Personal
Michael was born in England
and spent his early years in southern Africa. After his family
migrated to Australia Michael grew up and went to university in
Canberra. Michael has spent the past 18 years in the Top
End.
Professional
Michael has qualifications
in science, natural resource management, business management and
financial planning. He has worked in various roles as a scientist
and manager principally involved in community-based natural
resource management.
A nine year stint with the
Northern Land Council (NLC) saw Michael working as the Caring for
Country Unit Wetlands Officer, the Caring for Country Executive
Officer and finally as the Manager of the Land and Sea Management
Branch where he oversaw the work of the Caring for Country Unit,
the Enterprise Development Unit and the Parks and Reserves
Unit.
Michael’s work with
the Caring for Country Unit (1997-2006) was during a particularly
exciting time when the number of community-based
‘ranger’ programs in the Top End increased from just 2
to over thirty with over 300 Aboriginal people employed. Many
useful partnerships and collaborations were also formed during this
time with external management and research agencies.
While Michael was Manager of
the NLC’s Land and Sea Management Branch he initiated and
managed a project to develop a strategy for the Enterprise
Development Unit that looked at improving outcomes through greater
efficiencies of internal processes and mutually beneficial
collaborations with external agencies.
Most recently Michael took a
deviation in his career to train and work as a financial planner
but has recently returned to the fold to work with
NAILSMA.
Project
Michael is the coordinator
of the TRaCK
Sustainable Enterprises Theme. Within the Theme there are
research projects looking at water markets and water rights for
Indigenous people in northern Australia as well as several case
studies broadly looking at the role of healthy rivers in the
customary economy, recognition and reward for maintenance and
delivery of ecosystem services, options & obstacles for
development of related businesses and options for engagement with
the mainstream economy based on resource use.
