AUPIHP - Key Persons
Alan Watson is an independent hearing commissioner with experience from around New Zealand based on his professional training as a planner and resource management consultant. As a commissioner he has dealt with the full range of matters for local authorities. These include chairing the hearing of applications and submissions associated with the City Rail Link in Auckland, the Waihi gold mine and the Waikato Regional Policy Statement.
Alan served on the inaugural National Advisory Board for the "Making Good Decisions" Accreditation Scheme to upskill RMA decision-makers, and is currently a presenter for this programme. He has recently been involved in the Unitary Plan hearing process as a mediator during 2014 and 2015.
Job Titles:
- Independent Hearing Commissioner
David Hill is an Independent Hearing Commissioner and a planning and resource management consultant in Auckland. He has a strong working knowledge of RMA plan-making and consenting as a former Ministry for the Environment regional manager in Auckland and as a private sector consultant. He has extensive experience as a commissioner and panel chair determining over 300 applications under the RMA and Local Government Act, dealing with consent applications, plan development, plan changes and notices of requirement. David has recently been involved in the Unitary Plan hearing process as a mediator and facilitator, including facilitating expert groups on capacity for growth and volcanic viewshafts.
Mr Morrison is a former Auckland Councillor, during which time he was Chair of the Rural Advisory Panel and Regulatory and Bylaws Committee.
Mr Morrison also served as ward councillor for Franklin District and has extensive business experience including General Manager at New Zealand Steel/BHP New Zealand Steel.
Ms Crawford is a land use planner with wide experience in regional and district plan making, implementation and outcome evaluation. She is a trained facilitator and mediator.
Ms Crawford's past employment includes research positions at Harvard University, Massey University and The University of Waikato. Ms Crawford has been actively involved in teaching and training, particularly continuing professional development for RMA professionals. Ms Crawford is a winner of the NZ Planning Institute Distinguished Service Award.
Judge Kirkpatrick is an Environment Court Judge, having been sworn in on 3 February 2014.
Prior to his judicial appointment, he was an experienced resource management barrister, with extensive experience in consenting and planning appeals. He was also an accredited independent hearings commissioner, and chaired council hearings, including a number of high profile consent applications. He also has expert litigation experience, having appeared before consent authorities and Boards of Inquiry as well as before the Courts.
Job Titles:
- Independent Hearing Commissioner
Les Simmons is an Independent Hearing Commissioner, with previous experience as a planning and resource management consultant primarily in the Auckland region.
In forty years of planning and resource management experience as a local authority planner, consultant and decision-maker, Les has dealt with a wide range of rural and urban planning and resource management matters, and has developed a broad knowledge of planning and resource management issues across the Auckland region.
A full-time commissioner since 2006, Les has sat on and chaired panels for over 300 hearings on resource consents, plan changes and district plan reviews for a variety of councils. During 2015 he has been involved in the Unitary Plan hearing process as a mediator and facilitator.
Job Titles:
- Planning Consultant at MWH NZ Ltd
Ms Hunter is a planning consultant at MWH NZ Ltd. with extensive experience in district and regional plan development and specialist skills in structure planning, managing and staging growth and aligning infrastructure requirements.
Ms Hunter's recent work includes strategic advisor for the Hamilton City District Plan review. Ms Hunter is a former president of the New Zealand Planning Institute, a recipient of the Institute's Distinguished Service Award and an accredited independent hearings commissioner.
Mr Fuller is a barrister with experience and qualifications in resource management law, planning, environmental management, and horticultural science. He has appeared before council hearings, the Environment Court, and the High Court.
Mr Fuller is an accredited RMA Commissioner and was formerly a Strategic Policy Analyst at the Auckland Regional Council, and a project leader on the Auckland Regional Growth Strategy.
Mr Shepherd is an economist with experience in the economics of infrastructure, the pricing of infrastructure services under various forms of price regulation, public policy issues, and business strategy.
Mr Shepherd is a Director at the economic consulting firm Sapere Research Group.