Our partnership
approach

OUR VISION

Stronger together. Prepared for the future

The Resilient Sydney Strategy 2025-2030 was developed in partnership with Greater Sydney councils and in close collaboration with state and federal government, businesses, academics and community.

Under the first Resilient Sydney strategy, we forged the relationships to support stronger city governance. The work of Resilient Sydney has established a common language for understanding, preparing for and responding to shock events. It has elevated the critical role local government plays in managing places and responding to community needs.

Collaborative governance

The foundation of Resilient Sydney is collaborative governance. We take proactive action to address the complex and critical issues affecting the resilience of Greater Sydney by building relationships.

Message from Greater Sydney Mayors

Local government plays a critical role in supporting place-based resilience.

The resilience challenges facing Greater Sydney cannot be solved individually. They require a collaborative effort from local, state and federal governments, business and community.

The Resilient Sydney Strategy provides a pathway for collaboration to make Greater Sydney more resilient now and in the future.

Working together, in genuine partnership, will ensure Greater Sydney is a place where all communities thrive.

Resilient Sydney Office (RSO)

NAME

POSITION

Melinda Dewsnap
Chief Resilience Officer
Kate Read
Program Manager
Sarah Bailey
Project Manager
Marty Middlebrook
Project Officer

Steering Committee

NAME

POSITION

FOCUS AREA

Monica Barone
Chief Executive Officer
City of Sydney
Melinda Dewsnap
Chief Resilience Officer
Resilient Sydney
Nini Purwajati
Program and Knowledge Lead
Resilient Cities Network
Andrew Moore
General Manager
Penrith City Council
Craig Swift-McNair
General Manager
Woollahra Council
Emily Scott
General Manager
Waverley Council
Kerry Robinson
Chief Executive Officer
Blacktown City Council
Lindy Deitz
Chief Executive Officer
Campbelltown City Council
Scott Phillips
Chief Executive Officer
Northern Beaches Council
Louise Kerr
General Manager
Lane Cove Council
Hugh Phemister
General Manager
Willoughby City Council
Steve Hartley
Executive Director Green and Resilient Places
Department of Planning, Heritage and Infrastructure
Keith Baxter
Director of Emergency Recovery and Strategy
NSW Office of Local Government
Louise Shepherd
A/Head, Adaptation, Mitigation & Reconstruction
NSW Reconstruction Authority
Brett Whitworth (alt)
Deputy Secretary
NSW Office of Local Government
Nicholle Sparkes
Executive General Manager
Sydney Water
Danielle Meggos
Director of Policy, Emergency Management
NSW Premiers Department
Michelle Wood
Executive Director, Climate Change and Strategy
NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
Joseph La Posta
Chief Executive Officer
Multicultural NSW
Brendan French
Chief Executive Officer
Energy Consumers Australia
Darren Hammond
Executive Manager Social Impact and Disaster Resilience
IAG
Cara Varian
Chief Executive Officer
NSW Council of Social Services
Sam Kernaghan
Director, Resilience Program
Committee for Sydney
Jacob Walsh
NSW State Director
Australian Red Cross

Observer members

NAME

POSITION

Francine Binns
CEO Western Sydney Region of Councils (WSROC)
Helen Sloan
CEO Southern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (SSROC)
Meg Montgomery
ED, Northern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (NSROC)
Joanna Kubota
Executive Director, The Parks, Sydney Parkland Councils

a network built and led by cities

Resilient Cities Network

Resilient Cities Network is a global urban resilience network of cities, bringing together global knowledge, practices, partnerships, and funding to empower members to build social and equitable cities for all.

By championing local government collaboration, prioritising community-led solutions, and integrating First Nations knowledge, Resilient Sydney’s 2025–2030 strategy is benchmarked for cities worldwide.

Working together, in genuine
partnership, will ensure Greater Sydney
is a place where all communities thrive.

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