133 Molesworth Street
PO Box 5013
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
T+64 4 496 2000

10 March 2026

John Luke

By email:  [FYI request #33874 email]

Ref:
H2026079352

Tēnā koe John

Response to your request for official information 

Thank you for your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act) to the Ministry of
Health – Manatū Hauora (the Ministry) on 26 February 2026 for information regarding
appointments to the Occupational Therapy Board of New Zealand (the Board). Please find a
response to each part of your request below.
 
May I ask how you called for public nomination and on what platform you have call for
public nominations e.g. govt.jobs website.

The vacancy was advertised on the Ministry’s Careers webpage (www.health.govt.nz/about-
us/careers) and the Government jobs webpage (www.jobs.govt.nz).

A copy of your ad

A copy of the advertisement is attached to this letter as Document 1 and is released to you in
full.

...and pay rate as well.

Members of the Board, and of any commit ees appointed by the Board, are paid fees for
attendance at meetings. Currently, the co-chairs are paid an honorarium of $1,922.16 (less tax)
per month. Members are paid an honorarium of $996.08 (less tax) per month. The Board pays
for actual and reasonable travel and accommodation expenses.

A copy of the “Candidate Information on the Terms and Conditions of Appointment to the
Occupational Therapy Board” is attached to this letter as Document 2 and is released to you
with some information withheld under section 9(2)(a) of the Act, to protect the privacy of natural
persons. I have considered the countervailing public interest in release in making this decision
and consider that it does not outweigh the need to withhold at this time.

Also, how many applications you have received for each of the role (professional and lay)
from the public and how many you have received from other nominating agencies such as
TPK or Ministry of women etc for your role.

How many you have shortlisted and how many you have interviewed.

Recruitment efforts are stil  under way. As this process is ongoing, the information you have
requested is not yet available. The Ministry invites you to resubmit this part of your request once
decisions have been finalised.

Also, can I request to view the appointment letter if there is one sent to the previous
appointee. I am happy for you to remove all the personal information.

A copy of the reappointment letter sent to the previous appointee is at ached to this letter as
Document 3 and is released to you with some information withheld under section 9(2)(a) of the
Act.

How many vacancies are you looking to fil  this round?

The Ministry is seeking to fil  two health practitioner roles and one lay member role.

If you wish to discuss any aspect of your request with us, including this decision, please feel
free to contact the OIA Services Team on: [email address]. 
 
Under section 28(3) of the Act, you have the right to ask the Ombudsman to review any
decisions made under this request. The Ombudsman may be contacted by email at:
[email address] or by calling 0800 802 602. 
 
Please note that this response, with your personal details removed, may be published on the
Ministry website at: www.health.govt.nz/about-ministry/information-releases/responses-official-
information-act-requests.  
 
Nāku noa, nā 
 
 



Cherish Low
Acting Manager Statutory Appointments & Integrity Services
Performance and Governance | Te Pou Tokomanawa
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Document 1
Vacancies on the Occupational Therapy Board of New Zealand – Te Poari Whakaora
Ngangahau o Aotearoa
The Ministry of Health – Manatū Hauora (the Ministry) is seeking candidates who wish to be
considered for appointment as health practitioner and layperson members of Occupational
Therapy Board of New Zealand – Te Poari Whakaora Ngangahau O Aotearoa (the Board), a
responsible authority under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 (the HPCA
Act). The purpose of the Board is to protect the health and safety of members of the public by
ensuring that health practitioners are fit and competent to practice.
About the role – Kōrero mō te tūranga
Being a member of the Board is rewarding and challenging. You will be committed to improving
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the health of New Zealanders, through contribution to the governance of the Board’s legislative
requirements.
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The functions of responsible authorities are set out under section 118 of the HPCA Act. More
information about the Board is available in the terms of reference and on the Board’s website.
Appointments to the Board are made by the Associate Minister of Health, Casey Costello, typically
for terms of three years. Members can be reappointed for up to nine consecutive years.
The Ministry recognises that diversity enables our boards and councils to be high-performing and is
committed to ensuring they represent the diversity in New Zealand's population, including gender,
ethnicity, disability, age and geographic location. The Ministry encourages people from all
backgrounds, especially those who can reflect the needs, values, and beliefs of Māori, and have an
understanding of and are committed to meeting the obligations under the Treaty of W
INFORMATION  aitangi, to
apply for these roles.
About you – Kōrero mōu
For all applicants, governance and/or regulatory experience is a plus but not required. It is
beneficial if you have the ability to lead strategically, and to balance competing demands.
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Preferred skills and attributes for health practitioner positions include:
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•
knowledge of the health sector
•
familiarity with relevant legislation and the function of the Board
•
the ability to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the Treaty of Waitangi and its
application in health care and regulatory settings
•
experience working with Māori models of health care, ensuring cultural safety and
inclusivity in practice
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•
having an awareness and understanding of a range of cultural perspectives in health care,
and their impact on service delivery.
Health practitioner applicants must be a registered occupational therapist and have a good
understanding of the scope of practice, competencies and code of ethics or conduct.
Under section 5 of the HPCA Act, laypeople applicants cannot be qualified or registered as health
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practitioners. Preferred laypeople candidates will also have:
•
governance or regulatory experience
•
the ability to represent community and consumer interests.
Please note that members of a responsible authority board cannot simultaneously be a member of
the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal (the Tribunal) given the disciplinary function of the
Tribunal over health practitioners.

