Family background
John McInerney was born in Melbourne. He is a graduate of the University of Melbourne, where he completed a Bachelor of Architecture with Honours in Town Planning in 1963. He also completed a Diploma in Town and Regional Planning at the Polytechnic of North London in 1969.
Occupation & interests
John McInerney is an architect and town planner with special interests in transport and heritage. He has held various planning and city architect positions, including city planner and manager at the City of Sydney (1991-1996); manager city planning and development at the City of Melbourne (1985-1991); city architect/planner at the City of Heidelberg (1974-1985); senior planner at the National Capital Development Commission, Canberra (1970-1974); and architect/planner at the Hudson River Valley Commission in the USA (1969-1970). While working at the City of Sydney in the 1990s, he represented the council on committees preparing for the 2000 Olympic Games, the City West Co-ordination Group and the Civic Design Committee. John has been committed to overhauling planning controls throughout his career. He is currently an Expert Member of three inner city Independent Planning Panels.
Community activity
John McInerney is the past Chair of the Millers Point Community Residents Action Group (MPCRAG) and a current member of the MPCRAG Committee.
Honours & awards
John McInerney has received numerous honours and awards. In 2002, he was elected National President (serving until 2004) of the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA). He had been a PIA Fellow since 2006. He was made a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Architects in 2003, and Life Fellow of the Planning Institute of Australia in 2005. He received the Exemplar Award in 2004. He received PIA’s Sidney Luker Memorial Medal in 2008.
In 2017, he was awarded an honour within the order of Australia (AM) ‘for significant service to town planning, and to architecture, to professional organisations, to local government, and to the community’. This was in recognition of his outstanding contributions in numerous areas.
Local government service
John McInerney was elected as a City of Sydney councillor and Deputy Lord Mayor in 2004 and he served until 2012. He was chair of the City of Sydney Council Traffic Committee, as well as the Planning Committee.
John was instrumental in establishing the vision for Sydney as a ‘city of villages’, which celebrates the individual character of our inner-city communities, and seeks to provide greater pedestrian and cycleway access. During his time on council, he was interested in overhauling city planning instruments and implementing an integrated transport strategy with emphasis on light rail and pedestrian/bike paths.
References
‘Council commends car share schemes’, Redwatch, http://www.redwatch.org.au/media/071204sshi
Willoughby Local Planning Panel Members, Willoughby City Council, http://www.willoughby.nsw.gov.au/Development/willoughby-local-planning-panel/willoughby-local-planning-panel-members/john-mcinerney