Biosecurity Ministerial Advisory Committee Members Biographies
Biographies of committee members
Compiled by MAF’s Biosecurity System Oversight Group
February 2009
Professor Mick Clout (Chair)
Professor Mick Clout
Mick Clout is Professor of Conservation Ecology and Director of the Centre for Biodiversity and Biosecurity at the University of Auckland. He served on the previous New Zealand Biosecurity Council and was the founding Chair of the SSC/IUCN Invasive Species Specialist Group, through which he is involved in a wide range of international biosecurity initiatives to prevent, eradicate and manage invasive species. Before joining the staff of the University of Auckland in 1993, Mick Clout was Research Manager and Acting Director (Protected Species) at the Department of Conservation. Prior to that (from 1977 to 1989) he was a scientist with Ecology Division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) at Nelson, New Zealand. Professor Clout is a vertebrate ecologist and has worked extensively on the behaviour and control of brushtail possums and the conservation biology of native birds that are threatened by introduced pests.
Dr Barbara Hayden (Deputy Chair)
Dr Barbara Hayden
Dr Barbara Hayden is a principal scientist in marine biosecurity and sustainable aquaculture at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd (NIWA). She co-leads NIWA’s National Centre for Aquatic Biodiversity and Biosecurity and National Centre for Coasts and Oceans. She is also a member of IUCN’s Invasive Species Specialist Group.
Barbara has experience in the development of policy including import health standards under the Biosecurity Act and has been involved in biosecurity research since 1987 when she established the New Zealand Ballast Water Working Group. She has presented numerous conference papers and seminars at national and international forums and has written over 100 publications, including papers in scientific literature, client reports and articles in popular journals and magazines. Dr Hayden has links with international marine biosecurity agencies such as the United States Coast Guard, the US Navy and Globallast as well as biosecurity scientists in a wide range of countries.
Barbara brings to the Committee knowledge of marine biosecurity research (national and international) and understanding of the perspectives of stakeholder groups, such as the shipping and seafood industries. Dr Hayden has a Bachelor of Technology (Honours) (Food Tech.) from Massey University and a PhD in marine science from the University of Otago.
John Aspinall
John Aspinall
John Aspinall is a third generation high country farmer who has owned and operated Mount Aspiring Station since 1976. He is also a board member of the Walking Access Commission. He has been active in Federated Farmers since 1986 and was a member of its national board from 1999 to 2005.
He is also active in conservation matters. He is the chair of the Hieracium Control Trust, a member and lead negotiator of the Lakes Landcare Group, a trustee of the Mid Dome Wilding Trees Charitable Trust and a member of the governance council of the Sustainable Land Use Research Initiative. He was a member of the Otago Conservation Board and its planning committee from 1990 to 1998, a member of the New Zealand delegation to 4th preparatory workshop for the Johannesburg Summit on sustainable development in Bali 2002, and a member of the New Zealand delegation to Mexico in 2001.
Mr Aspinall holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Science (1st class Honours) majoring in Animal Science and Farm Management from Lincoln University.
Basil Chamberlain
Basil Chamberlain
Basil Chamberlain is Chief Executive of the Taranaki Regional Council. He has considerable involvement in a range of capacities at a national level, mainly in the fields of resource management and biosecurity. He was a member of the Biosecurity Council, chair of the Pest Management Strategy Advisory Committee, member of the Ministerial Reference Group for the Review of Resource Management Act 1991, chair of the Local Government New Zealand Resource Management Act Improvement Project Team, member of the Controller and Auditor-General’s Local Government Advisory Group, member of the New Zealand Delegation to Mexico, member and deputy chair of the Local Government New Zealand Resource Management Working Party, convener of the Southern North Island Committee, member of the National Science Strategy Committee for Sustainable Land Management, member of the New Zealand Delegation to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris, convenor of Regional Councils’ Chief Executives Group, Member of the Natural Resources User Group, chair of the Strategic Consultative Group on Sustainable Land Management Research and a member of the Landcare Research Ltd Advisory Committee. Mr Chamberlain holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) from the University of Otago.
