Committee structure policy

Adopted: June 2000
Reviewed and amended: February 2019

In 2000 the NZCA agreed on the role that committees would have in the work of the Authority. This Policy sets out guidelines on the the constitution, structure, and function of Authority committees.

1. The Authority recognises that in order to accomplish its role it will be necessary from time to time to appoint committees for specific purposes. Before deciding to appoint any such committees, the Authority will discuss all matters of principle involved in the matter before it, and satisfy itself that delegation to a committee is justified. In this regard the Authority notes that the process and basis of appointment of its members, as set out in section 6 D of the Conservation Act, is such as to ensure that the Authority still has a sufficiently wide and representative body of knowledge enabling it to deal with all matters of principle.
2. Where a committee is appointed by the Authority and the specific purpose for which it is appointed, any limitations on its role will be established by the Authority. When that purpose has been fulfilled the committee will cease to function and the delegation will be at an end.
3. Generally, the Authority will have no standing committees which remain in office during the life of the Authority. The only current exceptions to this are the:

   • Grass Carp Committee, which considers grass carp release applications and is required to provide timely Authority recommendations inter-sessionally.

   • NZCA Section 4 Policy Committee, which provides direction on how to enact the Authority’s Giving Effect to Section 4 of the Conservation Act 1987 policy.

4. When any committee has been established by the Authority, the Authority will remain in control of the matter delegated to the committee and may recall that matter from the committee at any time and terminate or modify the committee’s role or activities.
5. The membership and ownership of any committee will be determined by the Authority. Any member of the Authority who is absent from any meeting at which a committee is appointed and not able to make written or other input into its formation, shall have the right at the next meeting to ask the Authority to consider the inclusion of that member in the committee.
6. All members of the Authority have the right to attend the meetings of any committee and, with the leave of the convenor, to speak to matters before the committee, but only members of the committee will have the right to vote. The convenor should be informed of their intention to attend the meeting prior to the meeting itself, and they should note that, in general, their expenses will not be paid.
7. A copy of the Committee Policy will be issued to all new members of the Authority