Wastewater independent inquiry head appointed

Published on 06 July 2016

6 July 2016

Whanganui District Council chief executive Kym Fell has announced the appointment of Robert Domm to head the independent inquiry into the failed wastewater treatment plant.

At a public workshop on Monday, the council agreed to proceed with an independent inquiry to ensure that the Council and community understand the circumstances and Council processes which led to the failure of the old plant.

Robert Domm is a highly experienced senior manager with experience over the past 15 years as a public sector CEO in Australia and New Zealand, including seven years in local government. Currently a director of his own property and management business in Sydney, Robert was until last year the CEO at Regional Facilities Auckland Ltd, a company operated by Auckland Council.

He has also served as CEO at the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, the Redfern-Waterloo Authority and the City of Sydney, as well as being a former Managing Director of the Australian Technology Park Ltd. He has served on the boards of six organisations including two companies.

A qualified legal practitioner, Robert holds a Master of Business Administration from Deakin University, a Master of Labour Law and Relations from the University of Sydney, a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts from Monash University and a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice from the Australian National University.

In August 2014 he was awarded the Order of Timor-Leste for his past humanitarian assistance towards the people of that new nation.

Mr Fell said “the inquiry is very important for the Whanganui community to understand the facts surrounding the failure of the plant in 2012”.

“It was essential that we appointed the right person to lead the inquiry and I’m pleased to have been able to engage someone of Robert Domm’s calibre. He is completely independent, highly experienced and we are fortunate that he has a window of time available to undertake this investigation.”

The inquiry is expected to take up to 12 weeks and will cost in the order of $100,000.