Johns official bio reads something like this:
"As a current mediator and former Environment
Court Commissioner John has sat as a member of the Environment Court with Judges, has participated in the writing of the decisions of the Court and has presided over “Commissioner Alone” hearings of the Court. He has been involved with cases for both applications for proposed activities and applications for Plan Changes. John was a former Southland Regional Councillor and held chair positions on
several committees. During and prior to this period John owned sheep and beef farms in Southland.
He has significant experience in decision making around the environment and natural resources and knowledge of rural New Zealand."
But there is so much more to this man who was born in Invercargill, the son of a High Court Judge. His upbringing was solidly grounded in all the things that we used to enjoy doing like building and racing go-karts made bits of wood and pram/trolley wheels – even to the extent of hoisting a sail made from his mums curtains and curtain rod and going so fast that he passed cars!
That entrepreneurial spirit took him to all parts of the world and served him well.
He went to boarding school as his folks moved to Wanaka and he gained his degree at Lincoln Uni having also spent a couple of years on farms loving the outdoor lifestyle. He jumped on a ship for his OE and he and his mate ‘freedom camped’ in the back of and Escort van all around Europe.
On his return he saw that there were some free
flights to Canada, and he jumped at the chance. The flights came with a few hooks – you had to look after the animals on the flight and make sure they stayed calm and alive until departure. He learnt very quickly how to administer sedatives to the animals and
landed in Edmonton at 2am in the morning in the freezing cold wondering what to do next.
From here wanderlust takes over - working on ranches, driving to California to work on a cauliflower farm, driving down to Central America through
Mexico and then back up the middle of the US to Canada again. Over to London, down to Nairobi on safari and driving to Rhodesia with some well-armed militia chaps along, hitchhiking to South Africa and then
back to NZ …are you keeping up!
Back to working on farms and sheep stations in and around Wanaka until he managed to buy a small farm not in Te Anau where the air was clear, but it was bloody cold. He farmed there for 20 years and during this time he married Anna and had a couple of children in addition to the son he had managed to have sometime before.
He did a leadership course which changed his life and ultimately led to his running for the regional council
in Te Anau – 3 times! He bought a bigger farm, was appointed to the Environment Court, leased his farm and headed to Wellington. He loved it so much he eventually sold his farm and has stayed in Wellington ever since. He has been involved in half marathons, triathalons and enjoys swimming and cycling.
This is just a snippet – John has farming in his blood and if you want to hear some great yarns from this man with a great sense of humour, I’m sure the best way to do it would be over a couple of beers…
probably Speights!
Brent Gerrard
Club reporter
.jpg)
