The 2022 PSNZ National Convention was to be held in Rotorua starting on 7 April.
The change to COVID-19 red traffic lights setting has affect many events and activities and so, after evaluating the situation the decision was made to cancel this event.
On announcing the cancellation, the President made the following comments:
“This decision was made in the interests of the members and of the organisation, and for the following reasons.
- The convention is a multi-day largely indoor event, including a banquet, that makes it a prime target to be a super-spreader event. Attendees would be required to wear masks all day, which is a very unpleasant experience – as anyone who has to work in one knows.
- The modelling that has been reported suggests that the convention would be held only slightly later than the peak of the pandemic, and we are sure that many members would be reluctant to travel at that time. In fact, health advise is against travelling.
- Many companies are placing bans on external physical meetings so it is likely that our trade partners could not attend.
- While events can operate with up to 100 people at the Red setting, by the time you add up speakers, trades, council and convention helpers you end up with space for only around 50-60 delegates. The convention has a break-even point of over 180 delegates and so is not viable at this much lower number.
Some may be asking why we could not simply delay the convention until later in the year. This was not deemed practical as the type of venue that we need for this event are booked a year in advance. We were also mindful that the national convention team needs time to recoup – for several of them this is the second cancellation in a row after the cancellation of the Taupo convention in September 2021.
I want to thank the team of Toya Heatley APSNZ, Nick Maitland, Mark Burgess LPSNZ, Moira Blincoe LPSNZ, Karen Camp, Koshy Kieren and Tracey Scott FPSNZ for all the work they have put in over the last 18 months. Had we not been prevented from hosting the event I am sure that it would have been a great success.
We have decided that we need to give the convention team a break, therefore we will not hold any conventions this year.
Rather we will concentrate on the workshop programme and will also look to organise smaller gatherings of members around the country. More information will be provided in due course.
In the meantime the PSNZ Sony National Exhibition has opened for entries. We will be presenting the winners via a virtual awards ceremony. Entries for 2022 Honours are also open and close as advised on 28 February