Andrew C. Locke

Andrew Cameron Locke is an Australian business director, investor, entrepreneur, software programmer and champion sailor. Locke originally established his reputation as managing director of Able Computing in Papua New Guinea and recently in Fiji and Australia. He has expanded his business interests into Australia through shopping centre retail establishments, warehousing/distribution and online business plus into the Philippines with full ownership in the Marand group of companies that are hoteliers, construct high rise and low rise buildings and manage student accommodation facilities.

Early life
Locke was born at Parramatta NSW, Australia in 1962 to parents Stanley and Christina Locke both Scottish Migrants who settled in Australia in 1951 from Hong Kong.

His father, Stanley Benjamin Locke, was born in Newton Stewart, Scotland on July 16, 1925., he was an apprenticed boiler maker but his career was cut short by the war. At age 17 he served as a British Commando with the 3rd Commando Brigade, Number 4 troop of number 1 Commando in Burma during WW2. At 19 years old, and a sergeant, he took part in the Battle of Hill 170 where his 24-man troop was overrun by over 300 Japanese soldiers. In recognition of the battle, the commandos were awarded the battle honour Kangaw. The men of 3rd Commando Brigade were awarded a number of decorations for gallantry, which included a posthumous Victoria Cross for Lieutenant George Arthur Knowland No. 4 Troop, No.1 Commando. A week after the Japanese surrender, he was sent to Nagasaki to assist in the cleanup before sailing to Hong Kong for the reoccupation. He demobbed in 1948 and found work with British Customs.

Andrew's mother, Christina Joyce Locke nee Brown, was born in Hong Kong on July 16, 1929, she is the second daughter of John William McIntyre Brown (Born Paisley, a suburb of Edinburgh Scotland, 1st Jan 1900, died 31 October 1970, Sydney), and Edith Brown ne Copeland. Eva is the daughter of an Australian nurse, Annie Strainfield and a British sea Captain, William Charles Webb worked with the British East India company. John Brown arrived in Hong Kong during WW1 as a British navy submarine radioman. It is said that John aka Jack owned the first motor bike in Hong Kong. In 1939, Jack was the senior revenue officer for Hong Kong customs. On the 25th of December 1941 he was captured by the Japanese and interned into the Sham Shui Po Barracks for the duration of the war. With the outbreak of hostilities in China in 1936 all white women were evacuated in 1940, the Brown women went to the Philippines initially before settling in Sydney. After the war, the Browns went to Scotland initially before returning to Hong Kong in 1947. On returning to Hong Kong, Christina met Stanley Locke, they were married on 4 March 1950. Stanley was DE mobbed in 1948. The Locke's settled in Australia in 1951.

Andrew Locke spent his early and teenage years in Blacktown NSW, playing soccer for the Blacktown Spartans and Rugby league with Doonside RLFC. He was the junior golf champion at Ashlar Golf Club in 1979 and 1980.

In 1977 Andrew Locke completed grade 10 at Doonside High School.

In 1978 he received a scholarship with the Dept. of Civil Aviation (DCA), he completed his radio trainee ship in 1981 and graduated with a diploma in electronics and communications from the North Sydney Institute of TAFE in 1981.

In 1982 he attended the NSW University undertaking a degree in Electrical engineering.

In 1985 he was seconded to the Dept of Civil Aviation in Papua New Guinea as a senior technical instructor at the Department of Civil Aviation's Training College in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. Locke was head instructor of the civil aviation training college from 1986 to 1988.

In 1988 he was employed by Wang computers in Port Moresby, PNG as a computer hardware engineer. In 1990 he took over Wang's software division and became lead programmer and systems analyst.

In 1993 he started his first of many business ventures, refer to business ventures for more information.

Business ventures
Locke and Marijun started their first business named, Computer Spot, in 1993 in Port Moresby and acquired Able computing from Pacific Industries in 1996, they merged both companies in 2000 to operate under the Able Computing name. They opened branch offices in Lae, Goroka, Madang, Kimbe, Kokopo, Alotau and Mt Hagen over the coming years. In 2013 they opened a branch of Able Computing in Suva, Fiji followed by two more stores in Lautoka and Nadi in 2014. In 2013 they opened a retail store in Richlands Queensland, Australia. In 2013 the stores in Fiji and PNG were re-branded to Able home and office.

