MACPHERSON, Dr James Malcolm (Malcolm)
For services to local government and the community
Dr Malcolm Macpherson was a Central Otago District Councillor for eight years, first elected in 1990, and Mayor for three terms from 2001 to 2010.
As Mayor Dr Macpherson oversaw a number of activities, including Alexandra's flood recovery projects, the Warm Homes Clean Air programme, and a systems thinking review of the Council's business. He was a national working party member and director of Apple Futures, and Chairman of the Central Employment Trust, now Seasonal Solutions. He chaired the regional economic development agency Otago Forward. He was elected to the Otago (now Southern) District Health Board for four terms, was a member of the Otago Polytechnic Council for eight years and served on the Otago Hospice Trust. He is a third-term member and past Chairman of the Central Lakes Trust. He is Chairman of Central Stories Museum and Art Gallery, and Chairs the Alexandra Men's Shed Trust and the Clyde Rescue Boat Trust. He has been Chair of Keep Alexandra Clyde Beautiful and chaired the group who built Alexandra's Fulton Hogan Cycle Park. He was inaugural Chair of the Jolendale Park Charitable Trust, and is a member of the Roxburgh Gorge Trail Charitable Trust. Dr Macpherson is the independent Chair of Central Otago Premium Fruit Ltd, in a voluntary capacity.
Here's some local media coverage
Jo McKenzie-McLean
Stuff/Southland Times December 30 2017
Dr Malcolm Macpherson will be appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Orderof Merit for services to local government and the community.
Former Central Otago mayor Malcolm Macpherson has had a huge involvementin his community, from being elected as a councillor, to serving on the OtagoHospice Trust.
For his services to local government and the community, he is to become anOfficer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2018 New Years Honours list.Macpherson was a Central Otago District Councillor for eight years, first electedin 1990 and mayor for three terms from 2001 to 2010.
As mayor he oversaw a number of activities including Alexandra's flood recoveryprojects, the Warm Homes Clean Air programme and a systems thinking reviewof the council business.
He was a national working party member and director of Apple Futures, andchairman of Central Employment Trust now Seasonal Solutions.
He chaired the regional economic development agency, Otago Forward. He waselected to the Otago (now Southern) District Health Board for four terms, was amember of the Otago Polytechnic Council for eight years and served on the OtagoHospice Trust.
He is a third-term member and past chairman of the Central Lakes Trust.He is chairman of Central Stories Museum and Art Gallery and chairs theAlexandra Men's Shed Trust and Clyde Rescue Boat Trust.
He has been chair of Keep Alexandra Clyde Beautiful and chaired the group whobuilt Alexandra's Fulton Hogan Cycle Park. He was inaugural chair of of theJolendale Park Charitable Trust and is a member of the Roxburgh Gorge TrailCharitable Trust.
Macpherson is also the independent chair of Central Otago Premium Fruit Ltd ina voluntary capacity.
Macpherson said a high point had been improving the quality of life for Otagohouseholds through the Warm Home Clean Air Project which started in hismayoral office around 2002.
With no funding initially, that project had carried on to benefit thousands ofhouseholds across Otago.
"I can say there was no fingerprint on that but mine in the early years.We struggled to get it going in the early years."
Another project he was proud to have started with former Queenstown LakesDistrict Mayor Clive Geddes was Seasonal Solutions, which provides seasonallabour across the country to the horticulture and viticulture industries.
"That started with Clive Geddes and I sitting around my table saying we have todo something about the seasonal labour supply ... For two years [theproject] hung on by the skin of its teeth, now it is a national project that supplieslabour across New Zealand and helps hundreds of Vanuatu families feed, clothand educate their children. You see groups of young men coming here everysummer and sending money home ...They are both projects that are happeningnow, and making a real difference every day."
The New Year's Honour acknowledged "a lot of work by a lot of people", he said."In local government and community politics you don't do anything on your own.
"It is nice to have a finger print on those things in the early days but it is alwaysother people that carry them on."
From the Otago Daily Times' coverage
