Committee Update - SLSNZ Annual Report 2025
The infrastructure needs and aspirations of Surf Life Saving New Zealand (SLSNZ) are both expansive and expensive. Infrastructure in
our community settings is complex by nature, can take decades from inception to delivery and is critical to our organisation’s operational and financial sustainability.
The SLSNZ Board felt there was a need for a ‘volunteer voice’ to represent both the aspirations and expertise of SLSNZ and Club Infrastructure and CAPEX projects. It was agreed that a National Volunteer Committee would be formed to co-create the organisation’s infrastructure strategy, both leading and supporting clubs towards a
more resilient future.
Formed in May of this year, we consider ourselves a Steering Group tasked with setting up this new national committee. Currently we are bringing together the collective infrastructure IP from all over the country, getting clarity on where we can add value to clubs, establishing processes that will ensure best practice and good oversight; something that is essential when we are dealing with Central Government Funding. The purpose of our committee is to:
- Enable and support clubs and communities to ‘eat their Surf Lifesaving infrastructure elephants’
- Ensure that SLSNZ takes a medium to long-term strategic approach towards infrastructure
- Act as a Design and Review Panel for SLSNZ infrastructure projects.
Because the expertise required for infrastructure is so specialised, we were each individually approached by SLSNZ, for our backgrounds in club builds, construction, design and QS, to work on this committee and give it direction and momentum.
Your National Infrastructure Committee is represented by:
Andy Shaw (NR), Matthew Pickering (ER), Lachlan Hill (SR), Matt Warren (CR), Peter Nicholl and Brent Warner (Independents) and Michael Barker (SLSNZ Board). And we are working closely with Chris Emmett (SLSNZ GM Club Support & Capability) and Bruce Hay-Chapman (SLSNZ Infrastructure Manager).
To date, we’ve been focussed on agreeing on design and build principles, finalising a CAPEX Analysis Model and agreeing on our Committee’s short, medium and longterm priorities. We look forward to working with clubs more closely going forwards.
ANDY SHAW
Chair