Expert panel

Ian Gordon (Chair)

Ian Gordon is a Wellington-based barrister focussing on resources and environment law. He has extensive trial, advisory and dispute resolution experience from over 35 years of practice. His experience includes assisting Boards of Inquiry and parties on infrastructure projects and on the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement.

He successfully led the Waitangi Wharf Upgrade Project on Chatham Islands for a Crown entity. He represented a Korowai of Elders on the appeals against consents to abandon the MV Rena on Astrolabe Reef (Otaiti) and the successful appellants in Bunker& Rouse v QLDC in respect of a zoning appeal for substitute grievance land at Wanaka (Sticky Forest).

Ian chaired two expert panels under the COVID-19 Recovery (Fast-track Consenting) Act 2020 and advised another nine. He chaired the expert panel on the Southland Windfarm Project in 2025/26.

Ian has been engaged by the Ministry of Justice to assist the High Court as amicus on appeals from panel decisions under the 2020 Act.

As an advocate, Ian’s experience includes all aspects of project consenting and appeals, and representation in consent and plan change hearings before Councils, the Environment Court, High Court, and Court of Appeal.

Vaughan Smith

Vaughan Smith is an experienced sole practitioner resource management consultant with dual qualifications in planning and civil engineering. During his 20-year planning career he has specialised in the preparation of resource consent applications and applications for private plan changes, primarily for large-scale commercial and mixed-use developments. In this role he has also appeared before council hearing panels, and the Environment Court and High Court. He is an accredited independent hearing commissioner and has been a panel member for Auckland Council hearings since 2017.

Prior to qualifying as a planner, Vaughan worked as a consultant civil engineer, and in the construction and development sectors of the property industry.

Philip Brown

Philip Brown is a planner with over 30 years’ experience in both the private and public sectors and is a full member of the New Zealand Planning Institute. He has worked for the last 15 years as a director in a planning consultancy. Philip is also an accredited commissioner and has been appointed to the Auckland Council’s pool of independent hearings commissioners and undertakes functions in that capacity on a regular basis.

Philip’s professional experience has encompassed a full range of planning and resource management matters, including district plan development and the preparation and assessment of resource consent applications, notices of requirement for designations, and applications under Fast-track consenting legislation.