Dr Stephen Goldson
Dr Stephen Goldson
Dr Stephen Goldson has been the Chief Scientist AgResearch since 2007. He has undertaken research into pest management for the last 28 years using biological control agents and in doing so has made a significant contribution towards the suppression of New Zealand’s exotic grassland pest species.
During the establishment and early operation of the National Centre for Advanced Bio-protection Technologies, based at Lincoln University, Dr Goldson was its deputy director. He is now the Centre’s Biosecurity Theme Leader and is a Professorial Fellow at the Lincoln University. He is continuing to work on measures to improve biosecurity as Chief Scientist for ContainerScan Ltd. ContainerScan is developing identifying sensor technology for use in shipping containers.
Dr Goldson was President of the New Zealand Plant Protection Society between 2001 and 2003 and has contributed to a number of MAF’s technical advisory groups that were established to deal with pest and disease incursions. He has been a member of several national science policy advisory groups and in 1996-97 worked as the science adviser to the then Minister of Science, Research and Technology, the Rt. Hon. Simon Upton. In 1999 he was appointed by Cabinet to the Independent Biotechnology Advisory Council. Dr Goldson is a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Agricultural Science, the Royal Entomological Society of London and a Companion of the Royal Society of New Zealand.
Dr Virginia Hope
Dr Virginia Hope
Dr Virginia Hope is a public health physician and Programme Leader for the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) at the National Centre for Biosecurity and Infectious Disease. Virginia is also an elected member of Capital and Coast District Health Board and a member of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s Southern Saltmarsh Mosquito Technical Advisory Group. Dr Hope has previously been an elected member of the Auckland District Health Board and a Biosecurity Authorised Person under the Biosecurity Act.
As the Medical Officer of Health in Auckland Dr Hope was responsible for environmental health issues. She was involved in the identification, health risk assessment and management of potential health issues in the urban aerial spray programmes for the White-Spotted Tussock, Painted Apple, and Gypsy Moth incursions in Auckland and Hamilton and in the surveillance, and management of incursions of, exotic mosquitoes posing a threat to public health.
Her interests in biosecurity centre around minimising the threats to human health. Virginia is a member of the Australasian Faculty of Public Health Medicine, the New Zealand College of Public Health Medicine, and the Royal Australian College of Medical Administrators and holds a Masters degree in Management Studies.
Jennie Langley
Jennie Langley
Jennie Langley is member of Tourism New Zealand’s board, has been an elected member of the Inbound Tour Operators’ Council since 2005 and an appointed member of the Positively Wellington Tourism Board since 2005. She is also the Independent Chair of the New Zealand Hotel Council and the Government Relations, Public Policy Advisor to Associated Brewers of Australia and New Zealand, and has been Director of JL Associates, a communications firm, since 1997.
She was a member of the Member of the New Zealand Wool Board from 1995 to 1998 and a member of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority from 1991 to 1997. In 1997 Jennie was a member of the Auckland Executive of the Instutite of Directors in New Zealand.
Jennie brings to the Committee experience as a senior manager in major corporates, professional communication skills and knowledge of the tourism industry. She holds a Diploma in Corporate Management and Governance from the University of Auckland.
Mark Leslie
Mark Leslie
Mark Leslie is a General Manager within the Manufacturing and Supply Chain business unit of Fonterra. Mr Leslie is also the Chair of the Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Research Consortium, a world leading research organisation looking for mitigation solutions for greenhouse gases produced by grazing animals.
He brings to the Committee a broad range of commercial experience in farm productivity and sustainability, dairy manufacturing, and policy development. Mr Leslie holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Honours) from Massey University and a Masters of Business Administration also from Massey University.
Stewart Milne
Stewart Milne
Stewart Milne is a self employed consultant. He was the Executive Director of the Board of Airline Representatives of New Zealand (BARNZ).
