Expert panel

On 21 September 2026, the panel convener appointed the expert panel. The panel consists of:

Stephen Daysh (Chair)

Stephen Daysh has extensive environmental consulting and management experience in New Zealand, Asia and the Pacific.

His 45-year career covers working with clients in all fields of environmental planning, and in the management and co-ordination of multi-disciplinary professional service teams for major projects. His primary specialty is project management of feasibility studies, environmental investigations and permitting processes for transport, energy and infrastructure facilities, and urban developments.

Stephen is a certified Commissioner Chair under the Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport 'Making Good Decisions' programme and regularly sits as an Independent Chair in this capacity. Earlier this year he sat on the Ngāi Tahu Hananui Aquaculture Fast-track Panel near Rakiura, for which a decision was issued in September 2026.

Stephen has a particular interest in Māori development and planning issues and is currently advising several Māori landowning entities as their planning expert. In 2025, he was appointed by the Government to the Board of Te Tōpuni Kōkōrangi, the human face and voice of Te Kāhui Tupa and governance agency for Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki National Park.

Dr Ngaire Phillips

Dr Ngaire Phillips is an experienced and accredited independent commissioner (with Chair endorsement) under the RMA. In addition to membership on hearing panels, she was a member of a five-person special tribunal that considered a water conservation order for a Hawke's Bay river, and a freshwater commissioner (for Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport). Between 2015 and 2024, she was also an appointed member of the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Committee (for EPA).

Dr Phillips has worked in the field of environmental science for more than 30 years. She has specialist expertise in environmental (eco) toxicology, aquatic ecology (marine and freshwater) and water quality, as well as considerable knowledge of a broader range of resource management issues associated with land-use activities. She is also a Director and aquatic ecology/ecotoxicology specialist of an environmental science consultancy, Streamlined Environmental Ltd, which formed in 2013.

Nicholas Manukau

Nicholas Manukau is of Tainui descent and has whakapapa connections to iwi within the Waikato and Auckland regions.

Nicholas has a background in resource management, land transport, ecology and fisheries management and aquaculture. He has worked for the Ministry of Fisheries (Auckland), Waikato Regional Council, Ministry for Primary Industries (Auckland), Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and the past Electricity Corporation of New Zealand.

Nicholas holds a Bachelor of Science (Ecology/Earth Sciences), a Diploma of Environmental Management, Graduate Diploma in Te Reo Māori and a Master's degree in Applied Indigenous Knowledge (Te Ao Māori).

Nicholas has been an environmental commissioner for several years and sits on resource consent and plan change panels of independent hearing commissioners for Auckland and Hamilton City Councils.

Register of interests

The register records all relevant panel members' interests, and is updated, when necessary, throughout the consenting process.