Gavin Gilchrist, former managing director of Big Switch Projects, has announced he has left the energy efficiency sector to become a senior electorate officer for Greens MP Jenny Leong, the NSW member for Newtown.
After 14 years with Big Switch Projects, Mr Gilchrist said he was ready for a change.
“I’ll be responsible for constituent matters, helping run the office, policy advice, media advice and speechwriting,” he said.
“It’s a big change from the world of energy efficiency, but one I’m looking forward to hugely.”
Mr Gilchrist said part of the reason he was attracted to politics was because it was the politics of clean energy that was largely to blame for “undermining the market for my little company, and that of many others striving for a clean energy future”.
“Politics matters,” he said.
Big Switch Projects closed at the end of last year.
“So I say farewell to the energy efficiency sector for now but for those of you hammering away in that sector rest assured that… you will have one electorate officer in the NSW State Parliament who really does understand that the quickest, cheapest way to cut Australia’s carbon emissions is through energy efficiency, and who can rattle off all the market barriers to the rational use of energy.”
Another low carbon built environment mind, Vanessa Rauland, recently announced she would run for the federal seat of Canning in the upcoming by-election, representing the Greens.