Consumer Advisory Committee Members

Sandra Coney (chair)

Sandra is chair of the Auckland Regional Council Parks and Heritage Committee and has chaired CAC since its establishment in 2002. Sandra has a long-standing interest in consumer rights and women’s issues. She has written widely on consumer and women’s health issues, including in 1987 co-authoring the landmark Metro article (with Phillida Bunkle) An Unfortunate Experiment, about the treatment of women with cervical cancer at National Women’s Hospital. The article led to the Committee of Inquiry headed by Silvia Cartwright, the establishment of the national cervical screening programme and the position of Health Commissioner.

Sandra co-founded the women’s health advocacy organisation Women’s Health Action and has served as a consumer representative on many health committees, including the committee that developed the New Zealand Health Strategy. She has two adult sons and lives in Auckland with her partner, a human rights lawyer.

Matiu Dickson (deputy chair)

A member of Ngaiterangi iwi and Ngaitukairangi hapu. Matiu is a senior law lecturer at Waikato University. He is the chair of the Hamilton urban authority and Maori Health Provider, Te Runanga o Kirikiriroa. He is the chair of the Hillcrest High School Board of Trustees. Though he is working in the Tainui (Waikato) area, Matiu retains strong links to his Tauranga Moana tribal area and marae.

Matiu has an extensive knowledge of Maori tikanga and cultural practice. He is a noted authority on kapa haka and composition of waiata, judging at both the 2005 and 2007 national kapa haka festivals. Matiu lives in Hamilton and is married to Helen, they have six children.

Vicki Burnett

Vicki is a board member of Epilepsy NZ and a founder member of the CAC. Vicki has experience of the mental health sector and a particular interest in advocating the rights of people with mental illness, including spending four years as a mental health advisor (senior management) to Waitemata DHB. Married, lives on Auckland’s North Shore.

Sharron Cole

Sharron’s consumer interests are in the area of children and younger families, through the Parents Centre movement. Sharron is currently the national chair of Parents Centre. Sharron also has a strong background in medical ethics including chairing the Wellington Regional Ethics committee and providing advice to ACC on medical misadventure. Sharron is on her second term as a Board member of the Hutt Valley DHB and has been appointed as a Families Commissioner. She lives in Petone with her husband and teenage children.

Dennis Paget

Dennis is a past health spokesman for Grey Power NZ Federation,(but remains on the Health Committee), the umbrella group for NZ’s Grey Power movement which covers some 90,000 older New Zealanders. He remains President of Grey Power Marlborough, is a Voluntary Community Co Coordinator for the Office of Senior Citizens (MSD.), was awarded the MNZM for services to the elderly. Has a particular interest in health matters concerning the elderly.

Dennis emigrated to NZ after serving with the Merchant Navy during the Second World War. He became involved with the trade union movement, and his experience in advocating for workers’ rights has continued in his work with Grey Power. Dennis is retired and lives in Blenheim with his wife. This is his 2nd term on the CAC of which he is a founder member.

Paul Stanley

Ngaiterangi, Waikato iwi. Paul (Paora) has a background in health research with a particular interest in Maori men’s health. His consumer advocacy has included projects addressing drug and alcohol dependency, particularly among Māori men. Currently general manager of Waipareira Trust.

In his early working life, Paul also served on the HMNZS Wellington and worked as a prison guard. Paul lives near Tauranga and has three teenage children.

Kuresa Tiumalu-Faleseuga

Kuresa has a background in social work and representing the interests of Pacific people. After working as a social worker he moved into management and consultancy including providing advice to the Ministry of Education and the Dept of Child Youth and Family (now CYFS). Most recently he has been chief executive of Pacificare Trust, an Auckland Pacific Island Mental Health Service. Kuresa has the Samoan chiefly title of Luamanuvae, and divides his time between his home in Levin, and Auckland.

Heather Thomson

Ngati Paeakau, Te Whanau a Apanui. Heather is one of the CAC’s newer members, having been appointed in 2004. Heather has a lengthy experience (over 20 years) working in the health sector, with a particular interest in maternal and neo natal health. While working at Auckland Area Health Board and Middlemore Hospital, Heather also provided advice at a national level into sector-wide working groups on topics such as child health, ethics, maternal health, cervical screening and adolescent sexuality.

Heather has also held positions on the Bay of Plenty DHB and the Public Health Commission, and is currently on the Medical Council. In 1994 Heather moved back to her tribal area near Te Kaha, in the east cape, where she manages the Te Kaha and Opotiki health services under contract.

Te Aniwa Tutara

Ngati Whatua. Te Aniwa is the Maori Health Manager at Waitemata DHB, and was also appointed to the CAC in 2004. Te Aniwa has over 20 years’ experience working in Maori health and social services management, and has a particular interest in Maori health and mental health. This has involved managing the Henderson House community mental health centre, and also work with North Health and Waitemata DHB. She is a member of the Waitemata DHB senior management team and its Treaty of Waitangi trainer. Te Aniwa lives on the North Shore and has five sons.

Page updated on 14 Feb 2008