Tuhia tētahi tohutoro mō tēnei wāhanga - I puta a Turnbull i te Whare Wānanga o Hīnia me te tohu Paetahi o te Toi me te tohu Paetahi o te Ture, i mua i te haere ki Brasenose College, Oxford hei Kairangahau Rhodes, i whiwhi i te tohu Paetahi o te Ture Taangata. Neke atu i te rua tekau tau, i mahi ia hei kairipoata, roia, peeke kaihokohoko, me te kaituku moni whakangao. I mahi ia hei Tiamana o te Huringa Reipa o Ahitereiria mai i te 1993 ki te 2000, a ko ia tetahi o nga kaiarahi o te kaupapa "Ae" kaore i angitu i te pooti pooti a te motu i te tau 1999
He aha? I pootihia ia ki te Whare Paremata o Ahitereiria mo te wehenga o Wentworth i New South Wales i te pooti 2004, a ko ia te Minita mo te Taiao me te Wai i raro i a John Howard mai i te Hanuere 2007 tae noa ki te Tihema 2007.