鈥淪outh Island high-country land reform and quake prone buildings taught me a lot about politics and policy,鈥 she says. 鈥淚 also learned that the 鈥榣ittle guy鈥 can make a difference but only if the 鈥榣ittle guys鈥 team up strategically, and play all the cards we鈥檝e got, and play them very, very well.鈥
Professor Brower dedicated 15 years of research to high-country pastoral tenure after discovering that the Crown was selling lakeside land at a loss. Her work sparked a High Court case, a Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment investigation, and two Cabinet-level national policy changes, eventually resulting in Parliament-level legislative change. She worked with Cabinet Ministers in several governments, including Ministers from National, Labour, and Greens parties.
At the same time, she was instrumental in the Building Act being amended to prioritise the reinforcing of masonry, parapets and facades following the Christchurch earthquakes, which she advocated for through participating in select committees.
Many scientists eschew political action, however it will surprise no one that Professor Brower studied a Master of Political Science, followed by a PhD in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, at the University of California, Berkeley, and continues to put the political skills she learned to strategic use.
Speaking up is not easy. She鈥檚 been called 鈥榯he chirpy anti-christ鈥 by media, and 鈥榓 socialist infection鈥 by Federated Farmers, but she has also won accolades including the Gama Foundation鈥檚听Critic & Conscience of Society Award, the听UC Innovation Medal, and now the Royal Society accolade, so perhaps she is about even.
For her next challenge, Professor Brower is taking her hard-won experience into securing the unclaimed land between rivers and farmland. She鈥檚 committed for the long haul once again and is pragmatic about the odds.
鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to choose your battles because they might go on for a while. The decks are stacked against public interest groups - this is just basic Economics and Political Science 101. It鈥檚 a basic truth of politics that the few defeat the many with regularity.鈥澨
Yet, she carries on. 鈥淭he battles you need to fight are those where you can鈥檛 count on sleeping if you failed to try. There鈥檚 a big difference between trying but failing and failing to try. The ability to sleep at night lies in the balance between the two,鈥 she says. 听
Professor Brower encourages her students to speak up and get involved in the rough and tumble of change agency. 鈥淚n order to be effective citizens we need to understand politics. Politics is a competition of ideas, visions, and values. Put your vision out there, I say. State it clearly and state it strongly.鈥 听听
Professor Paul Millar, also from UC, won the Te Ap膩rangi Royal Society 2022听听Award, for distinguished service to humanities-aronui over a sustained period of time.听Read story here.
Read more:听The Little Guy鈥檚 Guide to Making a Difference
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