Security Institute of New Zealand 

Constitution

1.0 Name 

1.1 The full name of the organisation is the Security Institute of New Zealand (SINZ). 

 

2.0 Registered Office 

2.1 The Registered Office shall be at 305A Neilson Street, Onehunga, Auckland. 

 

3.0 Purposes 

3.1 The purposes of SINZ are to; 

  • The establishment of a ‘peak body’ that promotes security and safety to all sectors of New Zealand, including the volunteer and not-for-profit sectors 
  • Empower individual members of the public and organisations to work towards a safer future for all New Zealanders 
  • Support and encourage crime prevention training to all members of the public 
  • To act as a conduit for security and safety ‘best practice’ from government and other sources to organisations and members of the public 
  • Provide resources that support professional standards in security and safety organisations, including the volunteer, not-for-profit sectors 
  • To enhance the professional standing and reputation of the wider safety and security industry 
  • Enhance the health and safety and wellbeing of the public when at risk of attacks in Crowded Places 
  • To work with like-minded organisations throughout New Zealand 

3.2 The term ‘Security Industry’ includes all those that work or provide any aspect of security or safety to organisations or members of the public, whether paid or voluntary. The word ‘safety’ relates to a secure environment and being free from harm. 

3.3. Pecuniary gain for profit is not a purpose of the Security Institute of New Zealand. (See also section 16 Financial Matters)

 

4.0 Management 

4.1 SINZ shall have an Executive Management Committee (“the Executive Committee”), comprising the following persons: Executive Chairperson; Executive Vice Chairperson; Financial Controller, and others as per section 5.2. 

4.2 Executive Committee members may come from the general membership or otherwise. 

4.3 The position of Executive Chairperson (the ‘Chairperson’) allows for the position to incorporate both the Chairperson’s role as well as a Chief Executive Officer role. The Executive Chairperson may be a paid role. 

 

5.0 Appointment of Executive Committee Members 

5.1 The Executive Committee may add additional members to the Executive Committee and will identify prospective Executive Committee members when vacancies arise. 

5.2 Executive Committee members are appointed for an indefinite term. 

 

6.0 Cessation of Executive Committee Membership 

6.1 Persons cease to be Executive Committee Members when: 

  1. They resign by giving written notice to the Executive Committee 
  2. They are removed by majority vote of the Executive Committee at an Executive Committee Meeting. 

6.2 If a person ceases to be an Executive Committee Member, that person must, within one month, return to the Executive Committee all documents and any property belonging to SINZ or the Executive Committee. 

 

7.0 Role of the Executive Committee 

7.1 Subject to any rules of SINZ, the role of the Executive Committee is to: 

  1. Administer, manage, and control SINZ 
  2. Carry out the intended charitable purposes and use money or other assets for those purposes 
  3. Manage all SINZ financial affairs, including approving the Annual Financial Statements for presentation to the Annual General Meeting 
  4. Set accounting policies in line with generally accepted accounting practice 5. Ensure appropriate insurances are in place 
  5. Ensure that all Executive Committee Members and general members follow the Rules 7. Decide how a person or organisation becomes a Member, and how a person or organisation ceases to be a Member 
  6. Decide the times and dates for Meetings, and set the agenda for Meetings 9. Decide the procedures for dealing with complaints 
  7. Set Membership fees, as well as any other identified costs or expenses 
  8. Modify or Change Rules as deemed necessary by the Executive Committee 

7.2 The Executive Committee has all of the powers of SINZ. 

7.3 All decisions of the Executive Committee shall be by a majority vote. In the event of an equal vote, the Executive Chairperson shall have a casting vote, that is, a second vote. 

7.4 Decisions of the Executive Committee bind SINZ. 

 

8.0 Roles of Executive Committee Members 

8.1 The Chairperson is responsible for: 

  1. Ensuring that the rules are followed 
  2. Convening meetings and establishing whether a quorum (at least half of the Executive Committee) is present 
  3. Chairing meetings and deciding who may speak and when 
  4. Overseeing the operation of SINZ 
  5. Providing a report on the operations of SINZ at each Annual General Meeting. 8.2 The Executive Vice Chairperson is responsible for: 
  6. Standing in for the Executive Chairperson when that person is not available 2. Recording the minutes of Meetings 
  7. Keeping the Register of Members 
  8. Holding all records, documents, and books except those required for the Financial Controller’s function 
  9. Receiving and replying to correspondence as required by the Executive Committee 

8.3 The Financial Controller is responsible for: 

  1. Ensuring proper accounting records of all financial transactions are carried out in order to allow the financial position to be readily ascertained 
  2. Ensuring that annual financial statements are prepared for presentation at each Annual General Meeting. These statements should be prepared in accordance with standard accounting policies 
  3. Providing a financial report at each Annual General Meeting 
  4. Providing financial information to the Executive Committee as the Executive Committee determines. 

