about us

Supporting food & fibre storytellers since 1958

The Guild has a rich history of connecting, supporting and championing the people telling the stories of New Zealand’s food and fibre sector. We aim to:

Provide a strong professional network where members can exchange ideas, knowledge and experience.

Support members with information, professional development and opportunities to grow their careers across journalism, communications, public relations and broadcasting.

Encourage high standards of rural journalism and communication and recognise excellence through the Guild’s annual awards.

Promote a better understanding of agriculture and the food and fibre sector, and the vital role it plays in New Zealand’s economy, communities, and way of life.

CODE OF PROFESSIONAL ETHICS

Members of the New Zealand Guild of Agricultural Journalists and Communicators are writers, broadcasters and communicators of work relating to this country’s primary production sector.

Members agree to follow the Guild Code of Ethics in their work: To strive to achieve the highest professional standards, respect the truth and to always be accurate, objective, thorough, fair, polite and honest in our work, including on social media, whether with interviewees, colleagues, other agricultural journalists, communicators or clients.

In meeting the above statement, members of the New Zealand Guild of Agricultural Journalists & Communicators undertake to:

nATIONAL eXECUTIVE

Tim Fulton - NZ Guild President

President

TIM FULTON

Lives: North Canterbury

Occupation: Self-employed journalist, district councillor

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Sudesh Kissun NZ Guild Vice President

Vice-president

Sudesh Kissun

Lives: Auckland

Occupation: Editor of Rural News and Dairy News

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June Mobley NZ Guild

sECRETARY & TREASURER

June Mobley

Lives: Pongaroa, Manawatu

Occupation: Self employed accountant and administrator

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Shawn McAvinue NZ Guild

COMMUNICATIONS

Shawn McAvinue

Lives: Dunedin

Occupation: Reporter for Southern Rural Life

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committee members

Tony Benny. NZ Guild

Tony Benny

Lives: North Canterbury

Occupation: Freelance writer, photographer and videographer

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Henry Acland NZ Guild

Lives: Auckland

Occupation: Media relations Fonterra

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Hayley Gavan NZ Guild

Hayley Gavan

Lives: Waikato

Occupation: Communications and brand manager at CRV

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Andy Thompson NZ Guild

Henry Acland

Kate Webber NZ Guild

Andy Thompson

Lives: West Coast

Occupation: Executive Producer & Co-Host of CountryWide CONNECT

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Neal Wallace NZ Guild

Kate Webber

Lives: Taupō

Occupation: PR & communications consultant

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Neal Wallace

Lives: Dunedin

Occupation: Senior reporter at Farmers Weekly

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past presidents

The Guild has a long history of leadership across New Zealand’s agricultural journalism and communications sector. This list was compiled for the Guild’s 50th anniversary and has been updated since then. If you can help confirm dates or corrections, we’d love to hear from you.