Members

Mark Coffey PSM

Chairperson (appointed 1 October 2025)

Over four decades in the Northern Territory, Mark Coffey has dedicated his career to supporting regional and remote Australia, drawing on extensive experience across policing, government, and community leadership.

As a senior executive in the Australian Public Service, he led Indigenous Affairs and the Office of Northern Australia, driving economic development initiatives across the north. He is adept at navigating the intersection of policy and service delivery, with a strong focus on community engagement.

Mark is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a recipient of the Public Service Medal, awarded in 2020 for his contributions.

Dr Paul Vogel AM

Ex officio member (appointed 14 November 2016)

Dr Paul Vogel was appointed as the chairperson of the Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority (NT EPA) on 14 November 2016.

Now a non-executive board chair/ director and strategic consultant, Paul was chairman of Western Australia’s Environmental Protection Authority from 2007 to 2015. Paul was also the inaugural Chief Executive and Chairman of the South Australian EPA from 2002 to 2007 and prior to that held senior executive positions in the WA departments of the Premier and Cabinet and Environmental Protection.

Paul has a PhD in Chemistry from the University of WA and has extensive knowledge and experience across a broad range of environmental issues and sustainability, in organisational and regulatory reform and in the delivery of strategic environmental and business outcomes.

Paul is also chairman of a national Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) on Contamination and Remediation of the Environment; chair of the WA Marine Science Institution, deputy chair of the CRC on Transformation in Mining Economies; Special Counsel at Cannings Purple and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He was appointed to the NT EPA from 1 January 2016.

Suzanne Philip

Ex officio member (appointed 31 July 2017)

Suzanne is the Chair of the Development Consent Authority, which is an independent statutory body responsible for determining development applications in the Territory.

Ms Philip has lived in Darwin since 1982, raising a family and contributing extensively to the Territory’s legal and business sectors and the community, from a number of platforms.

She is a Solicitor and Barrister of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory, and has extensive experience as a Senior University Lecturer, teaching Contract, Commercial, Vendor and Purchaser and Property law.

From 2008 to 2014, Ms Philip held the position of legal member and Chair of the NT Agent’s Licencing Board, responsible for licencing real estate, business and conveyancing agents and investigating allegations and holding disciplinary inquiries about licenced agents.

Ms Philip has participated in both the development and community advocacy side of the planning process and has a high-level experience, and long-held interest in planning matters.

Randle Walker

Ex officio member (appointed 26 February 2024)

Randle was appointed as chairperson of the Heritage Council on 26 February 2024.

Randle is the Chief Executive Officer of Centrecorp Aboriginal Investment Corporation (‘Centrecorp’), a position he has held since 2012.

Randle holds positions with the NT CPA Divisional Council (and was former President), NT AICD Divisional Council, Chair of the MacDonnell Regional Council Audit Committee and is auditor for a range of community clubs and organisations.

Randle holds Director roles in a range of commercial companies in which Centrecorp has business interests.  These include a car dealership network, a national vehicle rental company, Central Australian funeral providers, NT based residential and commercial property development, NT construction companies and an Alice Springs real estate agent.

Keith Hassett

LGANT member (appointed  2 February 2026)

Keith Hassett is a senior local government executive with extensive experience in governance, service delivery and strategic leadership across the Northern Territory.

Keith has lived and worked in the Territory for more than ten years and has held a range of senior executive roles within local government. He has been the Director of Council Services at MacDonnell Regional Council since 2022. His experience spans municipal services, housing, community services, infrastructure delivery, asset management and organisational reform in remote and regional communities.

He brings substantial experience in public sector governance and statutory decision-making, together with a strong understanding of Territory planning and regulatory frameworks, developed through close collaboration with elected members, government agencies and community stakeholders.

Keith has a long-standing professional interest in planning, development and place-based decision-making, and contributes a practical, community-informed perspective to the work of the Board.

Dorte Ekelund

Member (appointed 12 July 2017)

Dorte is an urban and regional planner with extensive experience in land use and infrastructure planning across all levels of government and in various jurisdictions. She also has considerable experience in environmental policies and management, including water policies and programs; climate change mitigation and adaptation action; and ecological preservation and management. Her experience in energy includes membership of the COAG Energy Senior Officials and delivery of significant investment in renewables.

Dorte has held the roles of Director-General in the ACT Environment and Planning portfolio, Deputy Director-General of WA Department of Planning and Infrastructure, a commissioner on the WA Planning Commission and was head of the Major Cities Unit in the Australian Government. She is currently  an independent director on the boards of ICON Water and the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia, is on the University of Wollongong’s Smart Infrastructure Facility Advisory Council and is an adjunct professor in planning at the University of Canberra.

Dorte holds a Bachelor of Urban and Regional Planning (Class 1 Hon.) and a Master of Business Administration, is a Fellow of the Planning Institute of Australia, and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Rodney Applegate

Member (appointed 19 September 2025)

Rodney John Applegate is a respected environmental and land management expert whose public service career in the Northern Territory spans over 40 years. With qualifications in Agricultural Science, Public Sector Management, and Executive Business Administration, Rodney has led reforms across planning, environment, mining, and natural resource sectors.

As Chief Executive Officer of several NT Government departments, Rodney delivered significant policy and legislative reforms, amending the NT Planning Scheme, modernising environmental approvals, reforming water and bushfire governance, and leading major land release strategies.

In his final public service role as Deputy CEO for Mines and Energy, Rodney oversaw the transfer of mining environmental regulations into dedicated legislation, contributed to NT energy policy, led international investment delegations and implemented key regulatory responses to hydraulic fracturing.

Rodney retired in 2021, although continues to serve the NT by acting as a Specialist member of the Development Consent Authority and as a member of The NT Planning Commission.