Why vote for me?
You should vote for me if:
You agree that my proposed investigations concerning the Covid response should be conducted.
You judge that I am an appropriate person to lead these investigations.
Why should you want the investigations conducted?
Please judge for yourself:
Do you think there should be an honest, critical evaluation of what occurred into something as unprecedented and far-reaching as the Covid response?
Do you think we are better off knowing the lessons which could be learned, or is it better to proceed in ignorance?
Are you satisfied that awkward questions with potentially uncomfortable answers are genuinely being raised and considered in the wake of this global event?
For example, take Investigation 1 (i.e. whether there were any breaches of good risk management in the development/roll-out of the Covid vaccines). My sober challenges detailed in my presentation thankfully indicate that any shortcomings have not resulted in any safety issues with these treatments. However if there were mis-steps which could have resulted in problems being overlooked (e.g. policy decisions creating inappropriate incentives that unhelpfully corrupt the safety data relied on by health authorities), do you want these “near misses” identified and the flaws fixed? Being honest with yourself, do you expect the official inquiry to call out anything significant or to gloss over it?
Equally, consider Investigation 3 (the quality of modelling/communication). Do you think the official inquirers have a sufficient level of technical competence to judge whether modelling or communications were of an appropriate standard? Is it not in the public interest to ensure that government decisions are based on information that meets the same high standards which actuarial professionals would be expected to deliver?
My SMART investigations will ask tough but fair questions of the Covid response. These will either provide satisfying reassurance or reveal shortcomings from which we will learn lessons that benefit us all.
Why should you vote for me to lead these investigations?
I’m the right man for this job!
I am passionately motivated to pursue this - just look at how much (unrewarded) effort I have put in already.
I have the appropriate skills and resources, as demonstrated by my unique actuarial background.
I have shown that I can be trusted to deliver based on my past history of raising sober challenges to the Covid response. For evidence I would point to my presentation - I can be trusted to pursue this sensitive work in the conciliatory spirit which is needed.
Where would you find a better candidate?
My appeal to you:
If you agree the investigations are important and that I am the right person to lead them then please know that I need your help. I cannot follow through without the endorsement of my actuarial peers. Yet by giving me a democratic mandate to pursue these investigations, you empower me in three important ways:
I can creditably assert that my investigations are worthy of attention because my peers will have deliberately sanctioned this activity.
My investigations will carry legitimacy because my peers will have endorsed my credentials for carrying out this work.
My election will give me the authority to demand answers as I raise questions and enable me to persevere in my enquiries until I am satisfied with the response.
I humbly ask for your vote of confidence in the summer 2025 IFoA Council elections.