Consultation on alternative options to the Proposed Constitution (closed)

Consultation opened: Thursday 6 March 2025, 1.30pm
Consultation closed: Tuesday, 11 March 2025, 5pm

Purpose: This consultation was open for eligible Financial Members to consider some further options for InternetNZ’s future Constitution. We asked for member input on FOUR alternative options to the Proposed Constitution.

Following the consultation on the Drafting Guidelines for the InternetNZ Constitution, there were some options we were seeking member input on.

This input will guide us if there is a strong preference for the Proposed Constitution or Alternative Options; or if we vote on the options at the Special General Meeting.

The Proposed Constitution

The Proposed Constitution in large part reflects the Drafting Guidelines. However, in some places, the Proposed Constitution is refined from the original proposals.

Changes were made:

to address feedback from member submissions and input from the wider public;
to introduce options for further member discussion around areas where there were differing views expressed;
to remove provisions which better sit in other documents; and
following further external legal advice to ensure the Proposed Constitution aligns with the Incorporated Societies Act 2022 and other legal requirements.

Please find all relevant documentation as follows:

The Consultation Process

1. Consideration of your feedback

This Consultation process will consider feedback from eligible Financial Members as of 31 March 2025. This means you need to have become a Financial Member of InternetNZ by 31 December 2024 to vote at the Special General Meeting.

2. Updating the final Proposed Constitution

Once the consultation period closes at 5pm on Tuesday 11 March, feedback will be considered by our team at InternetNZ with documentation and recommendations on what is included in the final Proposed Constitution to be voted on at the SGM and if options will be voted on at SGM.

3. Resolution & Documentation

This will be provided to eligible Financial Members. In preparation for the Special General Meeting, you will receive the final proposed Constitution, supporting documentation and the resolution to be considered on or by 17 March 2025, in line with our current Constitution requirement to inform members of the resolution at least 14 days before a General Meeting.

Summary of the Alternative Options

The Alternative Options explore three areas:

A Preface statement about the administration of the .nz Domain Name Space
Board Composition
Leadership of the Board

To read the full overview of the Alternative Options in detail, please see the following documents:

A supplementary paper also accompanies the Proposed Constitution. This document outlines the changes that will be required throughout the constitutional document should the alternative options be selected.

Alternative Option: A preface statement about the administration of the .nz Domain Name Space

The proposed Constitution has a statement in the Preface which further seeks to clarify InternetNZ’s role in the .nz Domain Name Space (DNS).

The proposed statement is as follows:

The Society does not consider the use of domain names in its administration of the .nz Domain Name Space, except for moderated second level domains such as .govt.nz; where required by law; or to protect the integrity and trust of the .nz Domain Name Space against domain name space abuse.

Members are asked to consider if the proposed statement above should be in the Constitution or should be deleted.

Alternative Option: Board Composition

The Proposed Constitution requires a total of 9 Board members where possible (with a minimum of 7) with 5 or 6 Elected Members and 2 or 3 Appointed members.

The Alternative Option retains a Board of 11, like our current Council, but has more flexibility to increase the Appointed Board members by 1.

Members are asked to consider the Proposed Constitution, or if they prefer the Alternative.

Alternative Option: Leadership of the Board

The Proposed Constitution provides for allowing co-leadership of the SOciety with at least one Co-Chair being Māori and for the Board to appoint its leaders.

There are two alternative options to consider

Alternative Option 1: to proposed Board leadership structure: This alternative option provides that the Board shall be led by a Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson only.

Alternative Option 2: to proposed Board leadership structure: This alternative provides that the Board shall be led by a Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson. The Chairperson is elected by Eligible Members and the Deputy Chairperson is appointed by the Board.

Make a submission

All eligible Financial Members were emailed information on how to provide feedback as part of this submission process.

Received submissions

Read the submissions we have received on the alternative options to the Proposed Constitution.

We run an open policy-making process and actively publish all submissions to encourage open conversation. We will publish the names of the submitters but not their contact details.

If you want to include confidential information in your submission, contact insights@internetnz.net.nz to discuss potential arrangements for handling the information.