When I stepped back from Council, I did so with clarity and optimism — not just about where our cities were headed, but about the role planning could play in shaping our future. For over two decades, I’ve worked at the intersection of planning, politics, and community, as a mayor, consultant, and researcher. I’ve seen the power of good planning to create liveable, inclusive, future-ready places. I’ve also seen how easily it can be derailed by short-term thinking — and how costly that can be for clients, communities, and councils alike. Greiss Planning exists to bring clarity, rigour, and steady leadership to the approvals process, so good projects can move forward with confidence.
Stay in the loop!
Campbelltown is being positioned as a key player in Western Sydney’s growth story. Housing targets are rising, development is accelerating, and governments are talking more loudly than ever about supply, speed, and delivery. The private sector is watching opportunity. Planners — public and private — are drawing lines on maps that will define how we live, work, and connect for decades.
But something essential is missing.
It’s not only money. It’s not only government commitment. It’s us.
Growth is coming. That part is no longer up for debate. The real question is: who gets to shape it? Will Campbelltown become a city that works for the people who live here — or a city designed for us, without us?
Because if local voices are not involved in shaping the future, the outcome will be predictable: decisions made in rooms we were never invited into, followed by community frustration when we’re asked to “comment” at the very end. That isn’t participation. It’s permission to react.
Now is the moment for Campbelltown to lead — not just respond. The future must be by Campbelltown, for Campbelltown. And the best future for our city won’t be found in glossy planning reports, design panels, or offices in Macquarie Street or Canberra. It will come from the lived experience of the people who walk our streets, raise families here, care for Country, run local businesses, and build community every day.
We already know what happens when communities are excluded. We end up with poor transport links, public spaces that don’t reflect who we are, and planning outcomes that miss the mark. That’s why civic participation is not a nice idea — it is a necessity. We need a growth process that values local knowledge, listens with intent, and builds public trust. Not one that reduces engagement to a tick-the-box exercise or a feedback form once the decisions are effectively locked in.
The good news is: Campbelltown’s community is engaged. We turn up. We speak out. We care. What we need now is a system that truly listens — and leadership, from council to government, that empowers everyday people to shape decisions from the ground up.
Cities aren’t shaped by policies alone. They’re shaped by people — people like us. Margaret Mead was right: it doesn’t take power to make change. It takes a few thoughtful, committed people.
So let’s start the conversation. The future of Campbelltown belongs to all of us — and we should make sure it reflects who we are.
Read more → Campbelltown: this is our moment to speak up and lead