MEDIA RELEASE
7 AUGUST 2013
New Zealand & Australia Design Leaders Join Forces
National design bodies sign agreement to boost industry profile in both countries
The Designers Institute of New Zealand has today signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Designers Institute of Australia and the Australian Graphic Design Association.
The agreement will see the organisations work together to address issues affecting the industry, joining forces to lobby
central government and raise awareness of the growth designers bring to the economy of both countries.
Cathy Veninga, Chief Executive of the Designers Institute of New Zealand, says that the three organisations represent
around 5,500 graphic and multi-disciplinary designers
“Closer working relationships with the Australian design community will help to create a stronger and united voice for
the design industry.
“We want to boost the industry’s profile on a political level. And we also hope to put the spotlight on Australasian
design, proving the value that strategic design can bring to businesses on both sides of the ditch.
“One of the first issues we plan to address as a collective is the free pitching of design to businesses. It undervalues
the design community, and the work that we produce, not to mention consuming time and resources for our businesses.”
The three organisations will also share resources, educational opportunities, and collaborate in awards programmes and
judging.
“More communication across the Tasman will help to raise the standards for design in both countries, through sharing
innovative ideas which inspire and challenge designers and bringing better delivery for clients.
“It will also increase the business opportunities for working collaboratively with studios in Australia,” says Veninga.
Paul van Barneveld, of the Australian Graphic Design Association is currently in New Zealand to judge the Best Design
Awards for 2013.
“We believe that the design industry has reached a level of maturity that allows our three organisations to join
together to combat issues for the greater good of the industry.
“We share cultural similarities in design against the world stage; and there’s a wealth of knowledge, strategic work and
world class design across both countries,” says Garbett.
The Designers Institute of New Zealand was formed in 1991 by the merger of the New Zealand Society of Industrial Designers (formed 1960), and the New Zealand
Association of Interior Designers (formed 1968).
The Designers Institute represents graphic design, interactive media, spatial design, product design, design management,
service design and design education. The Institute’s mission is to ensure that professional designers are valued and
rewarded for the contribution they make to the economic, cultural and social growth of New Zealand. www.dinz.org.nz
ENDS