SCENZ Group

Martine Abel-Williamson lives in Auckland, New Zealand, with her partner, Gary, and guide dog, Greg. She is the president of the World Blind Union and serves on the boards of the International Disability Alliance (IDA); the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB); the Royal NZ Foundation of the Blind; Blind Citizens NZ; and Disability Connect.

Dr Michael Austen (New Zealand European) is a Specialist Physician in Occupational and Environmental Medicine and in Urgent Care and is based in Wellington. Dr Austen is a Fellow of both the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and the Royal New Zealand College of Urgent Care. He is an enrolled barrister and solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand. Dr Austen is the appointed Chair of SCENZ.

Dr Kynan Bazley (New Zealand European) is currently a general practitioner based in Nelson. He provides urgent and longitudinal clinic care. He has experience in proving both palliative care and assisted dying services in Canada and New Zealand. He was part of the sector advisory network for the implementation of the End of Life Choice Act 2019 and has been a previous member of the SCENZ Group.

Georgina Johnson (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Raukawa) has extensive experience in community and consumer advocacy. She is the Chair of Consumer Council Tairawhiti; whanau and consumer member of Te Whatu Ora Data & Digital; Whanau, Consumer, and Clinician Digital Council; Pharmac Consumer Advisory Committee; Medicine Management Digital Services Group; He Hono Wahine RANZCOG; Te Whatu Ora National Palliative Care Work Programme; and the Chair for Fire and Emergency Local Advisory Committee Tairawhiti. Georgina has also taken up a role with Toitu Te Ora Tairawhiti Iwi-Māori Partnership Board.

Ariel Hubbert is a pharmacist and has practised in New Zealand and the UK for several years. She has worked as a hospital pharmacy manager in New Zealand with a specialist interest in patient information and safe medicine use in vulnerable populations. Ms Hubbert has governance experience with New Zealand pharmacy professional organisation and multidisciplinary teams in hospital settings.

Dr Te Hurinui Karaka-Clarke (Te Arawa, Ngāi Tahu) is a Senior Lecturer and the Acting Head of School at the College of Education at the University of Canterbury, based in Christchurch. Dr Karaka-Clarke holds qualifications in Te Reo Māori and is able to read, write, speak, understand spoken, and peer review Te Reo. He has numerous publications and conference presentations in his chosen field. He has expressed a personal interest in the process of end of life care and is willing to share his knowledge about customs and protocols that will guide and impact the work of the SCENZ Group.

Dr Jackie Robinson (New Zealand European) is an Associate Professor and Nurse Practitioner at the University of Auckland. She has worked as a lead nurse practitioner in palliative care based in Auckland working in the acute hospital and more recently in residential aged care settings. She has previously been co-chair of the Auckland DHB clinical ethics advisory group and a member of the Ministry of Health Palliative Care advisory group. 

Dr Robinson holds a PhD and has published extensively. Her area of research focuses on social justice and equity in palliative and end of life care, for which she has received multiple awards. Dr Robinson holds a number of governance roles and has considerable working group, committee and board experience.

Emma Taylor is an enrolled barrister and solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand and currently Orthopaedic Service business manager for Health New Zealand in Auckland. She has research and governance experience and worked for the Office of the Health and Disability Commissioner, leading the assessment team.