- Profiles are listed in alphabetical order. They have not been edited by Kaitiaki staff.
NIGEL BARR
Statement of Experience/Skills against Criteria in Schedule 4, NZNO Constitution
Engagement with NZNO and Commitment to NZNO’s Vision
I have demonstrated, sustained and had active engagement with NZNO through
participation in Te Tai Tonga regional hui, advocacy initiatives, and collaborative working groups. My commitment to NZNO’s vision—fostering strong nursing leadership, promoting equity, and advancing professional excellence—is reflected in my approach to building inclusive dialogue among members and ensuring that nurses are empowered to speak up on key issues affecting practice and wellbeing.
Understanding Nursing in the Wider Health Sector
I bring a holistic view of nursing, recognizing it as a vital component of an interconnected health system. My understanding extends to the pressures of workforce shortages, the need for culturally safe care, and the critical role nurses play in community health. I actively engage with sector-wide reforms and champion policies that promote the recognition and integration of nursing expertise at all levels of healthcare decision-making.
Business and Commercial Acumen
My professional experience includes strategic planning and contract negotiation within the healthcare environment, contributing to financially sustainable models of care. I understand the operational challenges of running health services and apply analytical thinking to maximize value while maintaining quality outcomes. My ability to interpret market trends and stakeholder needs allows me to advocate for nursing-led innovations that align with commercial realities. Part of my post graduate diploma in health management was looking at operational excellence and organisational leadership.
Governance
I have served in governance roles that required sound decision-making, policy oversight, and stakeholder representation. I understand the importance of transparent processes, collective responsibility, and upholding the democratic values within NZNO. I am committed to ensuring member voices are heard in the organisation’s strategic direction and supporting governance practices that reflect both integrity and accountability.
Finance and Legal Compliance
I possess a working knowledge of financial management and regulatory compliance,
including risk assessment, reporting requirements, and ethical standards within charitable and professional bodies. I value fiscal responsibility and the importance of robust audit practices to protect member interests. My approach ensures NZNO’s resources are managed wisely and its legal obligations fulfilled with due diligence.
NZNO’s Commitment to te Tiriti o Waitangi, Tikanga Māori, Mātauranga Māori and Bicultural Values
I hold a deep respect for te Tiriti o Waitangi as the founding document of Aotearoa New Zealand and am dedicated to upholding NZNO’s commitment to bicultural partnership. I support Te Runanga o Aotearoa as a cornerstone of NZNO, amplifying Māori nursing voices and promoting equitable outcomes. I actively engage with tikanga Māori and Mātauranga Māori principles, integrating them into nursing practice and organisational culture. I believe that Maranga Mai is not only a call to action—it is a movement rooted in justice, collective strength, and transformation.
GRANT BROOKES
Statement of experience/skills against criteria in schedule 4,
NZNO Constitution
Experience and knowledge
I believe I possess all of the desired qualities which are sought in a Director of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa. My own values are aligned with those of NZNO. I understand good governance, I am careful and diligent and able to think strategically, with good communication skills, honesty and integrity.
1.1 Engagement within NZNO and commitment to NZNO Vision
My engagement within NZNO and my commitment to our shared vision can be seen not only through my role as President from 2015-2020, the longest term in office for any NZNO President, but also in a wide range of other roles up until the present day, including:
• Workplace delegate, 2002-15 & 2023-present
• Media spokesperson for NZNO, as required.
• NZNO representative on the DHB Mental Health Bipartite Action Group (BAG)
(initially at CCDHB, later covering HVDHB and WDHB also), 2005-15.
• Member, DHB Sector National Delegates Committee, 2008-15.
• Member, Greater Wellington Regional Council, 2008-2015 & 2021-present.
• NZNO representative to the Council of Trade Unions Biennial Conference, 2009,
2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2023.
• Relief Organiser, 2010.
• Chair, Greater Wellington Regional Council, 2010-13 & 2023-present
• Convenor, DHB Sector National Delegates Committee, 2012-15.
• Member, Board of Directors, 2012-13 & 2022-present
• Greater Wellington Region rep & Vice-Chair, Membership Committee, 2014-15.
• Member, DHB MECA negotiating team, 2014-15.
• Newsletter Editor, Mental Health Nurses Section, 2014-15 & 2021-23
• President, 2015-20.
• Secretary, Mental Health Nurses Section, 2023-24.
Through these roles, I have been active in NZNO’s Aged Care, Primary Health and Private Hospital Sectors, as well as heading the membership structures in the DHB Sector. My all-round experience at the highest level in both professional and industrial wings of our union, in governance roles and as an NZNO staff member has given me a thorough grounding in the NZNO Vision, “Freed to care, Proud to nurse”.
1.2 Understanding of nursing and the wider health sector
As NZNO President, I was privileged to represent nursing on the national and international stage, while keeping up my own clinical practice by working shifts on the ward. I believe this has afforded me a unique understanding of nursing in Aotearoa New Zealand, from the point of care to the corridors to power, never losing touch with the realities at the bedside.
I have also developed my understanding of the wider health sector through postgraduate study in Public Health at the University of Otago, focusing on health systems and health policy.
This all-round understanding has enabled me to represent NZNO to a wide range of external stakeholders including:
• Ministers of Health
• Parliamentary select committees
• Ministry of Health officials
• Local government
• Safe Staffing Healthy Workplaces Unit
• The Nursing Council of New Zealand
• The International Council of Nurses
• The South Pacific Nurses Forum
• Global Nurses United
1.3 Business and commercial acumen
NZNO is a trade union and professional organisation. So conventional commercial acumen, which is geared towards maximising profits and shareholder return through the optimal exploitation of human and material resources, does not serve our values.
The acumen required is the kind which will safeguard and grow the assets which have been built up by generations of nurses and held in stewardship, in order to support members today and tomorrow. It must be capable of negotiating the challenging legal and political environments facing NZNO today, and use resources for maximum benefit to members.
As President, I believe I demonstrated such acumen. I led NZNO’s divestment from fossil fuels, in accordance with the democratic decision made by NZNO members at our AGM, in a way which did not impact on the performance of our portfolio. I moved the establishment of a strike fund for members likely to experience hardship as a result of industrial action. And as Chair of the Nursing Education and Research Foundation, I helped to steer the Trust through a major review of its investment strategy, to enable even greater financial support for nurses in generations to come.
