Peer Assessor
Terms and
Conditions
ARTS COUNCIL OF NEW ZEALAND TOI AOTEAROA
November 2018
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1. Your role
(i.e. all information held by public organisations and entities
subject to the Act) shall be made available unless there is
Thank you for becoming a Creative New Zealand
good reason to withhold it.
peer assessor.
Your name will be on a register of external assessors which
Peer assessment is critical to Creative New Zealand’s
will be made available to the public upon request. Names of
decision making process for funding. It provides input from
all assessors selected to assess for a specific funding round
individuals who have specialist knowledge of specific art
will also be released to the public upon request.
forms and/or cultural contexts including international trends
Your assessments are compiled solely for the purpose of
and markets, or specialist knowledge of an area of arts
determining recommendations for funding, however, your
development/capability building.
name and the scores and comments given by you about an
These terms and conditions outline your responsibilities if
application may have to be released following an Official
you accept an invitation to assess for a funding round and
Information Act request.
our obligations to you.
Good reasons for withholding are included in the Act and
2. Our process of selection
referred to as part of the Creative New Zealand Official
Information Act request process. During the process
Creative New Zealand is required to publicly invite
of deciding whether or not to release some or all of the
nominations from, or for, people who are interested in being
information requested, including assessor names if relevant,
appointed as assessors as per the Arts Council of New Zealand
assessors will be consulted on whether there is good reason
Toi Aotearoa Act 2014. Nominations are approved annually by
for the information not to be released to the requester.
the Arts Council and after being approved, assessors are listed
Assessor feedback will be taken into account in the decision
on the Creative New Zealand assessor register.
to release or withhold the information but will not be
determinative. Creative New Zealand’s Senior Manager
Please note that being on the register does not guarantee
Planning, Performance and Advocacy Services will make the
that an individual will be invited to serve as an assessor.
final decision.
Creative New Zealand staff review the assessment
requirements of each funding round and, with the approval
Creative New Zealand may also be required to release
of Creative New Zealand management, invite appropriate
information under the Privacy Act 1993 as an individual
assessors to assess for that round.
applicant can request information about themselves. It is
3. Term of appointment
more likely, though, that an information request will be made
under the Official Information Act as it has a broader reach.
Assessors remain on the register for up to five years. After
5. Confidentiality
five years there is an eighteen month stand down period.
During this time assessors will not be invited to assess for
Applications for funding are confidential. All assessors
any funding rounds to ensure new assessors can bring fresh
have a duty to maintain the confidentiality of information
perspective to our decisions.
contained within an application, even after your work with
us has ended.
An assessor can request that their name be removed from
the register at any time.
You must not disclose information gained in the course of
4. Assessor privacy and the
assessing applications to Creative New Zealand to any third
party, or copy any material for private use or for use by anyone
Official Information Act
else. You may not use any confidential information or any
intellectual property rights contained within an application for
Creative New Zealand will treat all information supplied
any purpose other than assessing the application.
by you as confidential, but may be required to release this
information under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).
This clause does not preclude you from communicating
The Act is based on the principle that all official information
information that is already in the public domain.
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6. Your responsibilities
▪ communicate information to applicants or organisations
about funding recommendations or the discussions of an
The knowledge and expertise you bring to assessing funding
assessment panel in that funding round
applications is what Creative New Zealand’s senior staff and
▪ make any representations on behalf of Creative
Arts Council use to inform their decision making. As such, an
New Zealand or the Arts Council either relating to that
assessor selected to assess for a funding round must:
funding round or in general
▪ participate in a pre-round briefing prior to assessing
▪ act as an advocate for an applicant/organisation that is
▪ read and evaluate the material provided
being assessed in that funding round.
▪ adhere to the specific assessment criteria and scoring
7. Conflict of Interest protocols
scale provided
▪ provide assessment commentary that supports your
It is essential that Creative New Zealand is made aware of
chosen score and supports applicants to develop their
the existence of potential conflicts of interest and manages
arts practice
them consistently and transparently.
▪ provide fair and impartial assessments
Assessors must declare any real or potential conflicts of
interest to Creative New Zealand staff immediately so that
▪ submit assessments on time
we can determine the best way to manage the conflict. If
▪ immediately inform Creative New Zealand of
you are in any doubt about whether a conflict exists, discuss
perceived or actual conflicts of interest that may arise
it with Creative New Zealand.
(see section 7)
For every funding round, a conflict of interest register will
▪ maintain awareness of the policies, outcomes and
be prepared by staff. For funding rounds that have panels,
strategic direction of Creative New Zealand
the conflict of interest register will be provided to the panel
▪ direct all enquiries relating in any way to the funding
facilitator prior to the meeting and the conflicts, and any
round to Creative New Zealand staff
absence of any panel member during discussion because
of a conflict, will be recorded in the panel meeting minutes.
▪ delete or destroy any related documentation after the
There are three types of conflict of interest that may apply to
round has completed.
assessors: direct, indirect and perceived.
