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Councillor

Role Description - InternetNZ Councillor.

InternetNZ Constitution

Councillor of InternetNZ

Internet New Zealand Incorporated is a non-profit common interest society to maintain and extend the availability of the Internet and its associated technologies and applications in New Zealand, both as an end in itself and as a means of enabling organisations, professionals and individuals to more effectively collaborate, cooperate, communicate and innovate in their respective fields of interest.  It is intended that the Society is the principal organisation representing the interests of Internet users and Internet Service Providers in New Zealand. 

The Society’s objectives are:

  • To promote the competitive provision of Internet access, services and facilities in an open and uncaptureable environment
  • To develop, maintain, evolve and disseminate standards for the Internet and its inter-networking technologies and applications
  • To develop, maintain, evolve and disseminate administrative processes for the operation of the Internet in New Zealand
  • To promote and conduct education and research related to the Internet and inter-networking
  • To co-ordinate activities at a national level pertaining to good management of centralised systems and resources which facilitate the development of the Internet, including but not limited to the Domain Name System
  • To collect and disseminate information related to the Internet and inter-networking, including histories and archives.
  • To develop and maintain formal and informal relationships with the international Internet community, including the Internet Society.
  • To represent the common interests of the wider New Zealand Internet community both nationally and internationally
  • To promote widely and generally available access to the Internet.
  • To liaise with other organisations.

Council member skills

A successful Council will have Councillors with a mix of skills and attributes which include the following:

  • a passion for the objectives of the Society, and an interest and enthusiasm for the range of activities the Society and its business units are involved in
  • governance skills and experience or an understanding of governance skills
  • common sense, wisdom and judgement
  • integrity and commitment to ethical behaviour
  • business acumen (including financial literacy) and a track record in his/ her professional field
  • independent thought and the ability to debate and defend viewpoints
  • objectivity and the ability to take a broader perspective – the “helicopter view”
  • ability to work as part of a team and support the collective view of the Council
  • risk management appreciation and experience
  • project governance or project management experience

All Council members must have time to commit to the role.  This includes attending Council meetings and preparing adequately for these meetings, sitting on Council committees (as required), and keeping abreast of issues facing the Society and relevant to the Society’s objectives.

Code of Ethics and Proper Practice

The Council is committed to ethical conduct in all areas of its responsibilities and authority.

Accordingly, members of the Council as individuals will:

  • act honestly and in good faith at all times in the best interests of InternetNZ
  • carry out their duties in a lawful and business-like manner and ensure that InternetNZ carries out its business likewise
  • avoid conflicts of interests in as far as this is possible and where such conflicts arise, will act within the terms of the Council’s Conflict of Interests policy as set out in this document
  • attend Council and sub-group meetings and devote sufficient time to preparation for Council meetings to allow for full and appropriate participation in the Council’s decision making
  • observe the confidentiality of non-public information acquired by them in their role as Council members, and not disclose confidential information that might be harmful to InternetNZ or any of its business units
  • interact with the Council and staff in a positive and constructive manner
  • not do anything that in any way denigrates InternetNZ or harms its image

Conflict of Interests

The Council places importance on making clear any existing or potential conflicts of interest for its members.

Accordingly:

  • Any business or personal matter which is, or could be, a conflict of interest involving the individual and his/her role and relationship with InternetNZ, must be declared and registered in the Conflicts of Interest register
  • The Register will be presented to the Council and formally received.  Where a conflict of interest is identified and/or registered, the Council member concerned shall not vote on that issue, and may only with unanimous agreement participate in any Council discussion on that topic
  • The President must take whatever steps are necessary to ensure that any conflict is managed in an appropriate manner according to this policy
  • Individual Council members, aware of a real or potential conflict of interest of another Council member, have a responsibility to bring this to the notice of the Council

Examples of such conflicts of interest are:

  • When a Council member, or his/her immediate family or business interests, stands to gain financially from any business dealings, programmes or services of InternetNZ or any of its business units
  • When a Council member him or herself offers a professional service to InternetNZ or any of its business units
  • When a Council member stands to gain personally or professionally from any insider knowledge if that knowledge is used to his or her personal or professional advantage
  • Where a Council member is on another body that may have competing or conflicting interests or where knowledge of InternetNZ views or information might unduly favour the member’s other appointment/organisation.
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