1.4 Governance
Good governance improves performance, manages risk, ensures accountability and enables a strategic perspective. But in a member-run organisation such as ours, special care must be taken to ensure that governance is not at odds with the democratic will of the members.
As the NZNO President with the longest continuous term in office in NZNO history, I believe I have acquired unsurpassed hands-on experience in the governance of our organisation. I see key functions of governance as including:
• the maintenance of strategic oversight of the environment,
• analysis and communication of salient issues to members,
• empowering the membership to speak up, and
• acting in accordance with their democratic will.
I have completed Governance Essentials courses run by the Institute of Directors. Governance skills have also developed through experience in chairing the Board of the Newtown Union Health Service and being an ex-officio member of the Board of OraTaiao: New Zealand Climate and Health Council.
1.5 Finance and legal compliance
NZNO members want leaders with a specific kind of financial and legal expertise – one which serves, rather than dominates, our agenda for nursing and health. I believe I have brought this kind of expertise to our organisation.
For almost five years, as President I served on NZNO’s Audit & Risk Committee. This committee assists the Board in discharging its responsibilities with respect to overseeing all aspects of financial and non-financial reporting, control and audit functions and organisational risk. I have served again on this committee since 2022.
During my Presidency, sound financial planning enabled the smallest annual change in membership fees since 2006. Rising by just 1 percent in 2018/19, which was below projected inflation, the change in 2018/19 subscriptions represented a fee cut for every member, in real terms.
My experience and knowledge in finance and legal compliance has been recognised externally. At the Newtown Union Health Service, a Primary Health Care centre serving union members and high needs populations in Wellington, I was the elected Board Chair and a member of the Audit & Finance Committee. I also served for ten years in a voluntary capacity as the finance officer for the EcoSocialist Education Trust, Incorporated.
1.6 NZNO’s commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi Tikanga
Māori, Mātauranga Māori and NZNO’s commitment to the bicultural values and the role of Te Rūnanga o Aotearoa.
Ko “Cornwall” te waka. Ko Tangata Tiriti te iwi. Nō Ōtepoti ahau. Ko Grant Brookes tōku ingoa.
No individual can embody all of NZNO’s rich diversity. But as a professional, I know the limits of my own cultural knowledge, my obligation to extend those limits and the need to acknowledge the authority of others who hold cultural expertise.
My deep commitment to bi-cultural values, Tikanga Māori and Matauranga Māori grows out of a 28 year history of involvement in Kaupapa Māori organisations and activism to uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Over the last three years, as Co-chair of the Constitution Review Panel I have worked in partnership with Te Rūnanga o Aotearoa to develop a new Constitution for NZNO based on Te Tiriti.
I have studied Te Reo Māori at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and try to model its use inside NZNO. A selection of my published articles on Te Tiriti o Waitangi and bicultural values is available on-line.
KATHRYN CHAPMAN
Experience and skills as section 4.
Engagement with NZNO and Commitment to NZNO’s Vision
Active NZNO member since 2010. Te Poari member since 2021, contributing to strategic direction and advocating for Māori nurses. Involved in the Constitutional Review Panel, Mana Motuhake Pay Equity Committee, Primary Health executive committee and GAR Council. Committed to NZNO’s kaupapa and Maranga Mai! through collective action and transformational change.
Understanding of Nursing and the Wider Health Sector
Grounded in clinical and cultural knowledge from nursing studies and professional
experience. Advocates for equity in the sector, especially for Māori. Brings a deep
understanding of healthcare challenges and workforce needs, particularly for
indigenous communities, informed by both frontline and governance perspectives.
Business and Commercial Acumen
Applies a strategic, culturally grounded approach to governance. Experienced in stakeholder engagement, organisational development, and policy alignment.
Understands the importance of sustainable outcomes for NZNO members and the integration of Māori values in achieving long-term success.
Governance
Te Poari and marae governance roles since 2021. Completed formal Māori governance training in 2023. Provides leadership rooted in kaupapa Māori, strategic planning, and policy knowledge. Champions collective accountability, strategic outcomes, and representation of Māori voices at decision-making tables.
Finance & Legal Compliance
Governance roles involve oversight of financial and legal responsibilities. Committed to transparency, ethical leadership, and compliance aligned with Māori and NZNO
principles. Ensures decision-making is accountable, culturally informed, and legally
sound. I got a lot of this experience from being a member of the Constitutional review panel and also being an official office holder for my marae.
NZNO’s Commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Tikanga Māori, Mātauranga Māori, and Bicultural Values
Te Tiriti and bicultural principles are central to my leadership. Guided by tikanga Māori and mātauranga Māori in all advocacy and governance roles. Uphold Te Rūnanga principles and empower Māori nurses within NZNO structures and Maranga Mai! objectives.
SAJU CHERIAN
Statement of experience/skills against criteria in schedule 4, NZNO Constitution
Engagement within NZNO and commitment to NZNO Vision
I am an active member of NZNO for more than 10 years and served as a board member for the last three years. Diligently performed all the responsibilities entrusted with me as a board member. I have been actively involved in NZNO’s
industrial actions, campaigns and governance matters consistently standing up for the rights of all nurses.
2. Understanding of nursing and the wider health sector
I have been working as a registered nurse in New Zealand for the last ten years. I am currently working as an Associate Charge Nurse of an acute inpatient unit where we have almost 70 nurses and more than 30 mental health assistants. I have a thorough understanding of nursing and wider health care sector within New Zealand. I am always committed to keep my practice up-to-date by accessing all education sessions and study opportunities. I have done post graduate certificate in Mental Health nursing through Whitireia Polytechnic, Wellington. I am also the lead trainer for Safe Practice and Effective Communication (SPEC) programme in Midecentral
region.
3. Business and commercial acumen
I have bachelors and master’s degree in Economics. I have also done post graduate diploma in materials management. I have worked as stores and purchase manger in couple of businesses in India. In New Zealand, I have experience as a treasurer of
community organisations such as Kerala Association of Palmerston North and St. Joseph’s Kerala Catholic Community.
4. Governance
I am a member of governance committee of NZNO board for the last three years. I have also served as the president of Kerala Association Palmerston North and Trustee-in-Charge of St. Joseph’s Kerala Catholic Community for many years. I am
currently working as Associate Charge Nurse of an acute mental health inpatient unit.
5. NZNO’s commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi Tikanga Māori, Matauranga Māori and NZNO’s commitment to the bi-cultural values and the role of Te Runanga Aotearoa.
