Members
Members of the BSA (i.e. those who make up the board that decides complaints) are appointed by the Governor-General, on the recommendation of the Minister of Broadcasting. There are four members, a chairperson and three others. The 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.
Members are responsible for the determination of complaints and for the governance of the BSA.
Peter Radich - Chair
Peter is a partner in Radich Law and has been a solicitor of the High Court since 1969. He was previously the Chair of the New Zealand Law Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal until it was disbanded in January 2009. He also serves as Milk Commissioner for the Fonterra Dairy Group, is District Solicitor to the Marlborough District Council and is a member of the Law Practitioners and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal. Peter took up the position of Chair of the BSA in January 2010.
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) in 1995 at Auckland University.
Mary Anne has practised in New Lynn in West Auckland for 28 years and was appointed a Notary Public in 1993. For the past 10 years she has also served on the Auckland Law Society Disciplinary Committee 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 Ngāti Toa affiliations. Mary Anne joined the BSA in June 2009.
Leigh Pearson
Leigh is a self-employed government relations and communications advisor. She has worked for TVNZ, Radio NZ, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. She is a former Chair of the Parliamentary Press Gallery. Leigh joined the BSA in January 2010.
Te Raumawhitu (Te Rau) Kupenga
Te Rau has a legal background, having worked previously as a Crown Prosecutor as well as holding senior solicitor positions at the Office of the Māori Trustee and a commercial law firm in Wellington. He has worked as a television presenter and until recently was a regular panelist on a lifestyle television show. Te Rau is Ngāti Porou and is very involved in iwi and whānau development. He is married to Fiona, and his pride and joy are his children, Te Ataakura and Pakanui. Te Rau joined the BSA in December 2010.
View a chronological list of members who have served on the BSA
Staff
The staff of the BSA support the members in their decision making and governance functions and for undertaking the various other functions of the BSA, such as research and communications. Staff do not determine complaints.
Susan Freeman-Greene - Chief Executive
Julie Bath - Administration Manager
Patricia Windle - Legal Manager
Miro Booth - Legal Advisor
Trish Cross - Receptionist/Administrator (shared with NZ On Air)
Margaret Haughey - Administration Support (part-time); Website Coordinator (part-time)
Margaret Giannotti - Administration Support (part-time)
