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The EPA Board

What is the EPA Board?

The EPA is a single, consolidated environmental regulator responsible for protecting the people and environment of NSW now and for future generations. The EPA Board is a statutory body established under s. 15 of the Protection of the Environment Administration Act 1991 (POEA Act) and reflects the Government’s reform initiative to modernise the EPA as an independent, strengthened authority, headed by a statutory position of EPA Chair and a reconstituted EPA Board. The EPA Board will act as an advocate for the community and local government, to hold industry to account for its actions, and to strengthen environmental regulation in NSW.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who are the EPA Board?

The Board consists of five members comprising a Chair and four part-time members. The four part-time members have demonstrated expertise in environmental law and science, corporate, financial and risk planning and management, as well as established ties to, and understanding of, community groups.

The EPA Board was appointed on 29 February 2012, with the Chair appointed on 2 April 2012.

 

Chair and CEO, Barry Buffier

Barry Buffier is the Chair and CEO of the EPA. Mr Buffier has had significant Senior Executive and Board experience in the public and private sectors. This has included as Director-General, Department of Primary Industries, Director-General of State and Regional Development and National Manager, Agribusiness at Westpac. He has a Bachelor of Rural Science (Honours), a Master of Economics, he is a Churchill Fellow and also a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

 

Responsibilities

Under Section 19 of the POEA Act, the Chair is charged with the responsibility of managing and controlling the affairs of the EPA, in accordance with the policies determined by the Board and any other decisions of the Board but subject to any directions of the Minister under the POEA Act. The Chair is also the presiding member of the Board.

EPA Board members

The other EPA board members are part-time and have been appointed based on their respective expertise in environmental science, environmental law, corporate, financial and risk planning and management, and in business. They are:

Alec Brennan   

Mr Brennan brings to the EPA Board 40 years experience in business across a range of industries including more than 20 years as a public company director. He has a Bachelor of Science, Food Technology (Honours), a Master of Business Administration and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Apart from his ongoing involvement in business, Mr Brennan is a Fellow of Senate, Sydney University and is Chair of two key Senate Committees - the Finance and Audit Committee and the HR Committee. He is also involved in a number of other not for profit activities, particularly in the medical and research areas. He brings to the Board extensive business experience in areas such as strategy, process management, governance, finance and risk management.

Christine Covington

Ms Covington is a solicitor of the Supreme Court of NSW. She has over 25 years experience in environment, planning and property law. She currently heads the Sydney Planning, Environmental and Local Government Group at law firm Corrs Chambers Westgarth in Sydney. She has served as a NSW State Government appointee to the Central Sydney Planning Committee. Christine has experience working with local governments and in community engagements. She also has extensive experience in the NSW Land & Environment Court and the Supreme Court in planning appeals and environmental prosecutions.

 

Chris Knoblanche

Mr Knoblanche is currently Senior Advisor, Corporate & Investment Banking, Australia & New Zealand for Citigroup. He has been advising local and multinational companies for over 32 years in areas such as corporate strategy, financing, risk control and management. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting and Financial Management), is a Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and is a Fellow of the Australia Society of CPAs. He has held key Board positions and in 2003 was awarded the Centenary Medal by the Federal Government for service to business and the arts.

 

Julie Savet Ward 

Ms Savet Ward has a Bachelor of Science (Applied Physical Geography)(Honours), a Master of Landscape Planning and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Ms Savet Ward has expertise in science, and a good understanding of the regulatory environment for sustainability and compliance, as well as a deep understanding of the planning, approval, design, construction and delivery of infrastructure, property and natural resource projects. She has particular skills in brokering and managing relationships between government and the community as part of various community communication programs. Ms Savet Ward is the chairperson of a charity and a private consulting company.

What does the EPA Board do?

The primary source of information on the role, functions, membership and reporting and operational arrangements for the Board is contained within the POEA Act and the POEO Act. Generally, the EPA Board:

1. determines the policies and long-term strategic plans of the Authority,
2. oversees the effective, efficient and economical management of the Authority,
3. develops and make available for public information, guidelines relating to the institution of criminal and related proceedings,
4. determines whether the Authority should institute proceedings for serious environment protection offences referred to in s.17 of the Act; and
5. advises the Minister on any matter relating to the protection of the environment (at the request of the Minister or on its own initiative).

The Board, under s.16 of the POEA Act, is also required to provide the Minister with an annual statement that contains or addresses the following matters:

1. an assessment of the success of the Authority in reducing risks to human health and in preventing the degradation of the environment and whether the level of environmental protection achieved by the Authority is satisfactory in comparison with other Australian jurisdictions,
2. an assessment of the performance by those industries regulated by the Authority in reducing risks to human health and in preventing the degradation of the environment, and the impact that those industries have on the environment, and
3. such other matters as may be prescribed by the regulations.