Madeleine Walton Hespe
Alexandria,Sydney
Summary
Analytical Policy professional familiar with reviewing regulations, legislation and policies. Excellent writing, presentation and public speaking skills. Crafts well-reasoned and detailed opinions and galvanizes grassroots support for positions.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
Work History
Principal Policy Officer
Department of Planning and Environment (DPE)
11.2020 - Current
- Lead on developing diverse range of complex and technical policy issues, often with politically sensitive context, such as the Flood Recovery Package and the Rapid Assessment Framework
- Working policy through research, ideas development, consultation and validation with legal, preparing legislative changes package, government sign-off and implementation
- Contribute to broad scale policy development for major projects assessment in the Rapid Assessment Framework reform
- Prepare, manage and report on programme or project budgets, procurement and bid evaluation
- Team management and mentoring.
Senior Planner
Briar Solutions Pty Ltd
04.2019 - 03.2020
- Undertake policy research and data analysis to inform technical reports, guidelines, schedules and correspondence
- Environmental Impact Assessments, preparing site selection and pre-feasibility assessment
- Worked on Master Planning for the Liverpool urban town centre
- Preparing independent strategic land use planning and infrastructure planning advice
- Undertake technical peer reviews and due diligence studies for NSW government agencies.
Senior Strategic City Planner
Department of Planning and Environment (DPE)
11.2012 - 02.2019
- Lead reviews, analysis, research and development for special infrastructure contributions, strategic infrastructure policy and policy relating to school asset planning
- Develop, test and deliver projects and strategies to plan for new housing and infrastructure in key growth areas
- Conduct feasibility and site assessment work, including developing a technical criteria to determine site suitability and impacts of site for planned growth
- Identify relevant stakeholders from state government, local government and the private sector for each project, consult and build strong working relationships
- Prepare advice for Cabinet Infrastructure Committee on major government projects within the pipeline
- Prepare a framework to evaluate government grants to local governments, grant reporting, monitoring through implementation.
Electorate Officer
Commonwealth Attorney General Robert McClelland (Federal Government)
01.2009 - 01.2010
- Community engagement on Australian Federal policy issues such as immigration, refugee affairs and Medicare
- Direct local constituent liaison and representation
- Research on policy and political issues to support the development of communication materials for the Australian Attorney General.
Landscape Architect
HERE Architects and COMPLETE URBAN Pty Ltd.
01.2004 - 01.2009
- Site analysis and feasibility studies to inform design/development work, including analyzing availability, accessibility, geology, indigenous flora, ecosystem make up, water courses, local materials, and material research
- Additionally, examining existing uses, restrictions and planning conditions, such as zoning
- Developing engineering specifications for project construction, such as paving, planting, and furniture installation
- Design, documentation, drafting of construction drawings for projects such as parks, streetscapes, public spaces, transport nodes, caravan parks and playgrounds
- Preparing Development Application for projects, responding to tenders and preparing design briefs for clients, and managing external consultants such as engineers.
Education
Masters of Environmental Law -
University of Sydney
01.2010
Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (Honours) -
University of New South Wales
01.2007
Skills
- Public Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Policy Development
- Technical Proficiency
- Analytical Skills
- Problem Solving
- Organizational Skills
- Time Management
Biography
My field of work and expertise is in town planning, policy development and implementation, where I have over 10 years’ experience on major policy and strategy issues in New South Wales. Currently, I hold a position at the Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) working in planning policy development, delivering major policy reforms to streamline the assessment process. Before this I worked in the private sector in an independent planning consultancy, on a range of planning matters for State agencies and Local Government and have also worked as a landscape architect on various projects in New South Wales. I hold a Masters of Environmental Law at the University of Sydney and Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (Honours) from the University of New South Wales.
Accomplishments
- Developed from inception to implementation the Registered Environmental Impact Assessment (REAP) Scheme to certify environmental practitioners leading to improvement of environmental outcomes for major projects.
- Contributed to a new blended finance system, including technical mechanisms and policies to deliver infrastructure projects in specific growth areas in NSW, such as the Hunter region.
- Selected as key planning secondee to Sydney Metro (Transport for NSW) where I provided strategic planning input into station selection process.
- Worked on the development of long-term land use planning strategies for Metropolitan Sydney and regional NSW to plan for population, housing and infrastructure requirements 50 years into the future.
- Led internal processes within Planning that have improved strategic land use for Education as well as engagement with public, private and tertiary education sectors.
Page
2, 2
Timeline
Principal Policy Officer
Department of Planning and Environment (DPE)
11.2020 - Current
Senior Planner
Briar Solutions Pty Ltd
04.2019 - 03.2020
Senior Strategic City Planner
Department of Planning and Environment (DPE)
11.2012 - 02.2019
Electorate Officer
Commonwealth Attorney General Robert McClelland (Federal Government)
01.2009 - 01.2010
Landscape Architect
HERE Architects and COMPLETE URBAN Pty Ltd.
01.2004 - 01.2009
Masters of Environmental Law -
University of Sydney
Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (Honours) -
University of New South Wales
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