I was born and grew up on the south coast of New South Wales in the small beach side town of Bermagui. My childhood was spent on the family dairy farm and was educated at local public schools up to year 10.

An apprenticeship as a Carpenter and Joiner in the cottage construction industry filled the next four and half years before moving to Sydney as a Trainee Ambulance Officer. After graduating the Ambulance training school I served at Ryde, Bankstown and Summer Hill Ambulance Stations before moving over to the NSW Police in 1982. Graduating in the last class of the Redfern Academy, I was posted at Liverpool and Cabramatta for two and half years before transferring to Dareton, Enngonia and Yeoval.

In 1992 after resigning from the Police Service I managed my own small business for eighteen months. That business suffered the plight of the 1992/1994 drought. In November 1994 I was appointed General Manager of the Lake Keepit State Park, a tourist resort between Gunnedah and Tamworth administered by a Trust for the Department of Land and Water Conservation.

In August 1998 I was appointed as an Executive Employee of the Curlewis Farmers Co-Operative Limited and Manager of Co-Op Mitre 10. I still hold that position. Previous to moving to the Gunnedah District I have been involved in and served on many different organisations, most of which were community based development or improvement organisations.

Since coming to the Gunnedah District my community involvement with business, employment, education and economic development organisations has intensified. This is outlined in the list of associated organisations further on in this page.

More recently I have diversified even further to encompass more education activities. These activities include lecturing in Business Security and Loss Prevention, First Aid Training, Customer Service, Merchandising Skills, greater economic development participation as well as speaking to groups and communities as a motivational speaker.

MY QUALIFICATIONS

• Certificate IV Work Place Training & Assessment Certificate IV Small Business Management
• Certificate of Marketing
• OH&S Induction Training for Construction Work
• Media Training (D.L.W.C. NSW)
• Water Chemistry Training Course (Hydrotech Chemical Corporation)
• Craftsman Certificate Carpentry & Joinery
• M.Y.O.B. vs 6 Training Course
• Aussie Host - Customer Service Training
• Diploma of Policing (NSW Police Service)
• Associate Diploma Criminal Law NSW (NSW Police Service/CSU)
• Policing & Community Relations (NSW Police Service)
• Police Policies & Procedures - Public Administration
• Various Training Modules (NSW Police Service) including:- Breath Analysis
• Technician, Public Relations, Media Relations, Water Policing, Search & Rescue,
  Advanced Driver Training and Field Instructor, Computer Access & Operation Training.
• Graduate NSW Ambulance Service Training School:- General Ambulance Officer Training (Sydney)
• Advanced Life Support (Sydney)
• Occupational & Clinical First Aid Training (Gilgandra)

ASSOCIATION WITH VARIOUS ORGANISATIONS

• Professional Engagements:- NSW Ambulance Service 6 years
• NSW Police Service 11 years
• Lake Keepit State Park (G/M) 4 years
• Curlewis Farmers Co-Op Ltd Mitre 10 4 years (Manager of Hardware)
• Mitre 10 NSW N/W Zone Buying Group 4 years
• (2yrs Chairman & 2yrs Secretary)
• Professional Affiliations:- Business Gunnedah Inc (Vice Chairman) 2 years
• Business Gunnedah - Business Partner Programme (Chairman 1yr) 2 years
• Business Gunnedah - Business Impediments
• Business Gunnedah - Transport Infrastructure
• Business Gunnedah - Rural Plan Sub-Committees 2 years
• Gunnedah Chamber of Commerce & Industry Inc (Chairman 3yrs) 8 years
• Tamworth Chamber of Commerce 4 years
• Regional Tourism Organisations 2 years
• Big Sky Country Regional Chamber of Commerce. (No longer operating) 3 years
• Vocation Education Management Committee Gunnedah. (Chairman 2yrs) 4 years
• Gunnedah Arts & Cultural Precinct 2 years (Management Committee)
• Mitre 10 Week of Speed Festival Gunnedah 5 years (Management Committee)
• Gunnedah Country Excursion Centre Project 2 years (Project Development Committee)

VOLUNTARY / COMMUNITY

• NSW State Emergency Service - Rescue 6 years
• Based Associations NSW Bush Fire Brigade - Fire Fighter 15 years
• Australian Army Reserve Engineer 5 years
• Apex & Lions (various clubs)
• Yeoval Multi Purpose & Aged Care Complex (Committee) Yeoval Progress Association (Committee)
• Yeoval Bowling Club (Director)
• Wellington Police Citizens Youth Club (Committee)
• Australian Red Cross (Life Member)
• Gunnedah Lids for Kids Foundation (Patron)
• Gunnedah Kart Club Inc (Committee/Public Officer)
• Enngonia Progress Association (Committee)
• Enngonia Race Club (Committee)
• Enngonia Public School (Maintenance Volunteer)
• Dareton Progress Association (Committee)