Media release

8 December 2006

Building and Housing Chief Executive appoints advisory panel

Department of Building and Housing Chief Executive Katrina Bach today announced the appointment of a Building Advisory Panel that consists of experts in the building sector.

Ms Bach said the panel’s function is to provide independent, specialist advice to her on trends in building design, quality and performance, building technology, sustainability, urban planning and consumer issues.

It will be chaired by Don Hunn.  The other members of the panel are Peter Neven, General Manager New Zealand Building of Fletcher Construction Ltd;  Gordon Moller of Moller architects; Adam Thornton, Director of Dunning Thornton Consultants Ltd consulting engineers; Peter Neilson, Chief Executive of the New Zealand Business Council for  Sustainable Development; Mike Fox of Prime Site Homes; Professor Andy Buchanan, of the University of Canterbury’s Department of Civil Engineering; David Russell, Chief Executive of Consumers Institute; Richard Michael, Chair of the New Zealand Construction Industry Council; George Skimming, Director of Building Consents and Licensing Services for Wellington City Council; urban planning expert Ann Magee, Manager of the Chief Executive’s Office of Auckland Regional Council; and John Jarvis, Director of Logan Homes Ltd.

In making the appointments, Ms Bach said she took into account the breadth of experience, expertise and knowledge in matters affecting the building sector that members had.

“I’m delighted to have such a high calibre panel with such a broad range of expertise with which to discuss critical issues facing the sector and to draw advice from.”

The panel will also provide advice on whether the Building Act 2004 and Regulations are achieving their purpose.

Ends.