NZIPI Update

NZIPI Website to Include Different Categories of PI Along with the recent name change and amended rules, NZIPI has invested in creating a new website, check out www.nzipi.org.nz. Now members of the public are able to search for professionals by region and by category of licence. The object being to differentiate between, (1) Private Investigators, (2) Health and Safety Investigators and (3) Auditors and Forensic Accounts. The change comes about from PSPLA. After some time deliberating, obtaining comment and hearing submissions from interested parties, on 30 September 2022, the PSPLA issued formal Decisions regarding the two latter categories. The PSPLA found that the work performed by both employment investigators and forensic accountants did require the companies and individuals performing the work to hold a Private Investigators Licence and/or COA. Certain exceptions applied. The Decisions are [2022] NZPSPLA 030 and [2002] NZPSPLA 031. The NZIPI website will be a work in progress as more individuals in all three categories join.

AGM NZIPI held its AGM online on 24 November 2022 with a new Executive Committee being elected, they are; Chair - Bruce Couper Vice Chair - Machelien Sherry Treasurer - Megan Ruby (independent accountant) Committee - Sue Kelly Committee - Russ Mincher Committee - Karl Ruby

At the AGM three long term members of the executive stood down Ron McQuilter, Phil Roigard and Rob Nicholl. Topics covered at the AGM were varied with the new Chair outlining his proposed vision.

Ron McQuilter (outgoing chair) updated the members on the Institute’s application to renew the member’s 241 access to the Motor Vehicle Register, a task that took considerable time, effort and assistance from a Barrister. Access to this Register requires a stringent regime to be in place with member training, the checks being made via Infolog and regular random audits of checks. Access can only be for approved purposes, domestic work is for example one of the excluded purposes. The outcome is Gazetted and all new members must also be approved by NZTA before they have access.

Life Membership(s) Awarded At the AGM, Life membership of the NZIPI was awarded to Ron McQuilter and Phil Roigard, bringing the total number of Life members to three. To be awarded life membership, the membership must vote and there must be a consensus of no less than 65% of all the current financial members voting in favour.

Both Ron and Phil are founding members of NZIPI and both have served on the executive for that many years, it almost impossible to count. The fact that the members vote in excess of 65% speaks volumes of the esteem held by their peers for Ron and Phil.

Ron McQuilter In May 2023 Ron will have been a PI in New Zealand for 40 years since arriving from Scotland in 1983. Nine years ago, Ron moved from Auckland to Mount Maunganui and continues to run Paragon NZ and associated entity.

Ron has been the Chair of NZIPI for the past 17 years straight and arguably the voice of Private Investigators in New Zealand for many years. It was not because no one wanted the job, each year Ron would offer to stand down, but he was continually re-elected. In the role of Chair, Ron has also assisted the PSPLA in considering complaints against investigators, able to offer a real world expert opinion on what is reasonable and necessary. He has always been available to answer media enquiries, though Ron’s motto has been always to speak positively and if a problem crops up, to focus on the solution.

A couple of years ago, Ron wrote “Busted” a book containing real life stories demonstrating the work New Zealand PI’s perform. He did it to educate others and to dispel the often misguided perception that PI’s work mainly divorce cases. Busted went mainstream, so well that “Busted Again” is also in bookstore stores now.

Ron has no intention of slowing down anytime soon and will continue to assist NZIPI or the profession whenever asked. He has been a Justice of the Peace for New Zealand for over 20 years and is married to Gillian.

Phil Roigard Phil has been a member of the NZIPI since its incorporation and has served as an Executive Committee member for many years, including several years on the Ethics Committee. (In fact, he formed the Institute’s predecessor organisation, the NZ Association of Private Investigators in 1981).

Phil is a career Investigator having worked in both the public and private sectors his entire working life. His brief work history is as follows:

• New Zealand Police. Graduated first in his Cadet Wing receiving the Minister’s Prize for General

Excellence • Resigned from the Police after 10 years’ service with the rank of

Detective Sergeant • Private Investigator. Created one of the first Professional Private

Investigation companies in N.Z. and helped create the business wave for such services upon which many followed and rode • Serious Fraud Office. One of five investigators appointed as inaugural members of the NZ Serious Fraud

Office (SFO). Worked in a multidisciplined investigative team with accountants and solicitors investigating serious and complex fraud cases. Became a Senior

Investigator with responsibilities for SFO security and screening complaints for qualification under the SFO Act • Private Investigator & Security

Consultant. Transferred investigative skills back to the private sector and after a course of study in Security Risk Management became involved in Security Risk

Reviews for multiple corporate clients. He has conducted 200 such reviews over the last 20 years • ASIS International (ASIS). Phil has been a member of ASIS for over 30 years. In 2003 he obtained the Certified Protection

Professional (CPP) designation, one of the security profession’s highest recognition of practitioners • World Association of Detectives (former member) • International Association of Arson

Investigators (former member)

Phil is now semi-retired and based in Christchurch. He is still a current member of NZIPI & ASIS.

Looking to the Future – New NZIPI Chairman

Bruce Couper Bruce Couper is the General Manager of Bespoke Security. He spent 11 years in the New Zealand Police service initially working in a variety of uniformed roles. He spent the last four years of his service as a Detective in the Criminal Investigation Branch (C.I.B) in the areas of serious crime squad, car squad and robbery squad and participated in a range of major investigations including kidnapping and homicides.

Bruce has been a licensed Private Investigator since 1992 and member of NZIPI for much of that time.

Bruce wants the Institute to grow and be more representative of its members. He views representation with government agencies and informing licensing authorities as a priority.

Bruce is a current member of ASIS International and the ASIS New Zealand Chapter. He is a Life member of the NZSA, former Chairman of ASIS New Zealand and a former Chairman of the NZSA.