2024 Council elections nominations

Image: Brenda Wallace

Why are you interested in the role you have been nominated for? 
InternetNZ to me has always been the place to join if you give a damn. We believed in the ability for the Internet to bring people together, across vast distances in some kind of egalitarian utopia. It was a glorious idea, but reality has hit us dreamers in the form of hate speech, violence, scams, abuse, crime, and a crumbling climate that technology is making worse every day, while the same old power imbalances are now amplified over longer distances. But we still do give a damn. Even as the powerful warm us up slowly to accept injustice and fear, we need to resist, and hold our ground. What does that even mean in practical terms? To me, it means pakeha stepping up on honouring the treaty, and taking on the work to dismantle colonisation, right here every day including within InternetNZ. It means protecting the stability of the registry, and growing the next many generations of technical experts to pass this trust on to the next. It means carbon equity, where we use our fair share and no more, and set the example for others in DNS who gained their wealth from technology. And it means we can’t claim to achieve equality until we include our disabled whanau.

What skills and experience would you bring to the role? 
I previously served 6 years on council, and stepped away thinking the best thing I could do was make room for diverse voices on council. It was the report into systemic racism that nudged me to come back last election, two years ago now, as I felt I had more work to do. I still feel that. I’ve spent the last two years as Vice President, learning and observing. The president's job involves hard decisions, and a good knowledge of InternetNZ. It means making sure the quieter voices are heard across the council, and keep the group achieving our goals. It also is the primary contact point with our CE. I hope I’ve convinced you by my actions and performance, and I ask you to vote for me and give me three years to run with all of this.

Image: Anjum Rahman

Why are you interested in the role you have been nominated for? 

The future of Ipurangi Aotearoa (InternetNZ) looks strong, and as Vice President, I would be determined to continue the journey to contribute to a free, open, secure, interoperable and safe Internet that benefits all, ensuring our people are connected to each other and the world. I’m excited to build on our organisation’s pivotal role of providing both practical support and thought leadership, and supporting community organisations through grant-making. Leadership is critical in an ever-changing and challenging tech environment. My aim is to keep the organisation relevant and adaptable, ready to take advantage of any opportunities available. In putting my hand up for the role of Vice-President, I am committed to working collaboratively, supporting our President, CE and staff to achieve great outcomes. As a results-oriented person I will ensure that Council is making the most of our meeting time and bringing the strategic vision and governance our organisation needs. In the 2 years I have been on the Council of Ipurangi Aotearoa, I have contributed to our response to the Systemic Racism Review, our commitments to upholding Te Tiriti o Waitangi, our business strategy, the constitutional review process and much more. I appreciate the consultative approach we take towards stakeholders, ensuring they have the opportunity to put their views forward on some of the major work we have ahead. As always, achievements happen within a team environment, and I’d like to acknowledge my fellow Councillors who bring a wealth of experience, and staff who are motivated and do the hard work of realising our strategic vision.

What skills and experience would you bring to the role?
I’ve been a member of the Audit and Risk Committee at Ipurangi Aotearoa for two years, including being appointed Chair last year. Through this we have achieved significant results, ensuring our investments are fit for purpose, providing us the best return given our risk profile, and working with Council and staff to review legal aspects around this. I'm proud of the progress we have made, including a new Treasury and Investment policy which will create a fund to support our grant work. I have over two decades of governance experience in a range of community organisations. This includes expertise in chairing meetings, especially with contentious matters requiring careful negotiation, and finding solutions that work best for all stakeholders. I remain committed to hearing a variety of views, ensuring we have considered all sides of an issue, while creating an environment where everyone is treated with respect with their mana upheld. I love to work with teams to achieve great results, leveraging different experiences and skills are vital to effective decision making. My 30 years of experience as a chartered accountant is an asset I can bring to this role, through Trust Waikato I have assisted in managing an investment fund valuing $400 million, with community grants made from the income. We work with investment advisors to set strategic asset allocations, and navigate a challenging investment environment. I have facilitated and guided boards to develop a strategic plan that reflects their aspirations as well as the communities they intend to serve. My governance experience is centered on empowering communities and bringing their voice to the table to ensure our solutions truly benefit them. Bringing all of this experience positions me to contribute effectively to the role and help to advance our mission.

