Page 6 - Issues131-133

The Maui Agreement of 1973 specified the gas to be paid for, and accelerated the direct use of natural gas
as a fuel by New Zealanders. Basil Walker, a member of the government team and a later Secretary of
Energy, recalls that Colin could arrive at a pragmatic outcome to the benefit of all parties.
Among his ministry workmates he also became notorious for his long runs around Wellington at lunchtimes.
He maintained his fitness - and love for craft beer - throughout his life.
He was one of the last men at the ministry when it was abolished in 1989. Later he got involved with the
Department of Corrections in 2004 as a contract manager and negotiator. After retiring in 2013 he was
appointed to the board of the Prison Chaplaincy Service and remained on it until his death. Its chairperson,
Anne Dickinson, said he joked that he was the board's only resident atheist.
She added that he loved the outdoors, the taonga of the Wellington region and all the places he hoped to
conserve. "All the things that prisoners were denied. He saw his conservation work as a way of bringing
them hope for a different future."

He became legendary for his successful grant applications, and he would help any organisation with its
appeals for environmental grants. "He would help anyone who was disadvantaged. He was a community
builder, an enabler and volunteer - a status he guarded closely."
Jim Lynch, the founder of Zealandia who worked closely with Colin, called him a "giant of the conservation
world. He made a huge contribution to conservation and nature and had an extraordinary sense of public
service and bulldog determination."

Colin and mate Andrew Cutler were nicknamed the "eco Taleban" for their 17 years of perseverance to
create the Taputeranga marine reserve. Corrections colleague and friend Russell Underwood said Colin
raised more than $20 million for environmental and conservation work, - and probably closer to $30 million.

Colin joined Forest and Bird in the 1980s and with Maureen Burgess formed the Conservation Corps that
led the restoration of Mana Island's habitat and the eradication of the mice that plagued the island (at that
time the largest mouse eradication in the world). He was duly made a life member of the Friends of Mana
Island.

Russell Underwood said he was a campaigner, influencer and a leader. Proud of his southern roots, Colin
came to Wellington from Invercargill after graduating from Otago University with a Bachelor of Commerce,
accountancy and management skills.
Taking redundancy after the Ministry of Energy was disestablished in December 1989, he worked for the
Electricity Corporation as its thermal fuels manager from 1990 to 1999. Negotiating energy supply
contracts, he bought the fossil fuel required to run ECNZ’s thermal power stations.

When ECNZ was broken up, he took redundancy and then ran the former Magills pub in Thorndon Quay
for four years with a business partner. He enjoyed engaging with other people and, with his interest in beer,
saw it as an interesting opportunity.
Jim Lynch said Colin helped bring the birds back to Wellington by commissioning the “Natural Wellington”
plan, then helping convince Wellington City Council it was a good idea. "He initiated and helped sell the
ideas that changed Wellington forever. Wellington now, instead of being a biological basket case, is now a
biological showcase."
As well as the Taputeranga Marine Reserve Colin was also involved in conservation projects at Long Gully
Bush, Pencarrow Lakes, the Wainuiomata river catchment, Watts Peninsular and Baring Head _ a
particular recent passion.
Colin, who was 74, is survived by his wife Dianne, their three children and one grandchild.

When he died I was working on an application to get him onto the Honours List. Sadly these cannot
be issued posthumously as he would have been a shoe-in. The obituary only scratches the surface of
Colin’s conservation work, there is much, much more as I found out doing the research for the
application. Colin was a close friend and is sadly and badly missed. David Smith

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