Mahi Ngātahi Governance Review - AGM Update

For those who don’t know, we as Recreation Aotearoa are an Incorporated Society and are guided by a Constitution, - essentially a set of rules that set out how the organisation operates.
 
Over the next 12 months the Recreation Aotearoa Board, supported by our Māori Navigation Group Te Kāhui Kura Māori will be undertaking a review of the Recreation Aotearoa Constitution to consider what changes might be required to further enact the organisation’s commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
 
The review will also consider what changes are required to comply with the new Incorporated Societies Act 2022 which came into place last year and requires all incorporated societies to review their constitutions by April 2026.
 
Recreation Aotearoa is on a journey to become a Te Tiriti-centric organisation that weaves together Māori and non-Māori world views. In 2019 Recreation Aotearoa Members voted to amend our Constitution to include a commitment to upholding the mana of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. In 2020 we adopted our bi-cultural Strategy Te Whai Oranga which we developed in partnership with Te Kāhui Kura Māori.
 
Over the last 4 years the Recreation Aotearoa Board has been working alongside Te Kāhui Kura Māori to evolve the organisation’s governance practice to reflect our commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. This has included initiating our Te Hau Takitahi Co-Chair Pilot.
 
The Board and Te Kāhui Kura Māori now wish to consider what further amendments or additions are required to ensure the organisation’s governance practices align with its commitment to Te Tiriti and working together with Māori, mahi ngātahi.
 
The review is focused on how the board operates and how Recreation Aotearoa ensures that it has the right mix of skills and knowledge on the board to bring to life its commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
 
At the same time, we will consider what changes are required to comply with the new Incorporated Societies Act 2022.
 
The review will not consider the size, composition or powers of the board including the mix of elected and appointed board members. We are not contemplating any changes in these areas. We are also not contemplating any changes to existing committees including the Regional Advisory Group or Outdoor Recreation SubCommittee.
 
In early 2024 members will be asked for their feedback and ideas on the review. There will be a range of ways to provide feedback including via an online survey and online Q&A sessions. Input from members will inform the next phase of the review.
 
It is anticipated that draft proposed changes will be provided to members in mid-2024 for further feedback. Final proposed changes will be presented for members for their consideration at the November 2024 AGM.