Priority Development Panel Members

The current members of the Priority Development Panel are:

Recent appointments to the Priority Development Panel are:
Jane Monk
Urban Planner, Mediator, Lecturer, VCAT Member
Jane Monk has over 30 years experience in the planning area, with a 15 year career at VCAT, most recently as a Senior Member, Planning and Environment List. Ms Monk was also a member of the former Administrative Appeals Tribunal from 1990 to 1997 and has held a number of planning related roles within local government between 1976 and 1990. She is a Fellow of the Planning Institute of Australia and a Fellow of the Victorian Planning and Environmental Law Association.

Bill Chandler
Urban Designer, Architect, Strategic Planner, Project Manager
Bill Chandler has formal qualifications in Architecture, Town and Regional Planning, and Engineering Science. With more than 35 years experience as a design and planning consultant across Australia, as well as in England and South-East Asia, he has worked extensively for all levels of government, the private sector, institutions and the community sector. He is a past-president of the Victorian Division of the Planning Institute of Australia, and has been made a Life Fellow of PIA and recipient of PIA National Lifetime Achievement Award 2007 in recognition of his leadership role and advocacy for better planning and design of cities and towns.

Maxine Cooper
Urban Sociology, Community Development, Social Impact Assessment, PPV Member
Maxine Cooper has unique skills honed by more than 25 years experience in social research, community development and planning in a range of organisations in both the private and public sectors. She has specialist skills in social research and social impact assessment and the analysis of community attitudes and values in the context of technical data. Maxine is a VPELA Fellow and recipient of VPELA’s Richard J Evans Award 2007 and a Sessional Member of Planning Panels Victoria.

Fiona Cotter
Regional and provincial planning major projects, urban design
Fiona Cotter is a town planner with around 15 years experience who has developed specialist skills in regional planning, strategic and statutory planning, land capability assessment and urban design. Fiona runs her own regional based planning advisory firm "Provincial Matters", which provides advice to a range of private and public sector clients and has facilitated delivery of a range of major projects relating to renewable energy, regional economic growth and management of growth and development of regional cities, towns and rural areas. Fiona is a Sessional Member of Planning Panels Victoria, and presents regularly to VCAT and is a member of VPELA.

Chris Gallagher
Planning, heritage, major projects, strategy development, stakeholder relations
Chris Gallagher runs her own strategy consulting business and has a 35 year long history of involvement in planning, development and major projects. This has included roles in senior management and corporate governance in both State and local government, and as a consultant to clients within the business, professional and community sectors. Chris has been a Ministerial Advisor to two State Government Planning Ministers, is a former Chair of the Heritage Council of Victoria and is a Board Member of the Australian Print Workshop. Chris has a career history of being selected by organisations to lead cultural change. Chris was also a finalist in the 1999 Telstra Victorian Businesswoman of the Year Awards.

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John Henshall
Urban and regional economics, retail planning, economic impact assessment
John Henshall has over 35 years experience as an economist and town planner. He is the Director of Essential Economics, consulting in the planning and development industry for a range of public and private sector clients. John has specialist skills in the economics related aspects of land use planning and development, particularly as they relate to Activity Centres. John has been involved in a range of projects in inner city, suburban and growth area environments in Victoria and interstate, as well as in Asia. John is Life Fellow of PIA, Fellow of VPELA, and appears regularly as an expert witness at VCAT and Planning Panels Victoria.

Jane Homewood
Urban design, urban planning, architecture, corporate and strategic planning
Jane Homewood has formal qualifications in urban design, urban planning and architecture and over 20 years experience working with State and local government key strategic roles, as well as private sector experience as a consultant. Jane brings a suite of multidisciplinary and technical skills and a particular interest in the growth, management and governance of municipalities, regional centres and cities. Jane is a Sessional Member of Planning Panels Victoria, and together with her staff was a recipient of the RAPI Planning Excellence Award, the RAPI Community Planning Award, and the United Nations Award for Environmental Excellence.

John Keaney
Town Planner, Regional Planner, PPV Member, VCAT Member
John Keaney has been a planner for 30 years and has been a planning consultant since 1985. John has been a panel member with Planning Panels Victoria since 1988 and a sessional member of VCAT since 1999. John has extensive experience in rural and regional Victoria and has been involved in the implementation and review phase of many planning schemes in country Victoria. John is a Fellow of the Planning Institute of Australia.

Ann Keddie
Architect, Urban Designer, VCAT Member, PPV Member, Former Chair of Building Appeals Board
Ann Keddie is an architect and urban designer who has worked in private practice on all forms of housing, health and community projects for over 30 years. Ann is currently a member of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal and former Chair of the Building Appeals Board, a Life Fellow of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects and a member of the Victorian Planning and Environmental Law Association.

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Ken McNamara
City and Transport Engineer, Local government, Project Management, PPV Member, VCAT Member
Ken McNamara has over 30 years experience in the private and public sector, including 16 years as a local government CEO and is currently a consultant Project Manager. Ken has a strong knowledge of transport linkage issues and the provision of public transport in newly developing areas. Ken has experience as chair or member of a range of community reference groups, council forums and steering committees for significant transport projects. Ken is also a Sessional Member of Planning Panels Victorian and the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

Stephen Sully
Strategic Urban Planner, Activity Centre Consultant, PPV Member
Stephen Sully has 25 years experience in urban and regional planning, including senior management roles in strategic planning, economic development and urban design with local and state government and private consultancy. Stephen specialises in Activity Centre Planning, Design and Development. Stephen is currently director of strategic planning consultancy Planning by Design and has been a Sessional Member of Planning Panels Victoria for the past 8 years. Stephen is a Corporate Member of Planning Institute of Australia and Vice President of Community Business Centres Victoria.

Henry Turnbull
Traffic Engineer, Expert Witness
Henry Turnbull has nearly 30 years experience in traffic engineering and transport planning. A former Country Roads Board engineer with major road design and freeway construction expertise, Henry has more recently practised as a consulting traffic engineer in his position as a Principal with the Traffix Group. Henry has been a Sessional Panel Member with Planning Panels Victoria since 1982 and is a Past President and Life Fellow of the Victorian Planning and Environmental Law Association and a Life Member of the Institute of Transportation Engineers. Henry is a former Shire President of the Shire of Euroa.

David Whitney
Strategic and statutory planning, Policy formulation, Structure planning, PPV Member
David Whitney is a town planning consultant with over 40 years experience in all aspects of town planning. David has given advice to government, local government, the development industry and community groups. David is a Sessional Member of Planning Panels Victoria, a Life Fellow and a former State President of the Planning Institute of Australia, a Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (UK) and a Fellow of the Victorian Planning and Environmental Law Association.

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