Welcome to this page on the Canterbury Masters Athletics website.  New Zealand Masters Athletics are in the process of building a new website, so it was easier for me to post this information here. 

As President of NZMA, I am interested in your feedback about a possible partnership agreement between NZMA and ANZ.

Athletics New Zealand (ANZ) / New Zealand Masters Athletics (NZMA) partnership background information: 

The IAAF have indicated that they would like all areas of our sport working together and this can be better achieved as one group.  We all know of club registered athletes who do not join NZMA for whatever reasons ... some say it is because they are unwilling to pay two registration fees.  This group are automatically excluded from competing at South Island, North Island, NZMA, Oceania Masters Athletics (OMA) and World Masters Athletics (WMA) Track & Field Championships. 

We would like this situation to change and to be able to encourage them to compete with us and perhaps go to OMA or WMA events where there are also non-stadia events as well.

During November I attended both the South Island and North Island Track & Field Championships where I presented information about the proposed partnership in the form of a tri-folding flyer.  At these meetings, members had an opportunity to ask questions and express any concerns.  Please click on the link below to view this flyer or read it in the January issue of Vetline.

CLICK HERE to view this flyer.

Within this flyer, you will see the membership options that will be available to our members.  Please use this to work out how this partnership will affect you.

As ANZ have indicated that it is part of their 2016 strategic plan to include NZMA within their 'members', they are keen to see it happen.  During the past eight months, Linda Hamersley (CEO ANZ) and the NZMA Board have created a partnership agreement called a 'Memorandum of Understanding'.   This outlines the responsibilities and role of both groups and how we would work together.  In reality, it will make very little difference to the rank and file member.

CLICK HERE to view the 'DRAFT' Memorandum of Understanding

I am currently requesting information from each centre as to how they operate to find out what impact this partnership would have at a local level.  I am keen to ensure that no centre is adversely disadvantaged and will be looking at ways NZMA can assist centres.

Why join together?  The current membership of NZMA as at 8 January 2016 is only 464.  This is the lowest it has probably ever been.  Over the past five years, there are a further 709 former members who have chosen NOT to rejoin NZMA.  Why is that?  Some on these ex-members may well still be members of clubs.  If you are such a former member, I would be interested in your reasons for not rejoining NZMA.

A partnership does not mean that we lose control over what we currently organise.  We are talking about a 'sharing' of membership, so that ALL masters athletes have the opportunity to compete in ALL masters events throughout the year, based on their membership option selected.  It does mean that NZMA will collect less income from its members, so we the Board will have to look at different ways of doing things accordingly.  There may well also be some changes at a local level, but with the help of NZMA I am sure any issues can be overcome.

What happens next & who gets to vote?

At the NZMA AGM to be held in Dunedin on Friday 26th February, your Centre representatives will vote for or against a partnership with ANZ.  It is important that you let members of your local masters committee know how you feel about this proposal, so they know how to vote.  This needs to be done ASAP.

As many of you will not get to the NZMA AGM, I am also interested in your feedback comments.  I can be e-mailed using the link below.  I will pass on your comments to the appropriate centre and at the AGM I will also present a summary of the comments I receive.

CLICK HERE .... to e-mail your NZMA / ANZ Partnership FEEDBACK

If YOU the members agree, NZMA & ANZ will form a partnership that could take affect as from 1st April 2016, which is in line with the ANZ financial year. 

Vetline Magazine:

Vetline is the official master's athletics magazine for the Oceania area.  Currently the NZMA registration fee of $45.00 per year includes four issues of our Vetline magazine.  

However, if a partnership with ANZ occurs, the Vetline magazine will be sold separately and you will all have the option to purchase a subscription or not.

We are committed to producing Vetline for all current members up until October 2016.  If Vetline is to continue in its current format, it has to be supported by YOU the members.  I am keen to know what you think about the current format, how it could be improved or whether we move to a more website based magazine or some other method of reporting on events / news?

Andrew Stark
(NZMA President)