APPOINTMENTS TO THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE AND THE MINISTRY OF
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

MEDIA STATEMENT FROM THE STATE SERVICES COMMISSIONER

The State Services Commissioner, Michael Wintringham, announced two chief executive appointments today.

- Belinda Clark, who is currently the general manager of policy and planning at the Accident Compensation Corporation, has been appointed the chief executive of the Ministry of Justice and Secretary for Justice.

- Geoff Dangerfield, who is currently a Deputy Secretary to the Treasury, has been appointed the chief executive of the Ministry of Economic Development.

Ms Belinda Clark

Ms Clark has been the general manager of policy and planning at the Accident Compensation Corporation since March 1998. She was previously the director of the Office of Treaty Settlements, from 1995 to 1998. She was a senior manager at Te Puni K*kiri in the early 1990s.

Ms Clark has also been a commercial lawyer in the private sector, at Rudd Watts and Stone. As a diplomat with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in the early 1980s, she has represented New Zealand at the United Nations in New York.

Ms Clark has an LLB Hons and a BA from the University of Auckland. She has an LLM from New York University.

At ACC, as a senior manager reporting to the chief executive, Ms Clark has led policy advice to the Government on the economic and social implications of accident compensation policy, and on the overall performance of the accident compensation scheme. She has also been in charge of advice on the implementation of accident compensation through the corporation.

At the Office of Treaty Settlements, Ms Clark was at the centre of the Government's programme for settling historical claims under the Treaty of Waitangi. The Tainui and Ngai Tahu claims were settled during this period.

Mr Wintringham said Ms Clark had outstanding credentials as a policy advisor at the highest levels of government. "The chief executive of the Ministry of Justice must have the ability to understand criminal justice policy in the context of the Government's wider social objectives, and the role of public law in the New Zealand constitution.

"Ms Clark is familiar with the work of the Justice Ministry and the policy agenda that it is managing, and she has a clear grasp of policy concepts.

"She is also experienced in managing delicate negotiations on behalf of the Government.

"Ms Clark has the intelligence and drive to maker her an effective leader of the department," Mr Wintringham said.

Ms Clark will take up the appointment at the Ministry in May. She will replace Mr Colin Keating, who left the Ministry for a senior role in the private sector last year.

The Ministry of Justice has 170 fulltime staff. The annual appropriation Vote: Justice is about $156 million, including payments to Crown entities that the Ministry manages on behalf of the Government. The Ministry advises the Government on criminal justice policy and on key public law policy, including the Crown's relationship with M~ori. The Ministry includes the Chief Electoral Office and the Office of Treaty Settlements.

Mr Geoff Dangerfield

Mr Dangerfield is currently the Deputy Secretary of the Treasury in charge of the asset and liability management branch. He has been in that role since 1996. The branch, which comprises 60 people, manages the Government's foreign and domestic debt, the Government's commercial interests in Crown corporations and State-owned enterprises, and the development of the public sector financial management regime.

The branch also advises the Government on investment policy for the Crown's financial institutions. Recently, Mr Dangerfield has led the Treasury's work on the development of the proposed New Zealand superannuation fund.

Mr Dangerfield was previously the Deputy Secretary in charge of the Treasury's corporate services. Between 1993 and 1995 he worked in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet as an advisor to the Prime Minister on fiscal and economic policy, the Budget, and on Treaty settlements. In that role, he also advised on the development of the 1993 retirement income accord, which was agreed to by the main parties represented in Parliament at the time.

Mr Dangerfield has worked in the Treasury since 1985. In the late 1980s he was a manager in the industries branch. Earlier he worked in the Ministry of Works and Development.

He has a science degree and a Masters degree in resource management from the University of Canterbury.

Mr Wintringham said: "The chief executive of the Ministry of Economic Development must lead the department and also work closely alongside Ministers who are developing economic and regional development policies.

"Mr Dangerfield has an outstanding record as a senior departmental manager. He has extensive experience in working closely alongside Ministers on difficult policy questions and in providing intellectual leadership on policy.

"Further, Mr Dangerfield understands the dynamics of the New Zealand economy and New Zealand's status in the global economy."

Mr Dangerfield will take up the appointment at the Ministry on 7 May. He will replace Mr Paul Carpinter, who has been chief executive of the Ministry since 1996.

The Ministry has 800 staff. The annual appropriation, including revenue managed on behalf of the Government, is about $175 million. The Ministry advises the Government on sustainable economic development and on business and commerce policy. The Ministry includes the Government Superannuation Fund, and the Ministry of Consumer Affairs.

ENDS

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