Rod Smith, might arguably have a mild case of graphomania, or scribomania, an obsessive urge to write, formally identified by French psychiatrist Dr Jean-Etienne Esquirol in the early 1800s. As a schoolboy watching sports fixtures Rod used to record scores and results and on one occasion came home from watching rugby at Athletic Park and set about typing a report on the game which was read by nobody but himself!  Fortunately, the condition has remained a mild variant and has been channelled into various writing tasks in his career in journalism and several departments of Government service, and then into researching and writing “Guinness Down Under”.

In 1980-81 Rod worked as executive assistant to the Minister of Justice, Hon J K McLay, with interest in the new computerised electoral roll. From that position he joined the head office of the Justice Department, and was heavily involved in establishing the counselling and support services of the new Family Court.

Further transfers saw him move to the policy section of the Ministry of Defence, training manager at the New Zealand Forest Service, training advisor in the new Ministry of Forestry, and back to the Justice Department as head office services manager.

Rod’s longest and final position was 20 years as an account manager at the Accident Compensation Corporation managing the relationship with a portfolio of large national employers focussing on levies, injury prevention, and injury management programmes.