Ben (MEP, BRS, MNZPI) is a proud planner and family man. His wife Ailsa Cain and two children Nikau & Quinn whakapapa to Waitaha and Ngati Mamoe. Ben was born in Murupara (central north island), raised in the Hutt Valley, and is a product of Lincoln University during the late 90s/early 2000s. Ben is now settled in Queenstown. He is the owner/director of Cue Environmental Ltd, an independent planning consultancy established in 2018.

Ben is generally always available and keen to listen to you, except when he's out in the hills hunting, in the sea diving, or for much of April / May when he'll be away harvesting titi.

Ben is an accomplished planning expert familiar with all levels of planning practice. Ben has worked for Auckland Regional Council, Greater Wellington Regional Council, Connell Wagner (Christchurch), Upper & Lower Hutt City Councils, Andrew Stewart Ltd, Environment Southland, and John Edmonds & Associates. Ben spent three years working for the New Zealand Wind Energy Association promoting the uptake of renewable energy provisions in RMA policies and plans across NZ. In 2013/2014 Ben was seconded to the EPA working on consenting Projects of National Significance and implementing the EEZA. At Environment Southland Ben temporarily lead the development of the Southland Regional Policy Statement and Southland Regional Water & Land Plan Review, before moving to Queenstown in 2015. Since then, Ben has focused his work primarily on the regions policy development processes and consenting numerous urban and rural projects.

Ben maintains an excellent network of contacts throughout New Zealand's policy, planning, development and business sectors. Ben is an active volunteer and has provided numerous pro-bono planning consultancy services to a range of people and not-for profit organisations, including the New Zealand Planning Institute. Ben is a former chairman of the institutes Wellington Branch and currently sits on the editorial panel of PQ. Ben is also an Executive member of the New Zealand Resource Management Law Association.