The IoD was pleased to see the Incorporated Societies Bill introduced into Parliament yesterday. Reform has been
underway for over a decade and the Bill is long overdue.
“The current Act governing incorporated societies is from 1908. It’s wildly outdated and deficient in many ways, even
referring to ‘shillings’ in places - so there’s no doubt that it needs modernising,” says IoD’s governance leadership
centre manager Selwyn Eathorne.
“The more than 24,000 incorporated societies in New Zealand are an essential part of our social fabric. They provide a
range of valuable services at both a community and national level, including sport, culture, education, health, and
animal protection.
“The Bill overhauls governance structures and arrangements for societies. Governance duties are set out in one place for
the first time, helping to provide certainty for those leading societies. There are also new conflict of interest rules,
which are essential for boards.
The IoD is committed to driving excellence in governance across business and society to create a strong, fair and
sustainable New Zealand. We have over 9,300 members, many of whom are volunteers and serve on incorporated societies.
“The Bill will be hugely beneficial to those who lead these organisations and it should help raise governance standards
in the not-for-profit sector,” Eathorne says.