Governance

Our mission is to empower dispute resolvers, advance the practice of dispute resolution, and foster a culture of excellence in dispute resolution throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. AMINZ is governed by an elected council, responsible for ensuring good governance of the Institute.

AMINZ Council

AMINZ Council has up to seven members, including a directly elected President and Vice President. Online elections are held annually, and members who are Associates or Fellows of the institute are eligible to vote. As well as having monitoring, accountability and reporting functions, Council has responsibilities both as an employer and a property owner. It is focused on ensuring the Institute’s strength and sustainability.

Terms last for two years and in accordance with governance best practice there are limits on the number of terms individual members may serve. AMINZ Council Members are also expected to take lead roles as subject matter experts and to put in additional time to assist the institute as volunteers.

Council retires by rotation, ensuring the ability for succession planning. The new Council takes over at the Annual General Meeting, usually held at the annual conference.

Meetings

Council meets approximately six times a year, with four face-to-face meetings and the rest online. Here are the dates for our 2026 Council Meetings:

  • Council Strategy Day 26 February

  • Council Meeting 6 March

  • Council Meeting 21 May

  • Annual General Meeting 6 August (AMINZ Conference 7 August)

  • Council Meeting 27 August

  • Council Meeting 19 November

Council Members

Our dedicated council members are the driving force behind AMINZ, working tirelessly to shape the future of dispute resolution in Aotearoa New Zealand. Each member brings a unique set of skills, experiences, and a shared passion for promoting fairness, cooperation, and excellence in resolving disputes.

Dr Anna Kirk
President

Dr Anna Kirk is a barrister at Bankside Chambers, specialising in commercial and investment arbitration, acting as arbitrator and adjudicator. A Fellow of AMINZ and Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Anna has extensive experience and contributions in the field.

Read more.

Kate Wiseman
Vice President

Kate is based at Bankside Chambers, Auckland and is an experienced dispute resolver with 20 years of business background.

Kate specialises in mediation, arbitration, and law and has expertise in various industries, especially trust, estate, and relationship property law.

Read more.

  • Darren Rawlins

  • Emmolina May

  • Heidi van Eeden

  • Mark Copeland

  • Stuart Robertson

Constitution, Bylaws and Code of Ethics

AMINZ is governed by a Constitution, Bylaws, and by a Code of Ethics. There are also internal policy and procedural documents that relate to the day-to-day running of the operations of the Institute.

View the Constitution

View the Bylaws

View the Code of Ethics

Complaints

From time to time, AMINZ receives complaints about its members. Complaints must relate to a member acting in their capacity as an independent neutral dispute resolution professional. In order to be considered, a complaint must fall within the scope of professional misconduct under the Institute’s Rules and would then be considered in line with the complaints process as set out in the Rules.

Read more about the complaints process here.