Nominations are called for the positions of President, Vice President, and Secretary of the three Branches – Northern Branch, Central Branch and Southern Branch.
Nominations close at 5pm on 31 May 2026.
Please see the notices below for each branch with the details of the process, relevant returning officer to send completed nominations to, and the attached nomination form:
- Call for Nominations - Northern Branch
- Call for Nominations - Central Branch
- Call for Nominations - Southern Branch
There is a new nomination form because of legislative changes and new requirements of Incorporated Societies. The usual nomination form and the new Consent and Certificate of Officer form are in the single attached document. The document also includes an explanation of the qualification criteria to be an Officer of the Union including being a financial member of the NZPFU.
The Northern Branch Officials are elected by all members from the Whangarei, Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Kawerau, Rotorua and Taupo Locals.
The Central Branch Officials are elected by all members from the Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Palmerston North, Whanganui, New Plymouth, Masterton, and Wellington Locals.
The Southern Branch Officials are elected by all members from the Nelson, Christchurch, Timaru, Dunedin, and Invercargill Locals.
Financial members of the Union can be nominated for one or more of the three Branch positions. Current Local officials and committee members are also eligible to be nominated for Branch positions and can hold both a Local and a Branch position simultaneously. The National President and National Vice President cannot hold a branch and National Office simultaneously, but can hold a Local and National Office position simultaneously. The National Secretary position is not an elected position.
- The elected Branch Officials take up their positions on 1 August 2026.
- The Branch Presidents, Vice Presidents and Secretaries join the National President, National Vice President, and National Secretary to form the National Committee.
- The National Committee conducts the work of the Union in accordance with Union Rules. The National Committee is also the NZPFU bargaining team.
- The Branch representatives keep in contact with the Local representatives within their Branch to ensure The National Committee is aware of all issues facing our members on Local, Branch and National levels. Locals needing support, assistance or need advice on an issue contact the Branch representatives in the first instance.
- Branch meetings including all Local Officials should be held at least once a year which can be in person at the Annual Conference, or by video or telephone conferencing at other times.
- The Branch representatives are encouraged to attend all national membership meetings, including ballot and ratification meetings, for all Locals within their Branch.
- The National Committee are also part of the National Conference and attend the three-day conference every November.
- The National Committee meets regularly by video conference, and we are also in regular contact by email and text-message group where appropriate. In the current bargaining and ongoing dispute circumstances we are meeting and communicating as a National Committee at least weekly.
The National Committee meets in person from time to time which in the past 18 months has been organised around bargaining dates. This requires travel to and from the location, usually needing at least one night at the location. When bargaining, these meetings in person can occur regularly impacting on family and the ability to undertake overtime. We have had queries about the relevance of bargaining on the elections and can confirm we have had new members of the Committee elected during a bargaining round. In those circumstances the National Secretary provides the relevant information to assist the Branch representative making the transition to the bargaining team from 1 August 2026 when the elected Branch Officials take up their positions.
- The Branch representatives receive an honorarium from the Union (determined by the Union Conference) and have phone and internet reimbursed. All travel and accommodation costs not met by FENZ are funded from the Union.
In the first week of June 2026, we will announce any Branch representatives that have been elected unopposed and which Branch positions require an election.
- Where there is more than one candidate for a Branch position the elections will be conducted electronically.
- The dates for the elections will be notified to the members of the relevant Branch with all elections to be concluded by 31 July 2026.
- Where one member is nominated for more than one Branch position and each position is being contested, the elections for each position will be conducted separately in the order of Branch President, Branch Vice President, and Branch Secretary.
Where elected Branch representatives (elected unopposed or by contested election) are not currently on the National Committee the current National Committee remains in place until the new Branch representatives take up their position on 1 August 2026.
Any questions contact the relevant Returning Officer or National Returning Officer Wattie Watson.
In unity,
Wattie Watson
National Secretary
