28 April 2026
Tēnā koe John Luke
Official Information Act request
Thank you for your email of 31 March 2026, requesting information about the
appointment process for Social Workers Disciplinary Tribunal (the Tribunal) and
Layperson Social Workers Board (SWRB) Social Workers Disciplinary Tribunal.
In addition, you requested us to consider your request as being submitted after
the close of applications, which was 5:00 pm, 31 March 2026.
I have considered your request under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).
Please find my decision on each part of your request set out for the Tribunal and
SWRB separately below.
Social Workers Disciplinary Tribunal – Layperson member and social
worker member
•
How you called for public nominations and on which platform(s) (e.g.,
govt.jobs website).
Applications for the layperson role were sought through advertising on the
seek.co.nz website. Applications for the social worker role were sought through
advertising on the
jobs.govt.nz website and through an advertisement in the
newsletter of the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW).
Applications for both roles, together with the role on the Social Workers
Registration Board (SWRB) outlined in the next section, were also sought through
advertisements in the newsletters of the SWRB and Social Service Providers
Association (SSPA).
Nominations for both roles were invited from the agencies with nomination
services: Ministry for Ethnic Communities, Ministry for Pacific Peoples, Ministry for
Women, Te Puni Kōkiri, The Treasury and Whaikaha Ministry for Disabled People.
•
A copy of the advertisement.
Please find the position description for Social Worker Disciplinary Tribunal Member
attached as
Appendix One.
Please find the advertisements used on websites attached as
Appendix Two.
•
The pay rate for each role.
Tribunal members are paid $450 per day for hearings they are serving on.
The Aurora Centre, 56 The Terrace, PO Box 1556, Wellington
– Telephone 04-916 3300 – Facsimile 04-918 0099
•
The number of applications received from the public.
•
The number of nominations received from other agencies, such as TPK or
the Ministry for Women.
There were 31 applications received from members of the public for the layperson
position and 28 applications received from members of the public for the social
worker position. No nominations for either position were received from the
nominating agencies, however six members of the public noted they had seen the
roles promoted by nominating agencies.
•
The number of positions you are looking to fill.
There are two positions on the Tribunal candidates are being sought for – one
layperson member and one social worker member.
•
The anticipated timeline for completion of the recruitment process.
It is intended to have the appointment process completed by July 2026.
Social Workers Registration Board – Layperson member
•
How you called for public nominations and on which platform(s) (e.g.,
govt.jobs website).
Applications for the role were sought through advertising on th
e seek.co.nz and
iod.org.nz websites and through advertisements in the newsletters of the SWRB
and SSPA.
Nominations for the role were invited from the agencies with nomination services:
Ministry for Ethnic Communities, Ministry for Pacific Peoples, Ministry for Women,
Te Puni Kōkiri, The Treasury and Whaikaha Ministry for Disabled People.
•
A copy of the advertisement.
Please find the position description for the SWRB position used in all
advertisements attached as
Appendix Three.
Please find the advertisements used on websites attached as
Appendix Four.
The advertisements used in the SWRB and SSPA newsletters covered both the
SWRB and Tribunal positions and are included in the Tribunal section above.
•
The pay rate for each role.
SWRB members are paid $11,250 per annum.
•
The number of applications received from the public.
•
The number of nominations received from other agencies, such as TPK or
the Ministry for Women.
There were 45 applications received from members of the public. No nominations
were received from the nominating agencies, however three members of the public
noted they had seen the role promoted by nominating agencies.
•
The number of positions you are looking to fill.
There is one position on the SWRB candidates are being sought for – one layperson
member.
•
The anticipated timeline for completion of the recruitment process.
It is intended to have the appointment process completed by July 2026.
I will be publishing this decision letter, with your personal details deleted, on the
Ministry’s website in due course.
If you wish to discuss this response with us, please feel free to contact
[MSD request email]. If you are not satisfied with my decision on your request, you have the right to
seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman. Information about how to
make a complaint is available a
t www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or 0800 802 602.
Ngā mihi nui
pp.
Anna Graham
General Manager Ministerial and Executive Services
