Bob has over 25 years’ experience in the field of applied water resource research including hydrology, hydrogeology and the biophysical sciences.

Throughout his career, he has shown an exceptional ability to work with diverse stakeholders in the implementation of innovative solutions to water management issues.

Through his stakeholder consultation and leadership skills, he has developed ‘first of their kind’ catchment scale aquifer restoration projects in North America and Australasia. In the Pacific Northwest (USA), he led the first managed aquifer recharge (MAR) ground water replenishment programme aimed at restoring aquifer levels and riverine base flows for the recovery of critically endangered salmonids. In 2006, he was aco-recipient of the Watershed Management Council’s national Walter C. Loudermilk Award (USA) for helping to restore riverine base flows using MAR to one of American Rivers top 10 most endangered rivers.

Since moving his family to New Zealand and becoming a citizen, Bob has spearheaded the development of several nationally recognised MAR pilot testing programmes in both the North Island (Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay) and the South Island (Canterbury and Southland). These New Zealand projects are the first of their kind in developing groundwater replenishment schemes, which incorporate an integrated and systems thinking approach to utilising natural catchment features to capture and store water. Through sustainably managed groundwater supplies, this approach seeks to improve water quantity and in some cases water quality while working to restore, protect and preserve environmental, social and cultural values.

Rachel’s involvement with urban design critique and review includes the Auckland City and former Manukau City Urban Design Panels, and the Panuku Development Auckland (formerly Sea+City and then Waterfront Auckland) Technical Advisory Group, of which she remains one of the founding members.  She is currently Co-convenor for the AUDP.

She is a landscape architect and director at Boffa Miskell Ltd, an employee owned, New Zealand-based multi-disciplinary consultancy in planning, landscape architecture, urban design, ecology, biosecurity and cultural advisory.

Antony graduated from the University of Canterbury in 1970 with a Bachelor of Science degree, with honours, with a special interest in nuclear physics. After graduating he worked initially as a trainee computer programmer and within five years headed up a staff of 25 who implemented one of the first real time computer networks connecting branches from Auckland to Invercargill. He then left this and ran a sheep farm in Chertsey for 13 years while also building up a property portfolio. 

In 2014 Antony was awarded an honouree doctorate in Commerce by the University Of Canterbury for his work in rebuilding Christchurch after the earthquakes.

In August 2013, Antony’s $140 million re-development project centred on his former Oxford Terrace precinct began. The Terrace project, a CBD’s major rebuild project, has transformed the iconic site bounded by Oxford Terrace, Cashel Mall and Hereford Street into a dynamic hub of retailers, hospitality providers, office space, and car-parking. Laneways, courtyards and roofed terraces connect the buildings and central courtyard with the different elements of the development, providing generous public spaces within the development.

The Terrace combines the best of global urban design with the unique features of Christchurch to deliver a village development that will be a landmark in the city for the next 100 years

Judy  is Senior Research Fellow, New Zealand Climate Change Research Institute, Victoria University of Wellington. Judy’s research focuses on climate change adaptation, decision making under uncertainty, and related institutional issues that support adaptation action. Judy leads development of Dynamic Adaptive Policy Pathways (DAPP) planning and its application in New Zealand. She co-chaired the New Zealand Climate Change Adaptation Technical Working Group advising the Minister of Climate Change Issues on adapting to climate change 2016-2018. Judy co-authored the Ministry for the Environment national Coastal Hazards and Climate Change Guidance 2017 and is currently Co- Lead Author for the Australasia Chapter of the IPCC Sixth Assessment. 

Arapata is the current Chair Te Ngāi Tūāhuriri Rūnanga, Tuahiwi Marae Trustee and represents Ngāi Tūāhuriri on the Ashburton, Christchurch West – Melton and Waimakariri water zone committees and has chaired the Christchurch – West Melton committee for the past four years. In 2005 he started work with Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu as the Team Leader for Whakapapa Ngāi Tahu and has been managing the team for the past eight years.

Having grown up and still residing in Tuahiwi, Arapata has a strong understanding of the Ngāi Tūāhuriri history, values and whakapapa. Traits that have guided him in his many various roles, including the formative years of Matapopore Trust. A trust established under the mandate of Ngāi Tūāhuriri to work alongside CERA during the rebuilding of Christchurch. His work with the Endangered Species Recover Group for Kiwi was acknowledged by both the Department of Conservation and Kiwis for Kiwi last year when he received the Mana Tiaki award for leadership in Kaitiakitanga. 

Bret was editor of the NSW Law Reports 2006 – 2018 and was a member of the NSW Health Clinical Ethics Advisory Panel 2003 - 2012. He has been a Director on the Board of the Sydney Writers' Festival 2000 - 2012. He was a foundation fellow of the Australian Academy of Law since 2007, and a member of the Uniform Legal Services Council since 2014.

He was governor of the Law Foundation of NSW from 1996 to 2007, and has been a Commissioner or Special Commissioner of Inquiry on a number of occasions including: 

• a Special Commission of Inquiry into Sydney Ferries Corporation in 2007
  
• an Inquiry into Campbelltown and Camden Hospitals 2003 2004
  

Most recently Bret was the Commissioner for the South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Royal Commission.  The purpose of the Royal Commission was to investigate the operations and effectiveness of the Murray-Darling Basin system.

The report from the Royal Commission was released on 29 January 2019 and canvasses (broadly) the history of human interactions (including Aboriginal interactions) with the waterways in the Basin, the legislative framework for the use and protection of those waterways and the plans generated under the Water Act, how those plans have operated in practice and whether the outcomes accord with what the legislation intended, aspirationally or otherwise.

The report highlights the importance of listening to and respecting the insights of indigenous communities who identify with the waterways in the Basin, and of the need to recognise the probable impacts of climate change on the future uses of those waterways.

These topics will resonate with New Zealand practitioners of Resource Management Law and the report provides insights that may be applicable to the issues of governance, compliance and enforcement which we all grapple with, including the important issue of transparency.