I acknowledge Maori as the tangata whenua of New Zealand and aware of inequalities between Maori and non-Maori. I am committed to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and keen to improve effective implementation of its principles in nursing care in New Zealand.
GRANT CLOUGHLEY
Engagement with NZNO and commitment to NZNO’s vision
Learning from the past, to challenge our present, to reimagine a future.
Given the current state of the Health system, NZNO’s vision is more important than ever as the ability of health workers to provide the care we strive to give to all our patients is constantly undermined by the lack of appropriate resources. Whilst we may be proud to be a health worker, it is becoming harder and harder to be proud of the level of care that we can provide due to the unprecedent levels of constraint that the public and private health providers are operating under.
Working within the previous DHB and current HNZ systems I have been a delegate for many years and as such have held many various roles. Since 2020 I have been a member of 3 DHB/HNZ NZNO negotiating teams fighting, not just for appropriate remuneration, but unbelievably for the safety of both staff and patients, an issue that has become even more important than previously.
- Pre DHB’s I was involved in 3 rounds of contract negotiations for Manawatu / Whanganui CHE which then became AHB, then DHB. So I have experience as a delegate in multiple versions of the Health system.
- I was on the NZNO/DHB negotiating teams in 2020, 2022 and, until recently, the current 2024 negotiating team.
Understanding of nursing and the wider health sector
I have worked mainly in the public health system as a HCA, EN, RN, Duty nurse manager and as a flight nurse. I have recently commenced employment as a school nurse.
Whilst I have very little private health experience, except as a patient, via various Regional Council meetings/conferences and media, I am aware of some of the problems being faced within GP Practices, private aged care facilities, private surgery etc and how both sectors need to acknowledge and confer with each other to provide seamless health care so as to provide the best outcomes not only for patients
but also for nurses/HCA’s
Business and commercial acumen / Governance / Finance & legal compliance
In the ‘80’s I ran 2 small successful businesses and then in the 90’s I was on the NZNA/NZNO BoD’s where I quickly learnt about balance sheets, budgeting etc. Especially since as Director I was personally liable for any NZNO debts.
If elected my aim would be to carefully scrutinise outgoings, not only to determine appropriate spending in dollar terms but also that any spending was justified in relation to NZNO’s core activities.
I would also like to see the NZNO website become more user friendly and easier to negotiate
NZNO’s commitment to te Tiriti o Waitangi, Tikanga Māori, Matauranga Māori and NZNO’s commitment to bicultural values and the role of Te Rūnanga o Aotearoa, NZNO Objects and Maranga Mai!
Although I previously spent 2 years learning to read and write Maori, I am the first to put my hand up and say I have a lot to yet learn.
“Me haere tahi tātou mō te hauora me te oranga o ngā iwi katoa o Aotearoa”
“Let us journey together for the health and wellbeing of the people of Aotearoa”
(Rev Leo Te Kira 15 December 2005)
MICHAEL DEIBERT
Statement Of Experience/Skills Against Criteria
In Schedule 4, NZNO Constitution
Engagement with NZNO and commitment to NZNO’s vision
Even though I only stepped up as a delegate and active member of NZNO in 2022, I dove right in and have been quite active since!
At the time, I joined a group that had formed to tackle the many issues that HCA/Kaiāwhina faced. We stood up and asked NZNO to include us more within the union, and to help our group address those issues. This led to the formation of the HCA Oversight Committee, to which I was named Co-Chair. Our goals were multifold and long-term, but our underlying aim aligns with NZNO’s mission and Maranga Mai! campaign. Even though I stepped down earlier this year, I continue to support the goals of the Committee.
During that time, I also became an active delegate locally at Waikato Hospital and within the Midlands Region. I’m currently a co-convenor and the secretary for the Waikato WOC. And last year, I stepped up as the Midlands Representative on the Membership Committee. In my limited time on the Membership Committee, I’ve done my best to ensure that the concerns and issues of members are heard by NZNO. NZNO is a member-led union, and I strongly feel that this needs to be represented at all levels of NZNO.
Understanding of nursing and the wider health sector
While I work as a healthcare assistant at Waikato Hospital, I’m a US Registered Paramedic. And prior to that, I worked as an EMT since 2011. I’ve spent over a decade providing patient care on the pre-hospital side of healthcare, while also working directly with Aged Care facilities and hospitals. Because I am clinically trained yet working in a non-clinical role, I’ve had to clearly understand both my role duties as a healthcare assistant in addition to the scope of the EN and RN.
Now that I am a delegate and have become active within NZNO, I’ve expanded my
understanding of nursing and the wider healthcare sector. This was a key focus of the HCA Oversight Group, mainly because there are so many variances my HCA/Kaiāwhina colleagues face across the sectors. Due to the widespread healthcare issues of shortstaffing, increasing patient loads, and more, employers are actively working to undermine the role of the nurse by increasing the scope of the HCA.
While I’ve been vocal in establishing national standards and job duties for the HCA, this has the added advantage of solidifying the role of the EN and RN. We are all part of the same healthcare team, and it’s time that we stand together as a union and push back against the employers and the government who are working to undermine nursing.
Business and commercial acumen
In 2011, I started my own business to oversee my theatrical and costuming work. While my first foray into my own business operations and finances were not profitable, it helped lay my foundational understanding of how businesses operate. In 2018, after migrating to Aotearoa, I established my current US-based online business.
While my business, Queer Film Reviews, LLC, is nowhere near the size of NZNO and a different business structure, operating my own business has allowed me to learn the intricacies and issues of business operations and finances. I understand the principles of marketing, long-term strategic planning, financial planning, and more. But despite running my own business, I acknowledge that I am still not an expert on all business operations. But I am willing to learn and expand my skill set.
Governance
My first experiences with governance stems all the way back to university. As a collegiate member with my fraternity, I held several governance positions. Once I graduated and became an alumni, I helped establish the local regional alumni association for the fraternity. In collaboration with the other founders, I helped write our bylaws that aligned with our national constitution and bylaws. Between 2011 and 2017, I held the positions of President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
Since I migrated to Aotearoa and became an NZNO delegate, I’ve returned to the realm of governance. In addition to being Co-Chair of the HCA Oversight Committee and working to establish the foundations of that committee, I’ve taken on the role of Secretary with the Waikato WOC. Lastly, I dug into the recently ratified proposed Constitution to better understand and provide feedback on the upcoming governance changes. I would not claim to be an expert at governance, especially as the laws can change. But feel that my experience in governance will be an asset as a potential NZNO Board Member. Especially as we face the upcoming Constitutional changes.
