Our speakers

Jonathan advises on commercial, insurance and insolvency disputes in New Zealand. He has a great deal of experience litigating and resolving issues for a range of clients, from SMEs through to large corporates, insurers and public bodies. 

The best way to resolve problems is stop them arising in the first place and Jonathan works with clients to identify and mitigate risks, liabilities and reputational issues. 

Jonathan has spent time as in-house counsel and understands businesses’ requirements for strategic legal and risk management advice in a commercial context.

Jonathan is widely regarded as New Zealand’s leading expert on the structures, powers, processes, and funding of local authorities, advocating for the sector’s interests through periods of dramatic reform and on specific major projects for over 35 years. Jonathan primarily acts for local authorities and their organisations, but also for those dealing with, or regulating for, local government. He is sought out by private sector and governmental bodies looking to work with local authorities.

From a deep understanding of statutory and political contexts, Jonathan advises on local authority major projects, litigation, and reforms; lobbying, drafting, and promoting legislation, and judicial review proceedings. He regularly advises, and, as required mediates, in governance and restructuring matters, and provides new council inductions and governance training.

Jonathan frequently leads legal teams dealing with complex commercial initiatives within a local government context.

Jonathan was a legal adviser and peer reviewer for SGS Reports to the Ministry for the Environment on “Mechanisms for managing urban change”, and a legal adviser on Local Government Know How projects on rating and local authority decision making. He was the principal legal adviser to Local Government New Zealand and Taituarā (the Society of Local Government Managers).

Jonathan was the principal author of Brookers Guide to the Local Government Act 2002 and Thomsons Local Government Law in New Zealand. He also authored several papers on the National Transition Committee for Local Government Reform – A New Century for Local Government.

Jordan Hughes joined Ibis in 2009 as an Implementation consultant/trainer, and moved into the Product Manager role during 2014, responsible for the financial modelling products in the Ibis suite of software.

Through his time consulting across Australia and New Zealand Jordan has gained extensive experience personally working with over 100 Councils. With a good level of knowledge of the rating legislation for all the different territories Jordan has also expanded his knowledge of local government rating complexities through working on such projects as Amalgamation impact studies, legislation review projects, Special Rates Variations and many other Rating review projects.

Josh Lindsay is a Partner in PwC New Zealand’s Transformation Design and Delivery practice and leads the Christchurch Consulting team. With more than 15 years’ experience across the insurance, construction and public sectors, he helps organisations deliver complex transformation programmes and strategic change.

Josh brings expertise in systems thinking, programme delivery, operations and change leadership, helping leaders navigate complexity, manage transformation risk, and achieve practical, sustainable outcomes in a rapidly evolving environment.

With over 13 years of experience in local government, Josh is a seasoned corporate planning and reporting practitioner. Currently the Team Leader: Policy & Corporate Planning at Tauranga City Council, Josh contributes significantly to long-term planning and reporting and business process improvements.

Driven by a passion for enhancing efficiency, Josh continuously seeks to optimise processes to ensure they are effective and robust. Key to this is ensuring alignment with council priorities and community outcomes.

Previously, Josh has held corporate planning roles at Rotorua Lakes Council and City of Ryde in Sydney, where he led corporate planning and helped embed robust performance frameworks.

Juanita Victor is a Partner in PwC New Zealand’s Risk Services practice, specialising in governance, risk management, and internal audit. With more than 20 years’ experience, she works with local government and other public sector organisations across New Zealand, helping leaders navigate risk, strengthen control environments, and make confident decisions in an increasingly complex and fast-changing world.
Juanita brings practical insight into how emerging technologies, including generative AI, are reshaping risk management and organisational resilience. She works with organisations to understand both the opportunities and risks of innovation, and how governance and controls can evolve to support the future operating environment

Judith is an experienced senior associate who specialises in local government law and related regulatory issues.
She advises Council clients on all aspects of decision-making, bylaws and policy development, roading and three waters issues, as well as rating and planning requirements. She also has significant experience with local government regulatory issues, including advising on Building Act, Dog Control, Sale and Supply of Alcohol, and Official Information and Privacy for a wide range of clients. Judith also provides advice on statutory interpretation and assists clients with submissions on Parliamentary Bills.

After working in-house at Christchurch City Council for several years Judith brings a practical and plain language approach to her local government advice. She works alongside her clients to deliver pragmatic, timely solutions.

Judith was a former author of Brookers Building Law. She is a member of the Canterbury Women’s Legal Association.

Julie has been Chief Executive at Taupo District Council since 2023, and before that was Deputy Chief Executive and held multiple General Manager roles at Whakatane District Council.  She is an advocate for the services and functions that councils provide to their communities, and enjoys the diversity that her position provides. 

Julie has a particular interest in economic development and prior to local government, work in both the private sector and central government in roles related to the electricity industry.

As the Chair of the Taituara Corporate Planning Reference Group, she brings strong experience of working in corporate planning, policy and strategy. Julie was also led the recovery from the Edgecumbe floods and the economic recovery from the White Island/Whakaari disaster.

With a strong strategic focus and a reputation as someone who gets things done, Julie currently leads a team of around 400 awesome people at Taupō District Council.