 

9.0 Meetings 

9.1 Executive Committee meetings, Annual General Meeting, Special General Meetings may be held in person, or any other format, including electronic, as the Executive Committee may decide. 

9.2 No Executive Committee Meeting may be held unless at least half of the Executive Committee Members are in attendance. 

9.3 The Chairperson shall chair Executive Committee Meetings, or if the Chairperson is absent, the Executive Committee shall elect a Committee Member to chair that meeting. 

9.4 Decisions of the Executive Committee shall be by majority vote. 

9.5 The Chairperson has a casting vote, that is, a second vote. 

9.6 Subject to these rules, the Executive Committee may regulate its own practices. 

9.7 The Chairperson or their nominee shall adjourn the meeting if necessary. 

 

10.0 Types of Membership 

10.1 Membership may comprise different classes of membership as decided by the Executive Committee. 

10.2 Members have the rights and responsibilities set out in these rules. 

 

11.0 Reference Group 

11.1 A Reference Group shall be set up by SINZ. 

11.2 The purpose of the Reference Group shall be to: 

  • Advise the Executive Committee of appropriate areas for support and development 
  • Advise the Executive Committee on best practices in different aspects of security and safety 
  • Alert the Executive Committee on urgent needs 
  • SINZ and members of the Reference Group may, where appropriate, work with other relevant organisations such as: 

○ The New Zealand Police and other government agencies 

○ The New Zealand Security Association(NZSA) 

○ Workplace Development Councils (WDC) 

○ ASIS New Zealand (ASIS) 

○ The Institute of Professional Investigators (NZIPI) 

○ Community Patrols of New Zealand (CPNZ) 

○ Neighbourhood Support NZ (NSNZ) 

○ The Association for Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) 

11.3 There shall be no limitations on the number of people that may form the Reference Group. 

11.4 The Executive Committee shall have sole discretion as to who may be considered to be a member of the Reference Group. 

 

12.0 Admission of Members 

12.1 To become a Member, a person or organisation (“the Applicant”) must complete an application form, as set by the Executive Committee and supply any other information that the Executive Committee requires. 

12.2 The Executive Committee may interview the Applicant when it considers Membership applications. 

12.3 The Executive Committee shall have complete discretion when it decides whether or not to allow the Applicant to become a Member. The Executive Committee shall advise the Applicant of its decision, and that decision shall be final.

 

13.0 Register of Members 

13.1 SINZ shall keep a Register of Members, which shall contain the names, email addresses, phone contact details of all Members, and any other information required from time-to-time, as well as the dates at which they became Members. 

13.2 If a Member’s contact details change, that Member shall give the new postal or email address or telephone number to the Executive Committee. 

13.3 Each Member shall provide such other details as the Executive Committee requires. 

13.4 Members shall have reasonable access to the Register of Members, as determined by the Executive Committee. 

 

14.0 Cessation of Membership 

14.1 Any Member may resign by giving written notice to the Executive Committee. 14.2 Membership can be terminated in the following way: 

If, for any reason whatsoever, the Executive Committee is of the view that a Member is breaching the Rules, affecting the credibility of SINZ in any way, or acts in a manner inconsistent with the purposes of SINZ, the Executive Committee may give written notice of this to the Member (“the Executive Committee’s Notice”). The Executive Committee’s Notice must: 

  1. Explain how the Member is breaching the Rules or acting in a manner inconsistent with the purposes of SINZ; 
  2. State what the Member must do in order to remedy the situation; or state that the Member must write to the Executive Committee giving reasons why the Executive Committee should not terminate the Member’s membership; 
  3. State that if, within 14 days of the Member receiving the Executive Committee’s Notice, the Executive Committee is not satisfied, the Executive Committee may in its absolute discretion immediately terminate the Member’s membership.

 

15.0 Obligations of Members 

15.1 All Members (and Executive Committee Members) shall promote the Security Institute of New Zealand and shall do nothing to bring it into disrepute. 

 

16.0 Financial Matters 

16.1 The Executive Committee must prevent private pecuniary profit in all instances during the operation of the entity. Any income, benefit, or advantage must be used: 

  1. To advance the charitable purposes 
  2. Not for the private pecuniary profit of any Member 
  3. That use has been approved by the Executive Committee.

16.2 No member of the organisation, or anyone associated with a member, is allowed to take part in, or influence any decision made in respect of payments to, or on behalf of, the member or associated person of any income, benefit, or advantage. 

16.3 Any payments made to a member of the organisation, or person associated with a member, must be for goods or services that advance the charitable purpose and must be reasonable and relative to payments that would be made between unrelated parties.

