-
-
Cr Neil Gillespie
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Cr Neil Gillespie
Councillor - Dunstan Constituency
| Portfolio: | Policy and Planning |
| Email: | Neil.Gillespie@orc.govt.nz |
| Tel: | 027 433 4856 |
Bringing 27 years’ experience on community boards and council, most recently as deputy mayor of Central Otago, Neil got into local government to create opportunities for his children’s children.
“I came to Cromwell to build five dams, but only built one,” he says.
Everyone who worked on the Clyde dam has told their kids they built the whole thing, and despite being in administration, I did get to drive my fair share of cranes and trucks ̶— health and safety was pretty different back then. Better than that, I married and had four kids.
“I remember going on my first OE in 2009: UK, Spain, Italy, coming back, getting that first glimpse of the Pisa (pronounced ‘Pie-za’ — and don’t you forget it) Range and just feeling a peace — a deep knowing: that’s my home. That’s what grounds me — those hills, that rocky range. I spent many a night up there when younger, doing the fall muster, when you crutch and bring the wethers back around Anzac weekend. I was married at Mt Pisa Station and live at Lowburn, right under the range, right where I need to be.”
Neil likes to keep things simple, work through issues and complexities, unpick difficult things.
“I always say I’m just a shy, simple country boy, but through my career, I’ve had to front difficult conversations, found myself in front of people. I’m quiet, not the type to charge in. I’ll read the situation, read the people.”
Literally good at putting out fires, Neil followed his boyhood dream to be a firefighter. His dad was also in the Cromwell volunteer fire brigade; his son is a professional firefighter in Auckland.
Standing for ORC has been a bit of a refresh: “I quit my full-time job to work towards retirement doing good things. I know I’m just one vote, but together we can make collective decisions, create outcomes that will make not just Cromwell but all of Otago a great place to live for my grandchildren, and even great grandchildren — and hopefully I’ll be lucky enough to see them one day.”
An active relaxer, for a release, Neil enjoys working as a rodeo announcer. There have been a fair few close calls in the arena, steers bearing down, a hair’s whisper between horns and dilemma: “You’ve got to have a cool head.”