He started his career as a merchant seaman before becoming an instructor and examiner, and then a policy advisor, for the Ministry of Transport. He later became Secretary for Transport. Mr Milne is also a past president of the International Chartered Institute of Transport and is still involved with the New Zealand Institute.
Mr Milne holds a Diploma and a Master’s Certificate in Public Administration from Victoria University and was awarded a CBE for contribution to transport in 1997.
Dr Mere Roberts
Dr Mere Roberts
Dr Mere Roberts is currently a Director of ESR. From 2004 to 2008 Dr Roberts was the head of the Science Faculty at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiarangi, were she developed and taught in programmes that incorporated mātaurangaputaia (the traditional ecological knowledge of Maori) along side mainstream science. Prior to this Dr Roberts lectured in medical parasitology at the School of Medicine at the University of Auckland. Mere then transferred to the School of Environmental and Marine Sciences where she pursued her teaching and research interests in mātaurangaputaiao. Dr Roberts also has long standing interests in the ethics of science particularly in relation to novel biotechnologies such as genetically modified organisms, and has served on the Maori advisory committee to the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA). In 2003 Dr Roberts was awarded the Order of Merit New Zealand for services to Māori and to Science. Mere has tribal affiliations with Ngāti Apakura, Ngāti Hikairo and Ngāti Koroki.
Louise Rosson
Louise Rosson
Louise Rosson is an independent Resource Management Act (RMA) commissioner for RMA consents in Otago, an appointed member the Otago District Health Board and a consultant on the regional water plan for the Otago Regional Council.
Louise was president of Local Government New Zealand from 1999 to 2000 and vice-president from 1995 to 1999. While a member Local Government New Zealand Louise participated in the New Zealand Biosecurity Working Group and the Constitutional Review of the New Zealand Animal Health Board. She was an elected member of the Otago Regional Council from 1992 to 2001 and Chair from 1992 to 2001. Prior to this she was Dunedin City Councillor from 1992 to 2001. Louise was a New Zealand representative at international conferences on local government, the United Nations Development Fund for Women Conference Fourth World Congress and was a member of the New Zealand delegation to study the effects of rabbit haemorrhagic disease in South Australia.
Louise brings a public interest perspective to the Committee. Louise Rosson has Ngāi Tahu ancestry. In 2005 she was awarded an Independent Commissioner Certificate (Merit) by the Ministry for the Environment.
Peter Silcock
Peter Silcock
Peter Silcock is the Chief Executive of Horticulture New Zealand, the industry representative body for New Zealand’s 7,000 commercial fruit, vegetable, berryfruit and olive growers. He is also a member of the Ministerial Advisory Group on Trade Negotiations, is an executive member of United Fresh New Zealand and joint chair of the Horticulture/Viticulture Seasonal Labour Governance Group. He was the chair of the Plants Market Access Council for two years.
He began work in the industry in the mid 1980s. His knowledge and understanding of the commercial horticulture sector in New Zealand is considerable, and highly respected by growers, colleagues and government agencies.
Peter has represented the horticulture industry in biosecurity, market access and trade issues for 20 years.
Eugenie Sage
Eugenie Sage
Eugenie Sage is a regional councillor with Environment Canterbury. She chairs the Council's Pests and Biosecurity Portfolio Committee. Ms Sage is accredited by the Ministry for the Environment as a resource management hearing commissioner.
Eugenie was Formerly South Island field coordinator for the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society. She worked for Forest and Bird for 13 years and was active in RMA advocacy and leading successful conservation campaigns including on West Coast forests, South Island high country and water issues. Prior to this she worked as a parliamentary researcher and as a ministerial press secretary.
She brings knowledge of indigenous biodiversity, conservation and environmental management to the Biosecurity Ministerial Advisory Committee. Ms Sage holds a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts from the University of Auckland and a Diploma in Journalism from the University of Canterbury.
Page last updated: 12 August 2009