Before entering politics, Catchpole worked first as an accountant and then as a marketing director for a tourism company.
He was his party's spokesperson on Communications & IT, Environment, Biosecurity, Internal Affairs, and Tourism portfolios.
[5] In 2007 he was elected to the Papakura District Council in the Ardmore ward.
He had also contested the Papakura mayoralty that year, but placed third behind Calum Penrose, who was successful, and the incumbent John Robertson.
[6] In the 2010 local body elections, he stood for the Papakura Local Board and the Counties Manukau District Health Board.