Download a copy of the Constitution of Te Whariki Tautoko here.
NGA KUPU TAURANGI O TE WHARIKI TAUTOKO HE POWHIRI, HE MIHI WHAANUI
E ngā iwi, e ngā kārangaranga maha, haere mai.
Nau mai ngā mōrehu e manaaki nei i te iwi whānui.
Hui mai ki te huihuinga o te Roopu Whariki Tautoko.
He whakaminenga tēnei, hei whakaara mai i te wairua o te hunga e mahi nei i te mura o te ahi.
Haere mai ngā iwi e manaaki nei i te iwi whānui kua pokaia e ngā pōrarutanga o te Ao.
Hoki wairua mai ngā Mātua Tūpuna, ki te ārahi i a mātou i roto i ngā kaupapa (ngā kawa) waihotanga.
Kawea mai ngā parekawakawa o ngā tōpito, kia tangihia, kia poroporoakitia i runga i te papa nekenekehanga o rātou ma.
Tūhonohono mai ki ngā torohanga o te Takapu Wharanui o Te Roopu Whariki Tautoko, i raro i te tūmanako me te whakapono a te Runga Rawa.
Nau mai ki te puna waiora; ki te whai i ngā taonga tuku iho.
Aroha mai tetehi ki tetehi.
Ma tāu rourou, ma tāku rourou, ka ora ngā iwi whānui o Aotearoa.
Whakāra kia Matāra.
The Constitution of Te Whariki Tautoko
Mission Statement
E ngā iwi e ngā kārangaranga maha,
Ko te whaiti te Korowai o te iwi.
He aha te mea nui o te Ao?
He tangata, he tangata, he tangata.
1. Name
The name of the group shall be Te Whariki Tautoko Incorporated (hereafter called the Society).
2. Aims and Objectives
The aims and objectives of the Whariki Tautoko Incorporated is; to elevate the wellbeing of Māori; to reaffirm the spirit of nobility carried by our ancestors and firmly registered in the Treaty of Waitangi; and to acknowledge the stance of the Indigenous People of New Zealand.
2.1 To promote a safe and caring environment for Māori.
2.2 To nurture the support and healing of individuals and their whānau in their entirety.
2.3 To establish ongoing hui that will implement the education and training necessary to accomplish all aims and objectives.
2.4 To establish the Society as a Roopu comprised of individuals and other national or international Roopu and provide a forum for common issues to be discussed.
2.5 To access and provide resources that will fulfil the present and future requirements as determined by the Society.
2.6 To implement standards and policies (with the guidance and support of our kaumātua) that will engender an appropriate and safe environment for kaimahi who work as Counsellors, Social Workers, Kaiawhina Support, etc.
2.7 To acknowledge and implement the intent of the Treaty of Waitangi to be that of a true and equal partnership between two Sovereign Peoples.
2.7.1 To uphold and utilise Tikanga Māori and Tikanga-a-Iwi.
2.8 To encourage cooperation between the Society and authorities, tribal authorities, government departments, ministries and other organisations and to convey comments in relation to policy development, planning and service delivery of Māori health and wellbeing.
2.9 To facilitate the presentation of knowledge by way of wananga, hui-a-tau, wahanga communicated kanohi ki te kanohi, electronically or via audio, skype or video conference and other forms that are appropriate from time to time.
2.10 To sift through the history of Māori protocols to make informed choices of procedures to benefit the future generations.
3. Powers
To enable the society to carry out the kaupapa, the Society in addition to all other powers which shall be conferred upon it by law or by these rules is authorised to exercise all or any of the following powers and rights.
3.1 To produce and distribute any form of literature or resource for the promotion of the Society’s objectives and without limiting all available communication techniques.
3.2 To purchase, lease, hire or otherwise acquire and hold lands, buildings, real and/or personal property of any description or any interest in the same respectively.
3.3 To erect, maintain and alter any buildings upon any lands held by or belonging to or leased to the Society and to provide or furnish the same with all proper and necessary fittings, apparatus, appliances, conveniences and accommodation.
3.4 To sell, improve, develop, lease, mortgage, exchange, dispose of, turn to account or otherwise deal with all or part of the property and rights for the time being of the Society.
3.5 To borrow or raise money by way of bonds, debentures, debenture stock, bills of exchange, promissory notes, bank overdraft or other obligations or securities of the Society or otherwise in such manner as may seem expedient.
