The panel will decide under fast-track legislation whether applicant Contact Energy can proceed with developing the wind farm. Contact Energy is still assessing whether it will go ahead.
Clare Lenihan has been appointed chairwoman of the panel.
She joined the bar as an environmental and public law barrister in 2012 and has more than two decades’ experience advising and acting in the areas of resource management law, conservation and public law and land law.
She previously worked as Southland conservancy solicitor for the Department of Conservation for 15 years.
She advises and represents clients on both locally and nationally significant resource management and conservation law matters. She is on the national committee of the Resource Management Law Association and the Resource Management Journal editorial committee and is a member of the New Zealand Bar Association.
Ms Lenihan has been a certified RMA hearing commissioner since 2013.
Sharon McGarry is a certified and experienced RMA hearing commissioner with nearly 30 years’ experience in environmental planning, policy, consents and compliance monitoring.
She has 18 years of statutory decision-making experience throughout the country.
Ms McGarry holds a BSc in zoology (with a focus on freshwater and marine biology), and an MSc (Hons) in resource management. She has particular experience in coastal management, aquaculture, discharges, water takes, renewable energy and mining.
Gina Solomon has experience and knowledge of Ngāi Tahu iwi and Ngāti Kuri hapu values. These values and knowledge were passed on to her from her whanau and by growing up in a rural and coastal environment. She has 28 years’ experience working in paid and voluntary positions in Māori/conservation environment areas.
She has previously worked for Te Rūnanga o Kaikoura and represented the rūnanga and Ngāi Tahu on numerous committees in that time.
A Nelson-Marlborough Conservation Board member for 14 years with the last three years as chairwoman, she had also been a director on the QEII National Trust for seven years.
Currently she sits on three ministerial appointed committees.
Her work experience includes engagement and advocacy in environmental processes, conservation, iwi management plan development and implementation, project management and funding and budgets.
The panel asked Contact Energy to clarify a couple of minor issues around maps and landscape assessment.
It will hear from identified interested parties about the wind farm over the next few months and under legislation an expert panel will have six months to recommend any relevant consent or permit conditions.
