InternetNZ Annual Report 2025–2026

This report outlines our operational achievements, strategic priorities and financial performance for the year ended 31 March 2026. It has been prepared in line with our commitment to transparency, integrity, and public value. Our financial statements comply with the Incorporated Societies Act 2022 and relevant accounting standards.

Our report is guided by our strategy, Niho Taniwha — a traditional tukutuku pattern symbolising strength, connection, and lineage. At its heart are four rei kura (treasured teeth), the pillars that guide our work to ensure everyone can access, participate in, and thrive in a digital world. These are:

• Rei kura 1: .nz for all of Aotearoa New Zealand 
• Rei kura 2: an Internet that benefits all
• Rei kura 3: an Internet for everyone
• Rei kura 4: a Te Tiriti o Waitangi-centric organisation

These pillars rest on strong foundations: our role as guardian of .nz, our members, our people, and our partnerships. 

This is the final year of reporting on this strategic framework. In 2026–27, we will transition to our InternetNZ Group Strategy 2026–31.

Our whakatauākī

Kua raranga tahi tātou he whāriki ipurangi mō āpōpō 

Together, we have woven a digital mat for the future. 

— Takawai Murphy (Ngāti Manawa, Ngāti Rangitihi, Ngāti Hinekura), January 2017.

The longer I work in this sector, the more I appreciate how important the people in it are. It’s people who make it all work, as much as cables, servers, and software. And connections between people as much as connections between devices.

Celebrating the 30th birthday of the organisation in December, with a room packed out by that community, was just one of a number of opportunities I had to see the connections play out this year. 

This financial year, we welcomed two new Board members, who each bring new perspectives to our work. Their skillsets and diverse experiences make us better prepared to meet future challenges. 

Meeting future challenges requires strategic thinking, and this year we developed the group’s new five-year strategy, which will guide us through to 2031. 

After workshops, expert advice and robust discussion, we have agreed on a strategy that will keep the organisation focused on a trusted and thriving .nz that empowers us and others to advance an open, accessible, global Internet.

At ICANN85 in Mumbai in March, many conversations reinforced that we are well-respected internationally for this work. InternetNZ does a lot with a little. It is the strong relationships we nurture that make us effective. Our organisation has substantially contributed to the preservation of the multistakeholder Internet governance model, which contributes to our goal of keeping the Internet open and interoperable. 

Another highlight of the year for me and other board members, was the chance to build whanaungatanga with the board’s Te Komiti Whakauru Māori at Pūtiki Marae in Whanganui. The committee has a key advisory role in supporting the organisation on its Te Tiriti journey, and this face-to-face hui was another chance to build the relationships that allow us to do the work well. 

This report reflects on the achievements of the last financial year, but in it, we can see the last 30 years of connection and community-building at InternetNZ. It’s the people who make it all work. 

Ngā mihi

Stephen Judd

Heamana | Chairperson

As stewards of the .nz domain name space, the team at InternetNZ | Ipurangi Aotearoa are always ‘on’. 

This year we reflected on 30 years of that service to the .nz domain name space. For three decades, we’ve been in service to New Zealanders’ economic, social, family and recreational lives by providing .nz domain names — their home on the Internet. 

I want to acknowledge all the people who have been part of that journey. Current and past staff, Board members, InternetNZ members, partners and suppliers — this incredible effort to keep .nz on 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for 30 years is about your skills and commitment.

During 2025, we set the foundations for the future of the organisation, with the launch of two important guiding documents. The first was the new five-year strategy, led by the Board. Sitting alongside this is Te Korowai o Ipurangi Aotearoa, which sets out our focus on connecting Te Tiriti o Waitangi with our work.

While putting in place the building blocks for our organisation here in Aotearoa, we have also been working to ensure the right building blocks stay in place globally. 

Our work as champions for an open, interoperable Internet has been a key focus of our international work. With the long-standing multistakeholder governance approach to the Internet under threat, our leadership of A Technical Community Coalition for Multistakeholderism, our advocacy during the WSIS+20 review process, and our participation in the Internet Governance Forum and other international fora have been more important than ever and appreciated by the global community. 

For this and many other reasons, building a community around Internet-related issues in Aotearoa has been a focus in 2025. Our membership is an important part of our community and has continued to grow, and we now have 5,160 members. 

This year, 1,900 members engaged across our different engagement opportunities. From my quarterly meeting with members, our community space NetHub, to participating in our Board elections and AGM, and community-building events. 

