About the NZSL Board
NZSL Board role and responsibilities
The NZSL Board was established by Cabinet in May 2014 and the founding members were appointed in May 2015. This followed recommendations from a NZSL Experts Advisory Group convened by the Office for Disability Issues in response to a Human Rights Commission inquiry into NZSL from July 2012 to June 2013. The inquiry found that NZSL is crucial to the ability of Deaf people to learn, communicate and participate in society.
The work of the NZSL Board will also help the Government meet its commitments under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its obligations under the NZSL Act 2006.
The purpose of the NZSL Board is to:
- promote and maintain the use of NZSL by ensuring the development and preservation and acquisition of the language
- ensure the rights of Deaf people and NZSL users to use NZSL as outlined in the NZSL Act 2006 and United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and other national and relevant international legislation
- provide expert advice to government and the community on NZSL, including recommendations on allocation of the NZSL Fund.
The NZSL Board has responsibilities across leadership, advice, strategy and coordination and monitoring.
Board members (from 15 August 2022)
- Rhian Yates - Term ends 31 July 2024
- David McKee - Term ends 30 June 2024
- Joanne Becker - Term ends 30 June 2025
- Catherine Greenwood - Term ends 30 June 2025
- Karen Pointon - Term ends 30 June 2025
- Jaime Brown - Term ends 30 June 2025
- Rachel Turner - Term ends 30 June 2025
More information on NZSL Board members
The NZSL Fund
The New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Fund was established by the Government to support projects that promote and maintain NZSL. The NZSL Board is responsible for oversight of the Fund.
Every year the Minister for Disability Issues agrees policies and criteria for the NZSL Fund to ensure it is being used on things that are most important to the NZSL and Deaf community.
The NZSL Board oversees the fund, including:
- a contestable funding process, usually run yearly.
- supporting projects that support analysis and other projects that help achieve actions.
Contact
If you have questions about our work on the maintenance and promotion of NZSL, please email nz_sign_language@msd.govt.nz.
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