The Remuneration Authority consists of three part-time members appointed by the Governor-General, on the advice of the Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety.
Members are normally appointed for three years and can be reappointed.
Authority members are supported by a Director and an Analyst/Administrator.
Outside experts are drawn on, as needed, to provide specialist advice, research and services such as job evaluation, economic and demographic data and remuneration information.
Authority members receive an honorarium, determined by the Cabinet Fees Framework.
Dallas Welch was appointed Chair on 15 June 2026.
She was appointed as a Remuneration Authority member on 13 September 2021, and was appointed Deputy Chair in November 2022.
Dallas Welch has over 40 years of experience in the New Zealand public service. She has held various executive leadership roles with a range of public sector organisations, including the Public Service Commission (PSC), the Public Enquiry into the Earthquake Commission, and the Ministry for Women and Statistics New Zealand.
Ms Welch has experience in public sector chief executive recruitment, performance management and remuneration, in executive leadership mentoring and in the development and production of official statistics.
Vern Walsh was appointed as a member on 4 July 2022.
Vern Walsh is a former City Councillor, Community Board Chair and Licensing Trust member who has worked in the local government sector for over 30 years.
He was formerly on the board of the Real Estate Authority where he chaired the Audit and Risk committee. He is co-owner and operator of a consultancy company that provides governance training, development and consultancy services, primarily in the local government and not for profit sectors.
He is a registered financial advisor with over 40 years finance industry experience.
Vern has previously chaired the Auckland Regional Amenities Funding Board and was on the board of the Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT), Aotea Centre Board of Management and a member of the Lottery Environment and Heritage committee.
He is a Justice of the Peace.
Wynand du Plessis was appointed as a member on 15 June 2026.
Mr du Plessis has over ten years’ experience in specialist remuneration leadership roles across both corporate and consulting environments. He is currently the Group General Manager Remuneration for Fletcher Building.
In Mr du Plessis’s role as Senior Manager for Ernst and Young New Zealand, he has completed substantial work with New Zealand government agencies and State-Owned Enterprises.
His previous roles include Senior Associate for Mercer Consulting, Group Head of Reward for Mr Price Group, and Committee Member of the South African Reward Association. In these roles he supported a range of public-sector organisations with remuneration reviews, governance processes, and pay setting frameworks.