Constitution

New legislation for incorporated societies in New Zealand introduced updated legal requirements for how societies are run and what their constitutions must contain. Existing incorporated societies registered under the previous legislation must reregister under the Incorporated Societies Act 2022 by 5 April 2026 if they wish to continue operating as incorporated societies. As part of that process, societies need to prepare and adopt a constitution that meets the new legal standard.

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The 2022 Act requires constitutions to cover a range of core matters, including the society’s name and purposes, membership, how people join and cease to be members, how general meetings are called, how officers are appointed, how disputes are handled, and what happens to surplus assets if the society is removed from the register or liquidated. 

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Updating our Constitution was more than a simple wording exercise. It required a full review of the Association’s rules to make sure they reflected both the legal requirements of the Incorporated Societies Act 2022, and the practical needs of our organisation and community.

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This included reviewing and rewriting provisions relating to membership categories, voting rights, general meetings, proxy voting, Committee roles, records, dispute resolution, financial management, constitutional amendments, and surplus assets. The new Act also introduced clearer expectations around officer duties, conflicts of interest, record-keeping, and constitutional compliance, so these areas needed to be carefully considered as part of the drafting process.

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A further part of the process was making sure the Constitution was internally consistent, clearly structured, and suitable for registration. Once approved, it then had to be lodged in the proper form through the Incorporated Societies Register. Companies Office guidance for reregistration confirms that societies must prepare a compliant constitution, approve it, and upload it as part of the reregistration process.

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Having an up-to-date and registered Constitution gives clarity and certainty about how the Association operates. It helps protect the integrity of the organisation, supports good governance, and ensures that members and officers have a clear framework for decision-making. The Companies Office notes that a constitution sets out a society’s purposes, what it does, and how it operates, providing certainty and consistency in the way the society is run.

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For our community, this means the Association now has a modern governing document that reflects current legal requirements in New Zealand while continuing to support the aims and values of our organisation.
 

We would also like to acknowledge everyone who contributed to this process — including those who reviewed drafts, suggested improvements, and supported the work of updating and finalising the document. Preparing a constitution that is both legally compliant and practical for a community organisation takes time and care, and we appreciate the input that helped bring this work to completion.

You can download the current registered Constitution below.