Geoffrey WILSON Obituary

Geoff Wilson - A legend and inspiration
When I think of Geoff - which is fairly frequently lots of things come to mind.
I consider Geoff an early mentor in my career. For me he is/was a consummate old school public servant that is highly professional, thoughtful, deeply committed to serving the public and working hard to implement government policy of the day. He was deeply committed to workplace safety and injury prevention. For me he is an unsung hero. Geoff was focussed on getting things done, while understanding the importance of a strategic view. I will miss Geoff.
Geoff was in many ways responsible for enabling me to undertake my university studies starting with the Diploma in Safety Management, which eventually led to getting a PhD in Social Science on the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992. I was a wet behind the ears Factory Inspector in my early 20s, I was lucky to get probably one of the last Public Service Scholarships, which were made available as part of the original Worksafe restructure in the old Dept Labour. Geoff was Dept Chief Factory Inspector, (Chris Hampton, Chief), and was integral to those early efforts to modernise the Factory Inspectorate.
Geoff has always been a champion for workplace safety and injury prevention in general. I saw this championship aspect most clearly when I had the pleasure of working with Geoff in the NZ Injury Prevention Secretariat, where I wrote the first NZIPS Outcomes Monitoring Report, and then leading a succession of Cost of Injury Studies and associated work. Geoff knew there was a limited window of opportunity and we had to take the moment to put `pegs in ground´. Geoff truly deserved his place in the Safeguard New Zealand Workplace Health and Safety Hall of Fame.
Thank you Geoff for being an important part of my work life and helping to show me what a true public servant looks like, and your lifelong commitment to workplace health and safety - A Legend.

Thank you Geoff for your more than 25 years of friendship and wise council. A man of huge integrity whose contribution to the health safety and welfare of workers cannot be overstated. Sincere sympathies to Rose and family. Love Lyn and Peter Heaphy.

Very sad to read of Geoff's passing. Geoff was one of my managers at the Dept of Labour and in OSH. He was always geniune and a good leader.