The State Services Commissioner, Mark Prebble, announced today the appointment of Dr John Glaister as Chief Executive of the Ministry of Fisheries and Katrina Bach as Chief Executive of the Department of Building and Housing.

Dr John Glaister Dr Glaister is presently the Deputy Director General, Innovation, Department of State Development and Innovation in Queensland, a position he has held since February 2004. He is responsible for the administration of science, research and innovation, commercialisation and development and the Information Industries Bureau. Prior to this role Dr Glaister held various scientific and management positions in fisheries research and resource management in New South Wales, the Northern Territory and Queensland.

In 1995 he was appointed Director for New South Wales Fisheries, a natural resources management agency with 360 staff and an A$32 m budget. In 1999 Dr Glaister left this role following a disagreement with his Minister.

Mark Prebble says he has looked into the circumstances of this event very closely and is satisfied Dr Glaister's actions demonstrated a high level of integrity and judgement. Dr Glaister was subsequently appointed to Manager, Innovation and Commercialisation, UniQuest, the University of Queensland, in 2000.

Since then he has continued to hold very senior positions in the Queensland State Government, including Executive Director, Sport and Recreation (2001 to 2002) and Executive Director, Science Research and Innovation (2002 to 2004). His international experience includes a Fulbright Postdoctoral Fellowship on fisheries at the University of Miami in 1986, co-chairing the third World Fisheries Congress in Beijing (2000) and chairing the World Aquaculture Conference in Sydney (1999) and the second World Fisheries Conference in Brisbane (1966). Dr Glaister has a Master of Science (Marine Zoology), a PhD (Biological Science), a MBA and a PhD (Sociology).

Mark Prebble says that Dr Glaister has the right skills and experience for this position.

"He has strong management experience in state government, research and academic environments. He has had experience in developing and implementing policy. He has successfully managed challenging fisheries issues with a range of stakeholders. Dr Glaister has extensive experience in fisheries research and resource management in Australia and has international contacts in this field. He has a great deal of respect for New Zealand's fisheries management techniques."

Dr Glaister will start in early December 2004. "I would like to thank the present Chief Executive, Warwick Tuck, for the work he has accomplished in leading the Ministry of Fisheries since 1995. Warwick Tuck will be stepping down from 19 November and I have asked Ministry of Fisheries' Deputy Chief Executive, Stan Crothers, to be the Acting Chief Executive during the interim period," Mark Prebble said.

Katrina Bach Katrina Bach is presently the Chief Executive of the Ministry of Housing, a position she has held since December 2002.

In this role she has assisted with a review initiated by the Government into the Ministry's role, purpose and structure and a wider review of the delivery of the Government's regulatory functions and dispute resolution services across the building and housing sector. As a result of these reviews, a number of building and housing related functions currently carried out by various agencies will be transferred to the Ministry of Housing, and the Ministry renamed the Department of Building and Housing.

Katrina Bach has extensive policy and management experience in the public sector and has worked with a broad range of industry and business sectors in addition to the housing sector. In her previous roles at the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Economic Development she worked on broadcasting policy, Crown mineral estate management, resource management and environmental issues. She was appointed the Ministry of Economic Development Deputy Secretary, Corporate in 2000, where she was responsible for putting in place an extensive organisational development change process. During this time she also spent eight months as Acting Secretary of Internal Affairs.

Katrina Bach has previously been seconded to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Katrina Bach has a Master of Arts degree with honours in History and English Literature.

"Katrina Bach has done an excellent leadership job in challenging circumstances. She has the proven experience and skills required to perform the expanded chief executive role successfully and to integrate the various parts into an expanded department.

"She has developed very good relationships in the Public Service and the housing sector and will be able to take a leadership role in delivering the new housing and building policy set by the Government," Mark Prebble said.

Katrina Bach will take up her new role on 1 November 2004, when the Department of Building and Housing starts operations.

Background Ministry of Fisheries

The Ministry of Fisheries works to promote the sustainable use of fisheries resources and to protect the aquatic environment. The Ministry develops, administers and enforces the fisheries management framework; contributes to the Marine Bio security Framework; and develops policy. The Ministry has offices around New Zealand and employs approximately 340 staff.

Department of Building and Housing The Department of Building and Housing brings together a range of government activities associated with the regulation of building and housing in New Zealand. The Department will also have responsibility for related dispute resolution services. The Department is being created by expanding the existing Ministry of Housing to undertake functions formerly carried out by a range of departments and Crown entities. The Department comes into force on 1 November 2004. The transition of functions to the department will be stepped over a 14 month period. It is expected to have approximately 350 staff in locations around New Zealand.

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