Gary commenced his career working in various aspects of environmental management and planning, which provided an appreciation of the linkage between resource management and land use planning.Besides qualifications in resource management and land use planning, he holds a business management qualification that has allowed him to appreciate principles associated with change and strategic management, risk management, leadership and team building. Over his 25+years, he has worked for state government and private consultancy primarily in the fields of urban and regional planning, strategic and policy planning and resource management. Since commencing in local government in 2006, he has taken on management roles overseeing multidisciplinary teams that have had responsibility for asset management, infrastructure, horticulture, waste management, animal management, public health, development and compliance, and land use planning, corporate/business planning, risk management, community development, environmental management and communication/marketing.In 2011-13, he was a member of the Government’s Development Policy Advisory Committee that was charged with providing independent advice to the Minister for Planning on any matter relating to planning and development, and proposals to amend Development Plans under the former Development Act.From June 2013 to September 2014, he was a member of the Planning Reform Reference Group, representing the Local Government Association (Regional Councils), which had been established to advise South Australia's Expert Panel on Planning Reform. He also sat on the LGA’s Technical Advisory Group to assist the LGA respond to the Government’s proposed legislation. He is a member of the Planning Institute of Australia, and was elevated to a Fellow in 2010. He has held the position of State President (2007-2008) and National Vice President (2009-2011). He held the role of National Councillor from 2009 to June 2011, then Board Director from July 2011 to November 2015.