Ross Wilson is deputy chairman of the government work health and safety regulator, Worksafe New Zealand.
Raised in Balclutha, of Ngai Tahu and Scottish descent, Mr Wilson studied law and politics at the University of Otago.
Now based in Wellington, he is aformer president of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions.
What was the best birthday present you ever received, and why?
Not sure if it was the best, but one I remember well was a little red Raleigh bike for my eighth birthday. A few years later, I was assigned the task of polishing it up for my brother Max's birthday. (He thought it looked pretty familiar!)
What smell do you find irresistible?
The sea. My ancestors were fishers and whalers. We had a crib at Kaka Point in my childhood and have had a bach at Waitarere Beach, Manawatu, for the past 30 years.
What's something only your family knows about you?
That my tuna pasta casserole, which guests find so tasty, is a two minute wonder with tinnedtuna and a Maggi soup as the main ingredients.
What is one strong childhood memory?
The freedom to roam. I lived in Balclutha close to the Clutha River and we swam, fished, whitebaited, and generally mucked around in it from an early age. I have fond memories of the raft we made of empty drums and poled around for miles during the 1957 floods. I was 11.
What is your message?
As New Zealanders enjoy Labour Day I ask them to reflect on the tremendous benefits which union-led action has provided in better pay and conditions, and safer and healthier work over the past 175 years. With increasing inequality in New Zealand, and the social and political instability it can bring, a renewed effort is required to build a fairer society. This is a global challenge.
