BMT’s Capability Director, Dr. Philip Haines, has been appointed as the Chairperson of the NSW Coastal Council by the NSW Minister of Environment. With a career spanning over 34 years in both New South Wales and Queensland, Dr. Haines brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this role.
16 April 2024
BMT’s Capability Director, Dr. Philip Haines, has been appointed as the Chairperson of the NSW Coastal Council by the NSW Minister of Environment. With a career spanning over 34 years in both New South Wales and Queensland, Dr. Haines brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this role.
Phil has dedicated his career to the sustainable management of coastal environments. As a consultant, he has provided strategic advice and written operational plans for a broad spectrum of clients, including local and state governments, industry groups, and private sector entities. His expertise is not only recognised in the field of environmental engineering but is also complemented by his extensive knowledge of land use planning, social science, biodiversity and conservation, economics, and disaster response planning.
The NSW Coastal Council is instrumental in shaping the future of our coastlines. It plays a crucial role by offering expert guidance in the development and execution of coastal management programs tailored for local councils. Moreover, the Council provides advice on coastal management issues directly to the Minister of the Environment and at the request of the minister, conducts performance audits to ensure these programs are implemented effectively.
Phil’s leadership at the Coastal Council is expected to drive continued advancements in the management of coastal and estuarine environments. Over the past three decades, Phil has been pivotal in developing the technical methodologies and the current risk-based approach to coastal management, as detailed in the NSW Coastal Management Manual. His work has consistently aimed at enhancing the robustness and sustainability of these crucial ecosystems.
Phil’s appointment as Chairperson not only highlights his substantial contributions to coastal management but also underscores BMT's ongoing commitment to innovative and sustainable solutions in environmental stewardship.
Phil says of his new appointment, “I look forward to helping NSW take new strides forward in coastal management. Working closely with my Coastal Council colleagues, we will help to enable a more resilient, sustainable and thriving coast environment for future generations.”
Dr Haines is a recognised industry leader and expert in coastal engineering and management with 34 years of experience across NSW and Queensland. He has worked as a consultant providing strategic advice and preparing operational plans to a wide range of local and state governments as well as industry and the private sector.
Dr Haines has led and delivered many large and complex coastal, estuarine and floodplain projects, combining his environmental engineering background with significant practical experience across land use planning, social science, biodiversity and conservation, economics and disaster response planning. Through his involvement in delivering coastal and estuary management plans to NSW coastal councils over the past 3 decades, Dr Haines has helped to shape the technical methodologies and current risk-based approach to coastal management that is adopted in the NSW Coastal Management Manual.
Dr Haines is a seasoned business executive and director, holding the position of Capability Director at BMT.
