What is the Injury Prevention Network Aotearoa New Zealand ?

The Injury Prevention Network of Aotearoa New Zealand (IPNANZ) promotes safe living, working, and recreational environments and communities in Aotearoa New Zealand through injury prevention.

Rationale

Injury is a major problem for Aotearoa New Zealand. The Department of Labour estimates the economic cost of injuries to be as high as $4 billion per year. The personal and family costs of disability and death can never be fully calculated.

Nevertheless, injury itself has a low profile and does not receive the attention it deserves at either a political or community level.

IPNANZ was formed in 2000 to initiate and develop:

• focused leadership among agencies responsible for injury prevention
• coordination and advocacy
• workforce development
• healthy public policy, resources and programmes that work.

Te Tiriti o Waitangi

IPNANZ fully acknowledges that Te Tiriti o Waitangi was signed between Māori and the Crown. It is the founding document that describes the relationship between Māori and other New Zealanders.

IPNANZ practices in accordance with Treaty principles and is committed to addressing the disparity between Māori and other ethnic groups in terms of hospitalisation and mortality injury issues.

IPNANZ is committed to incorporating Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles of partnership, participation and active protection within its structure, governance and activities for all peoples.

Please click here for the Tiriti o Waitangi website.

IPNANZ aims

IPNANZ aims include the following:

• to raise the profile of injury prevention by providing a collective national voice.
• to help cultural groups and communities identify appropriate injury prevention solutions
• to advocate for best practice in injury prevention
• to involve members at all levels of the decision-making process
• to help the injury prevention sector communicate within itself and to various audiences
• to help provide quality injury prevention training.

IPNANZ outcomes

We work to reduce injury in the population through these outcomes:

• a long-term national injury prevention strategy
• a strong injury prevention sector where empowered workers act together
• appropriate remuneration for people working in injury prevention
• a common language for injury prevention and shared information systems
• increased status for injury prevention so that it is part of all government planning/decision making, and its funding is assured.

IPNANZ' actions are a reflection of our commitment to biculturalism through our governance and operational structures. We also recognise the multicultural nature of New Zealand society.

IPNANZ management

A management committee is elected by the IPNANZ membership at the Annual General Meeting in October/November each year. This is done by paid up members who choose to vote in either the New Zealand caucus or the Māori caucus. The IPNANZ Committee consists of no less than eight and no more than 12 members, 50 percent of whom are elected by the Māori caucus and 50 percent elected by the New Zealand caucus.

Committee members are elected for a two-year period and may be re-elected for a second two-year term. The process is to have only half the committee newly elected in any one year, that is, only half the committee members are replaced at any one time.

Please click here for more information about the IPNANZ committee.