Born and raised in Matamata, Waikato, with a background in law and philosophy from Waikato University. Kent brings two years of experience with DX Mail and a strong passion for mail and elections. Kent is a lifelong learner drawn to transformative ideas and disruptive technologies. His career spans small startups and large corporations, fostering a wide ranging skill set and adaptability. He thrives in dynamic environments that push industry boundaries and are known for embracing innovation. Outside work, he enjoys adrenaline sports like skiing, mountain biking, and surfing, which inspire bold, creative approaches in professional settings.

Kerri Price is an experienced facilitator who has been designing and leading meetings for 20+ years. From small group strategic planning sessions, through to large community hui, Kerri has navigated thousands of meetings across the public, private and community sectors. Kerri still has her own facilitation practice, but these days she spends most of her time supporting others to design and lead their sessions well. She is the founder of The Facilitators Network, a community of practice for anyone who leads meetings, workshops or community conversations. Kerri regularly posts content on LinkedIn or you can check out her website: www.thefacilitatorsnetwork.co.nz

Kierra is a Senior Associate in Simpson Grierson’s planning and environment team, based in Christchurch. Kierra is an experienced regulatory lawyer specialising in planning and environmental litigation. Kierra has broad litigation experience, for both private and public sector clients. She has specialist expertise in the Building Act, heritage matters, cultural issues, natural hazards and climate change. She is a published author on a number of topics related to climate change litigation, regulation and policy and has recently completed a Masters in Environmental Law involving research into climate change related topics.

Killian joins BERL in 2025 as Deputy Chief Economist, bringing over a decade of experience in economics, policy, and consultancy across public and private sectors. He is passionate about improving economic systems amongst government, business, and society for a more productive, sustainable, inclusive and resilient economy.

With wide experience across policy areas and portfolios, Killian provides innovative and actionable research and advice. His career spans roles at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC), The Treasury, ANZ Bank, and the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER). Killian holds a Master in Public Administration (MPA) from the National University of Singapore, where he graduated with the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy Prize.

Leith Townshend is General Counsel at Tasman District Council. In this role, he provides strategic legal advice across a wide range of local government functions, including governance, LOGIMA requests, public law, and risk management. During his time in Council, he has developed a particular interest in the challenges that sovereign citizen and pseudo-legal movements can present for public authorities and decision-makers. Leith is an in-house lawyer by trade having worked in a number of Government Departments and regulatory agencies.  

Lesley Baddon is MCERT’s Auckland lead for the Planning System Reform programme. Her work focuses on spatial planning, urban growth, housing capacity, infrastructure planning, and supporting better outcomes for New Zealand’s cities and regions.

Lesley has extensive experience across both central and local government. She currently leads the MCERT team that leads the team designing the spatial planning elements of New Zealand’s planning system reforms, working closely with local government, infrastructure providers, developers and communities to support sustainable urban development and growth.

Her career spans urban policy, regional planning, infrastructure, environmental management and economic development, giving her a deep understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing New Zealand’s growing cities and regions.

He mokopuna tenei o nga waka matua e wha, ko Kurahaupo, ko Tainui, ko Te Arawa hoki.  I tipu ake au I raro i a Tararua maunga, no roto mai o te Wairarapa. Inaianei, e noho ana maua ko taku tamahine kei reira.

With a passion for education and personal growth, my academic journey has been a lifetime pursuit.  With double undergraduate degrees in a Bachelor of Arts with a Major in Māori Studies and a Bachelor of Physical Education, I also hold a Master of Professional Accounting and a Master of International Security.  My educational pursuits are more recently centred around indigenous security and development issues, and how He Whakaputanga and Te Titiri o Waitangi can be reaffirmed in the defence and security realm. 

Professionally, I have dedicated ten years to the Army as a General List Medical Officer, honing my leadership skills in high-pressure environments. My final regular force role was as a Senior Advisor Māori, utilizing my background and expertise to develop policy and advance Māori initiatives for service people. Prior to military service, I worked both overseas and locally as an accountant.  In January 2026 I begin a new role as Pou Mataamua (CEO) for my iwi, Rangitane o Tamaki nui-a-Rua. 

Family is the cornerstone of my life. I am a proud parent to one daughter, Kaia, and we share our home with two beloved furry whānau members. When not working, I enjoy engaging in various sports and physical activities, spending quality time with my wider family, traveling to new places, and continuously pursuing education. 

With a rich tapestry of experiences, I share a commitment to community and service, education, and personal development, that has supported a multifaceted career and life journey. 

Lisa Thomas is the Strategy Manager at Manawatū District Council, where she leads the development of the Long-term Plan, Annual Plan, Council strategy, and a wide range of strategic policy and planning work. She also oversees Council’s policy and bylaw review programme and prepares submissions on legislative reform.

Having worked in local government for more than a decade, Lisa has been involved in every stage of the Long-term Plan process—from environmental scanning and forecasting assumptions through to infrastructure strategies, financial policies, consultation, submissions, and adoption. She has a particular interest in helping elected members and organisations understand the practical implications of legislative reform by translating complex technical information into clear, accessible advice.

As a member of the Taituarā Corporate Planning Reference Group, Lisa is passionate about sharing knowledge across councils, learning from others, and working collaboratively to improve planning practice throughout the sector.