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Board of Inquiry for the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management

Environment Minister Trevor Mallard has appointed a four-person board which will lead public consultation on the proposed National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management.
Judge David Sheppard has been appointed as chairperson and Kevin Prime, Jenni Vernon and Dr Jon Harding as board members.

Biographical information on the members of the Board of Inquiry

Judge David Sheppard (Chair) has taken part in Planning Tribunal and Environment Court decisions on many significant resource management cases. Judge Sheppard chaired the Waitaki Catchment Water Allocation Board between 2004 and 2005 and is currently chairing the Board of Inquiry for Transpower’s Upper North Island Grid Upgrade in October 2007.  He’s experience in RMA decision making, his familiarity with freshwater issues and leadership skills makes him the best candidate for the chairperson of the Board.

Kevin Prime was appointed as a part time Environment Commissioner in March 2003. As an Environment Commissioner, he is experienced in RMA decision making.  Appointed in October 2007 as a member of the Board of Inquiry considering the Transpower North Island Grid Upgrade proposal, he has recent Board of Inquiry experience.  Kevin’s tribal association is with Ngatihine, Northland. Kevin has a strong knowledge of tikanga Maori.  As a beef farmer, forester and bee keeper he has a good understanding of the rural sector. He has worked on nature conservation projects and in particular work with Landcare Trust on native pigeon recovery.  He brings expertise in tikanga Maori to the Board.

Jenni Vernon was a chairperson of Environment Waikato (Regional Council) from 2004-2007, and a councillor for 12 years (1995-2007). Jenni Vernon has a long history of work within local government and a strong understanding of Resource Management Act processes and the issues surrounding freshwater management.   She is a partner in a Waikato farm and has forestry interests giving her an understanding of the rural sector. Jenni is an accredited RMA decision maker under the Ministry for the Environment’s Making Good Decisions programme.

Dr John Harding is a lecturer in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Canterbury. His speciality is stream ecology, focusing on the impacts of human land-use activities, in particular mining.    He has provided advisory services on freshwater matters to a range of regional councils. He is a past member of the Canterbury Aoraki Conservation Board and past president of the New Zealand Limnological Society He will bring scientific and technical expertise on a wide range of freshwater management issues to the Board of Inquiry. 

For further information on the Board of Inquiry, please contact:

Administration Officer-Board of Inquiry-Water
Freepost Board of Inquiry-Water
c/o Ministry for the Environment
PO Box 10362
Wellington 6143
Email: freshwaternps@mfe.govt.nz

Phone: 0800 000035

Last updated: 22 September 2008