London: A former Australian premier and ambassador will soon take up a new role advising the mayor of London on long-term ways to improve the city.
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Former South Australian premier Mike Rann, a visiting professor with King's College in London, is joining the King's Commission on London, set up to develop policies to improve London over the next two decades.
Mr Rann, who was born in south-east London and emigrated to Australia aged 10, told Fairfax Media he was delighted to be appointed.
The commission will spend two years studying ways to improve London to make it more liveable and report back to the newly elected mayor, Sadiq Khan, by 2017.
"We will look at what is needed for London to become more connected, more productive, more liveable, more sustainable, cleaner and more inclusive," Mr Rann said.
The bipartisan commission is being chaired by Lord Andrew Adonis who was a cabinet minister to former Labour Prime Ministers Gordon Brown and Tony Blair. He is also the chair of Tory Prime Minister David Cameron's Infrastructure Commission.
Mr Rann, who was premier of South Australia from 2002 to 2011, said economic growth alongside improving inequality were also priorities.
"Lord Adonis is particularly keen that our focus revolve around how London deals with growth, competitiveness and poverty."
The commission will explore how to ensure London continues as one of the world's financial capitals and how to better cope with the booming population straining the city's transport and health services, as well the influx of immigrants to the city.
The appointment is a coup for Mr Rann who has just completed his term as Ambassador to Italy.
The former Gillard government initially installed Mr Rann as High Commissioner to London but the Abbott government diverted him to Italy and replaced Mr Rann with former Liberal Cabinet Minster Alexander Downer, following the Coalition's election victory in 2013.
