Presenters

Gerald Lanning, Consultant, Simpson Grierson
Gerald is a resource management specialist, with a focus on Māori/Treaty of Waitangi issues, large infrastructure projects, and land transport management and policy. Gerald brings an intimate working understanding of environmental, public works and local government law to multi-disciplinary project teams. In addition to providing a wide range of legal and strategic advice within often highly public and political environments, he has appeared before a range of decision-making bodies, including council hearing panels, Boards of Inquiry, the Environment Court and the appellate courts. Gerald acts for a range local government and private entities and co-leads Simpson Grierson’s Māori business group, Te Paringa Tai. He is a member of the Resource Management Law Association. Gerald is a member of the Editorial Advisory Panel for the New Zealand Journal of Environmental Law, and author of the Tikanga Māori and Treaty of Waitangi chapter of Environmental Law in New Zealand (forthcoming). He is a PhD candidate at Waipapa Taumata Rau|University of Auckland (Faculty of Law) and researcher with the James Henare Research Centre. Gerald has several peer-reviewed publications. He has Chaired several hearings panels under the Covid-19 Recovery (Fast-Track Consenting) Act 2020.


Bernadette Roka Arapere, Barrister, Kōkiri Chambers
Bernadette is Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga, Ngāti Tūwharetoa and Ngāti Maniapoto. She is a barrister specialising in Public and Administrative Law, Civil litigation, Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Māori legal issues, whenua and governance matters. She has been senior counsel in the courts at all levels including the Supreme Court in judicial review proceedings, appeals, and other general litigation including Waitangi Tribunal proceedings. She is a Commissioner of the Transport Accident Investigation Commission, a Deputy Chair of the Teachers' Disciplinary Tribunal, a Trustee of Raukawa ki te Tonga Trust and a member of the Legislation Design and Advisory Committee and Māori Land Court Rules Committee. Prior to joining the independent bar, Bernadette was Crown Counsel in Public Law at Crown Law and in private practice. She speaks Te Reo Māori and has authentic knowledge of tikanga Māori working at her marae - amorangi ki mua, hāpai ō ki muri.