Constitution and Rules of the New Zealand Outdoors & Freedom Party

Issue 2

30th August 2025

Index:

Formation

Name

The name of the Party will be The New Zealand Outdoors & Freedom Party and the shortened version shall be “Outdoors & Freedom Party”.

The Party is a non-profit making, unincorporated group formed solely to undertake political activities.

Purpose of the Party

The Party will become and remain a registered political party in New Zealand promoting the best interest of all users of the New Zealand outdoors by pursuing the Aims and Objectives set out below.

Aims and Objectives

The Party will raise the importance of the outdoors by advocating for the following through the Parliamentary process:

Our seas, our rivers, our lakes, our beaches and our land all belong to the people of New Zealand.
Our access and enjoyment of our natural environment is a given; it’s part of our heritage, our culture, our way of life and it’s why tourists come here.
Our unique outdoor environment will continue to provide food, recreation and social benefit for generations forever, without question, without compromise.

The Party will develop and publish principles and policies to enable the above Aims to be realised.

The Party will make its utmost endeavour to elect competent men and women to the Parliament of New Zealand.

1.3.4. To obtain the Objectives the Party may enter into arrangements, including component Party arrangements with other political parties or organisations.

Registered Office

The registered office of the Party will be at such place as the board from time to time determines. It is currently 99 Grace Rd, Turangi

Membership

Joining

Any individual person over 18 may apply to become a Member of the Party but only those qualified to be an elector under the Electoral Act will be on the list for registration purposes.

Any person who is under the age of 18 and is a New Zealand citizen is entitled to join as a junior member but is not accorded a vote until attaining 18 years of age.

Any individual person or persons may become a Member of the Party by

Making a written or online (electronic) application and in doing so acknowledges his or her agreement with the philosophy, Aims and Objectives of the Party.
Agreeing to be bound by the rules of the Party.
Being approved for membership by the Board.
Agreeing to pay the joining fee.

All applications for membership of the Party must be approved by the Board which has absolute discretion to refuse membership to any person and shall not be required or obliged to give any reason for so doing.

Membership of the Party does not exclude those Members from also joining other political parties.

Fees

To become a Member of the Party, a person must agree to pay a membership fee being such amount and to cover such period as may be nominated by the Board from time to time and ratified at an AGM.

The subscription fee is payable within three months following the AGM at which it is ratified.

If the subscription remains unpaid after 6 months, then that Member may not vote at any meeting of the Party..
The membership fee shall be approved by the members at the annual AGM and will be $10 yearly or $30 for a three year term.

Rights of Members

Every Member may attend, vote and participate in all meetings of the Party including Annual General Meetings in person or by the use of electronic media.

An Annual General Meeting of the Party will be held once each year, and every Member who is in attendance at the Annual General Meeting in person or by the use of electronic media may participate in the election of the Board of the Party.

Every Member is entitled to participate in the selection of Party list candidates and electorate candidates to the extent permitted by the process determined by the Board.

Every Member is entitled to contribute to policy and manifesto development of the Party but such contribution must meet the Aims and Objectives of the Party, these rules and the process determined by the Board.

Each Member is entitled to one (1) vote that may be exercised in any meeting or electional process determined by the Board.

All Members are entitled to nominate or be nominated for a Board vacancy.

Resignation, Termination and Re-admission

Membership of the Party shall continue until a Member resigns in writing from the Party, dies, or until the Member’s membership is otherwise terminated in accordance with the provisions of this constitution.□

A Member may resign from the Party at any time by giving 30 days written notice to the Party Secretary or allowing their membership to lapse into non-financial status at the end of its term.

There are no constraints on an ex-Member rejoining the Party under the membership provisions above.
No portion of the joining fee or annual subscription will be refunded upon a Member's resignation, termination or death.

The board may choose to terminate a Member when they have not paid their membership fee for a period of more than 12 months beyond the due date for payment of the fee.

Register of Members

The Party Secretary shall maintain a current register of Members. It is the Member’s responsibility to maintain their current details with the Party Secretary. The Member register will have the capability to produce a list of Members which meets the requirements of the Electoral Commission.

Meetings

Meeting Rules and Procedure

All meetings of the Party, Board and Caucus will be conducted in accordance with “Meetings Practice and Procedure in New Zealand” 4th Edition, 2010 by Roger Pitchforth. Any amendments or variations to the use thereof are enumerated hereunder

Annual General Meeting, General Meetings and Special General Meetings

The AGM shall be held at a place to be determined by the Board between the end of March and end of October.

General Meetings shall be held at such times and places as determined by the Board.

A Special General Meeting will be held by the expressed will of not less than 10% of the Members. Should such meeting be convened it will be held at the Party offices at 99 Grace Rd, Turangi or at any other place as determined by the Board.

