Building 7, Central Park, 660-670 Great South Road, Ellerslie, Auckland 1051
+64 9 525 6655 [email address] www.ianz.govt.nz
22 July 2026
By email: [FYI request #35063 email]
Our reference: OIA26/15 (transferred from MBIE DOIA-REQ-0036372)
Kia ora Mr Luke,
Official Information Act request — Accreditation Council member benefits and expenses
Thank you for your Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) request originally directed to the Ministry of
Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) concerning the recent Accreditation Council (Board)
appointments. The following part of your request was transferred to International Accreditation New
Zealand (IANZ) under section 14(b)(ii) of the OIA on 17 July 2026:
"Besides meeting fees, do they receive any other benefits, such as expense reimbursement (if so, may I
request to view your expense reimbursement policy in relation to your board member), a laptop, ID card,
phone, or similar provisions?"
IANZ accepted the transfer on 17 July 2026 and this letter constitutes our response. The balance of your
request remains with MBIE and will be responded to separately by that agency.
Our response
Other than the matters described below, members of the Accreditation Council (the Council of IANZ) do
not receive a laptop, mobile phone, tablet, or similar equipment from IANZ, and are not issued with an
identification card. For access to IANZ premises, Council members are provided with a building swipe
card. A small number of Council members also hold an IANZ taxi charge card for use in connection with
Council business.
Beyond meeting fees (which are set by the responsible Minister and administered by MBIE), Council
members are entitled to have reasonable actual and necessary expenses incurred in the course of
Council business met by IANZ. These are principally travel, accommodation, and meal costs associated
with attending Council meetings and undertaking other governance duties. In practice, most such costs
are booked and paid directly by IANZ rather than reimbursed to members.
Professional development
On a case-by-case basis, and where the Council considers it necessary to support a member in
discharging their governance responsibilities, IANZ may fund targeted professional development for a
Council member. This is a discretionary Council decision made in the interests of maintaining
governance capability; it is not a standard benefit or entitlement of Council membership, and there is no
associated policy document.
Expense reimbursement policy
IANZ does not hold a discrete "expense reimbursement policy" applicable specifically to Council
members. The arrangements described above are administered under IANZ's internal Travel Policy,
Sensitive Expenditure Policy, and Code of Conduct, which apply to all persons undertaking IANZ
business (including Council members, staff, technical experts, and contractors).
In accordance with section 16(1)(e) of the OIA, and having regard to the specific scope of your request,
IANZ has elected to provide the following summary of the relevant provisions rather than release the
internal policies in full. We consider that this form of release meets your information need without

releasing operational material that is not within the scope of your request. The key parameters applying
to Council members are:
•
Air travel: domestic and short-haul international travel (six hours or less) is normally economy
class using the lowest practical fare; long-haul travel may be premium economy [note: I am
unaware of Board Members having travelled long haul on behalf of IANZ];
•
Accommodation: booked within standard nightly limits of up to $300 + GST in provincial centres
and up to $500 + GST in major centres, with any exception requiring approval;
•
Meals and incidentals: must be reasonable and supported by receipts;
•
Ground transport: rental vehicles (from IANZ's preferred suppliers) are the default for business
travel; private vehicle use is the exception and, where used, is reimbursed at the applicable
Inland Revenue kilometre rates; and
•
General: all expenditure must be for a legitimate IANZ business purpose, be justified and
cost-effective, and be subject to verification and approval.
Should you require any further clarification of these arrangements, please contact me directly.
Right of review
You have the right to seek an investigation and review of this decision by the Ombudsman under section
28(3) of the Official Information Act 1982. Information about how to make a complaint is available at
https://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or by phoning 0800 802 602.
Ngā mihi,
Barry Ashcroft
Business Support Manager
www.ianz.govt.nz
cc: LSE Ministerial Servicing (for information — DOIA-REQ-0036372)