On 5 November 2025, the panel convener appointed the panel. The panel consists of:
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 in 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 consented 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-9 Recovery(fast-track Consenting) Act 2020 and advised another nine. He 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 extensive experience includes all aspects of project consenting and appeals; representation in consent and plan change hearings before Councils, the Environment Court, High Court, and Court of Appeal.
Bridget Gilbert
Bridget is a landscape architect with over 30 years of experience throughout Aotearoa and the UK. She regularly provides landscape advice to both the private sector and local authorities on a wide range of landscape matters, including the assessment of ONF/Ls (at a region or district level), and the landscape assessment of large scale, complex projects in rural environments.
Bridget is an accredited commissioner and is currently on the panel of independent hearing commissioners for Auckland Council.
Dr Roger Young
Roger is the Manager of the Freshwater Ecosystems Group at the Cawthron Institute. He is a freshwater ecologist with a PhD from the University of Otago and has over 30 years’ experience with improving understanding and management of freshwater ecosystems and their surrounding catchments. This has included providing advice to local government, iwi, central government, community groups and industry in relation to freshwater management, policy development and consent applications. He has published more than 70 scientific journal papers.
Roger is an experienced expert witness having given evidence at resource consent, Environment Court and Special Tribunal hearings. He has completed the Making Good Decisions hearings commissioner course. Roger respects Te Ao Māori worldviews and recognises the value of mātauranga Māori and the contribution it can make to decision-making.
Roger is a member of NZ Freshwater Sciences Society and the Society for Freshwater Science.
Graeme Ridley
Graeme Ridley has over 30 years experience in erosion and sediment control, stormwater management, construction related environmental management, resource consents and compliance, and senior management in local government. As a Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control (Envirocert) and a Registered Soil Practitioner in Erosion and Sediment Control (Soil Science Australia and International Erosion Control Association Australasia) and a former International Erosion Control Association Australasia board member, Graeme’s specialist area is focused on construction water management looking at all aspects of construction discharges.
Graeme has provided specific technical advice on construction water management on many significant projects while also understanding the complexities and context of other disciplines to ensure consistency in approach.
Graeme works with many private and public clients in an expert capacity role and through this process has provided expert evidence through many council, board of inquiry and Environment Cout hearings.
Rob van Voorthuysen
Rob has acted as an independent RMA hearing commissioner on over 450 occasions on regional policy statements, regional plans, district plans, notices of requirement and consent applications.
He initially trained as an engineer, specialising in water and soil and coastal management, and later gained a Master of Public Policy.
Initially working for the former Ministry of Works, he moved into policy, planning and management roles for the Department of Conservation and the Waikato and Hawke’s Bay regional councils before commencing practice as a consultant in 1998.
Rob has been a panel member on five COVID-19 Recovery (Fast-track Consenting) Act 2020 consents, the most recent one being the Taheke Geothermal Power Station near Rotorua. He is currently a member on the FTAA Expert Panel for Oceania Gold’ s application for the Waihi North gold mine project.
Register of interests
The register records all relevant panel members' interests. It is updated, when necessary, throughout the consenting process.