Gina Sweetman - Chair
Gina Sweetman is an experienced planner with almost 30 years experience in local and central government and private practice. She is an accredited and experienced RMA Hearings Commissioner (Chair endorsement) and a Government - appointed Development Contribution Commissioner and Freshwater Commissioner. Her first commissioner role was on the Proposed Canterbury Regional Policy Statement. Based in Wellington, she works nationwide as a commissioner and planning consultant.
Gary Rae - Commissioner
Gary Rae is an experienced resource management practitioner. Previous roles in Canterbury include planning consultant in private practice, Area Planner for Christchurch City Council, and Regional Planner for the former Transit New Zealand. He is an accredited RMA Hearings commissioner (chair endorsement), with recent experience on district plan review panels in Dunedin City and in Selwyn District. Now based in the Nelson/Tasman region Gary undertakes commissioner roles throughout the South Island and lower North Island.
Allan Cubitt - Commissioner
Allan Cubitt is based in Dunedin and has over 30 years of experience practicing in planning and resource management matters around the South Island. He is an accredited and experienced RMA Hearings Commissioner (Chair endorsement), a Government-appointed Freshwater Commissioner, and an independent chairperson and facilitator. He has recently chaired a number of plan hearings, including the Southland Regional Policy Statement and the Hurunui District Plan.
Megen McKay - Commissioner
Megen McKay is a specialist consultant, enabling strategic partnering with mana whenua for enduring outcomes for hapū and communities generally. She has a broad-based commercial experience including law (Associate level), accounting & taxation, senior management, business development, strategic development, and operational management and performance expertise. She is an accredited Independent Hearing Commissioner, where she can contribute her legal skills and good understanding of tikanga and local hapū to enable good decision-making. Megen holds various leadership roles within her Ruahikihiki hapū community and has a reputation for delivering outcomes across various kaupapa.
Niki Mealings - Commissioner
Niki Mealings is an accredited RMA Hearings Commissioner and a second term councillor on the Waimakariri District Council for the Oxford-Ohoka Ward. In her last term, she was associate portfolio holder District Plan Development, sat on the District Planning and Regulation Committee and was a member of the Greater Christchurch Partnership committee. She holds a BCom in Management and Marketing and has lived in the district for 26 years.
Neville Atkinson - Commissioner
Neville Atkinson is an accredited RMA Hearings Commissioner. Neville has spent the past 21 years representing Kaiapoi and Tuahiwi as a Waimakariri District Councillor, three of those years as the Deputy Mayor. Neville is on the District Planning and Regulation Committee, the Waimakariri Mahi Tahi joint Committee, and the joint Greater Christchurch Partnership / Urban Development Committee. Neville sits on various committees within and outside of Council and has sat on the hearing panels for Greater Christchurch 20/50, Kaiapoi Regeneration, and Chair District Licensing plus others.