We held our first NetTalks in Ōtautahi Christchurch, in late 2025. These six short talks on tech showed me that there’s interest in providing a space for critical thinking, dreaming, and conversations about the Internet and its place in our daily lives. And members who attended also felt they learnt about the complex and multifaceted role InternetNZ plays in the national and global domain name space.

I’m also very proud of the positive impact our community funding, grants and partnerships have had on the communities of Aotearoa. In the last financial year, we gave one million dollars to initiatives and organisations addressing digital equity, digital accessibility, supporting young people into STEMM (science, technology, mathematics, and mātauranga Māori) careers and Internet-related research. 

Every dollar of this funding came from the sale of .nz domain names. So, I want to say thank you to those who renewed or bought one or more of the 765,000+ .nz domain names we manage — thank you for your trust in us, it helped us make a big difference to New Zealand communities. 

Nāku, nā

Vivien Maidaborn
Tumu Whakarae | Chief Executive

InternetNZ is the home and guardian of the .nz domain and serves the people of Aotearoa New Zealand and the global Internet community.

We are an independent, purpose-driven organisation in New Zealand responsible for managing the .nz country code Top-Level Domain (ccTLD) on behalf of Aotearoa New Zealand. We are not government-funded. We operate in the public interest, supporting initiatives and critical infrastructure.

We ensure domain names ending in .nz are trusted, secure, and accessible — not just for New Zealand, but for people and businesses around the world.

We hold the delegation to manage .nz from the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) and operate under a Registry Agreement with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the global body that coordinates the Internet’s unique identifiers.

Our role

We perform four essential functions to support a thriving Internet in New Zealand:

• Technical operation of the .nz infrastructure — providing reliable and resilient systems to keep .nz critical infrastructure running smoothly.
• Regulatory oversight — through our subsidiary, the Domain Name Commission, we oversee fair rules and dispute resolution for the .nz domain name space. 
• Investment in digital equity and inclusion — we reinvest surplus from domain sales into community funding, research, and initiatives that support a safer and more inclusive Internet.
• Internet governance and policy leadership — we represent New Zealand’s interests in national and global Internet governance forums to help shape policies for the Internet’s future.

Our structure

We are a membership-based incorporated society with 5160 members (as at 31 March 2026). Our governance includes member-elected and appointed Board members who work alongside a professional executive team. Through our subsidiary, the Domain Name Commission (DNC), we carry out regulatory functions for the .nz domain name space. For details on the DNC's activities, please refer to the DNC 2025–26 Annual Report.

Our Board 

Our strategic priorities are guided by our Board. They meet regularly throughout the year and participate in strategy or training sessions.

In July 2025, we held our annual Board elections and welcomed two new elected members, Dylan Reeve and Jonathan Ayling. We also farewelled outgoing Board members Jeff Montgomery, Kris Dempster-Rivett, and Alpana Roy.  

Our Executive Leadership Team | Te Kāhui Tumu

Te Kāhui Tumu is responsible for the day-to-day operations and strategic delivery of the organisation’s goals. Together, they bring a wide range of expertise in governance, technology, public engagement, and organisational leadership.

.nz domain name space 

• 765,000+ .nz domain names under management
• 100% DNS availability across the year
• 2 Public consultations on .nz Rules changes 
• 1 Wholesale fee pricing change 

Grants/funding 

•  $1,000,000 Allocated through our community funding programme
•  40.50% Of funding distributed to Māori individuals or entities

Membership

• 5160 Members of InternetNZ at the end of 2025–26
• 1 New constitution adopted 10 April 2025
• 1,900 Members participated in our different engagement opportunities

It was an evening celebrating our journey in stewarding the .nz domain name and supporting the Internet for all of Aotearoa, and acknowledging those who have played crucial roles along the way. 

In 1989, the Internet arrived in Aotearoa New Zealand. At that time, John Houlker, working in the Computer Services Division at the University of Waikato, was the person who plugged the Internet in – literally.

The Internet Society of New Zealand was formed in 1995 and took over management of the .nz domain name space in 1996. At this time, there were just a few hundred innovators with .nz domain names. By 2001, it had reached 100,000, and there are now more than 765,000 .nz domain names registered. 

