Farsight is New Zealand’s largest ISO (17020) accredited team of specialist compliance consultants with in-depth knowledge of the New Zealand Building Code and environmental health related legislation. Our team brings positivity and personality to the process – A team of specialists by your side – from start to finish.
Jon Astwood
Manager Technical Performance
Jon is an exceptional Technical Leader bringing over 30 years of in-depth knowledge of the construction industry to the team, including nine years in local government and 16 years of hands-on experience as a professional builder. Jon was involved in the success of many large-scale projects completed in Wellington between 2003 and 2013 such as Chews Lane Apartments, Wellington Regional Hospital, Wellington International Airport Terminal upgrade, The Supreme Court, Telecom Central, SOHO Apartments, ASB Wellington Sports Centre, and others. Since joining Farsight, Jon has been instrumental in establishing and maintaining relationships with Building Consent Authorities (BCA's), large commercial property owners, large construction organisations and key industry stakeholders. Jon has assisted many BCA's and their team with his National Competency Assessment System expertise, ensuring they produce high-quality work and continue demonstrating robust compliance skills.
Dwayne Murphy
Technical Building Specialist
Dwayne brings 20 years of experience in Architectural Design, and over 7 years of experience with the local and central government. Dwayne joined Wellington City Council as a Consenting Officer, working his way up to a Senior Technical Consenting Officer competent at Commercial 3 Consenting and Technical Leader. After gaining extensive local government experience and building compliance knowledge, he later joined the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) as a Senior Advisor with the Determinations team. Dwayne’s area of expertise is to provide alternative solutions, change of use assessments, accessibility analysis, provide design solutions, and utilise his unique experience in assisting with gaining the necessary Council approvals throughout the course of the building project.
Claire Lawrence
Manager People Performance / Quality Lead
Claire is an exceptional Quality Leader bringing over 15 years’ experience in key account management, administration, and compliance. Claire has been with Farsight for over seven years and leads the delivery and maintenance of the Quality Management System that promotes and achieves the quality assurance goals of Farsight. Her attention to detail and systematic approach contribute significantly to successfully maintain Farsight as an Accredited Organisation Body and Inspection Body since 2018. She manages the team’s performance and development in line with the business needs. She also helps with operational and business development strategies and provides efficient administration and document management support to the Farsight team.
Rob Tierney
Principal
With over 33 years of industry experience, Rob's expertise is a perfect balance of trade, Local Government, and professional consulting. His unique perspective continues to provide clients with proven solutions and confidence in building consent approval. His pragmatic approach to his clients' projects consistently saves them time, money, and hassle. Rob is a trusted advisor to Industry, Local Councils and Central Government. He brings a wealth of expertise in regulatory stakeholder management and is repeatedly engaged to act as the vital interface between building projects and regulatory bodies. His career experience ranges from multiple high-level national commercial projects to advising on greater efficiency in national housing demands. He remains highly regarded within the industry, with many specific engagements for expert advice on building regulations and building code interpretation and enhancement. Rob currently serves as an external Director for CIL Masterspec and is a former member of the Board, and Technical Chair, of the Building Officials Institute of New Zealand.
Mike Cox
Senior Technical Building Specialist
Mike is a Senior Technical Building Specialist who has gained over 30 years of experience in the construction industry. Before Farsight, he began as a builder to site/project manager, before going back to school after a 2-year sabbatical and becoming a chartered building engineer. After moving to Wellington, Mike joined the Wellington City Council as a Building Officer and later became a team leader. After several years at the Council, MBIE approached him to join the fire team as a senior advisor. Among many things he advised the Minister, legislator, BCA’s, and fire engineers on fire safety matters, restructuring the acceptable solutions for fire along the way. He has now found his home at Farsight and four years in believes it is the best place for him to make a difference, helping people negotiate an increasingly complicated set of rules and requirements.
Steven Williams
Senior Technical Building Specialist
Steven is a Senior Technical Building Specialist with a passion for problem solving and 24 years of experience across a range of technical roles. After a 9-year Army career as an Electronics Technician, Steven chose to make a change and completed a Building Science degree. He worked as project manager for 3 years in fire sprinklers and alarms on large commercial projects through the lower North Island before taking a technical role in timber processing for a high-profile exporter. Steven then moved onto local government working in all aspects of building control for 8 years. In his time with Council Steven delivered balanced compliance outcomes with customer service and leadership. He is also a Technical Expert recognised by MBIE, working with IANZ, to complete BCA Accreditation assessments throughout the country.
Mikey Tierney
Admin Support
Caitlyn Lawrence
Admin Support
Caitlyn is a first-year graduate pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce degree specialising in Accounting and Finance. Known for her enthusiastic demeanour and meticulous attention to detail, Caitlyn is passionate about problem-solving, particularly when dealing with numerical analysis and financial management. Her fascination with the complexities of the business world fuels her academic pursuits, driving her to continuously expand her knowledge and skills. Caitlyn brings a proactive approach to her studies and is dedicated to seizing every opportunity for personal and professional growth. Beyond her academic endeavours, she is eager to apply her growing expertise in practical business contexts and contribute this knowledge to her line of work within the company.
Sue Bai
Managing Director
As a member of the Institute of Directors, Sue has been with Farsight for over nine years, bringing a wealth of efficiency and organizational knowledge to our team. Her experience at Wellington City Council prior to joining Farsight provided her with an extensive understanding of local government and the regulatory requirements for building consents and compliance. During her two years as a Personal Assistant at the Council, Sue worked closely with four Building Group Managers, providing high-standard administrative and secretarial services to support the building consent and inspection team. In her most recent role as Manager of Business Performance at Farsight, she was responsible for maintaining an overview of all staff and their projects, upcoming deliverables, and deadlines, thereby ensuring overall team efficiency. As the new Managing Director, Sue is committed to continuing Farsight’s dedication to fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and excellence.
Reach out to one of our team members to book a coffee or a call to discuss your project or click here to submit an inquiry.