12 November 2001

Health Minister Annette King says she is delighted with the quality of the people she is appointing as chairs of the first elected District Health Boards.

The 21 new boards, with seven elected members and up to four appointed by the Minister, begin meeting from next month.

Mrs King announced the chairs today, and will announce deputy chairs and other appointees in the next few weeks.

“Twelve of the 21 chairs are continuing in their existing roles, and will provide important continuity and experience,” Mrs King said. “As well, two other chairs, Wayne Brown, who will take over as chair of Auckland DHB, and Rick Bettle have had experience chairing other district health boards.

“Of the seven chairs who haven’t previously chaired a DHB, five had previous experience serving on DHBs. Only two appointees are completely new to DHBs, but Stewart Edward (Lakes) and Kay McKelvie (Waitemata) have a strong health or governance background.”

Mrs King thanked those former chairs who had retired or not been reappointed for their past services. “As well, three chairs, Ian Wilson (Waikato), Wayne Brown (Tairawhiti) and Douglas Matheson (Wairarapa) will serve only transitional periods as chairs of those boards. I will eventually be appointing new chairs to all three boards, but it is important to retain their experience in the short term.”

Mrs King said she would be using other appointees to DHB boards to ensure as adequate as possible a balance of gender, ethnicity, age and skills within each board.

Ends

Northland: Lynette Stewart. Ms Stewart is currently CEO of the Te Tai Tokerau MAPO Trust. She has lengthy experience in the disability area, extending into Pacific Island and Maori disabilities issues. She has strong management skills and is experienced in governance, strategic planning and negotiation. She has extensive experience in the health and social work sectors, particularly in senior management positions in Maori health and disability support services. She has contributed to a wide range of community projects in Auckland, Northland and Hawke’s Bay. She is a current member of the board and will provide continuity and relevant expertise.

Waitemata: Kay McKelvie. Ms McKelvie is an Auckland based lawyer and company director. Her board appointments include the New Zealand Lotteries Commission and Word Pictures Ltd, and as chair of the Auckland City Council's Finance and Property Committee. As a consultant, Ms McKelvie has been involved in reviews of palliative care services at Auckland Hospital, management practices of Ngapuhi Iwi kaikohe, and the Waipairera Trust, West Auckland. Ms McKelvie has also been employed as the Managing Director of Word Pictures Ltd and as the Professional Standards Director at the Auckland Law Society.

Auckland: Wayne Brown. Mr Brown is currently the chair of the Northland and Tairawhiti DHBs. He will become chair of Auckland DHB while remaining the chair of Tairawhiti DHB for a transitional period. Mr Brown is a company director with a long-standing involvement in DHB boards. He also holds directorships with, amongst other appointments, TVNZ, Maori TV, Vector Ltd, and is the chair of the Land Transport Safety Authority.

Counties Manakau: Ross Keenan. Mr Keenan is the current chair. He has a background of senior management in Air New Zealand/Qantas, the Newmans Group of Companies and other tourism related ventures. He also brings experience as a director of Manukau Health Ltd and director and chair of Counties Manukau Health.

Waikato: Ian Wilson. Mr Wilson is currently the chair of the Mid Central and Waikato DHBs. It is intended to appoint Mr Wilson to the Waikato DHB for a year to assist in the transition. Mr Wilson is a professional company director with extensive and long-term experience with numerous trading enterprises and utility companies. Amongst Mr Wilson’s current appointments, he serves as a director on Powerco (formerly Central Power Ltd), Palmerston North Airport Ltd, and Palmerston North City Council Holdings. In the private sector, he is an executive director and shareholder of Corporate Involvements Ltd and Equity Holdings Ltd.

Bay of Plenty: Mary Hackett. Mrs Hackett is currently a member of the Bay of Plenty DHB board. Her competencies include the ability to manage and draw together a team of people with a wide range of experience, ability and focus. Mrs Hackett has qualifications in nursing, business studies and industrial relations.

Lakes: Stewart Edward. Mr Edward is a new appointment with a long-term involvement in community health and strong links in the Lakes district. Mr Edward currently operates a dental practice in Rotorua and is the immediate past chair of the New Zealand Dental Association. Mr Edward has strong associations and involvement in the Maori community.

Tairawhiti: Wayne Brown. Mr Brown is currently chair of Northland and Tairawhiti DHBs, and is newly appointed chair of Auckland DHB. It is proposed he continues as chair of Tairawhiti for a transitional period of nine months. Mr Brown will provide continuity to the Tairawhiti board.

