Paul Mees

An educator andresearcher, Mees was also recognized outside academic circles for his advocacy and activism in support of public transport as a means of sustainable transport, particularly in urban areas. In both his campaigning and academic work Mees confronted interests, questioned the current situation and challenged common community perceptions of good policy and practice – often courting controversy. It was the fusion of his achievements as a scholar and as an activist that set Mees apart from many of his academic peers. More recently he was recognised for his achievements in the Australia Day Honours of 2014, posthumously awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for "service to public transport and urban planning as an academic and advocate for creating sustainable cities".

• Name — Paul Mees • Born — 20 March 1961 • Birthplace — Melbourne, Australia • Died — 19 June 2013 • Place of death — Melbourne, Australia • Education — University of Melbourne • Occupation — Lawyer Transport Activist • Years Active — 1980s-2013 • Known for — Transport activisim

With an early interest in environmental and social justice issues, Mees studied environmental law as part of his undergraduate degree. In the 1980s his interests segued to a focus on sustainable transport, and he became involved in public transport advocacy through the Public Transport Users Association in Melbourne, becoming president of the organisation from 1992 to 2001. Mees was an articulate contributor to public debates on transport planning in Victoria, Australia over three decades, and renown authority on public transport and urban planning in Australia. In addition to the public platforms he shared with experts and commentators, Mees was a sought-after media spokesperson, making hundreds of appearances in both print and electronic media around Australia over the decades. Only a month before he died he was interviewed on ABC TV's 7.30. Among the activist projects with which Mees involved himself were legal actions attempting to prevent the construction of expensive transport projects contrary to his views on what constituted good public transport policy. In the late 1990s he questioned the legality of aspects of the largest urban infrastructure project in Australia's history, the CityLink tollway system in Melbourne. Mees unsuccessfully contested the building of a marshalling yard and a new tram "superstop" in front of the main entrance to the University of Melbourne's Parkville campus on Swanston Street, and opposed the building of the proposed Melbourne Metro Rail Project tunnel under the centre of Melbourne, on the grounds that much less expensive options are available to boost capacity on the Melbourne suburban rail network. In the early 2000s he also helped to establish the short-lived Public Transport First Party in Victoria, which campaigned in selected electorates on transport-related issues.

Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Mees was an active member of the Australian debating community. He debated in competition from schools level, through university, to adult level. Mees served on the Executive of the Debaters Association of Victoria, adjudicated schools competition, and participated in selection and training of the Victorian Schools Debating Team. As an adult, he represented Victoria at the National Debating Championships, and was a member of the winning team in Hobart in 1992.

In 1988 Mees married journalist, academic and teacher Erica Cervini. Mees died in Melbourne on 19 June 2013, aged 52.

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Paul Mees is recorded with the occupation transport planner. Recorded as lawyer, urban planner, transport planner, jurist and architect. Career and activity. Mees worked in urbanism, public transport, law, natural environment and transport infrastructure. He was employed by RMIT University. He worked at Melbourne.