16 December 2021
John Luke
[FYI request #17867 email]
Tēnā koe John
Thank you for your email of 7 December 2021 requesting information as follows.
“I would like to know the current member of Complaints Assessment Committee and their bio
and current term of appointment. Are there any lay member sit within the Complaints
Assessment Committee? Also how is the Complaints Assessment Committee call for express of
interest from the public, what is the member's salary or pro rata rate per day, any other benefit
they received.
What other committee the Council has that involved Community member (Lay Member).”
We have considered your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) and I can advise as
follows.
1. Members of the Complaints Assessment Committee (CAC), biographies and term expiry
Please see below for the biography and expiry term of the current panel members of the Complaints
Assessment Committee.
Barbara Gilray – End of Term December 2022
Barbara, current Chair, and lay person for the CAC, is a qualified social worker and principal advisor with
the Social Workers Registration Board. Her background as a social worker and oversight of competence
with the SWRB means she brings many important and relevant skills to the CAC process and the teaching
profession. Barbara is of Ngati Porou descent and she is conversant in Te Reo Māori. Barbara has been
part of the CAC panel since 2018.
Celeste Harrington – End of Term February 2022
Celeste, current Early Childhood Education representative for the CAC, is employed as a lecturer at AUT.
She teaches on the BEd, BA and Postgrad Programmes. Her specialities are early childhood education,
and children’s literature. She also teaches history of education in Aotearoa New Zealand. Celeste has a
passion for reading for pleasure and has her Master of Education in children’s literature. She is currently
working towards her Doctorate in Education and is involved in a research project connected to the
Growing up in New Zealand data set. She is very involved in working with teachers in a mentoring role
and working to grow strong leaders in the profession. Celeste has been part of the CAC panel since late
2015.
Evelyn Tobin - End of Term July 2024
Evelyn is a registered teacher with a current full, category two (Pūmau) practising certificate, and is an
accredited PLD provider and facilitator for teachers, principals, boards of trustees, and community
groups. She is a pioneer of kōhanga reo and kura kaupapa Māori initiatives since 1985 with educational
expertise that highlights te reo Māori, tikanga Māori, mātauranga Māori particularly in her specialist areas
of Māori medium education; as well as in the nation’s significant repositories of Te Puna Mātauranga, Te
Rua Mahara me Ngā Taonga. Evelyn is a creative, critical thinker and bilingual communicator who has
extensive experiences on national governance boards, advisory, and ministerial groups.
Gail Gibson - End of Term December 2022
Gail, current Chair, and lay person for the CAC, is a retired police officer, leaving Police after 37 years at
the rank of superintendent, having carried out many and varied roles, including frontline policing, training
and management. Gail is now self-employed and has worked for the Children’s Action Plan with the
Ministry of Social Development as well as a range of other organisations. She is currently working with
Massey University as a relationship manager and is the Chair of Governance Committee for Adult Learning
Support Nelson. Gail has been part of the CAC panel since 2015.
Helen Kinsey-Wightman - End of Term December 2022
Helen, current Secondary sector representative for the CAC, has taught in primary and secondary schools
since 1991. In 2005 she was awarded an MBE in the UK honours list for services to education in the
Philippines. Over the last five years Helen has been on a journey in Matauranga Māori and Te Reo Māori,
and she is currently completing a Level 5 immersion course. Helen has been part of the CAC panel since
early 2019.
Katherine Warne - End of Term December 2022
Kathy, current Early Childhood Education representative for the CAC, has 25 years’ teaching experience
in a variety of early childhood settings in the UK and in New Zealand. She is the joint owner and manager
of Rosy Cheeks Early Learning Centre in Christchurch. Kathy’s centre has focused on understanding
teaching and outcomes through a Māori lens and increasing the use of Te Reo. Kathy works closely with
other centres and centre managers to sharing best practice. Kathy has been part of the CAC panel since
early 2019.
Larry Ching - End of Term December 2022
Larry, current Chair and Secondary sector representative for the CAC, has a background which includes
44 years in the secondary education sector of which the last 18 years were as the principal of two large
co-educational secondary schools; Awatapu College in Palmerston North (1996 - 2002) and Waimea
College in Richmond, Nelson (2002 - 2014). He is now an independent educational consultant providing
leadership development and support through coaching and mentoring, supervision, performance
appraisals, senior and middle management training, assistance with senior management appointments
and project management. For the past seven years he has been a mentor in the national First Time
Principals Programme. He was the inaugural Director of the Tasman Nelson Youth Service programme
and is currently a member of the NMDAH Board Pre-Vocational Assessment Panel for year one and two
doctors. Larry has been part of the CAC panel since early 2016.
Lynda Harris - End of Term October 2024
Lynda is a qualified kindergarten teacher and has been working in the early childhood sector for over 30
years. She has qualifications in Child Protection, developing and facilitating training to individual centres
and teaching teams to meet the requirements of the Vulnerable Children’s Act 2014. Having delivered
over 50 Incredible Years Teaching Programmes and 40 Incredible Years Parent Programmes, Lydia
understands complexities that arise within the teaching profession.
Matthew Fraser - End of Term October 2024
Matt has been teaching in Christchurch secondary schools for eight years in various leadership positions,
both in English and Māori medium settings. As a secondary trained teacher, Matt began his career at
Lincoln High School as HOD Māori. He then moved to Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Whānau Tahi where
he was Kaihautū Wharekura (Head of Senior School) and Acting Tumuaki (Principal) and then to
Manawatū College as Principal. Matt is a current member of the Māori Medium Advisory Group for the
Teaching Council, and worked for New Zealand Qualifications Authority, including working as a te reo
Māori translator.
