Greg came to Council with a strong interest in the natural environment and through this commitment became Chairman of the Lake Macquarie Estuary Management Committee and the Lake Macquarie Project Management Committee, both aimed at better managing and restoring what had become a stressed lake. Other roles included directorship on the Hunter Waste Planning and Management Board and subsequently the Chairman of Hunter Integrated Resources, a company formed by the four Lower Hunter Councils to develop and implement an alternate system to landfill for municipal waste.

Greg has been involved in many areas of Council responsibilities over his time as a Councillor and is regarded as being very accessible on any council matter, a quality he values and tries to maintain.

As Mayor, Greg has an understanding of the significant and wide ranging demands on the council of a rapidly growing city. He is acutely aware of the need to balance this development pressure with the protection of the natural environment and the relaxed nature of Lake Macquarie.

It was his view of the values of Lake Macquarie and the threats it faces that led him to contest and win the NSW seat of Lake Macquarie, which includes the western part of the city of Lake Macquarie and the beautiful rural areas of Wyong Shire west of the F3 Freeway.

A pivotal issue in Greg's decision to contest the election was the NSW Government's failure to act to protect the area from the proposed Awaba open cut coal mine, which would have been within 10km of 75,000 residents. Greg sees his dual role of Mayor and MP as great opportunity to achieve more for the area. The two roles have a crossover of interest and responsibility on many important issues.

Inadequate services and infrastructure within the electorate is an issue that Greg has dealt with through Council and carried into his role as MP. In his election campaign, among other things, he committed to working on the issues of a community hospital to serve the people of south-western Lake Macquarie, improved public transport, additional police, better provision for education and protection from the impacts of coal mining.