On 18 March 2026, the panel convener appointed the expert panel. The panel has the following members.
David Hill (panel chair)
David Hill is a planning professional with some 40 years' experience in both private and public sectors in NZ and the Pacific involving public policy, environmental and urban planning, and strategic resource management initiatives.
David has practised as an independent hearing commissioner since 2012. He has been a decision-maker for over 700 applications, including 300+ as chair of the hearing panel, under the Resource Management, Housing Accords and Special Housing Areas, Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf Environmental Effects, Covid-19 Recovery (Fast-track Consenting), Reserves, and Local Government Acts.
He is a recipient of the NZ Planning Institute’s Distinguished Service Award.
Michael Parsonson (member)
Michael is an environmental and planning specialist with 25 years' experience in regional and district consenting, policy, and project delivery through local government and the private sector. Michael is a full member of the New Zealand Planning Institute and a certified hearing commissioner with chair's endorsement. Michael has been a panel member on a range of district and regional consent applications, notices of requirement and plan changes since 2010. He has been a member of two Boards of Inquiry and six applications considered under the COVID-19 Recovery (Fast-track Consenting) Act 2020, and applications under the Fast Track Approvals Act 2024. Michael is a member of the Resource Management Law Association and a former board member of the International Erosion Control Association Australasia. Michael also provides trainer re-certification services to the Ministry for the Environment.
While Michael has experience across a broad range of planning and environmental matters, he has a particular focus on resource use, infrastructure and construction, including residential, commercial and industrial development, roading, wind farms, wastewater, stormwater and other industrial discharges, quarries, airports, and rail.
Dr Claire Kirman (member)
Claire is a highly experienced resource management lawyer with over 25 years in the field. From 2020 to early 2026 Claire was Special Counsel at Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities, advising on the authorisation of small through to large scale urban development and infrastructure projects for the government social housing provider.
Prior to working for government, Claire was a partner in private practice representing both government and corporate clients in the Environment and Higher Courts. During this time Claire represented the Minister for the Environment and Housing New Zealand Corporation in a total of 49 panel hearings over a 21 month period in relation to the Auckland Unitary Plan, along with 2 Court of Appeal proceedings, 24 High Court judicial reviews/appeals, and 19 Environment Court appeals.
For over 20 years Claire has been the co-author of the chapter on environmental litigation and dispute resolution for Lexis Nexis (with Justice Whata), and for over a decade she has also been on the editorial board for the Resource Management Law Journal. She was appointed by the Minister to report to the Select Committee on the systems efficiency of resource management reform (2022-2023), and as a member of the Technical Advisory Panel for the development of the National Policy Statement – Urban Development (2019-2020).
Claire has Honours degrees from Auckland University in Accounting and Finance and Law, and a PhD in Corporate Environmental Reporting from the University of Dundee, Scotland. She has also taught at Auckland University’s Business School in both Financial Reporting and Management Accounting. Recently Claire has completed level 3 Tikanga Māori at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and level 5 Te Reo Māori qualifications at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi. Claire is a certified resource management independent hearings commissioner.
Register of interests
The register records all relevant panel members' interests. It is updated, when necessary, throughout the consenting process.