Royal Commission of Inquiry - Members
CHAIR
The Rt Hon Sir Thomas Eichelbaum is the chair of the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification.
Sir Thomas has highest qualifications in judicial proceedings and has been appointed to various judicial committees
during his professional life. He was appointed Chief Justice 1989 and resigned from the position in May 1999.
He was granted a GBE in 1989 and became a Privy Councillor in 1989.
He has proven skills as a chairman and will bring to the Commission a wealth of experience in hearing procedures,
evaluation of evidence, synthesis of information and summary of findings.
Sir Thomas was born in Germany and emigrated with his parents to New Zealand in 1938.
He worked as a barrister and solicitor from 1950 and was appointed Queens Counsel in 1978. During his career Sir Thomas
appeared regularly in a wide range of litigation before the New Zealand courts and tribunals and served as counsel in a
number of Commissions of inquiry including the Lake Manapouri Commission in 1970, the Enquiry into Chiropractic in 1978
and the Marginal Lands Enquiry in 1981.
He was appointed a judge of the High Court in 1982, was a member of the rules committee of the high Court from 1969 to
1980 and from 1983 to the present. He has also taken part in a number of other committees looking at the workings of the
High Court and represented the New Zealand judiciary on the Australian Institute of Judicial Administration from 1987 to
1988.
Sir Thomas is an honorary member of the American bar association, an honorary bencher of Lincoln’s Inn and an honorary
member of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers.
He has sat on a number of appeals in the Privy Council and was a member of the Australian Council of Chief Justices.
He is married and has three sons.
MEMBER - Ethicist
The Rev Richard Randerson has an extensive academic background in religious studies and was awarded a Doctor of Ministry
in San Francisco.
He has worked in Ministries overseas and in New Zealand. He was Social Responsibility Commissioner for the Anglican
Church between 1990 – 1994 and in 994 he was appointed Assistant Bishop (for Church in Society) in Canberra.
In 1999 he chaired a Government Poverty Task Force in Canberra. His interest during his professional life has been to
promote an ethical base for public policy with regard to socio-economic matters, industrial relations, corporate
responsibility, the role of women, the environment, Treaty of Waitangi relationships and a multi-cultural society.
The Rev Randerson has worked as a parish minister in New Zealand, New York and the UK, worked as the Director of the
Auckland City and Province’s Industrial Mission from 1971 to 1978 and ran the Inner City Ministry of Wellington’s St
Peter’s church from 1978 to 1990.
He became the Anglican Church’s social responsibility commissioner from 1990 to 1994 when he took up the position of
Assistant Bishop responsible for Church and Society in Canberra.
During his career The Rev Randerson has initiated seminars on consultative work styles, established corporate structures
which were sensitive to the needs of Maori and Pacific Islands staff, led seminars for managers to develop codes of
social responsibility and worked on a bicultural education process for the Anglican church which led to the development
of a national bicultural constitution for the Church.
He brings a solid understanding of ethical issues to the Commission.
MEMBER - Scientist
Dr Jean Fleming is highly qualified in the field of Biochemistry, Physiology and Structural Biology.
Her research and publications are in the area of molecular reproduction and endocrinology. She was an ANZAC Fellow in
1987 in the Genetic Engineering Laboratory, Howard Florey Institute, Melbourne.
An underlying theme of her research is the investigation of the stability and structure of various hormonal and growth
factors.
She has also supervised research into the genetic and developmental differences between male and female animals and why
these difference have evolved. This research included investigations into reproductive cycles and systems.
Dr Fleming also has a strong interest in encouraging the involvement of women in science, their approach to research and
their support networks. She convened the 1993 Women’s suffrage Centennial Science Conference and participated in both
Women. Science and Our Future (1996) and Living Science (1999) conferences run by the New Zealand Association for Women
in Sciences.
She has an interest in feminist pedagogy and in particular whether women bring a different approach to the teaching of
reproductive biology and endocrinology.
Dr Fleming served as president of the Otago Institute Inc a regional body of the Royal Society of New Zealand and
chaired the programme committee of the Inaugural International Science Festival in Dunedin in 1998.
She brings a sound understanding of scientific method and principles to the inquiry. Her familiarity with biological and
genetic research and her understanding of gene function will be of great assistance to the Commission.
MEMBER - Maori/Medical/Scientific/Technical
Dr Jaqueline Allan (Kai Mamoe ki Rakiura, Kai Tahu) has considerable experience in the area of Maori health.
She has both secondary teaching and medical qualifications. Dr Allan served on the Maori Workforce Development Committee
(Dept of Health), the Maori Health Advisory Committee to the Minister of Health, was part of the joint working party
into IPAs, and served on the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Genetic Screening.
She co-founded, is on the Trust Board for and is the medical director of Tipu Ora. She has also served as the Director
of South Health (IPA) Ltd.
Dr Allen was involved with the Women’s Health League and was a founding member of Te Ohu Rata o Aotearoa/Maori Medical
Practitioners Association.
He hobbies are fly fishing and reading.
Dr Allen brings an understanding of both medical and Maori issues to the Commission.