3.6 To receive any gift, legacy or device of property, real or personal, whether subject to any special Society or not, as the Society may think fit.
3.7 To invest and deal with any moneys of the Society not immediately required for any of the Objectives aforesaid, in such manner as the Society may think fit.
3.8 To work together with or affiliate to or to accept affiliations from any other body whose objectives are of similar nature and aim.
3.9 To work together with or affiliate to or to accept affiliations from any other body whose objectives are of similar nature and aim.
3.10 To manufacture, buy, sell, supply and deal in goods of all kinds calculated to further the objectives of the Society.
3.11 To institute, conduct, defend or comprise any proceedings at Law or against the Society or the Officers or Employees thereof.
3.12 To do all or any of the above things as principal Society agents or otherwise and either alone or in conjunction with or through or by means of any other society, corporate body or person.
3.13 To employ such persons as are required in the furtherance of these aims and from time to time to dismiss, to suspend, to re-employ such employees and to pay them in return for service rendered to the Society, salaries, wages, allowances or fees and to provide for them accommodation, quarters, transport, means of conveyance and other facilities for the carrying out of their work, provided that payment for such services are usual or reasonable reward for the services provided.
3.14 To appoint sub-committees to assist in the attainment of the above Objectives.
3.15 To do all things as are incidental to or conducive to the attainment of the above Objectives.
4. Membership
4.1 Membership of the Society will include all kaimahi who work as Counsellors, Social Workers, Kaiawhina Support, etc.
4.1.1 Kaumātua:
Kuia or koroua who are invited by a rohe to become a member.
4.1.2 Member:
A Māori person who is actively involved in counselling, reflects Māori values and beliefs in practice and works in Kaupapa Māori settings.
4.1.3 Associate Member:
A non-Māori person who is actively involved in counselling, reflects Māori values and beliefs in practice and works in Kaupapa Māori settings.
4.1.4 Organisation:
A Kaupapa Māori organisation actively involved in counselling and creating situations to encourage Māori people to take control of their lives.
4.2 Membership must be approved by the rohe in which the individual or organisation practices, then ratified by Te Roopu Matua. Where a rohe has not yet been established, membership will be approved by Te Roopu Matua.
4.3 A person or body shall cease to be a member of this Society by any of the following:
4.3.1 By death of that person.
4.3.2 Upon delivery to the Society of that person’s or body’s resignation in writing given one month’s notice.
4.3.3 If a resolution is passed at a meeting of Te Roopu Whakatikatika duly appointed under this constitution, that the member has acted in a way that is detrimental to the Society, provided that the member shall be given at least twenty-one (21) days’ notice in writing of the nature of the charges and shall be given an opportunity to reply to the charges.
4.3.4 Upon failing to pay any subscription or levies required of the member by the Society, after the expiration of twenty-one days’ notice in writing that the amount is due and that failure to pay will result in termination of membership.
5. Te Roopu Matua Officers of the Society
5.1 Officers of the Society shall be made up of Tumu, Kaituitui and/or Kaiputea and one representative from each rohe. The collective of Officers of the Society will be known as Te Roopu Matua.
5.1.1 A term of office for the appointed officers shall be for a period of no longer than two (2) years, or as approved by the Society at an Annual General Meeting.
5.1.2 At the inaugural Annual General Meeting, the first appointments and voted in officers are to be for one (1) year or two (2) years, the term to be decided at that Meeting so that there is an equal amount of officers appointed holding a term of office for one (1) and two (2) years respectively. After the inaugural Meeting, members are to hold a term of office not exceeding two years from thereafter, and at the end of the term each member shall stand down from membership of Te Roopu Matua; however each member will be eligible for reappointment.
5.1.3 Nominations for the position of Tumu, Kaituitui and Kaiputea can be made at the Annual General Meeting.
5.2 The position held by any officer shall become vacant:
5.2.1 If such member ceases to be a member of the Society.
5.2.2 If such member gives the Kaituitui notice in writing of one’s resignation.
5.2.3 If such member fails to attend two (2) consecutive meetings of the Executive of which they have been duly summoned and does not notify the Kaituitui on either occasion of their inability to attend.
5.2.4 If at any General Meeting of the Society a resolution is passed to the effect that the member does not possess the confidence of the Society, provided that no such motion shall be moved unless the member has been given twenty-one (21) days’ notice in writing.
