Governance

Miriam has extensive governance experience. Capable and dedicated to her board work, she is never afraid to express her point of view, but, equally, is an active listener at board discussions.

Present directorships are:

  • Auckland Transport Interim Board (to assist with the statutory transition of the road-controlling authority related functions to the Auckland Council and to set up a new public transport agency)
  • Director, Chorus Limited (responsible for the provision of the country’s telecommunications infrastructure (fibre and copper) nationwide
  • Deputy Chair, REINZ – Real Estate Institute of New Zealand (a membership organisation representing more than 14,000 real estate professionals nationwide)

Past directorships include:

  • Chair, Banking Ombudsman Scheme (an approved body to resolve complaints between banks and customers)
  • Director, Crown Infrastructure Delivery Limited (responsible for delivering the Government’s key anchor projects in Christchurch and providing expert Crown infrastructure and project management services nationwide)
  • Director, Crown Infrastructure Partners (the company established by the Government to manage its $1.5 billion investment in ultra-fast broadband infrastructure and repurposed to assist with the deployment of water and roading infrastructure to support a timely increase in housing supply).
  • Chair, NZ On Air (New Zealand’s funding agency for public media content)
  • Deputy chair, Auckland Council Investments Limited (a company to manage the council’s shares in Auckland’s port and airport and the Waitakere film studio)
  • Director and trustee, Royal New Zealand Ballet (the country’s premier ballet company, formed in 1953)
  • Member, Auckland Transition Authority (the body responsible for amalgamating Auckland’s seven councils into a single territorial authority in 2009-10)
  • Member, Interim Electricity Market Authority (2010) (the transition agency responsible for implementing the 2009 electricity reforms)
  • Member, International Accreditation New Zealand Council (which provides accreditation services to businesses) (2004-11)
  • Member, Civil Aviation Authority (New Zealand’s civil aviation regulator) (1997-99)
  • Deputy chair, Commerce Commission (New Zealand’s competition and consumer watchdog) (2003)

Miriam has also served on many other governing or advisory boards or committees. These include Leader New Zealand (Lawyers Engaged in Alternative Dispute Resolution), the Law Foundation, the Legal Research Foundation, the Christchurch Earthquakes Claims Resolution Service and the Department of Internal Affairs’ Advisory Board. Miriam was also chair of the Auckland Council’s Independent Reference Panel with oversight with its value for money reviews under section 17A of the Local Government Act 1972.

Currently, Miriam chairs the Ministry of Justice’s Legal Aid Advisory Group.