The growth of the .nz domain reflects the under-the-hood work InternetNZ Group does to keep the space secure, reliable, and resilient. It also reflects the strong partnerships we have with the registrars we work with, and everyone in between who connects the dots between a unique .nz domain name and us. 

“Being in a room full of people who had supported our mission to develop an Internet that benefits all New Zealanders was inspiring.” — Vivien Maidaborn

As the online home of Aotearoa New Zealand, .nz infrastructure is vital to New Zealand’s Internet, and to our place in the World Wide Web. A thriving and resilient .nz domain supports economic growth in Aotearoa, and the wellbeing of New Zealanders and our communities. 

Delivering a reliable and resilient .nz registry service 

For 2025–26, we continued to keep the .nz domain name service trusted, stable, and secure by delivering a reliable and resilient .nz registry service for Aotearoa New Zealand.

Planning for infrastructure and platform development

In 2025–26, progress was made on technical and platform requirements planning to support a Domain Lock feature within the InternetNZ Registry System (IRS). The Domain Lock is a security feature that prevents unauthorised changes, such as domain transfers or DNS updates.

Concurrently, we continued our research into DNS platform technologies to inform design requirements for 2027 and beyond. This research includes various engineering considerations and system design improvements, such as enhanced deployment pipelines, security architectures, and possible future DNS feature adoption.

Active participants in Internet governance 

International Internet Governance 

This year we continued to play a leadership role in a Technical Community Coalition for Multistakeholderism (TCCM) with a focus on the World Summit on the Information Society: 20-year review (WSIS+20) negotiations in the United Nations. 

InternetNZ was a founding member of TCCM alongside other ccTLDs (auDA, CIRA and Nominet). The coalition was established in 2024 to raise a collective voice from the technical community in upcoming United Nations processes that could affect the future of Internet governance. The goal of TCCM is to defend, evolve, and strengthen multistakeholderism in decision-making and dialogues about the Internet. Multistakeholder Internet governance remains the best approach to ensuring that the Internet continues to be open, free, global, secure, resilient, and interoperable.

TCCM engaged in the WSIS+20 stakeholder consultations, submitted inputs on all stages of the WSIS+20 drafting process, including the Elements Paper, the Zero Draft, and Revisions 1 and 2 of the WSIS+20 Outcome Document, finalised and published its WSIS+20 positioning, collaborated with other technical community organisations, including ICANN and ISOC, and worked through its members to support the UN Members States engaging in the WSIS+20 negotiations. 

InternetNZ staff also engaged in the WSIS+20 process through the Australian Government's WSIS+20 Multistakeholder Working Group, as part of the ISOC WSIS+20 Focal Point Group, and supported the auIGF indigenous panel’s feedback on the draft. 

InternetNZ actively participated in a number of international forums and meetings, such as ICANN83, ICANN84, ICANN85, IGF2025, PAC IGF 2025, APTLD88, AusNOG 2025, and auIGF 2025*, to support the multistakeholder model of Internet governance, strengthen relationships and expertise, and ensure Aotearoa New Zealand’s voice is represented.

Throughout the year, we also engaged with government officials and the Minister, Hon Paul Goldsmith, as well as the broader New Zealand Internet community (such as the New Zealand Network Operators Group) on Internet governance.

*Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), Internet Governance Forum (IGF), Pacific Islands Internet Governance Forum (PAC IGF), Asia Pacific Top Level Domain Association (APTLD), Australian Network Operators Group (AusNOG), and Australia's Internet Governance Forum (auIGF). 

Kauwaka 

Kauwaka te Ipurangi was held on 13 and 14 May 2025 at Te Papa Tongarewa. This national hui for Māori working in Internet and digital spaces was attended by Māori sector leaders, rangatahi, and international guests, supported by our Board members. Māori from across the sector came together to understand and learn more about Internet Governance, and consider what this might mean for Māori. 

Engaging with our registrar community 

Registrars play an essential role in the .nz domain name ecosystem. We don’t sell .nz domain names directly to the public. Instead, authorised registrars purchase domain names from us on behalf of their customers.

Registrar Summit

In 2025, we held the annual .nz Registrar Summit in Christchurch on 25–26 September. The theme was celebrating the business relationship we have with our registrars — some of whom have been in business with InternetNZ for more than 20 years. Among the great conversations were discussions about the future of domain names, how AI is reshaping how we engage online, and how Support Local campaigns can grow our domain name brands.

