Notice Board - News

Working Group election, 2006

Health and Disability Sector NGO-MoH Forum, National

We are now calling for nominations.

The Health and Disability Sector NGO-Ministry of Health Forum was set up in 2002 as an NGO and Ministry of Health response to the 2001 "Statement of Government Intentions for an Improved Community-Government Relationship". The "executive" arm of this Forum is the Working Group and some representatives of the Health and Disability subsectors are elected annually, on a rotational basis to ensure consistency.

This year there are vacancies in the following subsectors:

• Maori Health (1 vacancy)
• Mental Health (1 vacancy)
• Personal Health (2 vacancies — one 1 year and 1 two year)
• Public Health (1 vacancy, incumbent restanding)
• Disability Support (1 vacancy)
• Pacific (2 vacancies — one 1 year and 1 two year incumbent proxy standing).

To be eligible to vote and to nominate candidates for the election, NGOs must be registered. Those who have registered in the past will not need to re-register.

NGO are defined, for this process, as:

"In the context of the relationship between the Health and Disability NGOs and the Ministry of Health, NGOs include independent community and iwi / Māori organisations operating on a not-for-profit basis, which bring a value to society that is distinct from both government and the market. In reality this will mean that any profits are put back into the organisation, rather than distributed to shareholders.

Some organisations identify closer with other categories, for example third sector organisations, voluntary organisations, community organisation etc, rather than under an NGO category. For the purposes of the relationship between the Health and Disability NGOs and the Ministry of Health, an "NGO" includes all these types of organisations."

Attached are:

• the current register (those appearing on this list do not need to re-register)
• the paper explaining the Working Group representation process with suggested additions and amendments to be discussed at the Forum
• an agency registration and candidate nomination form (for those who are not registered and for all groups to nominate candidates)
• a list of agencies by voting sector.

Registrations and nominations are being accepted now and will be validated at the October Forum. An election will then be held (by email) during October.

The NGO page on the MoH website (www.moh.govt.nz/ngo) contains more information on the Forum and Working Group.

Please feel free to forward this information on to organisations you think would have an interest in registering.

Please contact me if you require any clarification of the process or details on the tasks / expecations for Working Group members.

Naku noa, na
Jo Fitzpatrick for the Working Group

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