Brendan M
Home State
New South Wales
University
The University of Newcastle
Qualifications
Bachelor of Music
Bachelor of Arts (Hons) (Human Geography and the Environment)
Background
After being given a cardboard violin at the age of four and assaulting numerous ears in the next 13 years, I eventually discovered a passion for music. This led me to undertake a Bachelor of Music as the first step to becoming a famous musician. After realising that my prospects of becoming famous weren't as high as I first presumed, and that the life of a non-famous musician is a miserable, poverty-filled existence of reading dots on paper, I decided to start a degree which would enable me to work with environmental issues. Whilst completing my Bachelor of Arts in Human Geography and the Environment, I taught music and conducted orchestras at a number of schools including a year in China. After completing my Honours thesis in community attitudes to water conservation, I decided that getting a job was no longer my top priority and I spent most of the next year exploring the big wide world. Once funds had run out (thus putting getting a job back on the priority list), I stumbled upon the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts graduate program. I was attracted to the diversity of work that the program seemed to offer and it suited my educational background in the arts, the environment and water perfectly.
Placements
First Placement
Urban Water Initiatives
My graduate year began with a rotation in the Urban Water Initiatives Section. The work involved administering and reviewing a program which offered rebates to households and surf life saving clubs for rainwater tanks. I was able to take a lead role in the review of the surf life saving club component of this program, including making recommendations for the future of the program. The rotation provided a great introduction to the public service and gave me great experience in the delivery and review of government programs, stakeholder liaison, and preparation of ministerials and briefs.
Second Placement
Natural and Cultural Programs (Kakadu National Park)
My graduate year began with a rotation in the Urban Water Initiatives Section. The work involved administering and reviewing a program which offered rebates to households and surf life saving clubs for rainwater tanks. I was able to take a lead role in the review of the surf life saving club component of this program, including making recommendations for the future of the program. The rotation provided a great introduction to the public service and gave me great experience in the delivery and review of government programs, stakeholder liaison, and preparation of ministerials and briefs.
Third Placement
Biodiversity Taskforce
My third rotation was in the Biodiversity Taskforce. This rotation gave me the opportunity to work on developing high-level policy. It gave me great experience in the processes involved in developing policy, including the development of Ministerial Briefs. The rotation also gave me exposure to many other parts of the department through the consultation that was conducted in developing the policy. My other main project in this rotation was to write a major article on biodiversity to be published in the Australian Bureau of Statistics Yearbook Australia 2010.
Final Placement
Biodiversity Taskforce
For my final placement I was able to stay on in the Biodiversity Taskforce. This has enabled me to continue the policy work I was involved in during my third rotation and will present great opportunities and give me invaluable experience in the development of high-level policy.
'the best thing about working for us ... is the environment'