Happy New Year

 
I certainly hope you all had an opportunity for some quality time with friends and whanau over the past few weeks and are settling into our new ‘traffic light’ normal.
 
As we look ahead to the year, we find ourselves in a very ‘Groundhog Day’ type scenario, as we attempt to nail down dates for important face-to-face events. Regrettably, there have already had to be some changes to our programme given our Council’s strong emphasis on ensuring member and community safety (more below).
 
Never-the-less, the threat of hard lockdowns does appear to be receding, which means that for many of us work can start to look a bit more ordered and normal, which is a huge relief for members who’ve had their livelihoods badly affected in the past couple of years.
 
Despite the ongoing uncertainty relating to in-person, indoor events – your Council has been working hard in conjunction with the National Support Team to get an ambitious programme of education lined up in ‘22.
 
We have shown over time that as a group of modern professionals we are sophisticated at pivoting into an online environment very quickly and effectively. If we have to do it again this year so-be-it but it’s not our preference.
 
We will be monitoring the situation on a weekly and daily basis. A number of face-to-face events have been rescheduled, and as we work through the upcoming BRANCH AGMs – several chairs have opted to either go online – or provide the option of either an online or an in-person meeting.

Watch the EVENTS PAGE HERE for possible changes to your AGM and/or upcoming events.
 
This is undoubtedly an unsettling time for many, and if you are feeling like you need someone to talk to I’d strongly advise you consult our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) provider OCP for a free member consultation.

Click HERE to learn how members can access this service.
 
It’s one of the new initiatives we have negotiated with the Property Institute for our members in 2022 after being piloted last year. There’s nothing more important than being mindful of your mental health when uncertainty is swirling around us.
 
I officially became President of the Institute about six months ago and it has been an exceptionally busy time for NZIV and the profession as we battled the bureaucracy in an attempt to get more guidance on what Valuers could and could not do.
 
Beyond that forward facing role, your Council has been working hard in the background developing more robust policies and strategies to help members in their working lives.
 
This year the agenda is just as ambitious, with several large bodies of work in the background focused on things like career progression through the revamped Future Leaders programme, and a significant review of rules and policies which has been in the ‘too hard’ basket for a number of years.
 
We will be taking soundings from members as we advance our programme and if there is anything specific you’d like Council to consider please reach out to your local NZIV Councillor.
 
Despite the inevitable challenges that still lie ahead I remain optimistic and hopeful for a year which starts to look a little more ‘normal’, while accepting things may never be exactly the same as they were pre-pandemic.
 
I’d like to remind members to follow the Government’s Covid advice both at home and in the office. While we may not agree with every measure being put in place, as a group we have a duty to maintain our professional standards and provide public confidence in the work we do. That includes demonstrating responsibility in the way we operate.
 
Lastly, a big thanks to all of you who are involved with and support the Institute.  Without our hugely dedicated grass roots volunteers, the profession would be much poorer for it.
 
Best of luck to you all in 2022.
 
Kind regards
 
Adam Binns
President
New Zealand Institute of Valuers