I went to university as an adult student with small children and managed to get an honours degree in law with children climbing my shoulders while I studied, maybe proving that failure at school doesn't necessarily mean an absence of academic ability. While at university and afterwards, I also volunteered as a firefighter—a rewarding and sometimes challenging role, being part of a close-knit team being of service to the community—and I've also spent time in the army reserves. It has emphasised to me the value of volunteers in our communities, who do so much to weave the fabric that binds our communities together and makes them work. I went on after graduation to eventually build my own law practice from scratch in Otago and Southland, and made it a success. 