The Casual Vacancy
Rory Bragg has stood down from the Te Puke Regional Representative position. The next general Regional Representative elections will be held in Q3 2027. As there is more than 6 months before this election, a casual vacancy now exists. If this vacancy is contested, a by-election will be held.
An eligible regional representative candidate must be a person who is either a:
- ‘Member’, defined a Grower who pays a levy or Membership fee to NZKGI; or
- A person nominated pursuant to Rule 6.3 of the 2022 NZKGI Constitution (available on the NZKGI website).
- To be clear, the nominee must also have an orchard in the region which has the vacancy.
Nomination and election process
- Friday 11 September 2026: Nominations open
- Friday 9 October: Nominations close (12 noon)
- Friday 6 November: If the vacancies are contested, voting commences
- Friday 20 November (12 noon): Voting closes
NZKGI encourages all Growers who are passionate about their industry and are highly motivated to represent Growers in their region to stand for election.
The NZKGI Forum
The NZKGI Forum comprises 26 elected forum members. Of these 17 are regional representatives, eight are supply entity representatives and one is a representative of the Maori Growers Forum.
There is one regional representative for each region except Katikati, Tauranga and Te Puke. The regions and the rationale for the division of the regional forum representation is based on the 2022 rules as follows:
*This region includes Taranaki, Wanganui, Horowhenua, Manawatu, Wairarapa and Wellington and shall be combined with Hawkes Bay for the purpose of electing a regional forum member.
Representing your region is a position of responsibility. Forum Members are exposed to privileged information which will enhance the in-depth knowledge of the kiwifruit industry.
The purpose of the NZKGI Forum is to:
- Represent and inform growers on kiwifruit issues.
- Make recommendations to different industry bodies.
- Make decisions for the industry on behalf of growers.
- Work in smaller groups on detailed topics.
The term of the regional representative is approximately three years and members are entitled to offer themselves for re-election.
The role of the regional representative
As a representative you are encouraged to source information from industry experts in order to become informed on industry matters. You then need to use this information to make informed and representative decisions for your constituency. You are representing all Growers in your region and therefore are required to be proactive with your communication.
NZKGI Forum meetings
Forum meetings are usually held in Mount Maunganui approximately eight times per year and growers are expected to attend as many as possible (at least three consecutively). Forum members may claim meeting fees and travel costs for attending NZKGI meetings.
Forum member pathways within NZKGI
NZKGI Forum members will have the opportunity to further their contribution to the industry by representing NZKGI through appointments to the NZKGI Executive Committee and industry groups including the Industry Advisory Council, Industry Supply Group, the Kiwifruit to Australia Product Group, plus Hail and other sub-committees.
Why become a NZKGI Forum member?
Here are some personal statements from Forum Members about why they are NZKGI representatives:
“My objective of becoming a Forum Member was to ‘make a difference’, ensure the Grower voice is represented and understood”.
“We debate and discuss issues at Forum meetings, engaging with industry experts in order to understand what is best for our industry, always from a Grower perspective”.
“Being involved on the Maturity and Taste committees has enhanced my knowledge further to better understand what our market expectations are and ensure that Growers can meet these expectations and that any changes are achievable”.
“Forum meetings include great presentations from Zespri’s staff who are located all over the world”.
“At Forum meetings we are with like-minded Growers that get involved in healthy debates on current industry matters. To be a part of these discussions gives us ownership of our outcomes”.
“I now have a more in-depth understanding of our industry which has provided me with the confidence and qualifications for governance roles within the industry”.
Further Information
The NZKGI Constitution has detailed information on the organisation and management of NZKGI as well as rules and responsibilities for regional forum members. The document ‘Constitution of New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated’ available on the NZKGI website here.
Further information on the role can be found by contacting the NZKGI office here.
