"Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Board members appointed"
The MCH Media Release is as follows:

Hon Christopher Finlayson
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage

22 May 2014
Media Statement

Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Board members appointed

Eight inaugural members have been appointed to the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Board, established by the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act 2014, Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Christopher Finlayson announced today.

“I am delighted to announce the new Board appointees,” Mr Finlayson said. “Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga will ensure continued heritage protection, remove red-tape and recognise the heritage needs of New Zealanders.”

The Act, which was given assent this week, reforms the governance of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust in line with its status as a Crown entity. It completes the government’s programme of legislative reform of the cultural sector and replaces the Historic Places Act 1993. The statutory name of the Historic Places Trust has changed to Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga.

The members of the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Board are:

Wyatt Creech is Chair of the new Board. He is a former Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand and was a Cabinet Minister for nine years. An experienced governor, he is currently chair of the NZ Fire Service Commission and deputy chair of HealthCare Holdings. He has previously served on the boards of a number of other New Zealand companies. He has long taken a personal interest in heritage issues.

Brian McGuinness is managing director of construction company LT McGuinness, which refurbished Government House and Premier House. A trained builder and quantity surveyor with an interest in heritage, he has been a trustee of the Friends of Futuna trust and St Marys of the Angels Restoration Trust. He served as a member of the Historic Places Trust board between 2011 and 2014.

Storm McVay is a barrister of the High Court, with expertise in insurance, property and risk management. Since 2010 she has been a director/executive broker of FMR Professions/Crombie Lockwood Risk Partners. She was formerly a solicitor with law firm Buddle Findlay, and a board member and president of Dress for Success.

Mary Neazor is a former chief executive of the Catholic Schools Board with considerable experience of property issues. She is a former director of the Catholic Church Underwriting Agency (CCUA), and has a long-held interest in New Zealand’s heritage and historic buildings.

John Clarke CNZM is the former Chief Executive of Ministry of Māori Affairs, Race Relations Conciliator and Human Rights Commissioner and Member of the Waitangi Tribunal. Currently consultant/contractor mediator working with a number of agencies in the public sector including the Office of Treaty Negotiations, Te Puni Kōkiri and Crown Law. He is also a former principal of Wellington High School and Community Institute.

Naida Glavish has had an extensive career in Māori health services, and as a senior Te Reo Māori teacher. She contributes to several iwi, government and community organisations as a patron, chairperson, or member. She represents the Auckland and Waitematā District Health Boards on the Tāmaki Makaurau Regional Leadership Group for Whānau Ora.

Erima Henare is chair of the Māori Language Commission, deputy chair of the Northland Polytechnic, a member of the Waitangi National Trust Board and is advisor to the Māori King and the Open Polytechnic of New Zealand. He has also been a member of Creative New Zealand, The New Zealand Arts Council, the Northland District Health Board and many other regional and national boards and committees.

Ian Athfield founded Athfield Architects in 1968. He has won international architectural competitions and been a teaching fellow at Victoria University Wellington. His main areas of interest are in protecting and enhancing the urban fabric of New Zealand, and the preservation and reuse of historic buildings.

 

Media contact: Ben Thomas 027 4943 579

Note: Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act 2014

The Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act reforms the governance of the New Zealand Historic Places Trust in line with its status as a Crown entity and streamlines the bureaucracy needed to ensure heritage protection. The statutory name of the Historic Places Trust has been changed to Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga.

The Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act 2014 replaces the Historic Places Act 1993 and streamlines the method of obtaining archaeological authorities, bringing the timeframe for consenting in line with the Resource Management Act.

It simplifies and speeds up the archaeological consenting procedure, reducing the red-tape burden on property owners while ensuring appropriate protection for heritage. It balances the important considerations of heritage protection, public safety and landowners’ rights.

The Act also brings the structure of the re-named Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga in line with its status as a Crown entity. An eight-member Board is established by Ministerial appointment. This will allow community based advocacy groups to campaign freely without the constraints of being part of a Crown entity, as had been the case under the Historic Places Trust’s local branch structure.

The existing Māori Heritage Council is retained in its current size and form. Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga will work in consultation with the council on all applications affecting sites of interest to Māori.

The Act introduces a number of measures, including an emergency archaeological authority in the wake of natural disasters such as earthquakes, to strike a sensible balance that minimises hold-ups while still protecting vulnerable heritage.

A National Historic Landmarks list will be established to set national priorities for heritage conservation and recognise the most important historic landmarks and precincts.