 

17.0 Joining Fees, Subscriptions etc. 

17.1 If any Member does not pay a joining fee or subscription by the date set by the Executive Committee, the Executive Committee will give written notice that, unless the arrears are paid by a nominated date, the Membership will be terminated. After that date, the Member shall (without being released from the obligation of payment of any sums due to SINZ) have no Membership rights and shall not be entitled to participate in any SINZ activity. 

18.0 Additional Powers 

18.1 SINZ may: 

  1. Employ people for the purposes SINZ business operations 
  2. Exercise any power that may be required 

 

19.0 Financial Year 

19.1 The financial year begins on the 1st April of every year and ends on the 31st March of the following year. 

 

20.0 Assurance on the Financial Statements 

20.1 The Executive Committee may appoint an accountant (“the Reviewer”) to review the annual financial statements. The Reviewer, if appointed, shall conduct an examination with the objective of providing a report that nothing has come to the Reviewer’s attention to cause the Reviewer to believe that the financial information is not presented in accordance with the Executive Committee’s accounting policies and practices. The Reviewer must be a suitably qualified person. If the Executive Committee appoints a Reviewer who is unable to act for some reason, another Reviewer shall be appointed as a replacement. 

The Executive Committee is responsible to provide the Reviewer with: 

  1. Access to all information of which the Executive Committee is aware that is relevant to the preparation of the financial statements such as records, documentation and other matters 
  2. Additional information that the Reviewer may request from the Executive Committee for the purpose of the review; and 
  3. Reasonable access to persons within SINZ from whom the Reviewer determines it necessary to obtain evidence. 

20.2 The Executive Committee shall follow all requirements required by the Charities Services.

 

21.0 Conduct of Meetings 

21.1 A SINZ Meeting is either an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting. 

21.2 The Annual General Meeting shall be held once every year no later than five months after the end of the financial year. The Executive Committee shall determine when and where the meeting shall be held. 

21.3 The Executive Committee shall: 

  1. Give all Members at least 30 days notice of the business to be conducted at any SINZ Annual General Meeting 
  2. Provide a copy of the Chairperson’s report on SINZ operations and of the Annual Financial Statements as approved by the Executive Committee 
  3. Notice of motions and the Executive Committee recommendations about those motions. 4. If the Executive Committee has sent a notice to all Members in good faith, the Meeting and its business will not be invalidated simply because one or more Members do not receive the notice. 

21.4 All current and financial Members may attend SINZ Meetings. 

21.5 All Meetings, for the business of an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting, shall be chaired by the Executive Committee Chairperson. If the Chairperson is absent, the Executive Committee shall elect another Executive Committee Member to chair that meeting. Any person chairing a Meeting has a casting vote. 

21.6 On any given motion at a Meeting, the Chairperson shall in good faith determine whether to vote by ‘Voices’ or ‘Show of hands’. 

21.7 The business of an Annual General Meeting shall be: 

  1. Receiving any minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting Meeting 
  2. The Chairperson’s report on the business of SINZ
  3. The Financial Controller’s report on the finances of SINZ, and the Annual Financial Statements 
  4. General business submitted and discussed for the Executive Committee consideration. 

21.8 The business of a Special General Meeting shall be determined by the Executive Committee. 

21.9 Voting at an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting shall be one vote per Member, whether the Member is an organisation or an individual. 

 

22.0 Altering the Rules 

22.1 The Executive Committee may alter or replace these rules at an Executive Committee Meeting by a resolution passed by a two-thirds majority of the Executive Committee Members present. 

22.2 Any amendments to these Rules shall be given in writing to the Members at least 28 days before the Meeting accompanied by a written explanation of the reasons for the changes. 

 

23.0 Winding up 

23.1 If SINZ is wound up: 

  1. Surplus money and other assets of SINZ may be disposed of by resolution of the Executive Committee 
  2. The surplus money and other assets must be used for a similar charitable purpose or given to another organisation, or organisations with similar charitable purposes. 

 

24.0 Definitions 

24.1 In these Rules: 

“Meeting” means any Annual General Meeting, or any Special General Meeting, but not an Executive Committee Meeting. 

“Majority vote” means a vote made by more than half of the Members who are present at a Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting and who are entitled to vote and are voting at that Meeting upon a resolution or motion put to that Meeting. 

“Money or Other Assets” means any property or any interest therein, owned or controlled to any extent by SINZ. 

“Use Money or Other Assets” means to use, handle, invest, transfer, give, apply, expend, dispose of, or in any other way deal with, money or other assets. 

“Written Notice” means a communication by post, electronic means (including email, and website posting), or advertisement in periodicals, or a combination of these methods.