Advisory panel appointments confirmed

Appointments to three community-based advisory panels have been approved by Auckland Council’s governing body.

Members of the Ethnic Peoples, Pacific Peoples and Seniors panels will meet together next week (13 May) for an initial briefing.

The panels are designed to provide the council with strategic “big picture” intelligence on issues important to diverse groups, and advise on effective engagement.

The council received 140 applications and a total of 30 positions have been confirmed – 11 each for the Ethnic Peoples and Pacific Peoples panels and eight for the Seniors panel.

They were selected for having good knowledge of their communities, experience with governance and advisory roles, and an understanding of council’s future direction as envisioned in the Auckland Plan.

“It was a robust process which has produced three high-quality panels,” said Grant Taylor, Auckland Council governance director. “We were greatly appreciative of the motivation and enthusiasm of all candidates.”

Each panel is joined by a liaison councillor – Councillor Denise Krum (Ethnic Peoples), Councillor Arthur Anae (Pacific Peoples) and Councillor Cathy Casey (Seniors).

The panellists’ term will end a month before the next council elections in 2016.

Ethnic Peoples Panel:

Feroz Ali (interim chair), managing director, New Zealand Career College

Carlos Abdelrahman, community engagement coordinator, NZ Aids Foundation

Asoka Basnayake, senior advisor, Tertiary Education Commission, Manukau

Naoe Hashimoto, executive assistant, efu Investment Limited

Anita Keestra, managing director, lecturer/business trainer

Yee Yang 'Square' Lee, company director, WhySquare Limited

Angela Lim, medical student, deputy chair Manukau Counties DHB Community Panel

Kafeba Mundele, chair of the New Zealand National Refugee Network

Dave Tomu, sales consultant

Liu Shueng Wong, director, Intercultural Works Limited

Christian Dee Yao, research and teaching fellow, Massey University

Pacific Peoples Panel:

Sina Aiolupotea-Aiono (interim chair), manager, Pasifika Development, Manukau Institute of Technology

Reece Autagavaia, barrister and solicitor

Ava Fa’amoe, former member, Otara-Papatoetoe Local Board

Tevita Funaki, chief executive, West Fono Health Trust

Tevita Finau, church minister

Sefita Hao’uli, self-employed advisor

Ofeina Langi, community advisor, Department Internal Affairs

Afa Manoa, governance consultant

Richard Pamatatau, programme leader, AUT University

Samuelu Sefuiva, company director

Leilani Tamu, freelance writer

Seniors Panel:

Margaret Devlin (interim chair), former Family Violence Coordinator, Waitemata District Health Board

Judy Blakey, former research officer, Massey University School of Psychology

Janet Clews, company director, West Auckland Trust Services, former long-serving local body politician in west Auckland

Roger Fowler, community centre manager

Joan Lardner-Rivlin, community volunteer

Sonny Niha, vice-chair person, of roopu kaumaatua/kuia of the Whanau O Waipareira

Richard Northey, former Member of Parliament and long-serving Auckland councillor

Russell Rigby, chaplain

Ends

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