In total, 20 registrars attended the Summit in person or online. Collectively, they represented 87.4% of the .nz name space. A wide range of registrars attended, from small to large, local and international.

Registrars Advisory Group 

In the past year, we have convened the Registrars Advisory Group meeting, who represent the collective interests of .nz registrars. The Group consists of up to six registrar representatives nominated and elected by .nz registrars.

Brought together by the Domain Name Commission, these meetings allow for discussions on various issues related to compliance, .nz Rules, monitoring, registry, or industry matters that may impact the .nz market or registrar services. This forum ensures registrars’ perspectives and concerns are considered in broader discussions that impact our industry. 

Update of registrar agreements

We are committed to providing clear and consistent guidelines to our Registrars. In November, InternetNZ and the Domain Name Commission announced the rollout of updated registrar agreements. This was the first review of the Authorisation Agreement since 2018, and the Connection Agreement was last reviewed in 2022. 

The agreements were updated to ensure greater consistency across the .nz Rules and the new agreements, clarity for .nz registrars regarding their obligations, and to improve the overall readability of the agreements.

The new agreements came into effect on 17 March 2026 along with the updated .nz Rules (version 3.2). 

.nz wholesale fee change 

On 1 July, we increased the .nz wholesale fee. This is the first wholesale price change since 2020. The increase represented a sustained and significant increase in operational costs over the previous five years, associated with our product infrastructure, resourcing, increased compliance and security measures, and general operational expenses, that could no longer be absorbed by the organisation. 

An annual .nz Rules work programme

As the home and guardian of the .nz domain name, we are responsible for setting the policies, called the .nz Rules, that govern the registration and use of .nz domain names. To support transparency and consistency of this work, we have introduced an annual .nz Rules work programme.

Three key parts of this year’s work programme were updates to the .nz Rules, transitioning to a new policy for conflicted names, and developing a Domain Name Abuse Strategy focused initially on addressing scams and frauds. 

Public feedback on .nz Rules 

In 2025–26, we released two rounds of proposed changes to the .nz Rules for public feedback and undertook two successful .nz Rules consultations. The changes sought minor amendments, including drafting clarifications to assist with understanding particular .nz Rules, as well as changes to align with the new Agreements with Registrars and to reflect a new domain locking product. 

The Board approved a new version 3.2 of the .nz Rules, which took effect on 17 March 2026.

Engaging on the conflicted names policy 

In the 2024–2025 financial year, we completed a major review of the Conflicted Domain Name process, resulting in the adoption of a new process that came into effect on 1 July 2025. In the lead up to 1 July, we engaged with multiple stakeholders (including the government moderator and affected iwi) on the transition to this new policy. This change has introduced more efficient management of conflicted domain names annually and is now being managed within business as usual.

Domain Name Abuse Strategy for .nz  

In mid-2025, we began developing an operational strategy to guide our work on mitigating domain name abuse in the .nz domain name space. The aim of the strategy is to improve the integrity of the data in the .nz register and, thereby, contribute to disrupting scams and fraud. Also, to consider what role we could play in partnering with other regulators to combat some types of illegal content, such as Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).  

During the development process, we engaged with government and private entities, DNS experts, other ccTLDs, other regulators, and staff from InternetNZ and the Domain Name Commission (DNC). As strong advocates for an open Internet, we are careful, considered, and consultative in the changes we make to ensure that there is no overreach. 

The Domain Name Abuse Strategy for .nz was presented to the InternetNZ Board at its 13 March 2026 meeting and adopted as an in-principle strategy (awaiting 2026 Rules changes).

We work towards an Internet that benefits all people in Aotearoa New Zealand. Our aim is for everyone to be able to use, create and innovate on the Internet in ways that keep themselves, and others, safe. We actively contribute to shaping Internet developments both domestically and internationally, helping to build a better Internet for all.

Research and insights

The wide variety of initiatives that we support reflect the ongoing evolution of the Internet itself. 

New Zealanders’ insights about the Internet

Each year, we survey people across New Zealand to understand how they use the Internet, what benefits they experience, and the concerns they hold. Our research, the Internet Insights Report 2025, was published on 2 March 2026. 

This year, we added new questions asking about artificial intelligence (AI). In a very short time, we’ve gone from most New Zealanders having a very limited understanding of what AI is and what it can do, to many New Zealanders using it regularly. 

The 2025 Internet Insights report showed that four out of five New Zealanders have used AI tools in the last year and we are increasingly confident that we understand it. 

