ABOVE PHOTO: Brendan Nelson, PIA; Janet Askew, RTPI; Carol Rhea, APA and Bryce Julyan, NZPI

Chair of the NZPI, Bryce Julyan, was recently hosted by Brendan Nelson, President of the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA), at PIA's 2015 Congress in Melbourne. He was joined by the President of the American Planning Association (APA), Carol Rhea, and President of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), Janet Askew - who had recently been hosted by NZPI in New Zealand. The Congress theme was Great Places and featured inspiring local speakers such as Rob Adams, Director of City Design in Melbourne as well as international guest speakers including Dr Cheong Koon Hean, MND Housing and Development Board, Singapore and Commissioner Mitchell Silver of New York City Dept of Parks & Recreation Bryce presented and sat on a panel convened by Urban futurist Stephen Yarwood, former Lord Mayor of Adelaide and commenting on place leadership, policy and ideas. The panel included the Presidents of APA and RTPI, as well as the Rt Hon Lord Mayor Robert Doyle of Melbourne, and Mayor Glenn Docherty of City of Playford and Chair of the Australian National Growth Areas Alliance. Bryce was able to draw on a number of NZ experiences from Christchurch and Auckland as well as showcasing some of our NZPI award winners demonstrating community and iwi leadership. During the congress Bryce also attended the International Dinner along with the the Hon Rob Stokes Minister of Planning for NSW and guest speaker Toby Kent Melbourne's Chief Resilience Officer. He joined the other Institute Presidents in an after dinner discussion on resilience, contributing some of our issues, experiences and responses.

"I believe New Zealand planners have a lot to contribute to the international discussions on planning - current issues such as resilience and urbanisation are topics that we are all facing, no matter how big or small we are in a global sense. New Zealand and Australia conferences are showcasing some international best practice and building relationships through our fellow institutes and through such organisations as the Global Planners Network and Commonwealth Association of Planning helps bring the conversation to our global region and allows us to share our own innovation and thinking."