Board

Board to Manage the Party

The Board shall administer the affairs of the Party to meet the Objectives of the Party and without limitation of its powers, shall have

authority to exercise any lawful powers not inconsistent with this constitution or the decisions of an Annual or Special General Meeting

The Board may appoint sub-committees comprised of such persons as it considers appropriate

The Board shall not enter into arrangements with any other Parties unless supported by a 75% vote of all Members present at a Special General Meeting

Board Composition

The Board shall consist of:

The Party President
The Party leader(s) - ex-officio Member(s) of the Board
The Party Secretary
Up to 10 members elected by Members at the Annual General Meeting.
Quorum be more than 50% of current number of board members

Removal of Board Member

Any Board member may be removed from the Board by a 75% majority vote of the Party membership present at a Special General Meeting.

Powers of the Board

The board will have the power to do all lawful acts and things incidental or conducive to the attainment of the Party’s objects including the power to:

Determine how the Party uses its funds to pay the costs and expenses of furthering or carrying out its objects and for that purpose may employ such people as necessary;

Purchase, lease, hire or otherwise acquire, exchange, and sell, lease or otherwise dispose of property, rights or privileges to further or carry out its objects as necessary;

Negotiate and enter into any arrangements with any other organisation in order to achieve the Party’s objects, and do all things necessary in order to carry out those arrangements;

Invest Party funds in any investment in which a trustee may invest; and

Borrow or raise money with or without security on such terms as the Board thinks fit.

Notwithstanding any other provision, the board may only use the Party’s money to further purposes recognised by law. No money of the Party is to be applied for the sole personal or individual benefit of any Board member.

Party Secretary

The Board shall appoint a Party Secretary who will be responsible for the administration of the Party including ensuring that the Party fully complies with New Zealand’s electoral law in all its aspects.

The Party Secretary is an automatic member of the Board.

The Party Secretary may be remunerated at an annual amount determined by the Board from time to time.

Candidates for Election to Parliament

Electoral Seat Candidates

Any eligible Member of good standing may be nominated or nominate themselves to contest an Electoral Seat. The success of any such nominations shall be determined by a vote by Members of the Party.

The Party will field only one electoral candidate in any electorate.

Once the Party List has been finalised, the Board may ask candidates on the Party List to stand in electorates as electoral candidates. The decision as to which electorate candidates are asked and in which electorates is at the sole discretion of the Board.

Standing as an electoral candidate will not prevent a Member being on the Party List

List Candidates

Any eligible Member of good standing may be nominated or nominate themselves to be a Party List candidate.

Party List Formation

In a general election year the Board shall decide the time periods and deadlines for each stage of selecting the Party List.

The Party Secretary shall call for nominations in accordance with the time period and deadlines set by the Board.

At the close of nominations the Board shall rank nominees and produce the Party List.

The draft list will be submitted to Members for consultation and Members will have the opportunity to offer views and opinions on the ranking of the Candidates on the draft Party List within the time period set by the Board.

From the draft Party List and with consideration of the views of the Members, the Board shall provide an electoral Party List at its sole discretion and that list will constitute the final Party List.□

Party Leader(s)

The Party will have a Party Leader or co-Leaders who shall be responsible for managing the Party’s parliamentary affairs should it be represented in Parliament

The Party Leader(s) is/are automatic Members of the Board.

Should the Party not have a Sitting Member of Parliament, the Party Leader(s) will be the candidates ranked number one and two on the Party list by the Board.□

If the Party holds Parliamentary seats the Party Leader(s) will be selected by majority vote of the Sitting Members.

If there is only one Sitting Member that person shall automatically be the Party Leader and the board may appoint another as co-Leader.

If there are two Sitting Members the Party Leader will be the candidate ranked highest on the Party list. Or both in a joint role as determined by the board.

If within 30 days of the Sitting Members taking their Parliamentary seats and they are unable to resolve whom should hold the position of Party Leader the matter will be decided by the Board at a Special General Meeting of the Party.

The Party Leader may be removed if there is a successful vote of no confidence conducted by the parliamentary caucus by simple majority of all its Members. If the Party Leader fails in vote of no confidence, there will be an election within the parliamentary caucus for a new Party Leader as set out above. At the first caucus meeting following a general election, a Party Leader must face an automatic confidence vote should he or she fail to secure a simple majority of votes from the parliamentary caucus; a new election for Party Leader will be held and elected by majority vote of the parliamentary caucus.

Caucus

Formation and Existence of Caucus

Caucus shall be formed on the election of persons to represent the Party in Parliament and shall exist for the period that the Party has members in Parliament.

Members of Caucus shall be:

The Party Leader(s)
All persons elected to represent the Party in Parliament
Any other persons appointed by Caucus from time to time.

Caucus Rules

Caucus will make such rules for its conduct as it sees fit, as long as they are not inconsistent with the Aims and Objectives of the Party.

Only the Party Leader(s) and elected representatives shall have voting rights on any matters to be decided by Caucus. If votes on a matter are tied, the Party Leader(s) is/are entitled to exercise a second or casting vote.