5.3 If a position held by any officer becomes vacant, a General Meeting will be called for the purpose of appointing an officer to the vacant position. In the case of a vacant rohe representative position, the matter shall be referred to the rohe to appoint a new representative.
5.4 Te Roopu Matua shall meet to run the affairs suitable to its officers and there shall be no less than one meeting a year, excluding any general meetings.
5.5 Te Roopu Matua shall, when carrying out its duties, at all times aim at fulfilling the views of the Society, and shall represent the majority opinion of all members.
5.6 The quorum of any meeting of Te Roopu Matua shall be 60% of the officers.
5.7 A meeting of Te Roopu Matua shall be called at any time on the written request of four (4) Roopu Matua members.
5.8 Each officer shall be given at least seven (7) days’ notice in writing of all meetings of Te Roopu Matua along with a copy of the agenda of that meeting.
5.9 The Te Roopu Matua may communicate the Society’s views to the public through the press and other media; the right to do so shall be restricted to the Te Roopu Matua only and may act on its own initiative or in accordance with a resolution of a General Meeting.
5.10 Te Roopu Matua shall receive the appointment of a maximum of four (4) kaumātua (two kuia, two koroua). Such appointments shall be made by the rohe; each rohe to appoint in turn as set up in an annual roster which is organised and maintained by Te Roopu Matua, to preside over Te Roopu Matua. The kaumātua may be members of the Society and shall have rights of kaumātua and shall have a term of office as appointed by the Te Roopu Matua as set from time to time.
5.11 Te Roopu Matua shall appoint Te Roopu Whakatikatika which shall consist of a maximum of five (5) members, the Tumu of which shall be an officer of Te Roopu Matua, and a member of Te Roopu Whakatikatika. Membership of this roopu shall be for a period not exceeding two (2) years and of the
inaugural membership, half will be appointed for a term of one (1) year, at the end of the term those members may be available for reappointment.
5.11.1 Te Roopu Whakatikatika shall report regularly to Te Roopu Matua and annually to the Annual General Meeting.
5.11.2 Te Roopu Whakatikatika is empowered to convene complaints and assessment panels consisting of at least three (3) members of whom one (1) shall be a Roopu Whakatikatika member.
5.11.3 A quorum of Te Roopu Whakatikatika shall be three (3) members.
5.11.4 Decisions of Te Roopu Whakatikatika with respect to complaints are final, although the respondent to a complaints hearing may make a request for a rehearing of such a decision by writing to the Kaituitui of the Society within twenty-one (21) days of being notified of the decision of the Roopu Whakatikatika hearing. Any rehearing of a complaint will be held by the Te Roopu Matua.
6. General Meetings
6.1 The Society shall meet to run its affairs at times suitable to its officers and there shall be no less than one meeting a year.
6.2 The concurrent linking together by telephone or other means of instantaneous audio or audio and visual communication of a number of members of the Society, its Roopu Matua or members of committees or subcommittees, not less than any specified quorum, shall be deemed to constitute a meeting of the Society. All the provisions in this Constitution as to meetings shall apply to such meetings so long as the following conditions are met:
6.2.1 All members entitled to receive notice of a meeting of the Society shall be notified.
6.2.2 The specified quorum is maintained throughout the entire meeting.
6.2.3 All reasonable steps must be taken to ensure all members, through the meeting, are able to hear each of the other members taking part.
6.2.4 In an emergency where members cannot attend personally to have a quorum, electronic means of communication may be used.
6.2.5 The matter then must be discussed fully at the next Hui a Maatua Roopu where the kanohi ki te kanohi discussions must take place.
6.3 Annual General Meetings of the Society will be held within four (4) months of the end of the Society’s financial year, or at such times as the Society designates.
6.4 On receipt of a requisition signed by no less than ten (10) members and stating the purpose of the meeting, the Kaituitui shall call a Special General Meeting to be held within twenty-one (21) days of the requisition on a date and time to be determined by Te Roopu Matua.
6.5 Notice of General Meetings and the agenda shall be forwarded to all members twenty-one (21) days prior to the meeting date.
