Updates to Workmanship, Membership and Branch Bylaws

4 April 2025

Dear Members

To help make sure our Association’s objectives can continue to be met, we periodically review and update our Bylaws to ensure these remain current and responsive. These updates are essential for protecting and promoting members' interests, maintaining and improving construction industry standards, and reinforcing the Master Builders brand as a mark of quality.

The Master Builders Board, in discussion with Branch Presidents have approved several important changes to the Workmanship, Membership and Branch Bylaws. These changes are designed to enhance our ability to manage risk and provide flexibility around the election of Branch Executives.

Overview of the key changes:   
   
Workmanship Bylaws  
   
Change Rationale
Section 3.3:  
Inclusion of a reference to the Health and Safety at Work Act.
 
  • Ensure work undertaken is done in accordance with the Health and Safety Act.
  • This supports our brand as a mark of quality.
 
   
Membership Bylaws  
   
Change  Rationale
   
Section 2  
Strengthen the Board’s ability to decline new applications for Full or Provisional Membership. 
  • Ensures we can decline applications if the Board determines that the applicant’s prior conduct, insolvency history, or other factors present a risk of reputational harm to the Association. 
   
Section 3  
Removal of the Cadet Membership category. 
  •  This is an “orphan” provision that  is not provided for under the Constitution (nor elsewhere in any Bylaws).
  • We do not have any cadet members. 
  • Ensures accuracy and clarity.
 
   
Section 3  
Allow for the ability to cancel the membership of a provisional member if they don’t meet the requirements of full membership at the end of their provisional term. 
  • Strengthens membership requirements.
   
Section 5  
Strengthen the Board’s ability to decline requests for changes in key individuals, including directors and major shareholders. 
  • Ensures we can decline director changes if the Board determines that the applicant’s prior conduct, insolvency history, or other factors present a risk of reputational harm to the Association.
   
Section 7:  
Change the minimum timeframe for the provision of information requested by the CEO for the purpose of a membership review from 60 to 30 days. 
  • More reasonable timeframe.
  • Minimum timeframe – more time can be given.
  • Aligns with other review timelines.
 
   
Branch Bylaws  
   
Change: Rationale:
   
Remove the requirement to hold branch AMM’s.
  • Provide the flexibility for functions that are done at an AMM e.g. electing branch execs to be done in other more effective ways e.g. via in-person or online events or email/online.
   
Section 11:  
Introduce guidelines for the role of Associate Members on Branch Executives:
1. Maximum of three Branch Executive Members can be Associate Members.
 
2. Not eligible to hold Branch President or Vice President roles – unless an exception granted by the Board. 
 
3. The RMBA Board can approve exceptions to the above.
  • To ensure that branch leadership is effective and appropriate for Master Builders as a membership organisation.
  • To ensure no conflict of interest. 
 
   
Section 25:  
Tidying up of this section about complaints to make it clearer and reflect the correct process for a branch referring a complaint about a member. 
  • Clarity and accuracy.
   
Note: There has also been some general tidying up of language for clarity and corrections of typos and references throughout these Bylaws.  
   

More information
We encourage you to familiarise yourselves with the revised Bylaws in detail to understand how these changes may affect you. The updated documents are available on Offsite in the "Constitution/Bylaws" section.

Thank you for your continued support and engagement. Your feedback is valuable to us, and we welcome any questions or comments you may have regarding these changes. Please do not hesitate to contact Ngaire Vanderhoof, General Manager Brand and Customer, at ngaire.vanderhoof@masterbuilder.org.nz. 

Kind regards,

Kieren Mallon
National President