How long have you lived in Parkes and what do you like most about living here?
I came to Parkes in 1984 to take up the position of principal of the TAFE college. One of the best things about Parkes is that we have a highly effective council that is not split into factions or run along party lines.
Where do you work or what do you do currently and what do you enjoy about it? Since TAFE days I’ve worked in health and safety, in both training and consulting roles. I retired in July this year, but still do some work when interesting projects come along.
What do you do in your spare time and on weekends? I am a member of Parkes Rotary and that accounts for most of my spare time. I enjoy doing things around home and having people around for dinner. I also collect fishing equipment. Now I’ve retired I may get to use it a bit more?
What are you really good at? I don’t consider myself really good at anything, but have a go at all sorts of things. At the moment I’m working with some Indigenous folk in Parkes organising an exhibition of Wiradjuri cloaks and headdresses.
If you could have a superpower what would it be? It would be a great thing to undo some of the harm done to our Indigenous folk, and to others that are right now being damaged by war and displacement.
What is your pet hate? I get pretty fired up when information is put out about the environment, especially climate, that is not based on what I judge to be good science. I’d love to climb on board a research vessel to the Antarctic with some influencers that don’t agree that climate change is a thing. It would be fascinating and informative to observe those interactions.
Tell us about your best holiday. I don’t know that I have a “best” holiday to talk about, but I do know that when kids grow up family holidays loom large in their memories.