On 26 August 2020, the panel convener appointed the panel to decide the application. The panel consists of:

Judge Newhook (Chair)

Judge Laurie Newhook will chair the panel for the Matawii water storage reservoir application.

Judge Newhook was head of the New Zealand Environment Court from August 2011 until his retirement in July 2020, and a Judge of the Court from 2001.

Read Judge Newhook's full biography

Kevin Prime (member)

Kevin has been a farmer and forester in Motatau (Northland) for the last 40 years and for a similar period of time has been a hobbyist beekeeper.

During the last 20 years or so he has been very much involved in community matters with marae committees, Māori committees, runanga, Māori development, school boards of trustees, charitable trusts, health trusts, community trusts, forest trusts, forest companies, health companies, health boards, and conservation boards at local, regional and national levels.

He has also served on Ministerial Advisory groups pertaining to health, forestry, conservation, Māori affairs, environment, crown research institutes, lands, and sport. In 2018, Kevin was re-appointed as an Environment Commissioner for two years and in 2020 was re-appointed for a further three years. Kevin has completed the LEADR mediation workshop.

Robert van Voorthuysen (member)

Rob has acted as an independent RMA hearing commissioner on over 300 occasions on regional policy statements, regional plans, district plans, notices of requirement and consent applications.

He initially trained as an engineer, specialising in water and soil and coastal management, and later gained a Masters of Public Policy. 

Initially working for the former Ministry of Works, he moved into policy, planning and management roles for the Department of Conservation and the Waikato and Hawke’s Bay regional councils before commencing practice as a consultant in 1998.

Russell Howie (member)

Russell was appointed an Environment Commissioner in July 2001 and was re-appointed in June 2013 for a further 5-year term. 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 Commissioner under the RMA on many occasions for the Wellington Regional Council and for the Wellington, Porirua, Hutt and Upper Hutt City Councils. He 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 and drainage schemes and in the allocation of water resources. He is a past president of the New Zealand Society of Large Dams and was recently the Project Manager for the Strengthening of the Matahina Dam.

In 2019, Russell was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to environmental resource management. Russell has completed the LEADR mediation workshop.

Register of interests

The register records all relevant panel member's interests and is updated when necessary throughout the consenting process. 

View the register of interest updated on 31 August 2020 (PDF, 228KB)