AUSTRALIAN MAYORS

Karratha sits at the heart of the Pilbara, one of Australia's most important resource regions, shipping iron ore, LNG and salt to the world through the ports of Dampier and Cape Lambert. In this episode of Australian Mayors by Better Cities, host Dan Barr talks with Mayor Daniel Scott about breaking the boom-and-bust cycle and turning billions of dollars of investment into a permanent, sustainable community.
Daniel was born and raised in the Pilbara, spent his childhood in Dampier and has called Karratha home for more than a decade. After several years on Council, he was elected Mayor in 2023.
In this episode:
Beyond boom and bust: converting a $270 billion Pilbara investment pipeline into a permanent, sustainable community
Land, not builders: why land supply is Karratha's biggest housing constraint, and why the state needs to subsidise regional land
Housing as economic infrastructure: reforming Fringe Benefits Tax so housing workers in town is as attractive as building camps
Not remote, but on Asia's doorstep: positioning Karratha as a global gateway to Southeast Asia
Australia's next city: the Karratha 2050 Vision, built from decades of community plans
Lessons from Sudbury and Newcastle: bringing government closer to resource regions, and embracing industrial heritage
The 10-year vision: one of Australia's great regional cities, with Traditional Owners leading and woven into the community's future
(00:00) Introduction: Karratha, the Pilbara and the World Heritage–listed Murujuga Cultural Landscape
(01:10) Why Daniel ran for Mayor: a lifelong local in a city with a median age of 33
(02:30) The biggest challenge: turning economic opportunity into permanent, sustainable communities
(04:10) Not remote, but on Australia's doorstep to Asia
(05:00) Housing: why land, not builders, is the constraint, with 94% of WA still Crown land
(06:15) The cost of delivering regional land, and the 130-lot Mulataga release
(06:40) Housing as a critical economic enabler, and the case for FBT reform
(08:20) Nearly 13,000 temporary beds and 800,000 airport passenger movements a year
(09:35) Opportunities: geography, renewables, automation, education and tourism
(10:50) Tourism: the Dampier Archipelago's 42 islands, Murujuga rock art, Karijini and Ningaloo
(11:40) What Karratha needs from its partners: alignment across all tiers of government and industry
(12:55) Australia's next city: Karratha's pitch in the population debate
(14:10) Lessons from Sudbury, Canada, presented at the OECD Conference of Mining Regions and Cities
(15:50) The Karratha 2050 Vision: synthesising decades of community plans
(17:30) Lessons from Australia: Newcastle's resilience and industrial heritage
(18:45) The 10-year vision: one of Australia's great regional cities
(19:35) The Dampier Archipelago's marine life and empowering Traditional Owners
Documents and links referenced
Karratha 2050 Vision and Plan (City of Karratha news)
City of Karratha Economic Development and Tourism Strategy 2025–2035
City of Karratha Council Plan 2025–2035 and strategic plans
City of Karratha advocacy position statements
Mulataga subdivision, Stages 1 and 2
City of Karratha FBT reform motion adopted by ALGA
Pilbara Development Commission, Pilbara Investment Snapshot (PDF)
Pilbara Summit 2026: the $269 billion investment pipeline (PDC)
Murujuga Cultural Landscape World Heritage listing
2024 OECD Conference of Mining Regions and Cities, Greater Sudbury
OECD, Mining Regions and Cities in Northern Ontario, Canada

In the first episode of Australian Mayors by Better Cities, host Dan Barr talks with Lismore City Council Mayor Steve Krieg. Steve grew up in Western Australia, studied in Newcastle, taught school for 14 years, then ran a café in Lismore’s CBD for nearly 20 years. By then the city’s population hadn’t grown since 1998 and businesses were closing, so he succesfully ran for Council. Forty-seven days later, the record February 2022 flood hit. Steve talks about getting the city through the clean-up and setting up a dedicated Flood Restoration Portfolio. That team has worked through more than 200 grants from 13 different funding bodies. He also covers the precinct planning for around 750 bought-back homes, which is effectively a re-master-planning of the whole town.
Looking ahead, Steve says the main challenge is rebuilding confidence and changing Lismore’s image as “the flood town”. Lismore is pitching itself as “the city of yes”, with affordable housing, a central location in the Northern Rivers, and strong health and education services. A new Local Strategic Planning Statement targets 60,000 residents. Steve calls for NSW, and the nation, to adopt Queensland’s single-agency disaster funding model, and he describes his 10-year vision: 10–12,000 more residents, a vibrant CBD with a strong retail sector, young families, and Lismore as a “city of events”.
(00:00) Introduction: Lismore and the 2022 floods (record 14.4 m Wilsons River peak)
(01:15) Steve’s journey: from WA to Newcastle, teaching in Casino, then buying a café in Lismore
(04:10) Lismore’s decline: the 2017 levee overtopping, business closures, no population growth since 1998
(06:15) The 2021 election: a 50-candidate ticket wins six of 11 seats
(08:45) Elected 47 days before the February 2022 flood
(11:40) Challenges for the next 10 years: rebuilding confidence and the new Local Strategic Planning Statement
(13:20) The Flood Restoration Portfolio: more than 200 grants from 13 funding bodies
(14:35) Precinct planning for around 750 bought-back homes
(16:15) Opportunities: affordability, location, and the investor briefing at NSW Parliament House
(19:10) A short-stay accommodation DA approved in 67 days
(19:35) Working with state and federal government, the sewage treatment plant, and the pump station’s $9M shortfall
(23:20) Lessons from elsewhere: the Queensland Reconstruction Authority model and NEMA
(25:25) The 10-year vision: 10–12,000 more residents, a vibrant CBD, and a city of events
Documents and links referenced
Lismore 60,000 – Local Strategic Planning Statement (PDF)
Lismore 60,000 Strategic Planning Framework (Your Say)
Lismore Economic Development Strategy (PDF)
Lismore Events Strategy (PDF)
Lismore Flood Restoration Portfolio
Lismore Precinct Planning: Future use of buyback land
NSW Reconstruction Authority: Resilient Homes Program, future use of buyback land
Lismore Flood Risk Management Plan 2024 (PDF)
Lismore 60,000 Industry Briefing at NSW Parliament House (Echo)
Browns Creek pump station upgrade (Lismore App)
Queensland Reconstruction Authority
National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)