‘Say no’ to data centres: former NYC mayor
Bill de Blasio shifted his address to what he foresaw as “the topic of the future, the dominant issue in our lives” – artificial intelligence (AI).
Over the course of the past year, data centres went from something that Americans thought about benignly or not at all, to something that was causing a “massive rebellion”, he said.
Government is “way behind” the public on the issue of AI, de Blasio said.
“The people are hearing the voices from the tech community saying: ‘Something’s really wrong here. There’s tremendous danger. This is out of control. This needs to be paused or regulated.’ The people are getting it really quickly. They are seeing it through the prism of their families, their futures,” the former New York City mayor said.
“At minimum, all localities should drive an extremely hard bargain on data centres, and they should not be allowed to be built unless there’s very strong public benefit agreements and guaranteed public resources for the community.
“That’s a that’s a tall order, but there has to be willingness unless those conditions are met, [to] just say no to the data centres.”
Cities faced “massive worker displacement” unless governments acted on AI, de Blasio warned.
‘Breeds intense division’: Former NYC mayor’s equality warning
On the subject of income inequality, Bill de Blasio had a stark warning for Melburnians: “If not addressed, it breeds intense division”.
In his time in office as the New York City mayor, he spoke about fighting income inequality “as often as Donald Trump talks about insane tariffs”, de Blasio said.
His city fought it through measures including raising the minimum wage, improving paid sick leave and creating universal kindergarten, he said.
“If you don’t like an ever more stratified society, you don’t like a sense that only a few are getting ahead, there’s actually a lot you can do about it locally, [at a] state level [and] nationally,” de Blasio said.
“But it takes a public commitment to recognising that inequality does not have to be ever-growing and inevitable, that governments and communities can do something about it.”
Immigrants ‘make Melbourne amazing’
Bill de Blasio has now turned his focus to the “hot-button topic” of immigration, which he says has made both Australia and the United States into the countries they are today.
Here’s a little of what he had to say about Melbourne’s diverse population.
This city is amazing. How did it get to be amazing? Was it some small group of people who looked all alike and just stayed together and interbred and made it amazing? No. There’s people from all around the world that contributed, and continue to.”
Homelessness ‘feels like a defeat’ for a city, says former mayor
Bill de Blasio is addressing the Melbourne Assembly crowd about homelessness, which was a key focus during his time in office. The Age previously reported on a $27.8 million statewide expansion of Victoria’s homelessness services, which includes the creation of a “by-name list,” which would seek to create a profile for every rough sleeper.
The former mayor says it is outreach programs like this that are key to tackling homelessness.
“If you don’t address homelessness, it is not just a moral thing. It will hurt your business climate. It will hurt people’s sense of security,” he says.
“There are so many painful realities when you see a homeless person. It feels like a defeat. It feels like something went wrong for all of us.”
The two-decade strategy to address crime in NYC
Not long after Bill de Blasio left university, New York City had its “worst year in our history”, he said.
It was 1992, and 2200 people were murdered.
There were endless shootings, and endless crimes generally. “Many that never went even reported or investigated,” de Blasio told Melbourne Assembly.
“There was really a decision, and it came out of a process not quite like this, but a true public consensus, in effect, through elections and other measures, that we needed to do something profoundly different.”
Melbourne must build ‘higher and denser’, says former NYC mayor
Bill de Blasio has just asked a question to the audience here at Melbourne Assembly: “How many of you believe today there is a clearly articulated, broadly understood strategic vision for the future of Melbourne?”
Not a single attendee raised their hand, which garnered a sizable laugh from the crowd.
The former mayor explained that Melbourne is currently at a pivotal juncture in its future – but work needs to be done in order to create a plan for the future.
“This is a profound moment of opportunity … but the world’s coming at you fast and hard. Do not miss this moment to create that vision,” de Blasio said.
Like many cities around the world, Melbourne’s affordable housing stock has failed to keep up with population and rising costs, he said.
“One of the things that’s great about Melbourne is its openness as a city of so many kinds of people,” de Blasio says.
“If you do not build higher and denser, you will not have affordability to create and continue that diversity.”
‘Drive a hard bargain’ on affordable housing: former NYC mayor
Melburnians need to “drive a hard bargain” on affordable housing as the city becomes more expensive, former New York City mayor Bill de Blasio says.
“As the public sector, you have to drive a hard bargain with the real estate community,” de Blasio said in his keynote Melbourne Assembly address.
“What we did in New York City, an initiative I know you have a version of here called – we called it mandatory inclusionary zoning. It said to developers, ‘Here’s a plot of land’.
“‘Here’s what you’re allowed to build now. It’s not a lot. You want to ... build taller, denser. You want to make more profit. You want to cram in more apartments.’ We’ll let you do that, but you have to give us between 20 per cent and 30 per cent of those apartments affordable to working residents of our city. That’s on your dime. That’s on your bill, if you want the right to build.”
If developers wanted that opportunity, they needed to give the public “what it deserves”, de Blasio said.
Former New York City mayor pays tribute to Haines
We’re now hearing from our first keynote speaker, former mayor of New York City, Bill de Blasio.
He began his address by paying tribute to independent MP Helen Haines, who is currently in a critical condition in hospital following an alleged targeted attack yesterday in regional Victoria.
“This is something that is all too familiar in the United States of America,” de Blasio said of the violent incident. “Do not let this happen here again. Do not let it happen because what happened in the United States is a precautionary tale.
“I see you as an enlightened nation. I see this as an enlightened city. Do all you can to make this the last time it happens … and let’s all have Helen Haines in our thoughts and prayers.”
Melbourne Assembly ‘lays foundation for city’s future’
We’re on the banks of the Birrarung at Fed Square, where day two of the Melbourne Assembly civic forum has just begun.
As we prepare to become Australia’s largest city, we need to look forward to the kind of city we want to be. Addressing the audience at the start of today’s proceedings, Age editor Patrick Elligett said: “We cannot rely on politicians alone to shape our future.
“Through conversation and debate, the Melbourne Assembly aims to lay the foundation on which the future of this city will be built.”
Watch: A better Melbourne through future leaders’ eyes
We asked year 7 students, the leaders of tomorrow, to share their ideas on how Melbourne could be a better place to live in the future.
The students attend public, independent and Catholic schools across Melbourne.
From building more social housing and making the city greener, to ensuring there are more local jobs and better public spaces in the suburbs – the students’ ideas reflect a community-minded and inspiring generation.
Watch the videos below to learn more.