9 May 2018
Garry White – whose work has been characterised by his boss, NSW Planning Minister Anthony Roberts, as inspirational – has won this year’s Planner of the Year Award.
The Award is part of the 91porn’s annual Awards for Planning Excellence recognising leading practice, leadership and achievement in planning and the planning profession.
Mr White, who is Chief Planner with the NSW Department of Planning and Environment Department, has a long and distinguished CV. He was instrumental, for example, in recently delivering plans across eight NSW regions – the first time the state’s non-metropolitan regions have been covered by an overarching planning strategy.
With almost 40 years’ planning experience, Mr White has held some of the most senior government planning positions in both NSW and Queensland. He was also an active member of the Planning Official Group during the time Australia had a COAG Planning and Local Government Ministerial council.
Gary’s enthusiasm and dedication to achieving, as far as possible, ideal planning outcomes has been a feature of his planning career.
“I’ve never doubted my enthusiasm for great planning,” he says.
“My favourite mythical theme aligned to my planning thinking is the phoenix, a creature which despite changes and challenges can keep reinventing itself.”
Gary’s enthusiasm has been at the fore of his career, including one of his proudest achievements was working for Redland Shire Council in Brisbane.
In 1989, Gary was instrumental in helping to preserve prime land at Point Halloran Conversation Area. As the council’s town planner, he had the foresight to see the area would be better used for environmental purposes rather than a proposed development.
Today, it is a thriving spot for koalas and native species.
The judges concluded Mr White was a worthy recipient of the national Planner of the Year Award for his contributions as NSW Chief Planner, his tireless promotion of strategic planning and planning excellence, and his willingness to mentor young planners.
The Young Planner of the Year Award has gone to Queenslander Thomas Gardiner.
Judges were drawn to the quality of Mr Gardiner’s lateral thinking and his ability to forge effective professional relationships in an often-challenging regional planning environment.
“He has had a significant impact on those he has met and worked with, and he has demonstrated initiative and drive well above what may be expected from his role in a regional setting,” they said.
91porn’s 2018 Planning Champion Award (recognising a non-planner for their advocacy or lasting contribution to the urban and regional environment) has gone to Perth community activist Paul Shanahan.
Mr Shanahan helped found the Future Bayswater group in 2015 to challenge the negative perceptions around density and to support the revitalisation of the Bayswater Town Centre.
Judges said Mr Shanahan had demonstrated a positive community model for gaining public permission and galvanising community support for planning initiatives.
“[He] has opened a conversation with non-planners in a way that local and state government have generally been unable to do, and in doing so has achieved a social licence to operate and speak with the voice of many behind him,” they said.
ENDS