You may be required to join a panel of assessors for a
A direct conflict of interest occurs when:
funding round. Panel members are required to:
▪ An assessor applies to the round and stands to
▪ read and consider the results of other external
benefit financially and/or materially from a successful
assessments prior to the meeting
application. In this case, the assessor will not assess for
▪ make recommendations for funding by coming to a
that round.
consensus with other panel members at the meeting
▪ An assessor stands to benefit financially and/or
▪ take into account the opinions of other members of the
materially from an organisation receiving funding or a
panel and additional information provided by Creative
capability building opportunity. In this case, the assessor
New Zealand staff.
will not assess for any funding round to which that
organisation is applying.
Assessors selected to assess for a funding round cannot:
An indirect conflict of interest occurs when:
▪ independently liaise with applicants/organisations about
assessments or applications for that funding round
▪ Someone else other than the assessor applies and the
assessor would benefit financially or otherwise if a grant
▪ relay panel discussions or decisions to applicants or
organisations
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or offer of a place on an initiative were to be made. In
this case, there are two options:
– If the assessor has prior knowledge of the
application, then the assessor should either
withdraw from their participation in the project, or
be removed from assessing that round. However,
if the extent of the assessor’s involvement in the
project and potential benefits are not considered
to be significant, the assessor may be cleared to
participate in the assessment of applications to
the round but they cannot assess that particular
application, or batch of applications of a similar
nature. The assessor must leave the meeting room
during any related panel discussion.
– If the assessor does not have prior knowledge of
the application, then the assessor must declare a
conflict of interest as soon as they become aware.
They will not assess that application or batch of
applications of a similar nature and must leave the
meeting during any related panel discussion.
▪ When someone else other than the assessor is
associated with an organisation and the assessor would
benefit financially and/or materially through the funding
of that organisation. In this case, the assessor will not
assess for any funding round to which that organisation
is applying.
A perceived conflict of interest occurs when:
▪ An associate, friend, family member or organisation
associated with an assessor applies for funding. In this
case the assessor may be cleared to participate in the
assessment of applications to the round but they cannot
assess that particular application.
▪ An associate, friend, relative or organisation associated
with an assessor would benefit financially and/or
materially through the funding of an organisation. In this
case, the assessor should contact Creative New Zealand
to discuss the procedure for managing the conflict.
In some cases, the assessor will be cleared to assess.
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8. Payment
Reimbursement type
Amount (GST exclusive)
Description
Base fee
$80
Flat fee applied to every round where an assessor submits one or
more assessments.
Assessment of
$45 per application
This per application fee will be paid for all funding rounds, excluding
applications
the four noted below.
Assessment of awards
$60 per nomination
For the Prime Minister’s Awards for Literary Achievement and the
Arts Pasifika Awards.
Assessment
$80 per application
For the Toi Uru Kahikatea and Toi Tōtara Haemata funding rounds.
of Investment
applications
Assessors attending
Half day $150
Half day is calculated at 1-4 hours
panel meetings
Full day $300
Full day is calculated at over 4 hours
Facilitators leading
Half day $180
Half and Full day calculated as above, plus 20% preparation fee.
panel meetings
Full day $360
Travel, accommodation When necessary Creative New Zealand staff will arrange travel for you to attend panel meetings
and expenses
to consider funding recommendations. To minimise cancellation charges and full price for flights,
please do not change flights once they have been confirmed unless absolutely necessary.
Taxi chits will be issued for use on taxis or shuttle buses to/from the airport only. Taxi chits will
not be issued for same-city transport to a panel meeting. Parking costs will be reimbursed upon
receipt.
Creative New Zealand will not pay for travel by private motor vehicle where travel by other means
is more practical and cost-effective. All claims for private vehicle mileage must detail the business
purpose, kilometres claimed and travel details. Creative New Zealand uses mileage rate provided
by the Inland Revenue Department.
Generally, flights will be for same day only; however, if an overnight stay is required,
accommodation will be paid for and arranged at one of our preferred hotels.
If an overnight stay is required up to $35 may be claimed for dinner and up to $20 for breakfast.
Claims must be accompanied by a receipt. Room service costs such as mini bar, videos, movies
and phone calls are the responsibility of the assessor.
If assessors organise private accommodation an allowance of $55 per night may be claimed from
Creative New Zealand.
For any queries relating to travel and accommodation please contact Creative New Zealand staff.
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Tax and invoices
Creative New Zealand does not withhold tax from fees and allowances. The fees and allowances
may be considered your taxable income by Inland Revenue Department (IRD). For tax treatment
of your income please refer to IRD. You are required by law to declare the fees you receive
from Creative New Zealand in your income tax return. You acknowledge and agree that you are
responsible for paying all taxes, levies and payments relating your fees from Creative New Zealand,
including without limitation, PAYE and any levies under the Accident Compensation Act 2001.
We do not require a tax invoice and will make the payment directly into a nominated account.
Please make sure we have your correct bank account details.
If you are GST registered you must send us your GST number. We will add GST to your fees and
allowances.
Payment of fees will be made within two weeks of completion of the funding round.
9. Independent contractor
You acknowledge and agree that if selected to assess for
a funding round, you will be an independent contractor to
Creative New Zealand and not an employee.
10. Conditions of appointment
I have read and understood the above terms and conditions
and my obligations if selected as an assessor, and agree to
be bound by them.
Assessor Name:
Signed:
Date:
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