Taranaki: Hayden Wano. Mr Wano is the current chair. He has an extensive background of senior management within the health sector, and is currently employed as chief executive officer of a Maori development organisation, Tui Ora, which contracts for Maori health providers in Taranaki. Mr Wano has tribal affiliations with Taranaki, Te Atiawa and Ngati Awa.

Whanganui: Gavin Doyle. Mr Doyle is currently a member of Taranaki, Whanganui and Mid-Central DHBs. He is an accountant in private practice, with experience as chair of companies and local area trading enterprises such as the Western Building Society, River City Contractors and Allied Laundry. He has relevant experience in governance.

Hawke's Bay: Kevin Atkinson. Mr Atkinson is the current chair. He has an extensive background in business management, including as a director in commercial and not-for-profit bodies such as IMS Ltd, the Hawke’s Bay Network Ltd, Hawke’s Bay Rugby Union, and as a trustee of E & C Community Trust.

Wairapapa: Douglas Matheson. Mr Matheson has served as chair of the Wairapapa DHB and its predecessors since 1993. It is proposed that he chairs the new board for one year. He will provide important continuity for the new organisation. He is an experienced director and a specialist Institute of Directors advisor on governance. He also brings to the position abilities demonstrated in his role as the former CEO of Wellington City Council.

MidCentral: Ian Wilson. Mr Wilson is the current chair of the Mid-Central and Waikato DHBs. It is intended to retire Mr Wilson after a year from the Waikato DHB to allow him to concentrate on the Mid-Central DHB. He is a professional company director with extensive and long-term experience with numerous trading enterprises and utility companies. Amongst Mr Wilson’s current appointments, he serves as a director on Powerco (formerly Central Power Ltd), Palmerston North Airport Ltd, and Palmerston North City Council Holdings. In the private sector, he is an executive director and shareholder of Corporate Involvements Ltd and Equity Holdings Ltd.

Capital & Coast: Bob Henare. Mr Henare, the current chair, is a vastly experienced and very respected public and private sector manager, with particular skills in change management and national policy implementation. He has retained an interest in the health sector as a private consultant, and has a well-developed network of contacts within the sector. He also has strong linkages with the business community. Mr Henare is a member of the Mental Health Commission.

Hutt: Warren Young. Mr Young, the current chair, is a practising chartered accountant with extensive experience as both director and chair of health, utility and other government boards.

Nelson Marlborough: Nigel McFadden. Mr McFadden is the currently chair, and has acted in this capacity since 1997. Prior to his appointment as chair Mr McFadden was a director of Nelson-Marlborough Health Ltd from 1993-1997.
Beside experience as a director and chair of health boards, Mr McFadden is an LLB. a fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Arbitrators and Mediators, and an affiliate of the Planning Institute of New Zealand.

West Coast: Rick Bettle. Mr Bettle is currently chair of Southland DHB. He is a professional director with very extensive governance experience as a chair and director. This includes considerable experience in the health sector as a DHB chair (Southland) and a past chair of a hospital and health service (Capital Coast Health). He is also a member of the Institute of Directors of New Zealand. Mr Bettle is chair of four organisations, New Zealand Lamb Company North America, New Zealand TAB, Racing Industry Board and Southland DHB. He is also a director of eight organisations that cover a range of industries including agriculture, technology, food, computing and energy supply. Mr Bettle also has considerable management experience including as Chief Executive of Kensington Swan, Alliance Group Ltd and Fletcher Challenge.

Canterbury: Syd Bradley. Mr Bradley is the current chair, and the former chairman of the Health Funding Authority, Canterbury Health, HealthLink South and Healthcare Otago. Mr Bradley also has extensive experience at a senior level in other sectors, and is chair of Christchurch International Airport and Lincoln Holding Company Ltd. Mr Bradley is Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Management and of the New Zealand Institute of Directors.

South Canterbury: Joe Butterfield. Mr Butterfield is the current chair, and brings to this position skills as an experienced director and Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of New Zealand. Mr Butterfield is a director of Footes Ltd (a chartered accountants practice),

Otago: Richard Thomson. Mr Thomson is currently a member of the Otago DHB and is a clinical psychologist by profession, and a self-employed company director and the general manager of an importing company. He has had a long involvement in allied health as a practising clinical psychologist. Mr Thomson set up the Hawkesbury Community Trust to resettle Cherry Farm residents. He continues to be involved in the activities of the Trust as its chair.

Southland: Dennis Cairns. Mr Cairns is currently the deputy chair of the Southland DHB. Mr Cairns is a farmer with experience as a director and chair of farming, stock and meat producing companies. He will provide important continuity to the new organisation.

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