Interpreter standards to be developed locally: NZSL Board

The New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Board has decided to continue developing New Zealand‑based interpreter standards rather than opting for a 3-year trial of parts of the Australia-based NAATI registration system.

NAATI is a well‑established and credible platform. The Board thanked NAATI for its constructive and generous engagement throughout this process of assessment.

“This decision reflects the Board’s view that NZSL, the Deaf community, and the interpreting workforce in Aotearoa New Zealand need an approach designed for the local context,” Board Chair Catherine Greenwood said.

Developing a local approach will allow standards, capability levels, professional development, and complaint pathways to be built together. This will help ensure the system is culturally appropriate, accessible for Deaf people, and built for how interpreting works in this country.

The Board also wants to avoid the cost, complexity, and potentially low uptake associated with adapting an international model to local conditions.

“The Board wants to build a sustainable, trusted framework by strengthening confidence in interpreter services in New Zealand,” Greenwood said.