Document 1
How to apply – Me pēhea te tono
Applications must be made using the Ministry of Health online Jobs website by close of business
Tuesday 24 February, and include:
•  a covering letter, and
•  a current CV.
Due diligence checks will be undertaken for shortlisted applicants. Your personal information will
be handled in accordance with the Privacy Act 2020. The Ministry may also request that the New
Zealand Security Intel igence Service conduct national security screening of you as part of the
appointment process.
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The appointment process can be lengthy, taking up to six months. Your patience and
professionalism as we work through the next steps is appreciated. The outcome of the recruitment
process for the Board will be confirmed after it has been considered by the Cabinet Appointments
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and Honours Committee.
Who we are – Ko wai mātou
See the Ministry of Health Board appointments webpage for more information.
If you would like to obtain further information or clarification, or if your circumstances change or
should you wish to withdraw your application, please contact the Statutory Appointments and
Integrity Services team by emailing: [email address]
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Document 2
1
Candidate Information on the Terms and Conditions of
Appointment to the
Occupational Therapy Board
Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003
Introduction
This  document provides information for prospective candidates for membership of the
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Occupational Therapy Board (the Board). It sets out the:
•
role and functions of the Board
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•
composition of the Board
•
terms and conditions of appointment
•
duties and responsibilities of a member.
The Role of Registration Bodies in Regulating Occupations
Health and disability consumers do not always have enough knowledge to make an informed
decision whether occupational therapists are competent to practice. This can be a matter of
concern when the actions of an incompetent practitioner may impact on the health and safety
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of consumers. Practitioner regulation is one way of providing consumers with information on
a practitioner’s competence. It ensures that only practitioners who have demonstrated that
they meet the minimum standards for entry to the profession can practise or use particular
protected titles.
The Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 (the Act) establishes responsible
authorities to protect consumers of the services of a
OFFICIAL  wide range of health and disability
practitioners. The principle purpose of the Act is the protection of the health and safety of the
public. It requires  responsible  authorities  to establish the competencies required  for
registration  and continuing competenc
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Therapy Board of New Zealand is one such responsible authority.
Individuals appointed to the Board have a range of experience, from first-time appointees
with little or no experience as a member of such authorities to members with extensive
experience. The Board draws considerable benefits from having a diverse membership with
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a range of skil s, attributes, and experience.
Functions of the Board
The Board is a body corporate established under section 114(1) of the Act. The purpose of
the Board is to protect the consumers of occupational therapy services through the
education, registration, and discipline of occupational therapists.
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The functions of the Board  are set out under section 118 of the  Act. As they relate to the
Board, these functions are:
•
to prescribe the qualification required for scopes of practice within the profession, and,
for that purpose, to accredit and monitor educational institutions and degrees, courses
of studies, or programmes
•
to authorise the registration of occupational therapists under the Act, and to maintain
registers
Candidate Information - Occupational Therapy Board
March  2025

