Sydney North Planning Panel

Chair 

Peter Debnam 

Peter Debnam is currently Independent Chair of the Code Authority (Ethics Committee) of the Fundraising Institute of Australia. In recent years, Peter was also Chairman of NSW Kids in Need Foundation, Chair and a Director of The Muscular Dystrophy Foundation of Australia, Muscular Dystrophy NSW and the Advisory Board of Our Big Kitchen as well as Vice Chair of CARE Australia. Peter was also formerly a Director of Paraquad NSW, PaddleNSW, Soils for Life Limited and Disability Sports Australia.

Peter is a former member of the NSW Parliament (1994 – 2011) and was Leader of the Opposition from 2005 to 2007. Peter also held shadow portfolios for Treasury, Planning & Urban Affairs, Housing, Infrastructure, Transport and other key portfolios.

He graduated from the Royal Australian Naval College and has an MBA from Macquarie Graduate School of Management.  He is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
 

State Members

Brian Kirk

Brian has post-graduate qualifications in both town planning and land economics and is a member of Planning Institute Australia and the Australian Property Institute.  He held various senior positions in local government and the NSW Public Service before starting his own consultancy over 20 years ago.

Brian’s experience in planning and property is wide ranging, with particular expertise in statutory and strategic planning.  He continues to provide considered advice to local and State government, industry and the wider community on major projects, environmental impact assessment and land use planning matters.  Brian also has a depth of experience as an expert witness in litigation and dispute resolution in the NSW Land and Environment Court.

Brian is a current member of a number of Local Planning Panels and was appointed as a member of the Sydney North Planning Panel in January 2020.

Sue Francis:

Sue Francis has had more than 38 years' experience as a planner in both local government and in the private sector. She has held executive positions at Woollahra, North Sydney and Warringah Councils and is currently the Executive Director of City Plan Strategy and Development where she provides consultancy services for both private clients and government agencies on State and local government levels.

Sue has a Diploma and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Planning, both from the UK. Sue is a member of the Royal Town Planning Institute, a CPP member of the Planning Institute of Australia, a member of the Planning Committee of the Property Council of Australia and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Sue is Chair of the Randwick Local Planning Panel, Alternate Chair of the Bayside Local Planning Panel and an expert member on Wingecarribee Local Planning Panel.