Early Work in Environmental Public Policy
Returning to Australia in 1970 he became Policy Specialist in environment, science and technology policy in the National Parliament's Legislative Research Service in Canberra. This appointment was the result of a far-sighted initiative of the then Parliamentary Librarian Alan Fleming, who soon after was appointed as National Librarian. At that time there were no government environment departments and Peter's appointment was probably the nation's first appointment in the environment public policy field. He also worked in 1972 with the Canadian Council of Environment and Resource Ministers in Montreal. Peter also initiated at that time the nation’s first school environmental education program, INSPECT, that resulted in the publication of two books that he co-edited, ‘Bad luck dead duck’ (1970) and ‘What a mess less confess’ (1971). With the election of the Whitlam government in 1972 he was appointed Chief-of –Staff of Environment Ministers in that government, becoming a major architect of the first national environment laws and policies between 1972 and 1975. These included the first national laws in environmental protection, Heritage, for the protection and management of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, and the protection of migratory birds. He also contributed significantly to public policy in urban management and planning and in national infrastructure planning.
In 1976 he was invited to become the foundation CEO of Papua New Guinea’s Environment department. He established the first national program in environmental policy and legislation. This included the passage of three historic pieces of environmental legislation through the PNG National Parliament in 1978. He followed this trajectory further, playing a similar role as CEO of South Australia’s Environment Department between 1979 and 1983. He then broadened his public policy experience when he was appointed as CEO responsible for industry and technology policy in South Australia.
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