Document 2
2
•
to consider applications for annual practicing certificates
•
to review and promote the competence of occupational therapists
•
to recognise, accredit, and set programmes to ensure the ongoing competence of
occupational therapists
•
to receive and act on information from occupational therapists, employers, and the
Health and Disability Commissioner about the competence of occupational therapists
•
to notify employers, the Accident Compensation Corporation, the Director-General of
Health, and the Health and Disability Commissioner that the practice of an occupational
therapist may pose a risk of harm to the public
•
to consider the case of occupational therapists who may be unable to perform the
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functions required for the practice of the profession
•
to set standards of clinical competence, cultural competence (including competencies
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that wil  enable effective and respectful interaction with Māori), and ethical conduct to
be observed by occupational therapists
•
to  liaise  with other authorities appointed under the Act about matters of common
interest
•
to promote and facilitate inter-disciplinary collaboration and co-operation in the delivery
of health services
•
to promote education and training in occupational therapy
•
to promote public awareness of the responsibilities of the Board
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•
to exercise and perform any other functions, powers, and duties that are conferred or
imposed on it by or under the Act or any other enactment
Composition of the Board
Under section 120 of the Act the Board must have at any
OFFICIAL   time at least five members, and the
Minister may appoint up to 14 members to the Board.  The membership must include a
majority of members who are health practitioners; two laypersons, if the Board has at any
time eight or fewer members; and three
THE laypersons, if the Board has at any time nine or more
members.
Consumer Constituency
The consumer constituency of the Board includes the users of occupational therapy services.
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Those that use these services are a cross-section of New Zealanders in terms of ethnicity,
age, gender, and geography.
Appointment as a Member of the Board
In making yourself available to be considered for appointment, please ensure that:
•
there is no conflict of interest which would preclude your appointment; and
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•
you are available to serve for a term of of ice of up to three years.
The Board provides an induction package to all new members.
Board members are expected to follow the terms and conditions set out below.
Terms and Conditions of Appointment
Candidate Information - Occupational Therapy Board
March  2025

Document 2
3
The Minister of Health appoints members of the Board for a term of up to three years, by
notice published in the Gazette.  Members may from time to time be reappointed, but no
person is eligible to be a member for more than nine consecutive years.
Members may decide not to continue in office at any time, in which case they should advise
the Minister of Health.
The Act states that appointed members are considered to have vacated their office if they
are adjudged bankrupt under the Insolvency Act 1967.  The Minister of Health may at any
time remove members from office on the grounds of:
•
inability to perform the duties of the office,
•
neglect of duty,
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•
misconduct, proved to the satisfaction of the Minister,
•
the member’s performance on the Board being inadequate, with the concurrence of the
Board, by notice given to the member.
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Duties and Responsibilities of a Member
This section sets out the Minister of Health’s expectations regarding the duties and
responsibilities of a person appointed as a member of the  Board.  This is intended to aid
members of the Board by providing them with a common set of principles for appropriate
conduct and behaviour and serves to protect the Board and its members from being exposed
to legal challenges.
As an independent statutory body, the Board has an obligation to conduct its activities in an
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open and ethical manner. The Board has a duty to operate in an effective manner within the
parameters of its functions as set out in section 118 of the Act.
General
Board members have a commitment to work for the public of New Zealand, by ensuring there
are competent occupational therapists. Members are ac
OFFICIAL  countable to the Minister of Health
(and through the Minister to the public of New Zealand).
Board members attend meetings and undertake Board activities as independent persons
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responsible to the Board as a whole.  Members are not appointed as representatives of
professional organisations or communities. This issue is particularly important when Board
members may, at times, be required to be party to decisions which conflict with the views of
other organisations with which they are involved.
There is an expectation that B
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meetings and devote suf icient time to become familiar with the affairs of the Board and the
wider environment within which it operates. They wil  also be required to respond in a timely
manner to emails between meetings.
Board members may also be required to serve on one or more Board commit ees or working
groups.
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Legislation and Conflicts of Interest
It is important that Board members have a common understanding of their role as a member
in order that decisions can be reached within the spirit of the governing legislation, namely,
for the purpose of protecting the public interest through the regulation of occupational
therapists.
Board members wil  be expected to become familiar with, and operate according to the Act.
In addition, the Board is expected to be familiar with, and operate according to, the:
•
Principles of natural justice and administrative law
Candidate Information - Occupational Therapy Board
March  2025

