About the board#
The establishment of the New Zealand School Property Agency (NZSPA) is expected to happen in the second half of 2026 once the Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Bill is passed.
The NZSPA Board will replace the establishment board when that happens.
New school property agency to be established – Beehive
Role of the board#
The establishment board’s work will centre on the transition and set up of NZSPA, focusing on 3 immediate priorities:
- getting better value for money
- being more flexible and responsive when we work with schools
- making sure the current operating model transitions smoothly to the new agency.
Board members#
Murray McCully (Chair)#
Murray served as Minister of Foreign Affairs for 8 and a half years and Member of Parliament for 30 years. He is the Chair of Te Tai Tokerau Water Trust and Chair of Whangārei District Holdings Limited.
Murray was lead independent reviewer for the Ministerial Inquiry into School Property.
Sarah Petersen#
Sarah is a chartered accountant specialising in risk and governance in the Far North. She is a current Director and Audit Committee Chair for Tupu Tonu | Ngāpuhi Investment Fund, and the Deputy Chair/Audit Committee Chair for Far North Holdings, the asset management arm of the Far North District Council. She was previously the Chief Financial Officer for Cognition Education Group, a global education delivery and consultancy company.
Sarah is the Board Chair of the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.
Mark Binns#
Mark is the current Chair of National Infrastructure Funding and Financing Limited and Director for Hynds Limited, Auckland International Airport and Mercury Energy.
He is a former Chief Executive of Meridian Energy and led the company through the largest initial public offering (IPO) in New Zealand's history. Prior to this Mark was also Chief Executive of the Infrastructure division of Fletcher Building.
Mark was a lead independent reviewer for the Ministerial Inquiry into School Property.
Rick Herd#
Rick led Naylor Love to become one of the largest privately owned construction companies in New Zealand. He is known for raising industry standards and actively contributes to industry bodies like Registered Master Builders and Construction Health and Safety NZ.
Rick is a Director of Port Otago Limited, ENI Engineering Limited, and Nelmac Limited.
Message from the Chair#
We are committed to building meaningful relationships with the schools that will be served by the New Zealand School Property Agency.
The creation of a new agency to deliver school property services is a significant undertaking.
In the coming weeks, the board will be engaging with principals and boards across the country to ensure this change delivers tangible benefits and is a positive experience for schools.
