Persuasive Policy Conference 2006 - Speakers

Jim Anderton

Jim Anderton is Leader of the Progressive Party, coalition partner with Labour in government. He is the Minister of Agriculture, Minister for Biosecurity, Minister of Fisheries, Minister of Forestry, Minister Responsible for the Public Trust, Associate Minister of Health, and Associate Minister for Tertiary Education.

Bruce Burns

Landcare Research

Dr Bruce Burns (Plant Ecology) is a programme leader with Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research, based in Hamilton and lecturer at the Universities of Auckland and Waikato. Bruce’s current research interests are focussed on multi-disciplinary programmes for restoration ecology, pest-free sanctuaries, and the management of biodiversity in managed landscapes(including pastoral, urban, and plantation forest ecosystems).

Kelly Fielding

University of Queensland

Dr Kelly Fielding (Social Psychology) is based at the University of Queensland, Brisbane, where she is currently a lecturer in the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences. Her areas of research are in group processes, inter-group relations and environmental sustainability. In general, Kelly’s research is framed by social identity perspectives of human decision-making to gain an understanding of the factors that determine whether individuals engage in environmentally sustainable behaviour.

Rebecca Ford

University of Melbourne

Rebecca Ford is a research fellow in the Faculty of Land and Food Resources (FLFR), University of Melbourne. Over the past 4 years she has completed a PhD on the social acceptability of forest management systems, working closely with Kathryn Williams, (FLFR, University of Melbourne), Ian Bishop (School of Geomatics, University of Melbourne) and John Hickey (Forestry Tasmania). This work has contributed to the understanding of views on alternative forestry systems, and has begun to influence forest policy in Tasmania. Prior to working in research, Rebecca worked in State and Federal government agencies developing and implementing forestry related policies.

Pamela Kaval

University of Waikato

Dr Pamela Kaval (Economics) is a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Waikato in Hamilton. Some of her current projects include improving policy interventions by combining social behaviour and economic valuation applied to voluntary biodiversity corridors, determining the true ecosystem service value of natural resources, and determining the value of ecosystems before and after exotic pest or disease incursions.

Terry Parminter

AgResearch

Terry Parminter (Management Systems) is based with AgResearch in Hamilton. In his research Terry has examined farmer decision making about the use of environmental practices, community engagement and strategies for innovation in primary industries. Currently, Terry is working in a project on community development in the Pohangina Valley. He is also leading a project with Regional Councils in Auckland, Bay of Plenty and Wellington on policy design and implementation to address biodiversity issues.

Yvonne Rust

Waitakere District Council

Liz Wedderburn

AgResearch

Dr Liz Wedderburn (Land-use Management) is section manager for Land and Environmental Management at AgResearch in Hamilton. Liz’s research includes understanding the impact of farming practices on off-site emissions and on-site quality. Liz is involved in research that is making transparent the choices that will have to be made so that we can look forward to sustainable futures.

3rd October: Research into Community Development will be facilitated by Margaret Brown, AgResearch

4th October: Research into Biodiversity Policy and Community Field-trips will be facilitated by Warwick Waters, AgResearch