At his family home on Great Barrier Island, surrounded by birdsong and some of the country’s last unspoiled landscapes, a young Brendan Judd knew more had to be done to protect the country’s spectacular natural world.
“I’m optimistic about New Zealand’s ability to rise to the climate challenge and protect our environment. Incorporating traditional Māori knowledge – mātauranga Māori – into decision-making processes is crucial to safeguard the country’s interests and ensure a sustainable future.”
With an early awareness of the challenges behind New Zealand’s ‘clean and green’ image, Brendan was inclined towards a career in environmental stewardship, volunteering for Zero Waste initiatives and marine protection group Project Jonah as a college student at Waiheke High School.
Although still a conservationist at heart – volunteering at New Zealand Bird Rescue and participating in other initiatives – he realised he could make the greatest impact with further education, which led him towards a Bachelor of Urban Planning, and a critical turning point for his future career.
“Planning provided an opportunity to influence the conversation at the macro level,” he says, reflecting on private ambitions for impact in land use and environmental policy. Throughout his education, Brendan completed straight A-studies, an aptitude that caught the attention of the Keystone Trust scholarship panel when he became a successful applicant for a Keystone Trust Study Award in 2015.
Embarking on his studies at the University of Auckland, Brendan faced the inevitable pressure of academia. The weight of expectation from the scholarship was heavy, a reminder of the significant opportunity he had earned. Despite this, he found motivating support from the trust, particularly from its mentors, student engagements, and wraparound care during his time in study.
With just 30 students in his planning cohort, Brendan’s degree was relatively niche, and the exposure to Keystone’s sponsor network proved invaluable, offering opportunities to build confidence through conversations with leaders in the property and construction sector – life skills he leans on to this day.
Wrapping up his university tenure with an honours degree specialising in city/urban community and regional planning, Brendan worked at a boutique consultancy, and as research support for Urban Advisory, before landing a graduate role at Auckland Council in 2018.
Six years later, from his desk in the Chief Planning Office, he relishes a role balancing stakeholder interests to produce the best possible environmental outcomes that are both “socially and politically plateable.”
He notes that work in the public sector can be a thankless job, and his role, which involves implementing regulations to protect the environment, isn’t always popular. However, Brendan finds strength in his resolve and the knowledge that he contributes to a meaningful cause.
Opportunities are another upside, and while he says local government operations are “wildly under-resourced,” he has had an opportunity to advance his career and glean experience across various Council functions, including consenting, compliance, policy drafting, and infrastructure financing.
The past nine months have seen Brendan’s first change in Government at the Council, bringing a significant shift in daily processes and local body operations. Committed to protecting our surroundings and promoting sustainable practices within the built environment, he remains thoughtful about the role of legislation in enhancing industry standards.
“I’m optimistic about New Zealand’s ability to rise to the climate challenge and protect our environment. Incorporating traditional Māori knowledge – mātauranga Māori – into decision-making processes is crucial to safeguard the country’s interests and ensure a sustainable future. This approach emphasises the importance of including the voice of tangata whenua in decision-making at all levels.”
Academic transcripts and his professional body of work show a brilliant mind that has taken a different path to many of the trust’s alumni. However, Brendan’s journey underscores the diverse ways in which this next generation of Keystone’s scholars can contribute to the betterment of society, forging unique paths that collectively drive progress with vision.
For further media enquiries, please contact
Amanda Stanes
Keystone Trust – General Manager
M: 021 689 380
E: amanda@keystonetrust.org.nz
