Kia ora koutou,

Here we are at the end of the first quarter already! It’s been a busy start to 2025 with a lot of work and planning going on behind the scenes.

Earlier this month, the Board and Management Team gathered in Ōtautahi for a face to face session of planning and sharing. It was great to have the day in a room together to work through priorities for the year ahead. As it happened, this was on the same day as the Canterbury Westland Branch AGM, so we went along to meet with the members, and I was privileged to present the 2024 Lincoln Student Awards. Congratulations to the winners! 

As we move into Q2, things will become more visible and action-oriented.

The NZILA Firth Wānanga 2025 is creeping steadily closer, with just over 7 weeks until we gather in Heretaunga Hastings. This is your annual event and your chance to connect and grow, with actionable learnings from both inside and outside the profession, and some epic networking opportunities (and, in keeping with the theme, great kai!).

We’ve heard from you that it’s a tough year and that the EOFY timing for earlybirds isn’t great for you, which is why we’ve extended the earlybird pricing just for members for 2 weeks. The team have worked really hard to keep ticket prices below market rates and as accessible as possible, and we hope a little extra time at the best price helps as many of you as possible get there. There’s a handy wrap up of information in the newsfeed on the website, and in light of the Government’s recent announcements on RMA Reform we’re making sure the programme delves into this pivotal moment in time for our profession. Watch out for more about the impacts of this on our profession and our response over the coming weeks. If you still have questions about the event, I encourage you to reach out to Trina at events@nzila.co.nz.

There’s plenty of CPD and learning opportunities coming up, with the Streetscape Speaker Series dates to be announced soon, and the first of the knowledge growth topics – Biodiversity – coming up with a series of three webinars. Our advertising partners will be offering technical updates across the year, and the team are working on some extra opportunities as well.

Also coming in Q2 will be the annual report and AGM. Make sure to watch the comms channels for key dates and all the info you need to know.

Today it is my pleasure to announce the call for nominations for this year’s Board elections. This election marks the end of term for myself, John Potter, and Alayna Rā. I have enjoyed leading the Institute into its new era over the past two years, with our new structure and new team. I can’t thank my fellow Board members enough for their dedication to this role.

Nominations close on 14 April, and if you have governance experience and want to be part of keeping the Institute thriving and on point with delivering to the Mahere Rautaki, I recommend putting yourself forward. Find all the information on the NZILA website.

It's shaping up to be another big year with heaps of opportunity and I encourage you to have your say and get involved. 

Ngā manaakitanga,
Debbie