Policy and Manifesto Development

The board shall be responsible for developing the Party’s policies and manifesto and may form such sub-committees and put in place such processes in relation to this as the board thinks fit.

Dispute Resolution

Where a Member wishes to dispute a decision of the Board, notice of the dispute must be given to the Party Secretary within 5 days of the Member becoming aware of the Board’s decision. The Board must hear the Member’s dispute within 14 days if it determines that the dispute is valid.

The Board will make all reasonable attempts to resolve the dispute with the Member in good faith negotiations.

If the parties cannot resolve the dispute, the dispute shall be referred to, and finally resolved by, arbitration in accordance with New Zealand law and the current Arbitration Protocol of the Arbitrators' and Mediators' Institute of New Zealand Inc. (AMINZ).

The arbitration shall be conducted by one arbitrator to be agreed upon by the parties and if they should fail to agree within 14 days, then to be appointed by the President of AMINZ.

Should a dispute require arbitration the subject matter of the dispute and the findings of the arbitrator shall be confidential to the parties and any respective professional advisors.

Bylaws

The Board may enact bylaws that may amend or clarify this Constitution and Rules. Any bylaws must not be inconsistent with the Constitution and Rules.

The Party Secretary must keep a register of all such bylaws which will be readily available to all Members upon request.

The Board may amend or revoke bylaws at its own discretion.

Miscellaneous

Alteration of Rules

The Constitution and Rules of the Party shall not be amended, altered or rescinded unless there is a majority vote of 60% or more of attending members at an Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting

Any Member may propose amendments to the Constitution and Rules of the Party to the Party Secretary which will be notified all Members as soon as possible.

13.1.3 The Board shall give notice to all Members of any proposed amendments to the Constitution and Rules of the Party not less than one (1) month prior to the Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting of the Party.

Execution of Documents

The Party Secretary will retain the common seal of the Party.

Documents will be executed by the Party pursuant to a resolution of the Board in one of the following ways:

By affixing the common seal witnessed by the Party Leader(s) and countersigned by one other member of the Board

Where the document is not required by statute to be executed under common seal, the Party Leader(s) or some other member of the Board signing on behalf of the Party.

Annual Financial Statements

Every year a set of annual financial statements will prepared by or at the instigation of the Board showing all the receipts and expenditure of the Party since the preceding annual financial statements and will include a general statement of the funds, effects, liabilities, assets and all mortgages, charges and securities of any description affecting any property of the Party.

Auditor / Review

Prior to registration of the Party under the Act, the Board will appoint a suitably qualified person who meets the criteria under the Act as the Party’s auditor to audit the Party’s accounts and returns to the extent required by the Act. If approved by an AGM the Board may appoint a reviewer to inspect the accounts instead of an Audit.

Financial Year

The Financial Year shall be from the first day of April to the last day of March of the following year

Fees and Expenses for Board Members

The Board shall determine allowable fees and expenses for Board Members and will be responsible for ensuring they are recorded and available for audit.

Winding Up

A majority of the Party Members may, at a Special General Meeting of the Party called for that purpose, resolve that the Party should be dissolved and then confirmed by a subsequent general meeting called for that purpose and held not earlier than 30 days after the date on which the original resolutions were passed.

At the sole discretion of the Board any property of the Party may, upon dissolution being completed, be transferred to such charity or political party or society within New Zealand as the Board determines.

No assets, funds or any portion thereof are to be transferred to any individual person.

Notices

A notice or other document may be served on a Member of the Party either personally or by sending it by post or by emailing it to the Member at the address or email address shown on the register of Members.

A notice or other document sent by post is to be treated as having been given to the person at the time the letter would have been delivered in the ordinary course of the post.
A notice or other document sent by email is to be treated as having been given to the person at the time the email was successfully sent to the person.

Definitions

Within the Constitution and Rules of the New Zealand Outdoors Party the following definitions apply:

Act means the Electoral Act 1993 or any replacement or substituting legislation.

Aims and Objectives means the objects of the Party as set out in Section 1.3

Board means those appointed to manage and represent the Party as set out in Section 4.

Caucus means the body of persons established under Section 8 and responsible for representing the Party in Parliament.

Election means an election of a member of the House of Representatives, and includes a General Election and a By-Election as those terms are defined in the Act.

Electoral Candidate means a constituency candidate, as that term is defined in the Act.

Elector means any person who is eligible to enrol as an elector under the Act.

General Election means as that term is described in the Act.

List Candidate means as that term is defined in the Act.

Member means a current financial member of the Party as defined in the Act.

Party means the New Zealand Outdoors Party formed and operating pursuant to these rules.

Party Leader(s) means the person who is/are the leader(s) of the Party appointed or holding office under Section 7.

Party List means the list of candidates selected by the Party to contest an Election.

Party Secretary means party secretary appointed and holding office in accordance with these rules.

Sitting Member means a Member of the Outdoors Party who is a