Date and place of birth: August 1962 Masterton, Aotearoa
Ethnicity: Pakeha
Current residence and electorate: Waitaki, Wanaka
Educational and vocational qualifications: BA Geography (Social Science)
Current occupation: General Manager at Wanaka Wastebusters (since 2003)
Previous occupations: Jack-of-all-trades resource recovery industry, restaurateur, chef, varied hospitality and labouring.
Other work experience: Research and project work: community enterprise, empowerment and engagement, local economic development. Lobbying and campaigning on waste, reuse and recycling.
Community connections: Community Recycling Network; National Executive (2003 to present) spokesperson (2006-2011), Chair 2009, 2010, 2011. Sustainable Wanaka - founding trustee (2005-2011) Advocacy and support for assorted education for sustainability groups, activities and campaigns.
Public policy interests: Sustainable land management: using common ground to build relationships between players that share resources e.g. interplay between tourism, agriculture and commerce.
Waste and resource conservation: effective product stewardship processes, shifting to taxing energy and material flows rather than labour. Sustainable economics; new models of community owned business, creating meaningful work, local economic development.
Broad political issues: Engagement and empowerment using community driven development models, building capacity in community and voluntary sector, investing in our young people and education for sustainability to drive real behaviour change.
