Veterans’ Health Advisory Panel appointments

Veterans’ Affairs Minister Craig Foss today announced four new appointments to the Veterans’ Health Advisory Panel.

The new members are:

• Wing Commander Dr Paul Nealis as Veterans’ Affairs ex-officio nominee;
• Professor Te Kani Kingi;
• Mr Clive Banks;
• Mr Daniel Patrick.

“The new members have a wide range of health expertise, including a focus on public and social policy, mental health, data analytics, and budget management,” Mr Foss says.

Dr Nealis is the Chief Medical Officer of the New Zealand Defence Force. He is an expert in aerospace medicine, military management of severe trauma and large scale medical treatment in difficult environments, including conflict/peacekeeping situations and disaster relief.

Professor Kingi has a distinguished research career, with a specialist interest in Maori and mental health. He is currently the Maori lead on New Zealand’s largest and most comprehensive research programme, Growing Up in New Zealand — a 21-year longitudinal study of New Zealand children.

Mr Banks is a senior clinical psychologist who has worked with New Zealand Defence Force personnel and veterans. His interest and expertise lies in mainstream and Māori health research, including Māori mental health.

Mr Patrick is the Executive Director of Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga (New Zealand’s Māori Centre of Research Excellence). He co-founded the Centre of Methods and Policy Applications in Social Sciences at Auckland University, and was founder and manager of the New Zealand Social Statistics Network.

“The new Panel members have diverse backgrounds and a range of experience that I’m sure will serve the Panel well,” Mr Foss says.

The Veterans’ Health Advisory Panel is a statutory body that provides advice to the Minister of Veterans’ Affairs on veterans’ health issues and regulations. It also makes decisions on the allocation of funds from the Veterans’ Medical Research Trust Fund.