Able Computing is still going strong after 38 years in business.

The company has the largest number of payroll clients in PNG, with over 23,000 users on the Able Payroll system and has the largest range of inhouse developed accounting, retail and biometric software solutions.

Other investments and developments include the Marand resort and spa in Bauang, La Union Philippines. The resort includes a 3 star hotel, 2 function halls, spa, water slides, pools, gym and restaurant. The inhouse designed and developed Villa Marand, which is a two-stage town house and lot development of 200 town houses at Bauang, La Union Philippines. The Marand beach resort in Bauang, La Union Philippines, which is a 24 room resort on the beach. Marand El Nido, In Palawan, Philippines, which is a resort and land development project located on the beach. The Marand Haus Port Moresby, PNG, completed 2019, which is a 4 story commercial building of over 5,000 sq mtrs. Able Computing building Madang, PNG, completed 2023 which is a 2 story commercial building. Able Computing building Lae, PNG, completed 2003 which is a 2 story commercial building.

They completed a high rise building in Baguio, Philippines in 2012 and currently operate their Marand Nest student accommodation business from this 9 story building. They have completed numerous house and lot projects in Australia.

In 2016 Able home and office opened 13 stores in Queensland as part of their expansion internationally. This expansion saw the company diversify into white and brown goods. Able Computing joined up with the buying group Bi-Rite to gain access to the white goods and small appliances industry. In 2018 the venture failed with losses exceeding A$1.5 million. The key issue being the lack of financial support from the parent company caused by the foreign exchange issues in Papua New Guinea that restrict business houses in PNG from sending money, this resulted in the Australian venture being in a situation where continuing trading without the planned support would have led to insolvency. Able computing Australia avoided insolvency, fully paid its debtors and continues to trade albeit as an export business only.

The associated companies employed in excess of 300 staff.

Sporting
Locke was a junior golfing champion and represented his local club as the head of his pennants team.

Locke is a keen and accomplished sailor. He was introduced to sailing when he moved to Cronulla, NSW in 1980. It was only after moving to PNG that he sailed yachts.

He competed in the 1985 and 1987 Sydney to Hobart, Sydney to Coffs Harbours 1986, Cairns to Port Moresby 1987, 1988 and 1992 and Brisbane to Gladstone 2011 and 2012 yacht races. Locke represented PNG in the 1991 and 2003 South Pacific games Hobie 16 sailing team, winning a team 2nd and 3rd place respectively. He has competed in three Hobie 16 world titles and finished a high of third place in Fiji in 2007. He has numerous podium finishes in past Philippines Hobie Challenges.

He was president of the Papua New Guinea yachting association from 1991 until 1997. During this time he raised funding from the IYRU for over $US30,000 and arranged for the celebrity international coach, Lex Bertrand, to conduct high quality sail training in PNG. He has sailed over 25,000 nms in his lifetime.

He had the honour to carry the batton for the 2006 Melbourne commonwealth games in Port Moresby, PNG.

In 2007 he obtained a recreation aviation pilots licence from free flying at Redcliffe, QLD. He continues to fly light aircraft.

He is an avid Hobie cat sailor and up to 2021 was still competing in club events and state and national championships. He has been the past national champion sailor of the Philippines, Papua New Guinea and Fiji.

From 2018 until 2023 he sailed over 12,000 nms on the Mediterranean Sea onboard his Alibi 54 sailing catamaran.

Philanthropy
The Locke's are past financial supporters of the efforts of the Salvation Army at Inala, Queensland.



Through the Able Computing business in Papua New Guinea they have donated to well over 1000 entities since the year 2000 including; primary and secondary schools, universities, sporting clubs, not for profit organisations, sporting events. Many of these can be seen on their companies Able Computing FB page feed.

They have established the Locke foundation in the Philippines to fund high achieving students to attend university.

In 2021 Marijun and Andrew Locke, through their Locke foundation completed a community non-denominational church and transferred ownership of the property to the church.