The Office of Planning Panels Victoria

Kathy was appointed as the Chief Panel Member in 2004 and has undergraduate qualifications in town planning and post graduate qualifications in urban sociology and a Master of Arts in Research by major thesis.  She has significant expertise in social and strategic planning, activity and precinct structure plans, retail development, environmental effects inquiries and built form.  She has previously worked in the private sector, Local Government and as an academic.

Kathy is a Life Fellow of the Victorian Planning and Environmental Law Association and an Honorary Fellow of the Planning Institute of Australia.

Nick Wimbush holds undergraduate qualifications in environmental science and postgraduate qualifications in public policy and law.

He has over 25 years’ experience in a variety of state and local government roles in Western Australia and Victoria. These include managing environmental impact assessment of major projects with the West Australian Environment Protection Authority and advising the Victorian government in a senior role on coastal planning and development.

Nick has extensive experience in the private sector in Western Australia, Indonesia and Victoria with consulting firms, and established and ran his own environmental consultancy from 2002-2006, specialising in integrated coastal zone management.

Since 2006 he has been a full time senior panel member with Planning Panels Victoria, responsible for chairing, or being a member of, significant environment effects inquiries, panels and advisory committees, including the Port Phillip Channel Deepening, Victorian Desalination Project and East-West Link.

Nick was a sessional lecturer at postgraduate level in coastal zone and catchment management at RMIT University in Melbourne from 2002-2006. He is a Fellow of the Victorian Planning and Environmental Law Association, a member of the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand, and is on the board, and the Treasurer of, the National Environmental Law Association.

Con Tsotsoros was appointed as a full time senior panel member at Planning Panels Victoria in July 2013.

Con has a Bachelor of Applied Science in Planning, with 14 years’ experience in the private sector and stints in local government, and has been with state government planning since 2016.  Con was formerly Assistant Director Statutory Systems in the former Department of Planning and Community Development, where he led major planning reform agenda initiatives.  He specialises in retail, economic and strategic planning and heritage.

Con has been involved in significant planning scheme amendments involving residential zones, building heights, mandatory provisions, solar energy facilities, master and strategic planning.

Con is a Fellow of the Planning Institute of Australia and member of the Victorian Planning and Environmental Law Association.

Sarah was appointed as a Senior Panel Member in July 2018 after three years as a Senior Sessional Member. Sarah has qualifications in Law and Arts.  She has significant expertise in planning, environmental and administrative law, and social housing and strategic planning.  Sarah has previously worked as a practicing lawyer in private practice in Melbourne and the United Kingdom, as well as in the public sector in Victoria.

Sarah is a Member of the Victorian Planning and Environmental Law Association.

Trevor was appointed as Senior Panel Member in 2010 and has qualifications in civil engineering, planning and environment, and social planning.  He has significant expertise in traffic and civil engineering, precinct structure plans and development contributions.  Trevor has previously worked in Local Government and at VicRoads.

Trevor is a Member of the Victorian Planning and Environmental Law Association.

Lester was appointed as Senior Panel Member in 2005, following several years as a sessional member. He has under graduate qualifications in town and regional planning and post graduate qualifications in sociology. Lester has significant expertise in strategic and statutory planning, project implementation and plain English communication and drafting.  He has previously worked in the Local Government and private sectors.

Lester is a Fellow of the Victorian Planning and Environmental Law Association.

Dalia was appointed as a Senior Panel Member in June 2018 and has qualifications in Law and Arts. She is a qualified and experienced mediator.  She has significant expertise in planning, environmental and administrative law. Dalia previously worked in private practice which included a two-year local government secondment.  More recently, she has worked as a Member of the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

Dalia is a Member of the Victorian Planning and Environmental Law Association.

Tim was appointed as Acting Senior Panel Member in August 2018.  He has qualifications in Planning, Management and Project Management.  He has significant expertise in statutory and strategic planning, including heritage and urban design, activity and settlement planning, rural and coastal area planning.  Tim has previously worked in Local Government in regional Victoria and in the private sector.

Tim is a Member of the Victorian Planning and Environmental Law Association and a Fellow of the Planning Institute of Australia.