But more than half of people surveyed (52 percent) say they are extremely or very concerned about AI’s impact on society. New Zealanders say that using AI to produce harmful content is a concern, followed by its use for malicious purposes.

.nz remains the domain of choice in Aotearoa 

In August 2025, we conducted our New Zealand consumers and businesses research, asking about online presence, domain name use, and changes in people’s online behaviours. 

The research results showed that 7 out of 10 New Zealand businesses with websites use a .nz domain name. Both businesses and consumers see .nz as a more trustworthy domain than other domains (such as .com). Nearly half of businesses don’t have a website for various reasons, but consumers see websites as the most important tool for engaging with businesses.

The survey asked about the use of AI for the first time. Businesses are now using AI in a range of ways, and they already see its impact on the way customers engage with businesses. 

World Internet Project (New Zealand)

In November 2025, our partners at Auckland University of Technology’s New Zealand Policy Research Institute (AUT NZPRI) released the latest World Internet Project (New Zealand) report, a global study that we fund and support. The biennial research covers the social, economic and cultural impacts of the Internet and digital technologies. For the first time, the report included questions about how New Zealanders feel about and use AI, highlighting the influence of age, education levels and employment status when it comes to AI. 

Social cohesion in New Zealand report

Alongside several other funders, we supported Shamubeel Eaqub’s work to deliver a second iteration of the Helen Clark Foundation’s Social Cohesion in New Zealand report. Barriers to social cohesion, such as the spread of false information online, have significant consequences for communities, weakening the bonds that unite us. The latest results point to a widening gap between aspirations and lived experiences, with financial stress emerging as the strongest predictor of low cohesion.

Partnership funding that supports a better Internet

Our partners play a vital role in building an Internet that benefits Aotearoa New Zealand and advancing digital equity. Our partners for 2025–26 included:

• Digital Futures Aotearoa
• Figure.NZ
• Katoa Connect
• AUT NZ Policy Research Institute (NZPRI)
• Tāiki e!
• Te Hapori Matihiko
• TUANZ (Tech Users Association)
• Digital Equity Coalition Aotearoa (DECA)

Some partner highlights: 

Advancing digital equity 

• DECA undertook significant initiatives to support communities during the 3G network shutdown, providing guidance and resources. They also ran the inaugural No Tech Day to raise awareness of digital inequity.
• Digital Futures Aotearoa celebrated the fifth anniversary of Recycle a Device (RAD).
• TUANZ continued to push for 100% digital connectivity with events and advocacy, reports such as Connecting Aotearoa 2025, Tech Users Summit, and nurturing future leaders through FLINT (Future Leaders in Tech).

Closing the digital divide 

• Tāiki e! has been an essential backbone to our grant funding in Te Tairāwhiti. We are happy to see Haututu Hack Lab continue to grow, encourage innovation, empower creators, and help the community thrive.
• Te Hapori Matihiko brought people together in a series of events across the motu and online, and fostered a thriving Māori technology community through scholarships, awards, education and research.

We engage on relevant policy issues

We champion policies that support an open, secure, and inclusive Internet. In 2025–26, we responded to several legislative and regulatory proposals. 

Key written submissions included:

• Opposing potential Internet fragmentation through the possible use of blocking and filtering in the Online Casino Gambling Bill
• Arguing against classifying the Internet New Zealand Domain Name System (DNS) as a “lifeline utility” in the Emergency Management Reform
• Argued against the Regulatory Standards Bill due to its potential to undermine effective digital regulation, social equity, and Te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations
• Argued for the prioritisation of digital infrastructure and digital equity as part of the Draft National Infrastructure Plan. 

Furthermore, we continued to advocate for a dedicated digital regulator for New Zealand, and youth-specific technical safeguards to address systemic online harms.  

As well as these written submissions, we presented to Select Committees to support our views and engaged directly with officials, policymakers, and MPs. 

We believe everyone in Aotearoa New Zealand should be able to thrive in an increasingly digital world — in ways that work for them. Our work focuses on enabling people to access and confidently use the Internet so they can equitably participate in and benefit from our society, democracy, and economy.

An Internet for everyone includes a focus on accessibility

The Internet has the potential to reduce barriers and support tangata whaikaha (disabled people) in living well. In response to widespread feedback, we continued to focus on improving accessibility.  

