Environment Judge Brian Dwyer (Chairperson)
Judge Dwyer was appointed to the Environment Court on 1 September 2006. He has presided over numerous cases, both in Wellington and throughout the country.
Judge Dwyer was admitted to the bar in 1973 and is based in the Wellington Registry of the Court. Prior to his appointment, he was the Marlborough District Law Society's President from 1990 to 1991. He also served on the Marlborough Health Trust, St Mary's School Board of Trustees and on the Marlborough Rugby Football Union Executive. As counsel to the Marlborough District Council since 1992, his work involved him in all aspects of resource management practice. He has also been an independent hearings commissioner for local authorities in Kaikoura, Nelson and Marlborough.
Judge Dwyer was the chairperson of the board of inquiry for the NZTA Plan Change request.
Environment Commissioner Russell Howie
Russell Howie was appointed an Environment Commissioner in July 2001. He holds the degree of Bachelor of Civil Engineering from Canterbury University, and is a Fellow of the Institution of Professional Engineers. He has been an independent RMA commissioner on many occasions for the Wellington Regional Council and for the Wellington, Porirua, Hutt and Upper Hutt City Councils.
Russell was the Environmental Manager for the Electricity Corporation of New Zealand and before that he was the Deputy Director of Water and Soil Conservation for the National Water and Soil Conservation Authority. He has been involved in the design and construction of highways, dams, irrigation schemes, flood control schemes, drainage schemes and in the allocation of water resources. He is a past president of the New Zealand Society of Large Dams and has been the Project Manager for the Strengthening of the Matahina Dam.
Russell was a member of the board of inquiry for the NZTA Plan Change request.
David McMahon
David McMahon holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Regional and Resource Planning from Otago University. He is an Accredited Independent Hearing Commissioner and resource management consultant with particular expertise in statutory planning and process. He has been a commissioner on a large number of plan change and resource consent hearings Wellington, the wider lower North Island area and in the South Island, as the sole commissioner and on a hearings panel. His commissioner appointments in Wellington City include the Overseas Passenger Terminal, the West Wind Wind farm and the Mill Creek Wind farm. He has also prepared expert evidence for district and regional plans, resource consent and Notice of Requirement hearings, including a number of infrastructure projects for public and private utility companies.
David was a member of the board of inquiry for the NZTA Plan Change request.
David Mitchell
David Mitchell is a Director of Traffic and Transportation Engineers Ltd in Auckland and is a member of the Institute of Professional Engineers of New Zealand (IPENZ) and the IPENZ Transportation Group. He has formerly held senior positions in traffic and roading engineering in a variety of engineering consultancies in New Zealand, particularly in the Auckland region. David has significant project management and design experience and has worked in key positions on engineering projects that have included motorway, expressway, state highway and arterial road development, with a particular focus on traffic safety and integration of all transport modes. David’s RMA experience includes providing transportation commentary for over 800 resource consent applications on behalf of Auckland local authorities and appearing as an expert witness in the Environment Court. He has completed the Making Good Decisions programme and is an accredited hearing commissioner.
David was a member of the board of inquiry for the NZTA Plan Change request.
Glenice Paine
Glenice Paine is of Te Atiawa and Ngai Tahu descent. She has RMA experience as Te Atiawa Resource Manager and is an accredited decision maker. She has standing in the local community and strong understanding of tikanga Māori, community and conservation values. She has a good understanding of RMA regulatory processes. Glenice was a member of the special tribunal considering the application by Fish and Game for an amendment to the Buller Water Conservation Order and has been a member of the Nelson/Marlborough Conservation Board for the past five years. Glenice was a member of the Board appointed to hear and decide on the Contact Energy Ltd Tauhara II geothermal development proposal and was on the Board for the call-in of the Te Mihi geothermal power station proposal. She is also a member of Ngā Kaihautū Tikanga Taiao (Māori Advisory Committee to the Environmental Protection Authority).
Glenice was a member of the board of inquiry for the NZTA Plan Change request.
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