Long-standing City of Melbourne councillor Nicholas Reece and self-proclaimed “Greek at heart” was sworn in as the 105th Lord Mayor of Melbourne on Tuesday, 2 July.
Elected as a councillor in 2016 and Deputy Lord Mayor in late 2020, Reece has played a significant role in driving the city’s post-pandemic boom.
Melbourne, the fastest-growing city in Australia, boasts the lowest retail vacancy rate of any capital city and is home to numerous city-shaping infrastructure projects.
“All my life I have sought to be actively engaged in public service to help others – and it is the honour of my life to serve the city that I love,” said Reece.
“Melbourne is the best and fairest city in the world. It is also the biggest and fastest-growing capital city in Australia. I will be hitting the ground running to deliver the services and infrastructure our community needs and deserves.”
As deputy lead of the Finance portfolio, Reece helped return the Council to a surplus for the first time in five years.
As the lead of the Planning portfolio, he has overseen the approval of 20,000 new homes, the implementation of new policies to enhance architectural quality and design, and the establishment of higher sustainability standards for buildings.
“I will be a hands-on Lord Mayor. I love fixing things, solving problems, making decisions and making things happen,” Reece added.
“I will work hard every single day to make life better for the people of Melbourne. To the residents, businesses, ratepayers, workers, international students and visitors to Melbourne – I promise strong leadership, I will listen and act.”
Reece’s distinguished career spans the public, private, and non-profit sectors.
He has shaped Melbourne through his experience as a councillor, lawyer, journalist, public servant, university leader, and through pioneering roles with Movember and The Big Issue. Reece resides in Carlton with his wife and three daughters and is an enthusiastic supporter of the Carlton Football Club.
“Melbourne has gone through some difficult times as the most locked down city in the world,” the newly sworn-in Lord Mayor said.
“While the city is bouncing back, I know there are people and businesses who are still doing it tough. I won’t shy away from the challenges – I will be a Lord Mayor for every Melburnian. Melbourne’s best days are ahead, with more shovels in the ground than ever before through our city-shaping projects – like the redevelopment of the Queen Victoria Market, the Greenline Project riverfront transformation, and our life-changing Make Room initiative for the homeless.”
Reece further expressed his gratitude to the outgoing Lord Mayor, “I want to thank outgoing Lord Mayor Sally Capp for her extraordinary energy and drive – together with the Council group, she steered Melbourne through COVID lockdowns to emerge as a stronger and more resilient city.”
City of Melbourne CEO Alison Leighton praised Reece’s commitment to the city, saying, “Councillor Reece has been a passionate supporter of our city and I look forward to working with him as Lord Mayor and our councillors to continue to deliver what counts for Melburnians.” She also acknowledged the contributions of Sally Capp, “I also want to thank outgoing Lord Mayor Sally Capp for everything she has done to serve our community and set up our city for success.”
Reece will serve as Lord Mayor until the Council elections in October this year. His appointment marks a new chapter for Melbourne as it continues to grow and thrive.
