Martin was directly elected as the 78th Lord Mayor of Adelaide in 2014 on a platform of improving the liveability, amenity and economic performance of the City of Adelaide.
As Lord Mayor, Martin unified the Council, embraced the community, grew the local economy and delivered many policy and infrastructure initiatives.
Martin was the Presiding Member of the Council Chamber and Chair, Patron and Vice Patron of many organisations. Martin worked closely with eleven Councillors, the CEO, senior management and the community and led a transformative agenda which ensured that the City of Adelaide became a first-choice destination for living, working, visiting, learning, entertaining, investing and doing business.
Under Martin's leadership, Adelaide City Council initiated and completed more projects, policies, programs and partnerships than previous.
Achievements in Office
- Partnering with TPG Telecom to deliver Ten Gigabit Adelaide, the world’s fastest city wide fibre optic data network to attract business investment and drive innovation
- Launching Carbon Neutral Adelaide 2025 as a world leading strategy to reduce carbon emissions and reposition Adelaide as a leader in sustainability and the circular economy
- Breaking 29 years of market failure by purchasing 88 O’Connell Street, a 7,500m2 primereal estate site for a mixed-use development in North Adelaide
- Fixing the contentious Frome Street Bikeway with better consultation, design and construction
- Expression of Interest and detailed planning for the future redevelopment of the Central Market Arcade; prime real estate for a mixed-use development in the Market District
- Freezing the rate in the dollar to keep council rates low for four consecutive years
- Funding and program support for the arts, events and creative industries
- City Living Incentives (5 year rate free policy for off the plan, owner/occupier purchases)
- Stronger engagement with sister cities to enable trade, tourism and education growth
- Unsolicited Bids Policy to welcome innovative ideas
- Partnering with State and Federal Governments to deliver the ANZAC Centenary Memorial Walk to commemorate those who have served our nation during times of conflict
- Launching the Sustainability Incentives Scheme to assist ratepayers to reduce energy costs
- City Insights Dashboard to enable business growth and encourage new investment
- Increased funding for the Heritage Incentives Scheme to help underwrite the City of Adelaide's 2,200 heritage listed buildings
- Funding and program support to increase business conferencing, leisure tourism, international students and to reduce commercial vacancies
- Maintaining a consistent and articulate presence in the media on an almost daily basis
- Defibrillators installed in public places
- UNESCO City of Music designation in 2015
- Live Music Action Plan and Cultural Strategy
- Advocacy to the Federal Government for a more equitable distribution of the national population strategy
- Delivering a study into wellness and ageing
- Commissioning the Adelaide Qingdao Rose Garden
- Launching a nationally acclaimed Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan
- Delivering a strong multicultural agenda
- Advocacy to the State Government for the Capital City (Design) DPA to improve building design in the City of Adelaide
- Restoration works at Adelaide Town Hall
- E-Planning portal to reduce red tape
- Funding for Changing Places - an initiative focussed on improving disabled amenities
- Fixing the contentious Frome Street Bikeway with better consultation, improved design and construction
- Policies, partnerships and funding to reduce homelessness
- Strong advocacy on behalf of ratepayers for improved planning, heritage and Parklands protection
- Hosting a Jobs Growth Summit for metropolitan and regional mayors to investigate ways to collaborate in the stimulation of job growth
- Partnering with the State Government of South Australia to deliver many streetscapes, laneway, bikeway and Parklands improvements
- Introduced a Green City Grants program to encourage residents and businesses to participate in greening their part of the city
- Initiating the horticulture projects including planting more than 1,000 new trees
- Increasing the prominence of public art in the City of Adelaide
- Advocacy to the State Government to ensure better community outcomes from the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act
- Advocacy to the State Government for the future use of Lot 14 (the former Royal Adelaide Hospital site)
- Honoured to lead the City of Adelaide's first gender balanced Council
- Installed 40 electric vehicle charging hubs across the City of Adelaide
- Hosted a Smart Cities Forum
- Hosted several hundred community members at a local Heritage Forum to discuss the historical, architectural, social and economic importance of protecting South Australia’s built heritage
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