Finance & legal compliance
Much of my experience with finances and legal compliance links with my personal
businesses. I have always balanced my business’ books. I’ve learned how to create, read, and understand key financial documents, such as Profit & Loss statements. I’ve actually read and understood the financial reports submitted for review at AGMs, in addition to financial reports from my other committees.
But I’ve always paid keen attention to accounting details. In my current role with Te Whatu Ora and with prior jobs over the years, I’ve kept diligent records of my pay. I have my own spreadsheet that includes all of the relevant penal and allowances in my current role to the point that I can correctly estimate my net pay with just my roster. Furthermore, in addition to filing my New Zealand tax return with IRD, due to being an American citizen who has to submit an IRS tax return every year, I also file a US tax return myself each year. With the amount of legal and financial understanding required to successfully do all of that, I feel that I
am quite experienced in this area.
NZNO’s commitment to te Tiriti o Waitangi, Tikanga Māori, Matauranga Māori and NZNO’s commitment to bicultural values and the role of Te Rūnanga o Aotearoa, NZNO Objects and Maranga Mai!
I strongly support NZNO’s commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the commitment to encompass the bicultural values that are essential to Aotearoa. The push to become a more bicultural society and the attempts to reverse decades of systemic repression is actually a key reason I fell in love with Aoteoroa after migrating here.
Personally I find Tikanga Māori, Matauranga Māori, and Te Ao Māori to be rather beautiful. In the last few years, I’ve begun to study Te Reo Māori and hope to be able to establish my own connection to Aotearoa as a migrant. I am on my own journey with Te Ao Māori, and wholeheartedly support NZNO and my fellow members to embark on the same journey. Even though I bring my own culture with me as a migrant, it’s my duty to respect and embrace Te Ao Māori and ensure we uphold Te Tiriti not only for ourselves but for future generations. Aotearoa is our home.
MICHELLE FAIRBURN
Section Four
Engagement with NZNO and Commitment to NZNO’s vision
“I’m standing for the NZNO Board to champion collaborative change—grounded in the voices of our members, guided by equity, and driven by action. Our profession thrives when we’re united by purpose and empowered by collective wisdom.”
“I believe in protecting and empowering our senior nurses—acknowledging their legacy while ensuring their wellbeing. Their leadership sets the tone for excellence and provides new graduates with a benchmark rooted in wisdom, resilience, and care. It’s time our systems reflected that value.”
During my time as a student nurse, I witnessed and personally experienced many challenges and inequities. These moments shaped my strong and ongoing commitment to advocating for student nurses, a commitment that has naturally extended into supporting my colleagues across all practice settings. Advocacy is something that comes instinctively to me, and I’m always willing to help or facilitate positive change when needed. This approach aligns with NZNO’s 2025–2026 strategic plan and our new vision: Learning from the past, to challenge our present, to reimagine a future. It’s a reminder that we must reflect on what’s come before to question the systems we work in today, and to help build a future that supports and uplifts all nurses. Student nurses represent the future of our profession. Investing in them may come with short-term challenges, but the long-term benefits are undeniable. The following demonstrates my ongoing commitment to actively engage with and support our membership.
NZNO Maranga Mai Scholarship committee member 2025
NZNO Te Poari 2024 – 2025
National Delegate Committee -Whanganui Hospital 2023-2025
Super Six Whanganui Hospital 2023 -2025
Ward delegate Whanganui Medical ward 2022 2025
Central Te Runanga Chair 2024-2025
Central Regional Council member 2022 -2025
BOP/Tairawhiti Regional Council member NZNO 2017-2021
BOP/ Tairawhiti Regional Council Chair 2020 -2021
Ward delegate Kaupapa ward Tauranga hospital 2019 -2021
Te Runanga Member 2016 – 2025
Student liaison and student advocate for TR and non – TR reps 2016 -2019
Indigenous Nurses Conference Hui a Tau attendee (multiple)
NZNO AGM (Multiple)
2020 – 2025 NZNO Delegate training level 1-3
Understanding of nursing and the wider health sector
Whether you are a Nurse, Midwife, Kaimahi, or Healthcare Assistant, we are all navigating one of the most critical and demanding periods our profession has ever faced. Across every sector, the pressure is mounting—while political support remains disappointingly inadequate. The lingering effects of COVID-19, increasing patient complexity, population growth, and longstanding under-resourcing have exposed deep systemic flaws. But it is not us who have lagged behind—it is the decision makers. The time has come for them to not only hear our voices, but to act on them. We have the right to nurse as we were trained—to draw from our history, challenge our current reality, and envision a future where our profession thrives. Together, we must reclaim control. At the governance level, I am prepared to amplify your voices, confront entrenched norms, and unlock the doors to the resources, respect, and recognition we have long earned and unequivocally deserve.
Business and commercial acumen
Previously as a part owner -operator of a taxi company, I oversaw the daily operations of a 20-vehicle fleet, which included staff management, dispatch coordination, banking, and full compliance with IRD and Land Transport regulations. I also managed Ministry of Education contracts for the transportation of children with special needs, alongside providing legal and financial oversight when required. I led the transformation from a cash-based business model to a secure electronic payment system, implementing mobile EFTPOS and account-based chargeback solutions to enhance operational efficiency. I focused on regulatory compliance, operational excellence while cultivating long-term relationships with customers and staff. A strong team culture based on trust was integral to our business success, which continued until our exit due to my husband’s health challenges.
This role provided me with first-hand experience in strategic planning, financial
management, regulatory navigation, and customer service—all within the high-pressure demands of a 24/7 operation. Today, through my regional and national involvement with NZNO, I apply this expertise to drive informed decision-making, strategic resource investment, and the pursuit of growth opportunities. My commitment remains steadfast: to champion the sustainability and adaptability of our nursing workforce in an ever-evolving healthcare landscape.
Governance
I recognise that both collective and individual responsibility and accountability are vital to upholding the Board’s integrity. I commit to acting with honesty and integrity, in good faith, and with a focus on meeting the needs and aspirations of our membership— guided by what best serves the interests of NZNO. I offer a diverse and valuable blend of knowledge, skills, and experience to enhance nursing representation at the governance level; strengthen the link between governance and organisational performance; and foster deeper connections between governance and the communities I serve.
