About Us
Members and Staff
The Governor-General, on the recommendation of the Minister of Broadcasting, appoints four members of the Authority. Its chairperson is required to be a barrister or solicitor. One member is appointed after consultation with broadcasters, and another after consultation with public interest groups.
Joanne Morris
Joanne Morris OBE LLM (Hons) was appointed Chair in October 2003. She is a member of the Waitangi Tribunal and was a foundation member of the Broadcasting Standards Authority, closely involved in its early development from 1989 and stepping down in 1995. She has held key policy development and reform roles, including membership of the Law Commission (1994-1999), the Police Appointment Review Committee and was a member of the establishment board of the Legal Services Agency.
Tapu Misa
Tapu Misa is an Auckland journalist with an extensive career across a variety of media. She has been a feature writer for the New Zealand Herald, and a staff writer for MORE and North & South magazines. Before joining the Authority in December 2002, Tapu was part of the Mana team which produces Mana Magazine and the Mana News Report broadcast on National Radio. She currently writes a weekly column for the Herald.
Mary Anne Shanahan
Mary Anne obtained an LLB from Auckland University in 1980. She subsequently completed a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in 1989 and a Diploma of Business (Finance) at the University of Auckland 1995.
Mary Anne has practiced in New Lynn in West Auckland for 28 years and was appointed a Notary Public in 1993. She has also served on the Auckland Law Society Disciplinary committee for the past 10 years which deals with complaints about legal professional and ethical standards. Mary Anne has been involved in a number of community groups over the years and is currently a trustee of the Odyssey House Trust in Auckland which is concerned with the rehabilitation of drug and alcohol dependants. Mary Anne is married with two school aged children. Her husband is an airline pilot with Ngati Toa affiliations.
Paul France
Paul France was appointed to the Authority in December 2003. He has thirty years experience in television journalism and management. Paul was editor of TVNZ's news and current affairs programme Eye Witness News in the 1980s and had subsequent senior management roles in television production with TVNZ. From 1993-2000 Paul was chief executive of Singapore-based Asia Business News and then president of CNBC Asia after its merger with ABN. During that period he was also a member of the Singapore Broadcasting Authority. Paul now lives in the Bay of Islands.
Senior Staff
Chief Executive: Dominic Sheehan
Legal Manager: Christina Sophocleous
Communications and Research Advisor: Kate Baker
Administration Manager: Julie Bath
Legal Advisor: Matthew Dearing
Legal Advisor: Patricia Windle