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.