Finance & legal compliance
2000–2006 | Ministry of Education Contract – Transport Service Provider Delivered contracted transport services under the Ministry of Education, serving as a Small Passenger Service compliant driver and owner-operator. Operated both individually and as a company, managing a team of contracted drivers. Oversaw all aspects of operational and business management including compliance with bank policies, insurance processing and claims, taxation, ACC levies, payroll, other legal matters, and contractual advertising obligations. This role demanded meticulous attention to detail, regulatory knowledge, and the ability to lead within a complex,
service-driven environment.
NZNO’s commitment to te Tiriti o Waitangi, Tikanga Māori, Matauranga Māori and NZNO’s commitment to bicultural values and the role of Te Rūnanga o Aotearoa, NZNO Objects and Maranga Mai
I am committed to NZNO’s obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi and to upholding Tikanga Māori, Mātauranga Māori, and the bicultural values that guide our collective work. Acknowledging the vital role of Te Rūnanga o Aotearoa in giving voice to Māori nurses and advancing equity within the profession, I support the kaupapa that underpins NZNO’s strategic direction and the Maranga Mai! campaign.
Addressing inequities faced by Māori is not only a professional responsibility, it is a moral imperative. Fair pay remains a widespread concern, and Māori, as a vulnerable health population, continue to be disproportionately impacted by systemic underfunding. Māori health and iwi providers often lack the resourcing required to deliver the full breadth of culturally responsive care, placing both providers and patients at greater risk of adverse health outcomes.
My commitment to actualising the intent of Te Tiriti, and honouring Tikanga and Mātauranga Māori, includes advocating for those most affected by inequity, and working to ensure that our bicultural partnerships are strong, respected, and transformative. I believe that through authentic collaboration, we can foster improved access and outcomes for Māori health care providers and the communities they serve.
NAYDA HEAYS
Engagement with NZNO and Commitment to NZNO’s Vision
Engagement with NZNO
Engagement with NZNO occurs in multiple ways. Finding your niche means discovering where you belong and connecting with others to share experiences and provide support. I encountered this as an example among peers of similar age, experiences, and culture in learning environments. Engagement began as a nursing student with daily in-person classes, including sharing our experiences, and culminated in presenting indigenous research at the International Council of Nurses Conference.
Engagement can develop through exposure, knowledge, empathy, and an understanding of diverse viewpoints, as well as through robust discussions and a curiosity about national and global politics and their impact on healthcare. It also involves recognizing the collective efforts of healthcare workers seeking fair and equitable working conditions.
As a member of Te Matau a Māui Te Rūnanga o Aotearoa from 2011 to 2013 during my undergraduate degree, I engaged in the following way: –
- Attendance at Te Matau a Māui hui – whanaungatanga, annual planning
- Annual attendance at Hui a-Tau – whanaungatanga, networking, wānanga regarding
national and international challenges & strategies - Participating in both roles as a tuakana/teina
- Building relationships with tuakana (graduated RNs) for study and career support
- Fundraising groups
- Contributing adult learning perspectives to regional & national union kaupapa
- Transitioning my thinking from student to RN
As a member (Registered Nurse) of Te Matau a Māui Te Rūnanga o Aotearoa from 2014 to the present day, I engage in the following way: –
- Regular attendance at Te Matau a Māui hui
- Chairperson Te Matau a Māui Te Rūnanga o Aotearoa NZNO 2022 to 2024
- Te Poari member 2022 to 2024
- Te Poari representative on the Collective Agreement Bargaining Team 2023
- Te Poari representative on the Pay Equity Team 2023
- Committee Member of the NZ College of Critical Care 2023
- Te Poari representative on the Constitution Review Panel 2022 to 2025
- Ongoing tuakana/teina
- Contributor to National Critical Care Education Steering Group
- Contributor to EPICCNZ Te Reo Māori Kupu Hou 2024
- Contributor to the Kaupapa Māori Culturally Safe Staffing Ratios Report 2024
- Former delegate for ICU, Health NZ, Hastings Hospital
Commitment to NZNO’s Vision
The beauty and depth of NZNO’s vision, “Learning from the past, to challenge our present, to reimagine a future,” allows every member to connect through their own experiences of the vision. It encourages ownership on a level that provides validation and reflection for their past, present, and future journey.
Learning from the past can acknowledge what shaped the journey. The whakataukī “Kia whakatōmuri te haere, whakamua. We walk backwards into the future with our eyes fixed on the past” reminds us we gain great knowledge from our past, our wins and our losses, what works and what doesn’t. It is recognized that progress involves a collective effort and acknowledges the contributions of those who came before us. To challenge our present is the courage found from learning from the past – coming together with new knowledge, new ways of doing things, new skills and talents, and to challenge in a way that ensures mana is not trampled on, and to lead with compassion through those difficult moments. Lastly, reimagining a future is the potential of what our organisation could be with hope, determination, collective strength, and a belief system that we will continue to lay the foundations for our tamariki, mokopuna, hapū, and iwi many generations into the future for all New Zealanders.
Understanding of Nursing & the Wider Health Sector
Understanding of Nursing
The understanding of nursing and the wider health sector occurs in many forms. I developed my understanding of nursing through the whakapapa of hauora. I am the mokopuna of a great-greatgrandfather who delivered babies in the small rural settlement of Ruatāhuna in Te Urewera and the daughter of a mother who traversed the rocky nursing landscape in 1960’s New Zealand, training at Whakatāne Hospital. My personal experience witnessed her acts of service to nursing and her community by raising a family and caring for the most vulnerable. In later years as a young mother and wife, I took a role as a Co-ordinator for Healthcare NZ in Rotorua, working with community support workers, organizing rosters, participating in conflict resolution, and direct client contact, and collaborating in the implementation of care plans and evaluations. Relocating back to Napier to begin my undergraduate degree in nursing led to my experience in rest homes as a
caregiver to gain experience and develop my skills.
Wider Health Sector
Nursing at the coalface in our communities, the whakapapa of generational whānau experiences, reliable and ethically sourced local, national, and international information, and the increase in the impact of local, national, and international political standpoints in healthcare all contribute to my kete of knowledge. Other sources of understanding come from opportunities presented to grow leadership in the form of chairing my region for Te Rūnanga in the Te Poari domain, different
Committees and contributions I have made to research, and I have learned valuable lessons in robust and ethical sources.
