Paul Jerome award; Chris Chesterfield

People The Paul Jerome Award

Citation for Chris Chesterfield

This citation was prepared by Helen Gibson AM and David Rae. The full nomination can be found on our website at https://www.vpela.org.au/documents/item/674

At a time when climate change is guiding the decisions and actions of the community through to federal leaders, the ability to work collaboratively with many different stakeholders to bring about change is more crucial than ever.

The winner of this year’s Paul Jerome award is known for their ability to facilitate constructive conversations, building trusted relationships in order to effect change across many levels of government that have changed the way our suburbs are designed, our streetscapes are managed and our resources planned for.

The initiative and leadership of this year’s recipient has played an enduring and outstanding role in fundamentally changing the way stormwater and waterways are planned for and managed in Victoria – across legislation, policy, practice, research, communication and engagement. The legacy of their work underpins our whole approach to the sustainable development of cities, in Victoria and nationally.

They have also led the way in bringing recognition and acknowledgement of First Nations People to the way waterways are managed. They brought rightsholders of Country to the Victorian Parliament to ensure that the way we plan, manage and engage respects cultural values and knowledge. This work has set a benchmark for engagement with Traditional Owner groups, recognition of rights and pathways for collaborative policy making.

Our recipient’s work on improving the way stormwater is managed began some 30 years ago with the formation of the Melbourne Stormwater Committee. This led to a new approach to become known as Water Sensitive Urban Design, which sought to improve the health and vigour of urban waterways and realise their potential to enhance the overall environmental quality of urban settlements, and which was in complete contrast to the then conventional engineering solution. The resulting Urban Stormwater Best Practice Guidelines were incorporated into State Policy. This kicked off an era of capacity building to produce tools and programs to support the transition of WSUD into policy and into practice.

The work of the Stormwater Committee directly led to a profound change in the way stormwater is managed, through:

· · the EPA Victorian Stormwater Action Program, the Clearwater capacity-building Program which has been recognised by the United Nations, · multiple publications showcasing the transition in stormwater management practice, · the development of a wide range of new tools, policies and statutory controls, including the Integrated Water

Management Framework for Victoria, and · the facilitation of a wider approach to water management which achieved recognition and a much deeper engagement with Traditional Owners.

Most recently, this work led to the introduction of the Yarra River Protection (Wilip-gin Birrarung murron) Act 2017 and the establishment of the Birrarung Council where the recipient was appointed as the inaugural Chair. Their leadership has again seen this Council make major strides in its development of a long term physical and cultural management plan for Melbourne’s key river. It leads the way for respectful and effective engagement and integration of cultural values and knowledge in government policy.

This year’s Paul Jerome Award winner has a remarkable reputation – as a respected leader and change-maker, but also as a champion of new ideas and approaches and a mentor to emerging leaders. They have not only led significant change but have also mentored new generations of change makers which has ensured the legacy of their ideas and initiatives is embedded in policy, practice and across the culture of the organisations they have worked in and people they have worked with.

Like Paul Jerome, this year’s recipient is renowned for their creative thinking and their ability to navigate the politics and barriers to change. They share the same trait – unafraid of pursuing ideas that sit outside the comfort zone of politics and government for the betterment of the environment and communities.

Please congratulate the winner of the 2022 Paul Jerome award, Chris Chesterfield.