Our committee members are dedicated volunteers with a strong interest in supporting ethical research practices in Aotearoa. As well as former and current academics and researchers, we also include lay members who bring important community perspectives. AREC is operated by the Aotearoa Research Ethics Trust Board, a non-profit charity comprised of experienced researchers and ethicists.
Origins
The New Zealand Ethics Committee (NZEC), along with its governing body New Zealand Ethics Limited, was founded in 2008 by former regional Health and Disability Ethics Committee chairs — Paul Flanagan, Trevor James and Martin Tolich. They were committed to using their collective experience to build an ethics infrastructure in Aotearoa New Zealand complementary to the health and university sector review systems.
From the beginning, NZEC provided valuable service to community-based research. Since 2012 it has been recognised by other ethics committees as part of the fabric of ethics review in New Zealand.
NZEC was the first, as far as we know, completely voluntary ethics committee in the world. It sought to exemplify the principles of the New Brunswick Declaration on Research Ethics — particularly Article 5, which encourages regulators and administrators to nurture a regulatory culture that grants researchers the same level of respect that researchers should offer research participants.
New Zealand Ethics Committee founded
By Paul Flanagan, Trevor James and Martin Tolich — former regional HDEC chairs.
Recognised across the sector
NZEC becomes recognised by other ethics committees as part of the fabric of ethics review in New Zealand.
A name is gifted
Sir Hirini Moko Mead gifts the name Te Roopu Rapu i te Tika — the group that seeks what is right. The Advisory Board was honoured to accept this gift.
The Trust, and a new name
The Aotearoa Research Ethics Trust is created to oversee governance, and the committee is renamed the Aotearoa Research Ethics Committee.
Refocused on community research
Eligibility narrowed so AREC serves community researchers and those unable to pay; commercial and government applicants are directed to IHREC.
A new chapter
In 2022 the Aotearoa Research Ethics Trust (ARET) was created to oversee the governance of the ethics committee, and the committee was renamed. The remaining former Directors of New Zealand Ethics Limited, Associate Professor Martin Tolich and Dr Paul Flanagan, continue to provide review support and ethics guidance.
As well as reviewing applications, members of the Trust Board and Committee facilitate interactive conferences, workshops and meetings around New Zealand to encourage deeper and more compassionate research ethics review. We also provide ethics review and support for international researchers researching in New Zealand.
Our role
Our name has changed, but our role has not. AREC aims to provide independent ethical review of community research conducted in Aotearoa New Zealand, predominantly outside the medical and tertiary sectors, and to safeguard the rights and wellbeing of research participants and researchers. In order to fulfil this role, we aim to:
- foster an awareness of ethical principles and practices in the research community;
- support researchers to protect the interests, rights, dignity, welfare, health and wellbeing of participants and consumers;
- give due consideration to community views;
- operate consistent with Section 6 of the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022 and He Korowai Oranga, by recognising and respecting the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi;
- operate in accordance with any guidance issued or approved by the Board;
- consult as necessary with applicants to provide educational support in ethics procedure.