Growing Proportion Of Employment Relations Authority Members With Private Sector Experience
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Brooke van Velden announces the appointment of four new members to fill vacancies at the Employment Relations Authority [ERA] and the reappointment of two Members.
The ERA is an independent body that helps resolve employment relationship problems and facilitates collective bargaining when issues arise.
'Earlier this year I announced I would like to see a greater balance in the backgrounds of ERA members to ensure the experience of members better reflects the proportions of public sector and private sector employment in New Zealand,' says Ms van Velden.
'Today, I'm announcing four new appointments all from the employment law sector collectively bringing in some great legal experience to the ERA. They are:
Simon Greening, for a term from 6 October 2025 to 5 October 2029
William Fussey, from 15 November 2025 to 14 November 2029
Alyn Higgins, from 6 October 2025 to 5 October 2029
Robert Davis, from 12 January 2026 to 11 January 2030
'I am really pleased with the progress we are making to better balance a mix of public and private experience amongst members and how this has shifted from the start of the term.
'When I came into the job, only 48 percent of members had private sector experience, while 76 percent had public sector experience. That is not representative of the realities of employment in New Zealand, where around 20 percent of employment is in the public sector and around 80 percent in the private sector.
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'The ERA's new members will bring new ideas, skills, experience and balance to the ERA. With these appointments the mix of experience will become 60 per cent private and 52 per cent public,' says Ms van Velden.
'I expect the proportions to further shift over time as current ERA members' terms expire and come up for consideration for reappointment or replacement.
'These changes to the ERA membership are complemented by a range of policy changes I am progressing through the Employment Relations Amendment Bill.
'The Employment Relations Amendment Bill currently at Select Committee includes changes to remove rewards for poor employee behaviour when considering personal grievances and clarifying the distinction between employment and contracting arrangements,' says Ms van Velden.
Note:
Bios for new appointees
Simon Greening
Simon is a leading employment law expert with his own practice. Previously he was a partner of Gaze Burt and has over 14 years of experience investigating workplace matters across diverse industries. Since 2013 he has served as counsel in numerous cases before the ERA and Employment Court and represented entities responding to the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. Beyond his legal practice, Simon brings valuable business acumen from running his own firm for five years and shares his expertise through writing and teaching employment relations courses for HR professionals and ERA practitioners.
Simon has an LLB from Auckland University and was admitted to the Bar in 2011.
Alyn Higgins
Alyn is an employment law expert with over two decades of experience, he was admitted to the bar in 2004. As a co-director of ATH Consulting Ltd, a legal firm, he specialises in advising small and medium-sized private sector businesses, with some public sector work. A seasoned legal advisor who regularly conducts workplace investigations, he is known for his expertise in the hospitality industry, having worked for Hospitality NZ as legal advisor. He also provides legal representation to community and not-for-profit organisations.
Alyn has an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington and was admitted to the Bar in 2004.
Robert Davies
Robert is a partner for Norris Ward McKinnon and works as an employment lawyer with ten years of experience, serving as a workplace investigator, mediator and teaching fellow at the University of Waikato's Faculty of Law. He represents both employers and employees across various sectors in employment relationship matters. He is an Associate of the Arbitrators' and Mediators' Institute of New Zealand (AAMINZ) who conducts private mediations and facilitates workplace dispute resolutions.
Robert has an LLB from the University of Waikato and was admitted to the bar in 2013.
William Fussey
William is a Senior Associate in the Employment law team with Anderson Lloyd and has been there since 2023. He has a wide range of employment law experience including advising on Holidays Act issues, personal grievances, attending mediations, ERA investigation meetings and Employment Court hearings. He has a detailed knowledge of the employment law framework and systems including legislation, case law, ERA and Employment Court procedures and processes. Prior to this he worked for SBM Legal, Catherine Stewart Barrister and EY Law.
William has an LLM with Distinction from Victoria University of Wellington, an LLB and a BA in English with First Class Honours. William was admitted to the bar in 2016.
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