It is important to acknowledge the relationships NZNO holds with important stakeholders such as NCNZ, the MoH, ICN, delegates, and members, to name a few. Information sharing amongst stakeholders ensures the most up-to-date changes and rationale.
Another important aspect of the wider health sector is the importance of acknowledging all healthcare workers and their contributions to the collective of NZNO, the voices of the union, from Plunket, Palliative, Iwi Māori Providers to Corrections, all have the mana of their members to address and find collective solutions to the challenges their face and the courage to take industrial activism.
Business & Commercial Acumen
My experience and knowledge of business & commercial acumen is a work in progress, and I am motivated to learn more with each role I aspire to contribute to. The National Clinical Networks held a component of business and commercial acumen, considering funding and human resources. I believe in the importance of growing and improving word of mouth in the marketplace.
Governance
I believe an aspect of Governance sits in a space where strategic thinkers gather to design ways of meeting the aspirations and needs of members at every level through systems and processes. It has been a privilege to grow my governance learning journey with NZNO. The opportunities providing governance experience included Chairperson of Te Matau a Māui Te Rūnanga o Aotearoa and Te Poari. Previously, I served as a committee member of the NZ College of Critical Care Nurses as a senior Māori Nurse.
I served as a member of the Governance Group for Ngā Manukura o Apōpō – Clinical Leadership Programme for Māori Nurses and Midwives in 2023. As a graduate of this programme in 2017, and Kurawaka Intensive, I was accepted into the Governance Group. My participation included discussions with the Group regarding funding strategies, funding streams, and the future of Ngā Manukura o Apōpō training. My role finished with the activation of Te Aka Whai Ora Māori Health
Authority to lead this kaupapa.
I served as the National Clinical Networks Co-Lead for Critical Care in 2024. I was the chosen representative of Te Aka Whai Ora Māori Health Authority to support and ensure equity in the CoLead space with Te Whatu Ora Health NZ. I engaged with the Critical Care Advisory Group to assist in the challenging transition to a Clinical Network, which involved the operational and financial background of the Group, i.e., funding post-COVID, bed uplifts, new and additional roles within critical care, and the experiences of each region and their priorities. I contributed a perspective of focus points for the Network that included Te Tiriti o Waitangi Principles embedded across the health sector, recruitment and retention programs, Māori and Pacific incentives, leadership pathways, and collaborative co-design with whānau and community voice. I identified significant challenges for critical care, including the Political Landscape, the future of increasing chronic health conditions, access and expertise for rural communities, international trends, and collaborative governance.
Finance & Legal Compliance
Finance
My experience and knowledge of finance in the governance realm is a work in progress, and I am motivated to learn more with each role I aspire to contribute to. Life experience in finance and exposure to this element in different roles I have had is the foundation to build my knowledge. It is a goal to align with members who hold this knowledge to learn, gain confidence, and apply.
Legal Compliance
My experience and knowledge of legal compliance in the governance realm is a work in progress, and I am motivated to learn more with each role I aspire to contribute to. My professional experience as a Registered Nurse in legal compliance is a regulated requirement of my employment. I am accountable and responsible for my nursing practice, ensuring that all health care provided is consistent with my education, assessed competence, relevant legislative requirements, and is guided by the Nursing Council of New Zealand’s standards for registered nurses.
NZNO’s commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Tikanga Māori, Matauranga Māori, and NZNO’s commitment to bicultural values and the role of Te Rūnanga o Aotearoa, NZNO Objects, and Maranga Mai
NZNO’s commitment to te Tiriti o Waitangi
NZNO gives effect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi Partnership through all structures, represents the concerns and interests of Māori members, and seeks continued improvements in Māori health. A demonstration of this is the recent Te Tiriti o Waitangi Audit 2024 Draft Constitutional July 2024 by Heather Came & Associates. The Report looked at how a Critical Tiriti Analysis audit tool could evaluate, assesses, and verify what a good Tiriti relationship looked like with equal representation at the governance level, implementing co-leadership at senior levels, and reviewing voting
processes, then be able to “give effect to Te Tiriti” consistently across all parts of the constitution with clear accountability measures. Applying this is a work in progress.
Tikanga Māori
NZNO’s upholds its Values in its operations and affairs. Wairuatanga, Whanaungatanga, Manaakitanga, Ōritetanga, Kotahitanga, Ukaipōtanga, and Pūkengatanga. Each value encompasses a Te Ao Māori perspective and cumulatively expresses the expectation for members to hold attitudes and beliefs that align with respect, caring, equality, unity, strength from where we belong, and the pursuit of excellence.
I demonstrate my knowledge of Tikanga Māori through whakapapa, and by attending regular wānanga that involve indigenizing spaces, being an active learner, and embracing all feedback. Additionally, I am a current learner in Rumaki Reo Māori me ona Tikanga.
Matauranga Māori
Mātauranga Māori is a taonga. It is rich in whakapapa and authenticity. In 2021, I contributed to a kaupapa Māori research team in Hawke’s Bay. The research title is Values, Perspectives, and Experiences of Indigenous Māori Regarding Kidney Transplantation: A Qualitative Interview Study in Aotearoa New Zealand, American Journal of Kidney Diseases. I was the qualitative interviewer, listening to and recording stories of whānau experiences, with the conclusion that Māori participants were highly motivated to seek kidney transplantation and were inspired by
positive experiences through donating and receiving a kidney. However, they faced barriers including social determinants, racism, and lack of information that impacted both direct experiences of transplantation and access to transplantation services.
Another experience with matauranga Māori, in the context of research, was the Culturally Safe Staffing Ratios Report – as a Senior Māori Nurse. I contributed my experiences to this Report.
In my role at National Clinical Networks, I gained knowledge in the Māori data sovereignty space, exploring ways to protect our taonga (matauranga) and improve data storage practices in Aotearoa through an onsite facility.
NZNO’s Commitment to Bicultural Values & the role of Te Rūnanga o Aotearoa
(Please see my paragraph re: Tikanga Māori)
The Role of Te Rūnanga o Aotearoa
The role of Te Rūnanga o Aotearoa sets the benchmark to ensure NZNO meets and frequently reviews its obligations to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, tino rangatiratanga, and mana Motuhake. Te Rūnanga o Aotearoa focuses on the needs and aspirations of kaimahi hauora Māori, actualizing advocacy in high-level governance spaces, and with intrinsic ties to the operational side of Te Rūnanga – demonstrating the strong connections within Te Rūnanga o Aotearoa and the upflow and downflow of matauranga.