We worked with Access Advisors to deliver free, practical web accessibility training. This hands-on training is designed to accommodate participants with limited technical expertise and constrained budgets, furthering our goal of a more accessible online environment. The training sessions will take place in 2026.   

Another initiative contributing to an inclusive Internet is the work led by Blind Low Vision NZ, which this year focused on enhancing the accessibility of their Alexa Skill through AI integration. They are developing natural language processing capabilities to make this voice-controlled technology more user-friendly and intuitive. 

As the .nz domain name administrator, we have a unique role to manage the .nz domain name space for the benefit of all of Aotearoa. We serve our communities by operating .nz in a respectful and inclusive way, so all New Zealanders can connect and thrive online, acknowledging the significance of Māori as tangata whenua.

We are committed to working in ways that implement the articles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi within our structures, systems, and work processes.

Funding to Māori partners and entities

Each year, we invest pūtea (funding) in communities across Aotearoa to make the Internet better for everyone. Our commitment to enliven Te Tiriti o Waitangi underpins our community funding practices, including how we distribute the funds. In 2025–26, we committed to ensuring that at least 40% of the available community funding was allocated to Māori partners or entities.

For 2025–26, 40.5% ($405,000) of available community funds were allocated to Māori individuals or entities. This is a slight decrease from 44.86% distributed in 2024–25.

A total of 14 projects were supported: 

• $180,000 Successful grants 
• $130,000 Strategic partnerships 
• $95,000 New funding streams 

Empowering approaches to grant-making

At InternetNZ, we believe the Internet should be a force for good — opening up opportunity, strengthening communities, and enabling a better Aotearoa New Zealand for everyone. But we also know the most impactful change comes from those who understand their communities best.

Our commitment to allocated funding targets is just one part of our Te Tiriti approach. We have also reflected on our funding model to determine if it serves everyone effectively. Our experience has shown that the emphasis on rigour can sometimes build walls rather than open doors. We then wanted to explore how we could create a robust process that wasn’t just reliant on paperwork. As we further incorporate Te Tiriti into our approach, we have developed and piloted an alternative, community-led, grant-making method.

This method required a fundamental shift in mindset for both us as funders and the involved groups, as it shifts power to communities, enabling them to engage in strategic design, set funding parameters, and participate in decision-making. It represents a shift from InternetNZ being the overseer to becoming a collaborative partner with community groups.

Case study: Te Tairāwhiti digital equity Kaupapa

This project started a bold response to digital exclusion that has become a broader ecosystem effort: one that seeks not only to improve access but to challenge and reshape the systems that maintain inequity. 

This year, we further developed our empowering grant-making approach through a second iteration of a community-led grant round in Te Tairāwhiti, focused on digital equity. This included the projects that in 2024–25 received a first round of funding.

Some examples of the work this funding went towards: 

• Supporting strategy wānanga to support accountability, shared learning and prepare for long-term partnerships and co-investment. 
• Supporting the development of an intergenerational digital inclusion initiative that brings kaumātua and rangatahi into shared learning spaces.
• Designing and implementing a collective-wide communications strategy, shifting from one-off storytelling to an ongoing communications system.

As we look to future funding and initiatives, Te Tairāwhiti will serve as a valuable lesson and experience for us and hopefully other funders to continue to explore in other regions.

“This openness has allowed for a dynamic, iterative process that can respond to challenges without compromising the integrity of the project. Unlike more rigid funder-recipient relationships, this high-trust approach has encouraged candid feedback, allowing both parties to learn and adapt collaboratively.” (Tāiki e! Insights report 1)

Embedding Te Tiriti

During 2025, we embedded Te Tiriti into our revised Community Funding policy. The updated internal policy addresses gaps identified in the former framework, strengthens accountability measures, and adopts a principles-based approach. This ensures that fund distribution processes are robust, fair, and equitable, while maintaining the flexibility to respond to the evolving needs of the communities we serve.

Building the foundations of our Te Tiriti o Waitangi vision 

We are now in the second year of Ngā Pae: Pathway for Growing our Te Tiriti Vision for InternetNZ, our bold and intentional step towards embedding Te Tiriti o Waitangi across all aspects of our work. It’s an operational framework: it’s our direction, our challenge, and our enduring commitment to honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi through authentic relationships, lasting impact, and meaningful actions to advance equity for Māori. 

One of our five-year strategy goals is to build internal capability across our organisation. For our organisation to achieve an uplift in Māori Cultural Capability, all staff need to be involved.

