Wellington based Families Commission Chief Executive Paul Curry has resigned from his post, according to a notification received by us prior to the Christmas and New Year holidays last month.
Mr Curry said he had decided to step down to promote his consultancy firm Panamac Enterprises Limited based in Wellington.
He brought honour, dignity and sense of purpose, to the post of Chief Executive of Families Commission, since his appointment in 2005, just a few months after the organisation was established in July 2004.
He said, “It was time to step down to enable the Board to recruit a person with a strong background in social science to lead the Commission.”
Mr Curry said that his resignation would become effective February 1, 2013.
Former Science and Innovation ministry Chief Executive will succeed him as Acting Chief Executive, until the government makes a decision.
Exciting journey
Mr Curry said that the Families Commission was on ‘an exciting, long journey,’ as it picks up its new additional role of providing independent monitoring, evaluation and research advice in the social sector.
“The new functions for the Commission build very strongly on the solid foundations of the past. Its mission to be a ‘Centre of Excellence for Knowledge’ about Families and Whanau continues to underpin the new future direction,” he said.
Distinguished career
Mr Curry was earlier General Manager of the Community Development Group at the Internal Affairs Department, managing community-related functions including lottery funding. He was also the first Director of Advocacy appointed under the Health and Disability Commissioner, responsible for planning and implementing Advocacy Services for Consumers on health and disability services.
He was associated with NZCCs in various management roles for 13 years and was the National Chairperson of the ‘Cycle Helmet Campaign’ of the Brains Trust.
As an active member of the New Zealand Paraplegic Boat Team, he paddled Cook Strait, the English Channel and 850 kms of the Nile River.
He has also represented New Zealand at the Commonwealth Paraplegic Games.
Indian Newslink has been reporting the activities and progress of the Families Commission since its establishment nine years ago under the leadership of Dr Rajen Prasad as its Chief Families Commissioner (he is now Labour MP). Its editor was appointed to the Ethnic Reference Group of the Commission in 2008.