Why are you interested in the role you have been nominated for?

Tēnā koutou!

I’m interested in positive change, transparency, and the future of the internet– and how InternetNZ can be a greater player in the global internet community.

I’m keen to help the Council push hard towards an even more vibrant InternetNZ. One that is the centre of a healthy technical and policy community, with significant input to government, to ICANN, and global internet policy. InternetNZ could strongly benefit from more aggressive efforts at external engagement, more opportunities for public comment, and a renewed approach to active policy and community funding. These would support InternetNZ’s charter and the interests of NZ’s internet users.

We are at a true fulcrum point in the history of the internet. We are confronting the need to address the quickly evolving AI oligopoly, the increasing reliance on a few mega-platforms, and the dangerous exponential expansion of mis-and-disinformation. 

With InternetNZ, I’d love to support the possibility of an open-and-uncapturable internet full of fun and human connection again– not one that is primarily for harvesting data, selling fast plastic fashions from overseas, enriching a few billionaires, and harming our democracies. Instead, one that fulfils the internet’s potential for connection and culture, especially for Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific.

Now is the time for InternetNZ to be working hard to drive these conversations. We can engage more effectively with our members, with more of the non-member internet users in Aotearoa and our Pacific neighbours, with the media, and with policy-makers. This work needs driven people and energy, and I’m eager to contribute.

Please support me in my desire to enable InternetNZ to continue as a more vibrant nexus of Aotearoa’s internet community and policies.

What skills and experience would you bring to the role?

My professional experience ranges across InternetNZ’s spectrum of interest. I have been active in digital rights campaigning, policy advocacy and spoken at many technology and cyber security conferences. I bring deep expertise as an executive and sales consultant working in digital business. I have founded and served on the boards of several businesses and NGOs, and am currently the Board Chair of a registered charity.

I also bring experience leading an array of public campaigns, in areas such as women’s health, civil rights, and internet policy. I’ve made submissions to and spoken at many Parliamentary committees. I’ve lobbied MPs and Ministers on topics including prison policy, carbon policy, ending software patents, fairness in IT procurement, the possible effects of the Trans-Pacific Trade Agreement, internet access itself, undersea internet cables. And I have helped organise and run many events both in the internet sphere and on broader human rights topics.

My professional experience in executive management and business development can directly benefit internetNZ. Domain name sales are slowing, as they just aren't necessary for an online presence via apps or Instagram or TikTok. InternetNZ must consider this trend as part of the long-term business roadmap. This is very much a time when having council members with a portfolio of hard business skills including technical product development, marketing, and practical experience in rolling out new service lines could be of strong benefit to the InternetNZ community, present and future.

Ngā mihi for your consideration. I’d not be doing this if InternetNZ’s activities didn’t matter so very much to the people and businesses of Aotearoa and the Pacific.

Kia ora rawa atu!

Image: Toa Greening 

Why are you interested in the role you have been nominated for? 

Kia ora, Goedendag and Greetings, my name is Toa Greening and I am thrilled to put myself forward for a position on InternetNZ. I am an enthusiastic Information Technology professional and will bring deep technical knowledge and skills to InternetNZ.

InternetNZ's Domain Registry is fundamental to New Zealand's digital infrastructure, yet its significance is often underestimated at the national level. Currently absent from the national cybersecurity strategy, the Domain Registry must be integrated into the new strategy draft that is being developed. It is imperative that InternetNZ leads these discussions to ensure robust protection for our digital backbone.

The Christchurch shooting underscored the profound impact of online violence, particularly concerning children accessing harmful content. New Zealand's Internet Filter does not include provisions to block violent or terrorist material. Advocating for enhanced filtering is crucial for shielding our communities from such harmful online content.

Online misinformation and hate speech present significant challenges, alongside the imperative to uphold freedom of speech. InternetNZ has taken proactive measures against hate speech, a stance I fully endorse. I am committed to balancing freedom of expression with responsible platform usage to safeguard our communities.

