David Graham - Interview with QNews August 26th 2010
After four years of being part of Big Brother 2006, where he came out to millions of people, the life of Farmer Dave doesn't stop challenging him. He worked hard to become a successful businessman with his free range lamb business, he turned 30 and isolated himself at Cape York, moved to Sydney to work with dogs and has become the ambassador of RSPCA. What is really remarkable in David's life is his passion for raising awareness of issues facing those without a voice.
Q - You recently introduced the ABC's program Australian Story, about the work of the national spokesperson of PFLAG, Shelley Argent. How important is this organisation for you?
David - PFLAG work on keeping families together despite fear, homophobia and religious ideology which can come in to play and damage relationships when some people reveal their sexuality. It is a wonderful chain of loving parents wanting to ensure their children live in a better world starting from their own relationships with them. Shelley is a mother who wants her gay son to be treated as her straight son is and there is nothing that will stop her.
Q - After working hard supplying free range lamb for farmers markets around South-east Queensland you decided to work with dogs. Have they always been your passion?
David - Queenslanders were overwhelming in their support for my Free Range Lamb and my ambition to connect sustainable family farmers directly with city consumers. I had reached my goals of changing awareness with regard to humanely produced free range lamb. When I reached 30 I decided to completely re-evaluate my life and its direction. I headed off to the Cape York Aboriginal Community of Aurukun to get right away from my world and focus on helping others. It became pretty obvious that I wanted to change direction for a while and that wasn?t going to happen working non-stop at farmers markets. As I have had over 20 years experience training dogs and received an overwhelming response as one of the presenting experts at the World Dog Games at Sydney?s Olympic Park, it was pretty obvious that that was going to be my career choice.
Q - What made you move to Sydney?
David - I was after a challenge and saw a need for my skills in the city with many dogs having trouble adjusting to modern life and Sydney having the nation's largest population of men had something to do with it as well.
Q - Being someone with the country in your blood, what do you miss most about living in a farm?
David - I have struggled in the city, without the freedom, space and sense of belonging that comes with the dusty plains of my homeland, however I have kept a Breeding flock of Dorper Cross Ewes on the family farm which I return to every couple of months, so I get to gallop around on my horses, keep my kelpie fit and go for a skinny dip in the dam often enough to keep enjoying the time I am in the city.
Q - You have been ambassador for RSPCA for a month. How did that happen and what are your main responsibilities?
David ? As my humane treatment of animals work is well known, as is my passion for raising awareness of issues facing those without a voice, it was something that I have taken as a major honor. My main responsibility is to help end the abuse of animals and in particular the abhorrent growth in Puppy Factories in Australia.
Q - What are your plans for the near future?
David - I currently do in home behavior consultations and run dog training classes several days a week, as well as volunteer at the RSPCA. In the coming weeks I will be undertaking intensive training for my new role as an Urban Search and Rescue Team Leader which involves the rapid response to disasters with sniffer dogs, which is incredibly exciting and will deepen my admiration and close bond with mans best friend.
by Gabriel Fonseca
QNews http://qnews.com.au/article/q-chats-with-farmer-dave