Mathew Kiore - End of Term July 2024
Mathew Kiore has been a Te Reo teacher in kura auraki, as well as a primary teacher a various schools
in Dunedin including a bilingual unit. Mathew has run alternative education programs at the Kokiri training
centre in Dunedin where he was the Tumuaki until the end of 2019. Mathew is currently employed as a
cultural educator and runs Kia Whai Hina, a Suicide prevention program. Mathew has also held positions
running Youth Justice programs, and Poipoia Te Mokopuna where he taught parenting and social skills.
Mathew has been a Board and Whanau member at Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Otepoti since 2016. He is
a voluntary winz advocate and is involved with Māori rugby regionally and nationally.
Nicole Butler - End of Term September 2022
Nicole, current Early Childhood Education representative on the CAC. has her Bachelor of Teaching degree
and has worked in the Early Childhood and Primary sector for 20 years in New Zealand and Australia. She
is currently an Area Manager for Evolve Education in the upper North island region. In this role she
supports 9 centres by delivering Professional Development, mentoring provisionally registered teachers,
and supporting Centre Managers in all areas of the management of their centres. Nicole has been part
of the CAC panel since late 2019.
Sally Ormandy - End of Term October 2024
Sally has taught at both intermediate and secondary schools in England and New Zealand for over 20
years. She has experience in leadership roles working in both mainstream and special needs schools.
Sally is currently the Principal of Ōpāwa School in Christchurch. She has a strong education background
having completed a Masters of Education with first class honours from the University of Canterbury and
a Bachelor of Education Diploma of Teaching.
Sharlene Teirney - End of Term February 2023
Sharlene has extensive experience in school leadership, is currently the deputy principal of Te Kura
Kaupapa Maori O Te Whanau Tahi and a member of Canterbury University’s Māori Research
team. Sharlene brings strengths in culturally responsive practice, bilingual and immersion teaching and
has a strong academic background to complement her sector experience.
Shelley Robinson - End of Term November 2023
Shelley is the current Head Teacher at Petone Beach Kindergarten, part of He Whānau Manaaki o Tararua
Free Kindergarten Association. Shelley has been working in early childhood education for 26 years, in a
variety of early childhood centres and kindergartens in the greater Wellington region.
Stuart King - End of Term August 2022
Stuart is a secondary teacher and Principal’s Nominee at James Cook High School in South Auckland. He
has a wide range of experiences in school Governance having been a long-serving trustee on three
secondary schools Board of Trustees and an NZSTA Accredited Trustee. Stuart has been a Regional PPTA
office holder for the past 20 years, has served on the PPTA National Executive and is a Surplus Staffing
Nominee. Stuart has spent nine years serving on the Disciplinary Tribunal and is passionate on building
the reputation of the teaching profession.
Tania King - End of Term February 2022
Tania has been in the secondary school sector for over 20 years having various management positions
including Principal of Wanganui Girls’ College. She works as Corporate Business Manager for Sports
Wanganui. Tania is passionate about the delivery of quality education through appropriate conduct and
competencies.
Teresa Topp - End of Term July 2024
Teresa is a qualified Intermediate and Primary school leader with extensive teaching experience. She is
also the current Principal at Waikite Valley School and has worked as a Principal for the past 9 years.
Teresa has often worked in bilingual environments and is proud of her Maori heritage. Teresa has a
Diploma of Teaching, Bachelor of Education and Master of Education (Hons) from the University of
Auckland and has always been passionate for Maori and Pasifika education in NZ.
2. Are there any lay members who sit within the Complaints Assessment Committee?
At present, the Complaints Assessment Committee has two lay members, Barbara Gilray and Gail Gibson
(bios included above).
3. Expressions of interest
As previously advised on 29 April 2020, the Council calls for public expressions of interest to its panels
by advertisement on its website and newsletter when new members are required. Members are
appointed based on their individual knowledge, expertise and personal attributes, not on the basis of
their membership or association with any one or more organisations.
The call for CAC membership for teachers, went out in the Teaching Council newsletter on 9 July 2021,
and the layperson role was advertised on SEEK on 10 September 2021.
4. Remuneration rates
Please note that all Complaints Assessment Committee Panel members are external to and are not
employees of the Teaching Council of Aotearoa. The Council pays all Panel members a daily meeting fee
for their services as follows:
CAC Chair daily rate: $475.00
Chair preparation fee (2 hours for work that takes 4 hours): $237.50
CAC Member daily rate: $385.00
Member preparation fee (2 hours for work that takes 4 hours): $192.50
These rates are all inclusive of GST, if any.
The daily rate is paid by Teaching Council to the Member’s institution/school/centre or company. The
Member’s institution/school/centre or company make the claim for the daily rate to reimburse their
costs of releasing the Member to contribute to the Panel process. Members individually claim for
related expenses such as taxis, parking, private car use which is then reimbursed by the Council. Panel
members do not receive any additional benefits for the provision of their services.
5. Other committees with lay membership
The Impairment Panel, Registration Panel and Competence Authority have lay people as part of their
membership, as advised on 29 April 2020.
Please note that no information has been withheld from you. You have the right to seek an
investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this response. Information about how to make a
complaint is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802 602.
If you wish to discuss this decision with us, please feel free to contact Sandra Kelman, Government
Relations & Information Manager who may be able to provide further assistance should you be willing to
change or refine your request. Her email address is
[email address]. Nāku noa, nā
Pauline Barnes
Deputy Chief Executive Professional Services