Our internal resource app 

In 2025, we launched an internal tool to support staff and Board members in developing Māori cultural capability. Our app, known as .nz Taonga, provides essential tools, information, and is a resource for engaging with Māori language and tikanga concepts. 

Since its launch, we have seen the app being used in meetings for opening and closing karakia, for waiata, and for our new organisational values, Ngā Uara. 

A shared Te Tiriti vision

InternetNZ Board members, past and present, recall discussions about Te Tiriti o Waitangi within InternetNZ over the last decade. Back in 2018, the Board took important steps toward InternetNZ’s Te Tiriti vision work, focusing on InternetNZ’s relationship with Te Ao Māori and the organisational goals for this work. In 2022, the Board commissioned the O’Regan Report, which created momentum within InternetNZ, with recommendations focused on systemic change and stronger alignment with Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

In 2024–25, a constitutional review implemented the recommendations, supporting InternetNZ’s transition to a new framework, supported by a suite of documents that enliven Te Tiriti within the organisation. The constitutional review raised the question: ‘What does it mean to be Te Tiriti centric?.’

In 2025, Te Korowai o Ipurangi Aotearoa was developed to help answer this question and to further the work of ensuring Māori are recognised as tangata whenua within the core work of InternetNZ. Throughout the development, various wānanga were held with staff and InternetNZ Board members to gather kōrero and discuss aspirations that would enliven our long-standing commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Te Korowai inspires our collective aspiration to serve all of Aotearoa New Zealand. This guiding document sits alongside our 2026–2031 InternetNZ Group Strategy, which will be published at the beginning of the 2026–27 financial year. 

Our changing membership

Our membership continued to grow in 2025–26, reaching 5,160 members by 31 March 2026 (compared with 4,699 members as at 31 March 2025).

In response to the increased membership numbers over the last two years, we have made several changes throughout the year, including a new membership portal that allows members to access key membership information and streamlining the membership renewal process. 

Throughout the year, members were offered a range of opportunities to engage with us. These included participation in the Annual Membership Survey, providing feedback on the five-year organisational strategy, attending regular quarterly online hui with the InternetNZ Chief Executive, invitations to our 30th anniversary celebration in Wellington and end-of-year stakeholder event in Auckland, and a discounted ticket price to our NetTalks events. Nearly 1,900 members engaged through these avenues, with nearly 1,700 using their voices online.

Working at InternetNZ | Ipurangi Aotearoa

Our people

As at 31 March 2026:

• 38 permanent kaimahi (staff) 
• Two offices, one in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and one in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington
• A flexible, distributed team working across Aotearoa New Zealand and internationally

Shared values, stronger relationships 

We are proud to have introduced our new organisational values, Ngā Uara. These values will guide our relationships with each other and our community. 

The creation of Ngā Uara was a collaborative process that involved discussions and workshops with kaimahi and the Board to ensure the values were meaningful and widely supported. Kaimahi were actively involved in shaping them. 

Anchored in Te Tiriti o Waitangi, our values show care in honouring tangata whenua, building authentic partnerships, and delivering on our purpose for all.

Our five values define who we are, who we strive to become, and how we lead with purpose, courage, and heart.

• Ngākau titikaha — we act with purpose and courage
• Ngākau pono — we stand with integrity and accountability
• Ngākau tahi — we collaborate with respect and shared purpose
• Ngākau auaha — we lead with an innovative mindset
• Ngākau nui — we care, connect, and enable

A flexible, focused environment

We understand the value of a workplace where kaimahi can balance their personal and professional lives. A great work-life balance is incredibly important to us. Our robust systems prioritise accountability and transparency, while our flexible approach ensures we remain focused on delivering impact for our communities.

• We hold in-person wānanga twice a year to learn and grow together
• Collaborate online and in person on large projects

A commitment to wellbeing

We actively support the health, safety, and wellbeing of our people. Through our Health, Safety and Wellbeing and Social Committees, we foster a proactive and inclusive environment. This year we celebrated Diwali, Matariki and Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori together, and participated in the breast cancer fundraiser Pink Ribbon Breakfast and the Aotearoa Bike Challenge. 

Our benefits include additional leave and KiwiSaver contributions, ongoing development opportunities; we offer kaimahi health, life and critical illness insurance — contributing to a holistic, supportive workplace.