Ueli has over 25 years of experience in resource management and planning in New Zealand and the Pacific. He has spent many years working on resource management functions as a statutory and policy planner for several local authorities and the public sector in New Zealand. He also worked as a Senior Advisor for the Ministry of Transport assisting in the development of its policy position on the Resource Management Act Phase II Reform; reviewed the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement 2010 (NZCPS); National Environmental Standards for Plantation Forestry (NES-PF); and the National Policy Statement Biodiversity.
He has experience with the European Union Sector Policy Support programs having worked for the European Union as a Senior Regional Monitor. He participated as a Pacific Expert in 7 Result Oriented Monitoring missions to the Pacific Island region monitoring, evaluating, and reviewing the European Union funded 'Integrated Water Resource Management Programme' and the 'Disaster Risk Reduction Project' amongst other specific targeted projects for 14 Pacific Countries between 2009 and 2011.
Recently, Ueli worked as a Senior Specialist Planner for Whangarei District Council and is currently working as Major Project Leader/Principal Planner for Kaipara District Council. Amongst his other planning specialist roles, he prepared s42A reports and recommendations for complex landuse and subdivision consent applications including brief of evidence for the Environment Court. Ueli is currently managing the new Mangawhai Central Town Centre development, the Omamari Windfarm, and the Te Tai Tokerau water dam projects in the Kaipara District.
Ueli is well grounded in his Samoan culture. He was bestowed the high chief title 'Maualaivao' under the Samoan custom and tradition. He was also heavily involved in pacific community's governance works for church communities, social and health services throughout New Zealand. He is therefore well positioned to assist the institute members from a multicultural and different planning worldview perspective.
Ueli has more than 30 years experience onphysical and natural resource management and as an environmental planning specialist of some major development projects around New Zealand and the Pacific. He has monitored and reviewed multi-million dollar projects in the Pacific Region for the European Union including the integrated water resource management and disaster risk reduction for 14 Pacific Island countries. He has practical and policy experience in all stages of the Resource Management Act, including consultation, the preparation of planning reports (district/regional plan development/plan changes) and expert evidence, and the presentation of reports and evidence before Council Committees and the Environment Court.
