A draft version of the Trust Deed was presented to a Special General Meeting held in Auckland on September 1st, where members voted overwhelmingly in favour of the new document.
"This is the first complete revision of the organisation's Trust Deed since its inception in 1985," Lambert says. "The new Trust Deed provides much needed clarity for our work in 2007 with the community most affected by HIV in New Zealand, gay and bisexual men, as well as reflecting our commitment to support positive people and other communities affected by HIV."
Additional changes were suggested from the floor by some members at Saturday’s meeting, which the Board is currently seeking final legal advice on.
"Subject to this legal advice, the final version of the Trust Deed will be put to the Board to adopt at our next meeting on September 29," Lambert says.
The new Trust Deed is the culmination of a process which has lasted over a year, involving consultation and submissions from stakeholders and members around the country. It sits alongside other major changes being undertaken operationally to ensure NZAF is best placed to meet the new challenges of increasing HIV diagnoses amongst gay and bisexual men.
"The Board has been thoroughly committed to a transparent consultation process over these significant changes to our founding document," Lambert says. "We’re very pleased with the strong endorsement by members of the revised draft Trust Deed, which defines the overarching purpose of NZAF, and look forward to presenting the finished Deed at the AGM in November."
