Dear Members
The Annual General Meeting for Deaf Aotearoa New Zealand Incorporated is coming up on 22 November 2025.
There is a lot to cover on the agenda this year, including adopting a new constitution to re-register under the Incorporated Societies Act 2022 and several remits and motions to discuss. The Executive Board wants to make sure that we have a smooth, well-run AGM that complies with all DANZ’s legal obligations and gives all members an opportunity to participate.
To help achieve that, the Executive Board has engaged external support. On the day you will meet:
Julie Hardaker
Julie is an experienced lawyer and former mayor.
She will be running the AGM logistics on the day, including making sure the technology is working, managing the voting process,
and acting as an independent returning officer/scrutineer to count the votes.
Jo Cribb
Jo is a governance expert and has worked with DANZ for several years.
Many of you will know Jo from the consultation meetings held online earlier in the year. She will be supporting DANZ with governance advice and guidance.
Louisa Joblin (MoranLaw)
Lou is the lawyer supporting DANZ with its constitution changes and through the re-registration process.
She will be able to answer questions about the constitution and DANZ’s legal obligations.
The AGM will be held in person and online, with NZSL translators in person and online. Members attending online who are eligible to vote will be able to vote through the online system. Members who are eligible to vote but who cannot attend online or in person can appoint a proxy (representative) using the proxy form sent out with the AGM information.
The Executive Board Chair, Ryan Cassidy, will lead the AGM, with support from the Executive Board members. The AGM will follow the agenda sent out to members with the AGM information.
The Executive Board welcomes any questions ahead of the AGM. We look forward to seeing you there, in person or online.
