Board appointments

Current vacancies

Board appointments are important governance roles where board members can make a real difference.

If you are interested in serving on a board see our current board vacancies.

Current board vacancies

How appointments are made

Appointments to Crown entity boards are made under the Crown Entities Act 2004. Each agency’s own legislation states any specific requirements.

Appointments to the boards of statutory or advisory bodies are made in accordance with their relevant legislation or establishment document.

We help responsible ministers identify candidates with the required skills and experience for a board role. As well as meeting essential competencies for the position, board members must appreciate the Crown’s role as the key stakeholder.

The responsible minister, or the Governor-General on the responsible minister's recommendation, makes the board appointments.

Board appointment process [PDF, 270 KB]

Diversity of board members

The government expects Crown boards to represent the diversity and demographic make-up of New Zealand, including gender, ethnicity, age and geographic location.

Code of Conduct for Crown entity board members

The Public Service Commissioner has issued a Code of Conduct for Crown entity board members. This Code of Conduct sets out the responsibilities for board members of statutory entities (excluding corporations sole) and Crown entity companies (excluding Crown Research Institutes and their subsidiaries).

Anybody who is interested in being a member of a Crown entity board should be aware of the responsibilities required under this Code of Conduct. It is available on the Te Kawa Mataaho | Public Service Commission website.

Code of Conduct for Crown entity board members(external link) — Te Kawa Mataaho | Public Service Commission

How you can register interest

If you have the relevant skills and experience and are interested in serving on a board, we recommend you register with any of the following nominating agencies:

• Ministry for Pacific Peoples: Nominations(external link)
• Ministry for Women(external link)
• Office for Disability Issues: Expressions of interest for the Office for Disability Issue's nominations database(external link)
• Ministry for Ethnic Communities Te Tari Mātāwaka(external link)
• Te Puni Kōkiri: Governance and Appointments(external link)
• The Treasury - Commercial Operations(external link)

As ministers seek nominations from a range of sources, a nomination may not necessarily result in the appointment of any particular person.

Board Member fees and payments

Board Members and members of Governing bodies are appointed in their personal capacity. Their fees are governed by the Fees Framework set out in Cabinet Circular CO (22)2 and the Income Tax Act 2007 are subject to Withholding Tax.

Cabinet Circular CO (22)2(external link) — Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC)

Income Tax Act 2007(external link) — New Zealand Legislation

If you are a public servant

It is a general Cabinet policy that public servants are not appointed to statutory boards and other public bodies in which the Crown has an interest. However appointments of public servants may be made under special circumstances.

Further details can be found in the Cabinet Office circular CO (02) 5 Appointment of Public Servants to Statutory Boards:

CO (02) 5 Appointment of Public Servants to Statutory Boards(external link) — Departmant of the Prime Minister and Cabinet