Document 2
4
•
Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994
•
Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers' Rights
•
Health and Disability Services Act 1993
•
Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Act 1997
•
Privacy Act 2020
•
Health Information Privacy Code 2020
•
Treaty of Waitangi.
The Board is also expected to comply with the intent of the Of icial Information Act 1982.
Board members should perform their functions in good faith, honestly and impartially and
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avoid situations that might compromise their integrity or otherwise lead to conflicts of interest.
Proper observation of these principles wil  protect the Board and its members and wil  enable
public confidence to be maintained.
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When Board members believe they have a conflict of interest on a subject that wil  prevent
them from reaching an impartial decision or undertaking an activity consistent with the
Board’s functions, then they must declare a conflict of interest and withdraw themselves from
the discussion and/or activity.
Confidentiality
Meetings, including agenda material and minutes, of the Board are confidential.  Board
members must ensure that the confidentiality of Board business is maintained.
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Members are free to express their own views within the context of Board meetings, or the
general business of the Board.
Board members must publicly support a course of action decided by the Board, or if unable
to do that, must not publicly comment on decisions.
At no time shall Board members individually divulge det
OFFICIAL  ails of Board matters or decisions of
the Board to persons who are not Board members. Disclosure of Board business to anyone
outside the Board must be the decision of the Board, or between meetings, at the discretion
of the Chairpersons  of the Board, or i
THE n the case of commitees, the Chairpersons of the
Commit ee (if they have the delegated authority of the Board).
Board members must ensure that Board documents are kept secure to ensure the
confidentiality of Board work is maintained. Release of Board correspondence or papers can
only be made with the approval of the Board.
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Board members are provided with a computer to receive Board papers electronically. Papers
are placed on an online platform and accessed via an app on the computer. Al  electronic
information should be kept secure and treated with confidence.
Chairperson
At its first meeting in each year the Board elects one of its members to be its Chairperson,
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and another to be its Deputy Chairperson. Any such member is eligible for re-election. The
Chair and Deputy Chair then form a Co-Chairing Commit ee. The Co-Chairs of the Board are
identified as Tangata Whenua and Tangata Tiriti.
The  Co-Chairs manage each meeting of the Board if he or she is present and wil ing to
preside.  If at any meeting the Co-Chair  is not present or wil ing to preside, the other Co-
Chair, if present and wil ing to preside, presides. If neither is present or wil ing to preside, the
members present must elect a member who is present to preside at that meeting.

Candidate Information - Occupational Therapy Board
March  2025

Document 2
5
Meetings of the Board
The Board meets five to six times a year, in Wellington, and usually for a one-day duration.
The Board holds disciplinary hearings as required. In addition, members may be required to
participate on commit ees established to address specific issues. The time commitment for
current members varies but will require a minimum of 20 days per year depending on the
work of the Board.
A quorum of the Board for any meeting is four members (including one layperson member).
Every issue before the Board is determined by a majority of the votes of the members
present at the meeting. The presiding member has a deliberative vote, and, in the case of an
equality of votes, also has a casting vote.
When carrying out its functions the Board must follow the principles of natural justice and
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administrative law.  The Board must act lawfully, that is, the Board can only act within the
limits of its powers as set out in the Act. The Board must also act fairly when carrying out its
functions.  The Courts may review decisions of the Board and it is possible for persons to
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take civil action against the Board or its individual members.
Fees and Al owances
Members of the Board, and of any commit ees appointed by the Board, are paid fees for
attendance at meetings.  Currently,  the co-chairs are paid a honorarium of $1922.16  (less
tax) per month. Members are paid an honorarium of $996.08 (less tax) per month. The Board
pays for actual and reasonable travel and accommodation expenses.
More detailed information can be obtained from the Chief Executive of the Board:
INFORMATION
Mrs Rhondda Knox
Occupational Therapy Board
Level 6, 22-28 Wil eston Street
WELLINGTON
Ph:
(04) 918 4745
OFFICIAL
Mobile:   s 9(2)(a)

E-mail:  [email address]
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Candidate Information - Occupational Therapy Board
March  2025

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Document 3
MEMORANDUM

To:

Stasha Mason
Manager
Statutory Appointments and Integrity Services

Ministry of Health

Email:
[email address]

Subject:
Reappointment as a health practitioner member of the Occupational 1982
Therapy Board of New Zealand – Te Poari Whakaora Ngangahau o
Aotearoa

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From:
s 9(2)(a)

______________________________________________________________________

1.
I acknowledge my reappointment as a health practitioner member of the Occupational
Therapy Board of New Zealand – Te Poari Whakaora Ngangahau o Aotearoa pursuant
to section 120 of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003, for a
three-year term of office commencing on 7 August 2025 and ending on 6 August 2028.

2.
I have read, understand, and accept the terms and conditions of my reappointment.
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__________________________

______________________
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Signed

Date

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Document Outline