NZNO Objects
7.5 In my role as a Clinical Nurse Specialist, Patient at Risk Service, ICU Outreach Service, I have actively participated in co-designing the implementation of the Health Quality Safety Commission initiative Kōrero Mai into the HBDHB. My active contribution to the development of this initiative involved face-to-face conversations with consumers and their whānau to gather information on their experiences of communication barriers, and what they believe would work better for them and
others. This process reinforced the importance of diversity and inclusivity and the consumer voice.
7.2 As a qualified preceptor and former ICU delegate, I network with new employees to share information about NZNO, the benefits, and the importance of collectivism. I encourage open and friendly dialogue with internationally qualified nurses to answer questions and look into their understanding of NZNO. In my previous delegate role, and my current staff role, I am available to any member to answer questions, and/or network to others who are able to help.
Maranga Mai
My contribution to Maranga Mai! is demonstrated by attending NZNO events, hui, and wānanga that are attended by members from many different areas of healthcare. As provided earlier, my participation in different groups gives opportunities to network and connect with members, and delivering national updates of the Constitution has most recently provided a valuable opportunity to gain different perspectives. At a grassroots level, I operate within an environment that encourages
me to listen to kōrero about what matters. ‘Maranga Mai!’ means ‘Rise Up!’ and is a call for NZNO members, whatever sector they work in (and their communities), to come together and take united action.
ROSETTA KATENE
Section 4:
Engagement and commitment to NZNO
- I was an active member of Te Runanga since I was a student nurse in 2010 and have
just re-engaged with Te Runanga and have been involved as below: - Secretary of NZCPHCN Executive 2024.
- Involved in symposium planning, sponsorship, and national advocacy 2025.
- Rotorua Hub Leader FOR Te Runanga 2023/2024
- Bay of Plenty–Tairāwhiti Grants Committee 2022.
- Active in planning Hui ā Tau and the 2025 Indigenous Nurses Conference.
- Clinical preceptor supporting the development of nursing students.
- Cultural Competency Training with Tauira.
- Attendance Indigenous Nurses hui a Tau – AGM
Understanding of nursing and the wider health sector
As a Public Health Nurse, I am committed to supporting the growth and recruitment of nurses into the health workforce. My role involves creating opportunities for nurses to thrive, offering guidance to help them progress in their professional journey. I’m particularly focused on helping nurses reach advanced scopes of practice such as Nurse Prescribers and Nurse Practitioners. Through my current role, I have gained broad experience across both Community and Primary Health Settings
Nursing 2016-current Preceptoring and Clinical Support
- Registered Nurse – Rosetta Katene
- Clinical Supervision for Health Coaches
- Netp: New graduates into Primary Health care settings
- Postgraduate Diploma in Bicultural Professional Supervision (Kaitiakitanga).
- Vaccinators training and support
- Public Health Suicide Intervention and Prevention
- Health and Safety
Cultural Competency training
- Providing leadership, guidance, and development opportunities for nursing students
- Developing expert clinical and cultural insights to help create a safe, supportive
learning environment that nurtures students as future clinical leaders. - Offering cultural supervision for Maori Nurses across all levels of practice.
- Encouraging open discussions and reflection through debriefing, using Te Whare Tapa
wha model to support holistic wellbeing.
Business and commercial acumen
- I am currently in my new role as Public Health Nurse Immunisation Outreach for
Manawa Taki/NPHS – overseeing a Health Care Assistant. - Overseeing Catch-up Immunisations
- Outreach Immunisations in the home by reducing inequities and difficulties accessing
healthcare. - Educating parents of the importance of preventing vaccinations.
Governance
-
- Bay of Plenty–Tairāwhiti Grants Committee 2022.
- Secretary of NZCPHCN Executive 2024.
- Member of NZNO since 2010
Even though I have not had that much experience in Governance I am committed to
improving health outcomes for Maori. I have a vested interest in reducing the
disparities that exists between Maori and non-Maori to ensure they have the opportunity to enjoy the same level of health. I firmly believe that this is a vision that can be achieved through investment in the workforce strategies and pathways that ensures that these disparities are reduced and enabling the New Public Health and Disability Act 2000 is to be incorporated as the Act.
I have recognized and respect that NZNO has a commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi
and uphold the articles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, with a view to improving health
outcomes for all but especially Maori. Part 3 provides us with the mechanism to enable Maori to contribute to decision making on, and to participate in the delivery of, health and disability services.
TRACEY MORGAN
Section 4
Engagement with NZNO and commitment to NZNO vision
I have been an active member of NZNO for the last 19 years (since 2006) and have been involved in the following:
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- A workplace delegate Choices Kahungunu Health Services 2008
- Te Runanga Chair Hawkes Bay 2009-2013
- Tumu Whakarae 2014
- Te Runanga Chair Midlands 2018
-Vice President New Zealand Nurses Organisation 2020
– Acting President New Zealand Nurses Organisation 2021
– Midlands Region Membership Committee Representative 2022
– National Executive Membership College of Primary Health Care Nurses 2022
– Current Board of Directors New Zealand Nurses Organisation
– Current Representative General Practitioners Leadership Forum
– Representative for Primary Health Care Meca Bargaining Team
-Current Chairperson for College of Primary Health Care Nurses New Zealand
Nurses Organisation
-Co Chair of Aged Care National Committee
- Participate and support event planning for Hui a Tau Indigenous Nurses Conference
- Prepares strategic plans and innovations including reporting mechanism for Midland Region
- Active Member of Te Poari
- Developed a Tuakana Teina programme alongside Tauira at Te Runanga; “Poipoia ki a Puawai”
Understanding of nursing and the wider health sector
As a Nurse Director, I am interested in supporting the development and recruitment of Nurses into health. This involves enabling Nurses to be successful, and providing support to ensure that they can proceed with their Career Pathway grade, in order to achieve advance nursing roles such as RN Prescribers and Nurse Practitioners. Throughout my current work portfolio, I have an extensive helicopter view of nursing as:
Nursing 2019-current
Precepting and Clinical Support for Nursing
Tracey Morgan
NetP: New Graduates into Primary Healthcare setting
Clinical Supervision for External Nurses
Present and facilitate introduction to Primary Healthcare Service
• Cultural Competency Training
Facilitate and assist in the delivery Cultural Competency
Training within the organisation alongside tikanga and cultural facilitators. Create
and audit priority services to ensure engagement and uptake of staff onto Treaty of
Waitangi and Cultural Competency Programmes. Cultural Competency training with
Key Leadership Clinicians
• Clinical Supervision and Training
Leadership, development and support of nursing students.
