Managing board appointments

Board appointment process

Appointing board members is a core function and responsibility of the Responsible Minister (or Ministers). We facilitate the appointment process on their behalf.

We provide support and advice for the process of making board appointments. This can include:

• identifying and advertising for candidates who have the skills, experiences and perspectives required for the role
• assessing and interview candidates on behalf of the Minister or Ministers
• conducting the necessary due diligence, including background and referee checks.

As well as meeting key competencies that apply to the position, board members must understand the responsibilities and interests of the Crown in respect to their entity, and adhere to the legislative requirements expected of them.

Appointments are made by the Responsible Minister or the Governor-General on the recommendation of the Responsible Minister.

City Rail Link Limited

We also manage the appointment process for directors of City Rail Link Limited on behalf of Shareholders. City Rail Link is jointly owned by the Crown and Auckland Council.

Crown entity boards

The Government expects the transport Crown entity boards to represent New Zealand’s diversity and its demographic make-up, including gender, ethnicity, age and geographic location.

The Responsible Minister must appoint or reappoint members who have the appropriate knowledge, skills, and experience to assist the entity to achieve its objectives and perform its functions. We manage the process of appointing board members to the transport sector Crown entities on behalf of the responsible Minister. Board members are responsible for Crown entity performance and are accountable to the Minister.

The role of each Crown entity board is determined by legislation that specifies the Crown’s interest as owner or funder, and states the entity’s purposes and functions, and details about the membership of the board.

Each transport Crown entity board must:

• provide governance to ensure the entity effectively performs its roles and functions
• assess and monitor their agency’s capability and performance
• set the agency’s strategic priorities within the context of the Government’s transport priorities.

Our role as Crown monitor is to assist the Responsible Minister in their role of overseeing the delivery and performance of Crown entity boards.

Appointments to Crown entity boards are made under the Crown Entities Act 2004 and each entity’s own legislation, which state any specific requirements.

The 4 transport Crown entities are:

• Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency
• Maritime New Zealand
• Civil Aviation Authority
• Transport Accident Investigation Commission

Our government transport partners 

Statutory boards

We also manage the process of appointing board members to a number of transport sector statutory boards. Appointments to statutory body boards are made in accordance with their relevant legislation or establishment document.

Medical Convener

The Convener and Deputy Convener review aviation medical certification decisions. We provide administrative support to the Convener.

Reviewing a medical certificate decision

Oil Pollution Advisory Committee

The Oil Pollution Advisory Committee advises Maritime New Zealand on:

• the New Zealand Marine Oil Spill Response Strategy
• fixing the Oil Pollution Levy
• using the New Zealand Oil Pollution Fund, and
• any other matter related to oil spills that the Minister, or Maritime New Zealand's Director, specifies from time to time.

Oil Pollution Advisory Committee (external link)

How to register your interest in board membership

We encourage prospective candidates for Crown boards to register their interest on the Treasury Board Appointments database. We advertise vacancies on this database and notify individuals registered on the database about vacancies.

Board Appointments(external link)

You can register with or join one of these nominating and specialist agencies. We contact the nominating agencies as part of the advertisement process and the Institute of Directors provides professional development services for those interested in board roles.

• Ministry for Women — Nominations Service(external link)
• Te Puni Kōkiri — Governance and Appointments(external link)
• Ministry for Pacific Peoples – Nominations Service(external link)
• Institute of Directors — Contact us(external link)
• The Office of Ethnic Communities — Nominations Service(external link)
• The Office for Disability Issues – Nominations Service(external link)

Ministers seek nominations from a range of sources. This means that even if you are nominated, you may not be appointed.

It is a general Cabinet policy that public servants are not appointed to statutory boards and other public bodies the Crown has an interest in, although public servant appointments are sometimes made under special circumstances.

You can find more details on the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s website.

Cabinet Office Circular CO (02) 5 Appointment of Public Servants to Statutory Boards (external link)

How to apply for current board vacancies

Information about any available positions, including current vacancies, is available on the Treasury’s Board Appointments database.

You can also contact us if you have queries.

Email: boardappointments@transport.govt.nz

Board vacancies

There are no vacanies at this time.