Members of the Board
The Board has 10 members and is chaired by the Surveyor-General (an ex-officio position from within Land Information New Zealand (LINZ)).
Other members are nominated by the New Zealand Geographical Society, Federated Mountain Clubs, Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, and Local Government New Zealand. The Minister of Māori Affairs recommends two members.
The Minister for Land Information appoints two other members. The remaining member from LINZ is appointed ex-officio, and carries the responsibility for setting national hydrographic information standards.
The following are members of the Board as at 30 June 2009:
Dr Don Grant, Surveyor-General/Chairperson
ex-officio.
Dr Don Grant holds a BSc (Hons) in physics from Canterbury University, a Diploma in Surveying from Otago University and a PhD in Surveying from the University of New South Wales. Don was appointed Surveyor-General in 2005, after acting in that position for a year. He is responsible for New Zealand’s geodetic and cadastral survey systems, and also has responsibilities for electoral boundaries in addition to his role as Board Chair. In 2007 he was made a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Surveyors.
Ms Sylvia Allan
Minister for Land Information appointment.
Ms Sylvia Allan is one of New Zealand’s most experienced urban, rural and environmental planners. She has managed her own consultancy, and for 12 years headed the national planning team for a large multi-national engineering company. She is former President and a Fellow of the New Zealand Planning Institute and holds a Distinguished Service Award from that professional body. Ms Allan was first appointed to the Board in 1993 and was reappointed in 2007.
Dr Sir Tipene O’Regan
Ngāi Tahu nomination.
Dr Sir Tipene O’Regan was first appointed in 1985, becoming the Ngāi Tahu nominee in 1999. He led the Ngāi Tahu Treaty of Waitangi claims to a settlement in 1998 and was one of the four negotiators of the Māori fisheries settlements of 1989 and 1992. He has a wealth of knowledge regarding place names, and has written and lectured extensively on Māori history. Dr Sir Tipene O’Regan is currently Assistant Vice-Chancellor Māori at the University of Canterbury and Upoko of the Awarua Rūnanga of Ngāi Tahu.
Dr Wharehuia Milroy
Minister of Māori Affairs recommendation.
Dr Wharehuia Milroy is a Tuhoe kaumātua, and a current member of the Waitangi Tribunal. He was a former commissioner for the Māori Language Commission and a Professor of Māori Studies at the University of Waikato and has knowledge on cultural redress using place names for Treaty of Waitangi Settlements.
Mr David Barnes
New Zealand Federated Mountain Clubs nomination.
Mr David Barnes has been a member of clubs affiliated to Federated Mountain Clubs (FMC) for 28 years, and a member of the FMC national executive for nine years. He was a search and rescue volunteer for 26 years including two terms as district chair and a mountain safety instructor for 13 years. An avid tramper and an armchair mountaineer, he has an in-depth knowledge of New Zealand’s back-country, its exploration and recreational history, and a keen interest in Antarctic history and exploration.
Dr Kay Booth
Minister for Land Information appointment.
Dr Kay Booth is a tourism and recreation consultant with more than 20 years experience in outdoor recreation and tourism research, including 13 years as a senior lecturer in Parks, Recreation and Tourism at Lincoln University. She is a member of the New Zealand Conservation Authority and the New Zealand Walking Access Commission. She co-founded MapWorld New Zealand, a retail and services business specialising in maps, navigational equipment and related services.
Dr Apirana Mahuika
Minister of Māori Affairs recommendation
Dr Apirana Mahuika is the Chairman of Te Rünanga o Ngäti Porou. He attended Te Aute College and Auckland University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts. He was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II postgraduate scholarship and went to Sydney University to gain his Master of Arts. He is a licensed interpreter in Te Reo Māori. He received a New Zealand Historic Places Trust Heritage Award in 2005 for his commitment to the preservation and protection of historic places.
Professor Michael Roche
New Zealand Geographical Society nomination
Professor Michael Roche is a historical geographer with over 30 years research and writing experience mainly related to cultural landscapes of rural New Zealand, including a particular interest in place names. He is a Professor of Geography at the School of People, Environment and Planning at Massey University. He completed his PhD at the University of Canterbury and is a Life Member of the New Zealand Geographical Society. He is currently one of the editors of the New Zealand Geographer, and an editorial board member of the Journal of New Zealand Studies.
Mr Geoff Howard
Land Information New Zealand, ex-officio
Mr Geoff Howard joined the Board in 2009 as the LINZ official responsible for hydrographic information standards. He is the current operational manager responsible for hydrographic surveying and charting. He is very familiar with the process around existing undersea names and the use of current hydrographic names on charts. He brings knowledge and understanding of the Board's processes and knowledge and experience of topographic names as used on maps.
Local Government New Zealand nomination
Not appointed as at 30 June 2009.
