever evolving modern urban landscape. Indeed, Nick’s contributions to Agent of Change clauses and music noise policies in Victoria have been adopted by many cities around the world including London and Glasgow.

Nick has contributed to VPELA in multiple seminars and conferences as a speaker and host and in the drafting of submissions and materials to government concerning music and noise policy development. [I have] [So many members of VPELA will have] briefed or worked with Nick on so many occasions since he joined the Victorian bar. He is strategic, so smart and a wonderful advocate. Clients are always impressed by him. And, he is witty. So witty. Nick is someone who is always able to eloquently articulate the ironic or hilarious side of any given situation, but particularly where even only a small level of absurdity is involved.

Congratulations Nick

As a result of COVID-19, VPELA moved to a digital format for the Revue magazine in June. This has been very well received with so many members in lockdown. Moving forward we wish to give members the choice of receiving the magazine in digital format or opting for the traditional hard copy delivery.

If you wish to receive a hard copy of the magazine click here