Michael has a background in built facilities and environment provision, conservation and operations management, economics and engineering involved energy management, strategies and economics. This led Michael into post-grad. and professional development studies in the Design of Low Energy Buildings at Cambridge University, Energy Management at Portsmouth and Alternative Energy at The National Centre for alternative Technology.

Michael Audited Energy Use under the DoE (Dept. of Energy, UK) Energy Audit Scheme and later led an Energy Study of the largest hospital in Europe, the Southampton General. In 1981, before leaving the UK, Stirling University in Scotland, offered Michael a Post Doctoral Research Fellowship in Energy Economics before he had earned his a doctorate.

In Australia, in 2005, for 'Finance' (DoFA) Michael reviewed Investment Business Cases for Commonwealth departments seeking Cabinet approval and/or funding. The largest of which had a probable total capital cost of $1.5b. (before typical budget blowouts). This developed Michael review skills.

As a Chartered Member, 'Engineers Australia' (IE,Aust. or EA) Michael's knowledge of energy and experience of proposal review enabled him to became involved EA's National Nuclear Debate in mid 2006. The debate inspired Michael to research and develop, nearly 40, objective criteria to assess John Howard "Uranium Mining and Nuclear Energy – Opportunities for Australia" a proposal. The proposal failed to satisfy even one criterion. To communicate this Michael scripted and produced six 30 minute radio programmes called Radio Active and involving Charles Southwood of the ABC.

This background led Michael, on learning of the Climate Change Coalition, to volunteer his support, as a result of which CCC asked Michael to join the CCC and run for a Senate Seat in the ACT.

Michael has broad credentials in other disciplines relevant to government and national issues relating to: education, technology, trade, industrial relations, law, infrastructure investment, etc.

Cultural Background - born of Irish and English parentage and raised on the south coast of 'Red Devon', the Westcountry of England. He studied in six cities across England. Escaping Thatcherism, he emigrated his family to Australia in 1982. He settled with his family in Canberra and considers himself Australian by choice.

Credentials - Michael left school at 15 years of age and worked his way up from the lowest course in a technical college through college of technology and polytechnic to university. He studied in the UK and Australian earning six post-graduate degrees and chartered status in several disciplines. His primary disciplines are: management, economics, engineering, energy, psychology and education.

Career Background - Michael started his career in the construction industry and property development and for four years operated a private family hotel similar in size to Fawlty Towers. Having benefited from higher education, he gave 8 years of service back to the community be teaching in higher education, mostly in Australia.

The last 15 years in Canberra, Michael has been involved in performance psychology R&D and practice, and later as a contract consultant to both government and industry. He credentials are multidisciplinary, but his primary interests are performance psychology, organisational process and performance development, energy strategy and environmental conservation, including, contributing ideas to climate change minimisation (environmental sustainability).

One of his passions is the analysis and assessment of medium to very large project options and proposals. He recently assessed John Howard's nuclear power proposals for which he has been unable to identify any strategic, logical, environmental or economic justification.

Michael values: vision, passion, wisdom, integrity, compassion, justice, energy and courage of conviction, environment and social responsibility in politics. He would like to encourage these traits along with an appropriate sense of urgency in government.

Michael's political interests include: energy policy, strategy and use, environmental sustainability (addressing climate change with urgency) natural resources, water supply and use, healthcare services and costs, trade, transport, social services, immigration, refugees, foreign policy, equity in and access to: law and justice, human rights, education, taxation and housing.

Professional interests: ethics; innovative, appropriate technologies; globally environmental sustainability; health; education and more.