Council Staff

The New Zealand Council employs its own staff through its Chief Executive. Their role is to implement the outcomes adopted by the New Zealand Council, to provide independent advice to it and ensure statutory requirements are complied with.

Key specific roles of the Chief Executive and staff include national advocacy on behalf of anglers and hunters, raising the public awareness of the organisation and of angling and hunting plus co-ordinating and auditing the operations of the regions. The staff are:

CHIEF EXECUTIVE:

MARTIN TAYLOR

The Chief Executive is the New Zealand Council’s manager. He has direct responsibility for delivery of the business plan set by the New Zealand Council and employs the other staff. His primary area of responsibility lies with external and internal advocacy. He is the public ‘face’ of the New Zealand Fish & Game Council.

POLICY & PLANNING MANAGER:

ROBERT SOWMAN

Primary responsibilities include:

• Policy advice, development & consultation for internal application and to Government
• Liaising with officials on Government policy proposals & draft legislation
• Coordinating responses to requests from the office of the Minister of Conservation
• Assistance and advice to regional Fish & Game managers & coordination of the regional managers’ forum
• Preparation of the annual Statement of Performance & business plans for the NZ Fish & Game Council & the Game Bird Habitat Trust Board
• Preparation of the annual submission seeking Ministerial approval of Fish & Game licence fees & resulting responses to the Regulation Review Committee
• Coordinating the annual sports fish and game harvest regulation setting process, submission seeking Ministerial approval & material for publication
• Managing the Fish & Game NZ licencing & ranger compliance systems
• Overseeing Fish and Game election processes, research programme & auditing of activities of regional Fish and Game Councils

COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER:

DON ROOD

Primary responsibilities include:

• Co-ordination of regional public awareness programmes
• Advice to regions on media relations and how to handle media inquiries
• Management of nationally significant news items
• Co-ordination of regional and national marketing
• Operation of the Fish & Game New Zealand internet site
• Associate editor of the Fish & Game New Zealand magazine ‘national editions’
• Manager of the Fish & Game New Zealand brand development and co-ordination of national education programmes