The National Council meeting.

• Position: INSTITUTE NOTES

On 7 June the NZIIA held its Annual Dinner. As in the previous year, it took place at the Wellington Club with NZIIA president Sir Douglas Kidd presiding and 121 present. The guest of honour was HE Mark Gilbert, the US ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa. The edited text of his address, which focused on the challenges and accomplishments of Barack Obamas presidency, is to be found elsewhere in this issue.

Next morning the National Council held its annual meeting, also at the Wellington Club. Sir Douglas Kidd reported a year of some change and more than a little innovation. He noted the successful Antarctic seminar, the appointment of a new executive director and several groundbreaking events late in the year. He acknowledged the support of Victoria University, MFAT and the Delegation of the European Union and noted an emerging problem of suitable meeting venues.

In presenting her report, Maty Nikkhou-O'Brien paid tribute to the contribution of her predecessor, Peter Kennedy, and noted the three-pronged approach that had subsequently been adopted to excite and engage New Zealanders, from all walks of life, in international affairs. By the end of the year this approach had begun to bear fruit, with several events attracting big audiences. The smooth running of the National Office owed much to increasing use of technology. The efforts of the executive secretary, Synonne Raganayagam, were commended.

Sir Douglas was re-elected as president, and the other office-holders were all also re-elected--Prof Rob Rabel as vice president, Prof Athol Mann as treasurer and Dr Anthony Smith as chair of the Research Committee. With Neil Walter, John Ballingall and Dr Jon Tanner having stood down from the Standing Committee, the National Council selected Don McKay, Hon Wayne Mapp, Sarah Dennis and Rt Hon Sir Anand Satyanand to replace them. Hon Russell Marshall was elected as an honorary vice president--remedying an oversight by the National Council when he stood down from the presidency some years ago.

In his report Athol Mann pointed to the healthy state of the NZIIA's finances. A small profit had been achieved in 2015, and a similar result was budgeted for in 2016. The importance of seminars for the NZIIA's financial health was noted, with the Antarctic seminar having proved very successful and profitable. Other factors in the good result were an increase in the MFAT grant and the reduction in the New Zealand International Review deficit. The council adopted...