6.6 The business of the Annual General meeting will include:
6.6.1 The presentation of the audited financial accounts.
6.6.2 To receive the annual report of the Tumu.
6.6.3 To receive portfolio reports from officers and any committees.
6.6.4 To receive rohe reports.
6.6.5 To elect officers.
6.6.6 To appoint an auditor.
6.6.7 To ratify appointments made by the rohe to Te Roopu Matua.
6.6.8 To ratify appointments of Kaumātua to Te Roopu Matua.
6.6.9 To set any membership levies for the following year to provide for the ordinary operational costs of the Society, including the costs of printing and stationery, postage, office equipment, auditor’s fees, honoraria for Tumu, Kaituitui, Kaiputea, Kaumātua; and actual and reasonable travelling and accommodation expenses incurred by the officers of the Society in attending meetings of Te Roopu Matua.
6.6.10 Any other matters of business.
7. Procedure and Voting at Meetings
7.1 The chair at any meeting shall be taken by the Tumu or in his/her absence by a member appointed by the meeting. The Tumu shall have full authority to conduct the meeting in accordance with Kaupapa Māori.
7.2 Only members whose subscriptions and levies are paid in full in terms of this constitution may vote at any meeting, and each such member shall have only one vote.
7.3 The voting at all meetings shall be by consensus, or such percentage as the Society designates at the meeting to define a majority vote, to carry any motion.
7.4 Any member may forward notices of motion for any meeting. That motion shall be in writing and signed by three (3) other members of the Society and is to be received by the Kaituitui no later than twenty-eight (28) days before the meeting that the notice of motion is to be before discussion. Voting is permitted on any matter, provided that Te Roopu Matua or the Society shall not be bound to act on any resolution of which notice of writing has not been given to the Kaituitui prior to the meeting.
8. Finance
8.1 The general funds of the Society shall be under the control of the Society.
8.2 The Kaiputea or whoever Te Roopu Matua designates, will handle all financial matters, i.e. receiving of money, writing up of receipt, writing cheques and making payments, open and operate the bank accounts.
8.3 All monies received by or for the Society shall be deposited in such bank or banks as the Society from time to time shall determine. Withdrawal from any such bank shall be made by any Society members authorised by the Society as signatories.
8.4 The Kaiputea shall present to the Annual General Meeting of this Society a properly drawn up statement of Income and Expenditure for the preceding financial year and a Balance Sheet at the end of such financial year. Such financial statements shall be audited by an Auditor appointed by the Society at its Annual General Meeting.
8.5 The Society shall cause proper books of accounts to be kept that will be available to the membership for viewing at reasonable times with respect to:
8.5.1 All sales and purchases of goods by the Society.
8.5.2 The assets and liabilities of the Society.
8.6 The Auditor or Auditors shall have access at all reasonable times to the books of accounts and state whether the same exhibit is a true and fair record of the affairs of the Society.
9. Minutes
9.1 The Society shall cause minutes to be duly entered in the books provided for that purpose and shall be available for all members on request and shall contain:
9.1.1 All appointment of Officers and other persons under the provisions of these rules;
9.1.2 All the names of persons present at such meeting of the Society;
9.1.3 All resolutions and proceedings of any meetings of this Society and any such minutes of any meeting of this Society purporting to be confirmed at and signed by the Tumu of the next meeting shall be receivable as prima facie evidence of the matters stated in such minutes.
10. Branches within a Rohe
10.1 Each rohe has a member representing it on Te Roopu Matua. Should a rohe wish to form any additional branches the Roopu Matua member representing the entire rohe should be consulted by the members of the rohe. The Roopu Matua member would then make a submission to Te Roopu Matua to grant approval for a new branch.
10.2 Any group of members in the same geographical area may by notice of the Kaituitui apply for recognition as a branch of a rohe.
10.3 Subject to these Rules the Executive may in its discretion grant recognition to any such branch of a rohe upon such terms and conditions as the Annual General Meeting may approve.
10.4 Te Roopu Matua shall from time to time determine and maintain the boundaries to all such rohe and shall maintain a map on which are clearly shown all such boundaries.
10.5 Every branch of a rohe shall have its membership open to all members situation within the rohe boundaries as determined by Te Roopu Matua.
