Policy Advisory Group ToR
Terms of Reference for the Policy Advisory Group.
Purpose
To support the Executive Director’s Office
and through the ED the Executive Board, in formulating and coordinating policy
on public and technical policy issues that affect the Internet in New Zealand.
Objectives
- To assist the Executive Director in ensuring that InternetNZ is recognised as a respected and authoritative advocate on technical and public policy issues for the Internet community.
- To assist in identifying opportunities, issues and initiatives that should be included in future versions of its strategic and business plans, especially initiatives that can be seen to be supporting Internet innovation and technical leadership.
- To assist
InternetNZ towards an exemplary standard and use of Internet technologies.
Membership/Composition
- All members of the PAG must be InternetNZ members, with the exception of any invited contacts from other organisations (currently TUANZ and ISPANZ).
- Any members who are interested in discussing policy issues with other members will be welcome to join the list.
- Initially the Group will be populated by the existing Public and Technical Policy Committees and by the Executive Board.
- Two convenors, one focused on technical policy issues and one focused on public policy issues, will work with the Chair, the Executive Director (or nominee), to manage the work of the Group.
- The Group will mainly exist as an email list, with possibly two face-to-face meetings per year in a “conference” or “seminar” style, timed to provide useful input into the EB and Council’s planning processes.
- Any detailed
work on specific issues will if necessary be conducted by sub-groups as
detailed below.
Powers
- The Group has no specific powers, other than to discuss issues relevant to its purpose and objectives on its email list.
- The Group is
welcome to make recommendations to the Executive Director on any matters
within its purpose and objectives, including a recommendation to the ED
that they raise an issue with the Executive Board.
Sub-groups
- Sub-groups of the PAG will function to bring teams of volunteers and staff together where intensive or detailed work is required on a specific issue. They will be convened by staff and will have no powers, and no formal start- or end-date.
- This includes sub-groups as set out in the Policy Development Process.
- Any sub-group
will include at least one member of the PAG who is responsible for keeping
the broader PAG informed of the work of the sub-group.
Reporting
- The PAG does not have any reporting requirements to the Executive Director or to the Executive Board. Instead, the Executive Director will report from the PAG to the Board.
- Notes of proceedings of any meetings will be prepared by staff and reviewed by the PAG before being published.
- Sub-groups
will generally keep notes of their proceedings, and these notes will
generally be provided to the PAG in addition to any information that the
nominated liaison PAG member of the sub-group makes available.
Budget
- The EB’s budget will provide resources for two face-to-face meetings of the PAG each year, and for modest honoraria for the convenors.
- The PAG has
no budget authority of its own.
Actions:
The Executive Board resolved on 29 October 2008 that “the Terms of Reference for the Policy Advisory Group be adopted”.
The Executive Board resolved that “this decision be reviewed by 30 April 2009, especially concerning the possible needs for convenor/s for this group”.
ACTION POINT: The Executive Director implement these decisions two weeks after the date of this meeting, to allow time for the InternetNZ Council to review this paper, on a “no surprises” basis.