Provision of expert clinical and cultural knowledge used to create a supportive
nurturing environment for students as emerging clinical leaders.
Support and provision of cultural supervision for Maori Nurses from beginning
Practitioner through to Expert
Nurses to encourage a platform to debrief and discuss their experiences within a Te
Whare Tapa Wha Framework
Business and commercial acumen
I am currently a Nurse Director/Contractor for a Nursing Agency. I do the day to day
running of two contracts for a Hauora and a School Based Kura. I have sole charge
of managing the set up for a Nurse Led Clinic which entails setting up of all Clinical
accounts, all clinical accreditation, clinical supplies, approving invoices and payment
of invoices. Oversight and approving invoices needed to set up clinic at the Hauora.
Creditor/Debtors Accounts
Reports required to DHB and PHO for both nursing agencies.
Financial and Business Reporting and Management of External Contracting Business
I am current Manager for a Family Netball Team which attends an Annual Netball Tournament in the Bay of Plenty.
I ensure accommodation is sought; oversee full Management of 14 players
Oversee the draws of the tournament for the team.
Joint signatory of Financial Account
Governance
Member of Hawkes Bay District Health Board Nursing Midwifery Shared Governance Committee 2011-2013
Member of NZNO since 2006
National Executive Committee 2011-2012
NZNO Te Rau Kokiri Project Team 2010-
Te Aute College Board of Trustees 2010-2011
Trustee for Paparamu Marae 2018
NZNO Board of Directors 2022-current
National Executive Chair for College of Primary Health Care Nurses 2021-current
General Practitioner Leadership Forum 2021-current
NZNO’s commitment to Te Tiriti O Waitangi, Tikanga Maori, Matauranga Maori and NZNO’s commitment to bicultural values and the role of Te Runanga O Aotearoa
I am committed to improving health outcomes for Maori. I have a vested interest in
reducing the disparities that exists between Maori and non-Maori to ensure Maori have the opportunity to enjoy the same level of health. I believe that this vision can be achieved through investment in workforce strategies and pathways that ensure these disparities are reduced and enabling the NEW ZEALAND PUBLIC HEAND AND DISABILITY ACTO 2000 to be incorporated as the Act.
I recognised and I respect NZNO’s commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and uphold the provides a mechanism to enable Maori to contribute to decision making on, and to participate in the delivery of health and disability services. I have had the in-depth knowledge specialising in the integration of a bicultural approach to increase the health and wellbeing of whanau but also the expertise to support the partnership between Te Runanga o Aotearoa an integrated working approach is required to incorporate Maori worldviews by using Matauranga Maori – knowledge of tikanga applied to ensure an equitable approach is woven into the way NZNO operate. Through upholding the values identified in the 2018-2023 Nursing Strategy which
outlines the commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi
RACHEL THORN
Candidate Application for Board
Engagement with NZNO and commitment to NZNO’s vision and Understanding of nursing and the wider health sector
I am currently a nurse, clinical nurse coordinator, and part-time ACNM in Whangarei ED. I have been an active NZNO delegate in ED for the past seven years and currently serve as the coconvenor for Te Tai Tokerau. I’ve been part of the bargaining team both this year and during the 2022–2023 round, with a strong focus on improving working conditions for staff, and by extension enhancing safety for both staff and patients. I am also part of the senior nurse working group, continuing the work we began during the SECA 2022–2024 bargaining round.
I am passionate about supporting nurses and the wider nursing team to work in environments that are safe and supportive – places where their physical and mental health are protected and they feel able to provide the care they trained for. I became a delegate after supporting a colleague going through a very difficult time at work, and as a new delegate I worked for 3 years to improve the support and HR processes for staff dealing with bullying and harassment in the Te Tai Tokerau region.
Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Tikanga Māori, Matauranga Māori and NZNO’s commitment to bicultural values
I strongly support the embedding of te ao Māori into both the nursing workplace and our union work. In Te Tai Tokerau, we are still working to ensure our workplace embraces Māori language, whānau support, and tikanga in ways that allow both nursing staff and patients to feel safe and authentically Māori in whatever role they hold. Though I’m originally from the UK, having sailed here through the Pacific, I firmly believe that New Zealand is strengthened by its cultural diversity—shaped by Māori, Polynesian, European, and Asian influences. I acknowledge the pain and hurt caused by colonisation and support ongoing efforts to create a future union that
brings us together, as a workforce and as a union.
I want to ensure every voice is heard, and that we strike a real balance. I believe our union should both honour the vital work done by long-standing union nurses to improve care and safety, and create space for new voices, especially Māori voices, to guide us forward. I stand for inclusion over division, and I’m open and committed to growing in this space.
In 2021, I completed Leading Change for Good, a leadership course taught through a Māori and Pacific lens. That experience helped me navigate the challenges of being a British immigrant while striving to authentically incorporate tikanga and te ao Māori into my practice. I learned that genuinely listening, being authentic in yourself, using good communication and being willing to say you just don’t know or understand are the key factors for being successful in change management. I hope to bring those simple factors to the board, and become a nurse representative who, whilst still strongly connected to the workforce and its’ challenges, can also be a change agent within the union at a higher level.
Business and commercial acumen, and Governance
My job as ACNM over the past 3 years has given me essential tools for strategic thinking and planning. It has also enabled me to work with multiple people at many different levels within the organisation, sometimes in very challenging situations. I have learned to navigate those spaces with professionalism and objectivity, which I believe will be useful at a board level.
Together with my husband, I’ve run a small business for the past 25 years, giving me insight into commercial decision-making and financial responsibility. I have previously been involved in governance of many community projects whether playgroup and school when my children were younger or more recently the local radio station and community arts centre. Although I work fulltime I always have energy to change things for the better. Through the safe staffing work I did in
my own workplace, I truly learned the value of teamwork, delegation, communication and the ability of small groups to make big change. I would love to see NZNO build better connections with its’ members, grow better working relationships with its’ delegates and for every member to really understand what a union means. A union to me means the collective whole, working together, supporting each other and making things right when they are not. That is what I believe is the meaning behind Maranga Mai – standing up for what is right, not just for yourself but for everyone.