Commissioners

John qualified as a lawyer after studying at the University of Tasmania. He spent 23 years as a Tasmanian Departmental Secretary, in the Justice, Environment and Land Management, Primary Industries, Water and Environment and Health and Human Services Departments. He worked as a consultant in the areas of health services, environment and natural resources after resigning from the Tasmanian public sector in 2005.

His previous appointments include Chair of the Land Use Planning Review Panel, and Chair of the Board of the Environment Protection Authority and Chair of the Board of the Forest Practices Authority.

Nick is a qualified lawyer and was the General Manager of the City of Hobart.

Nick was the General Manager of Hobart  City Council for twelve and a half years.  Nick was responsible for overseeing the process for developing the City’s Vision leading to the Council adopting a 10 Year strategic plan and a strong community accountability structure.

Nick was appointed to the Commission in September 2021 and has participated as a delegate in LPS and planning scheme amendment hearings, more recently as Chairman. Nick is also Chairman of the steering committee established by the Commission to oversee the preparation of the State of the Environment report.

Nick is a Life Member of the Local Government Association of Tasmania and Local Government Professionals, Tasmania.

Nick is presently Chair of the Derwent Estuary Program and was the inaugural President of the Tasmanian Branch of the Risk Management Institute of Australia.

Max has an agricultural science degree from Melbourne University and has had a career in natural resource management that spanned 35 years working in Tasmania, Victoria and the Commonwealth. During that time he was the Director of the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service, a Deputy Secretary in the Commonwealth Department of Environment and Heritage and the Chief Executive of the National Oceans Office.

Since leaving permanent employment he has been Chair of NRM South, Chair of NRM Regions Australia and a Greening Australia board member. He is currently a member of the Resource and Planning Stream of Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, Chair of the International Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna and a director of Accounting for Nature Ltd.

Pam Allan chairs NRM North and is Independent Chair of the Advisory Board for Tas Farm Innovation Hub, University of Tasmania. She is an Adjunct Professor in the School of Geography, Planning and Spatial Sciences, University of Tasmania. She is the past Independent Chair of the Southern Regional Planning Panel (responsible for statutory planning determination across southern NSW) and a former NSW Environment Minister. She is Chair of the Waste and Resource Recovery Board Tasmania.

Pam has extensive governance experience in the public and commercial (ASX) sectors and has worked directly with community groups, with industry and with local government.

Paul has over 30 years’ experience working in local government in Tasmania. During his career Paul served as General Manager at West Coast, Waratah-Wynyard, Kingborough and Devonport Councils. Since leaving Devonport in 2019, Paul has been providing management consulting services to a number of local councils in Tasmania. Paul has formal qualifications in accounting and has a Graduate Certificate in Regional and Local Government Studies from the University of Canberra.

Paul is a past National President of Local Government Managers (Australia), a Life Member of both the Local Government Association of Tasmania and Local Government Professionals (Tas).

Matt Derbyshire is the General Manager of Sustainable Infrastructure Services at TasWater.

He holds a Master of Business Administration and is a Chartered Professional Engineer, as well as a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Matt has worked across public and private sectors in Victoria and Tasmania. He has a strong technical engineering background and has worked closely with both technical and economic regulators in the electricity, water and wastewater sectors. His experience includes asset management, infrastructure strategy, program delivery, planning and regulatory compliance.

Sandra is a qualified planner with over 35 years’ experience in the private and public sectors in the UK and Tasmania. As well as working as a consultant planner from 2000 to 2004, she has extensive experience at senior and executive levels in the Tasmanian government, Hydro Tasmania, and at the City of Hobart. She has significant strategic, policy and statutory experience; along with economic, infrastructure planning, environmental and resource management, negotiation, stakeholder and communication skills.

Sandra holds degrees in Economics, Law, and Town Planning. Her ability to logically synthesise issues to develop principled outcomes and decisions, has been recognised by being appointed to the Tasmanian Heritage Council, and the Tasmanian Administrative and Civil Appeals Tribunal. She has also been a member of the Sullivans Cove Urban Design Panel.

Sandra is a Fellow of the Planning Institute of Australia and is currently the Tasmanian National Board Director.