10.6 A branch of a rohe shall have the following powers and duties:
10.6.1 To support and assist in furthering the Aims and Objectives of the Society;
10.6.2 To supervise the affairs and safeguard the interests of all members within its particular rohe;
10.6.3 To form a link between members and between its members and Te Roopu Matua;
10.6.4 To discuss matters referred to it by Te Roopu Matua;
10.6.5 To originate discussion and stimulate interest in all matters concerned with counselling;
10.6.6 To control any money assigned to the branch by Te Roopu Matua for the financing of its activities;
10.6.7 To make all the necessary and consequential arrangements for the functions abovementioned and to appoint committees and agents, and to delegate to such committee and agents, all or any of its powers and duties;
10.6.8 To supply to the Annual General meeting each year a written report on its activities for the previous year. The report is to be supplied to the Kaituitui no later than twenty-one (21) days prior to the Annual General Meeting.
10.7 Each rohe with its branch organisation/s shall elects its committee/s before the fifteen (15) days prior to the end of the Society’s financial year, including the rohe representative to be appointed to Te Roopu Matua.
10.7.1 The committee of the branch organisation shall consist of a Tumu, a Kaituitui and/or a Kaiputea together with such other officers as the branch organisation itself has;
10.7.2 The committee/s of the branch organisation/s shall normally take full responsibility for the affairs of the rohe organisation and shall have all such powers as the rohe organisation itself has;
10.7.3 The Tumu shall be the Tumu of the branch organisation and the Tumu of the committee thereof and shall be responsible for the general supervision of the affairs of the rohe organisation;
10.7.4 The Kaituitui shall act as Kaituitui of the branch organisation and the committee thereof;
10.7.4.1 Shall conduct all correspondence between the rohe organisation and the Kaituitui of the Society, and between the branch organisation and its members;
10.7.4.2 Shall see that meetings, notices, returns and other acts and things required by committee are duly summoned, given and done.
10.7.5 Each branch organisation shall not later than fifteen (15) days prior to the end of the Society’s financial year, forward to the Kaituitui of the Society a statement of the names of the Officers of the branch organisation and a statement of accounts for the previous financial year, together with a budget for the then current financial year.
10.8 Te Roopu Matua shall assign to each branch organisation in each financial year such sums of money as it may deem fit to finance the activities of each rohe organisation.
10.9 Te Roopu Matua shall in assigning such money, take into consideration the budget of each branch organisation together with the number of financial members within the boundaries of the rohe.
10.10 Te Roopu Matua at all times, be permitted and entitled to inspect the books, papers and accounts of the branch organisation.
10.11 All property including cash held or possessed by the branch organisation shall revert to the Society upon the dissolution of the branch organisation.
10.12 No branch organisation shall make a statement purporting to be on behalf of the Society without the authority of the Executive; but a branch organisation may issue statements to the media on its own behalf.
11. Non Profit Status
11.1 The Society will not engage in any activities for private pecuniary gain.
12. Notices
12.1 A notice shall be served upon any member from time to time personally or by sending it through the post, facsimile, courier or electronically addressed to such member at their usual address as held by the Society. Any notice served by post shall be deemed to have been served on the third (3) day following that on which the notice was sent.
13. Common Seal
13.1 The Common Seal shall be kept under the custody of the Kaiputea or an officer of Te Roopu Matua and shall be used on any contract made on behalf of the Society which is required by Law to be deed and shall be affixed by the Kaiputea and two (2) other Officers of Te Roopu Matua, unless deemed otherwise by Te Roopu Matua.
14. Amendments to the Constitution
14.1 The Constitution of the Society shall not be altered, or added to, or rescinded except at a General Meeting of the Society.
14.2 Notice of motion to alter, add, or rescind the Constitution of the Society shall be given in writing to the Tumu not less than twenty-eight (28) days before the General meeting to which such motion is to be submitted.
15. Winding Up
15.1 The Society shall be wound up or dissolved voluntarily whenever a resolution to wind up or dissolve has been passed by two-thirds majority at a General Meeting for that purpose, and held no later than thirty (30) days after the meeting at which the resolution to be confirmed was passed.
15.2 The surplus assets after payment of the Society’s liabilities and the expenses of the winding up shall be disposed or in such a way as the Society shall in General Meeting by resolution determine; provided however that any unexpended portions of grants or loans, if required are repaid to the organisation or organisations from which such grants or loans were obtained. In the event of dissolution of the Society by the Register pursuant to Section 28 of the Incorporated Societies Act 1908, the surplus assets after payment of the Society’s liabilities and the expense of dissolution shall be divided equally among the bodies corporate who are members of the Society prior to the said dissolution, provided that all funds and property must be applied to charitable purposes within New Zealand or as directed by a Judge of the High Court of New Zealand.