InternetNZ plays a pivotal role in championing internet freedom and security. However, it requires bolstered technical capabilities to address emerging challenges such as AI, cybersecurity, data governance, content moderation for our youth, and protection against online scams targeting older citizens. My priority will be equipping InternetNZ with the expertise and resources necessary to navigate these complexities effectively.

What skills and experience would you bring to the role? 

I am dedicated to professionalism and continual growth, evident through my memberships in Engineering New Zealand and the Institute of Directors. I hold a degree in Information Engineering and professional certifications from Microsoft, Cisco, IBM, Hewlett Packard, and Citrix. My consultancy work with the New Zealand Qualifications Authority has shaped tertiary IT curricula, reflecting my commitment to ongoing learning and best practices, which I am eager to bring to InternetNZ.

With over thirty years in IT, I have made significant contributions to leading New Zealand technology firms such as Hewlett Packard, IBM, Datacom, Fujitsu, Geni, Spark, and EDS. My extensive IT background uniquely positions me to make a substantial technology impact on InternetNZ's initiatives.

In addition to my IT expertise, I offer over twenty years of corporate and community governance experience. I have served as a longstanding board member for an Incorporated Society and managed a significant contract with Auckland Council for a community safety Trust. As a former Trustee and Director of Te Huarahi Tika Trust and Tu Atea Limited, I have successfully secured substantial funds, assets, and commercial contracts on behalf of Maoridom.

My leadership roles include elected positions on the Manukau City Council and Auckland Council as a Community Board member and Local Board member. These experiences have provided valuable insights into community engagement and leadership in crucial discussions. In the corporate arena, I have effectively led project teams, demonstrating my ability to drive strategic initiatives forward.

I am confident that my extensive experience in IT, coupled with my deep commitment to professionalism, continuous learning, and community governance, uniquely qualifies me to contribute effectively to InternetNZ. I am eager to leverage my background in shaping IT curricula, experience in top tech firms, and advocating for community interests to advance InternetNZ's mission. I am dedicated to serving with enthusiasm and making a meaningful, positive impact on New Zealand's digital landscape.

Image: Richard Hulse 

Why are you interested in the role you have been nominated for? 

I have made a long-term personal commitment to giving back to the community that was so supportive in my formative years. The Internet NZ Council is just one way I have done that.

In previous terms I have served as chair of Audit and Risk, and am currently chair of the Governance Committee. This is overseeing the process of updating our constitution to reflect changes in legislation and Internet NZ’s shift to incorporate a Te Ao Māori perspective.

I want to be able to see this work through, and make sure that it reflects the views of members and the wider community.

I have supported, and will continue to support, a strategy that is focussed on our core work of running the .NZ DNS, but also in fostering excellence that is globally recognised, and making sure this is resourced to succeed.

I also supported the creation of a fund that will eventually generate an annuity to fund projects that align with the society’s objects, and be outward focussed, without impacting operations. I would like to continue to oversee this work to ensure we have a sustainable model that outlasts us all.

In previous terms I worked with the rest of the council to shift the focus from operations to purely governance, and to reduce the size of Council, and this led to the appointment of two independent directors (I was on the appointments panel). I will continue to support this clear separation.

I also believe that now is the time to change the title of President to Chair to more accurately reflect this important change.

I have supported the CEO in shifting the focus of the organisation to external matters, and will continue to do so with a focus on fostering lean and effective outwardly-focussed operations.

What skills and experience would you bring to the role? 

I have extensive experience as a director, consultant and coach, where my specialisation is in strategy and lean digital transformation.

I also bring a wealth of experience from past terms, and this will provide important continuity in my next term as we focus on completing the constitutional review and being externally focussed. This is especially so with a new President and Vice-President being elected.

You cannot govern what you do not understand, and I also have a deep understanding of how the internet and DNS works, and I used this knowledge when I was on the council sub-committee that oversaw the investigation into the DNSSEC key rollover issue last year.

I have excellent people skills, and I work behind the scenes as a coach and mentor, supporting other councillors in their roles, something I will continue to do.

I am also well-connected with the technical and business communities, both who are the end users of the DNS, and this helps ensure I stay grounded when making governance decisions.

Image: Kris Dempster-Rivett