Terms and Conditions

Last updated: February 26, 2026

These Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) govern your use of the website poetrysociety.org.nz and any related services, membership areas, competitions, and online shop (together, the “Site”).

The Site is operated by the New Zealand Poetry Society Te Rōpū Toikupu o Aotearoa (“NZPS”, “we”, “us”, “our”), a registered charity in Aotearoa New Zealand.

By accessing or using the Site, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, please do not use the Site.

1. About Us

The New Zealand Poetry Society Te Rōpū Toikupu o Aotearoa is a charitable organisation that supports and promotes poets and poetry in Aotearoa New Zealand. We run poetry competitions, publish a quarterly magazine, ‘a fine line’, publish an annual anthology, support haiku through Haiku NewZ, and offer membership and related services.

Our contact details are:

New Zealand Poetry Society
PO Box 5283
Wellington 6140
New Zealand
Email: info@poetrysociety.org.nz

We are registered as a charity in New Zealand (Charities Register number CC20250).

2. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated “Last updated” date.

Your continued use of the Site after changes take effect means you accept the updated Terms. If you do not agree to the changes, you should stop using the Site.

3. Eligibility and General Use

By using the Site, you confirm that:

• You are at least 16 years old; or
  • You have the consent of a parent or guardian to use the Site.

We welcome younger writers through our junior competitions and activities, but purchases and account creation should be made by, or with the consent of, a responsible adult.

You agree to use the Site only for lawful purposes and in a way that does not:

• Infringe the rights or reputation of others
  • Restrict or inhibit anyone else’s use of the Site
  • Damage, disable, overburden, or impair the Site or associated services

You must not attempt to gain unauthorised access to the Site, its systems, or any related accounts or data.

4. Accounts, Membership and Access

4.1 Accounts

Some areas of the Site (for example, membership management, the online shop) may require you to create an account.

You agree to:

• Provide accurate and current information
  • Keep your login details confidential
  • Notify us promptly if you suspect unauthorised use of your account

You are responsible for all activity that occurs under your account.

We may suspend or cancel your account if we reasonably believe you have breached these Terms or misused the Site.

4.2 Memberships

NZPS offers annual memberships, including but not limited to: Basic, Student, Joint, and Schools/Libraries memberships, with the benefits and prices shown on the Site at the time of purchase.

Unless otherwise clearly stated at checkout:

• Memberships are for a 12-month period from the date of purchase
  • Membership benefits (such as access to ‘a fine line’, discounted competition entry fees, or anthology discounts) are described on the Site and may be updated from time to time
  • Membership fees are generally non-refundable, except as required under New Zealand law or where we clearly state otherwise.

Where memberships renew automatically, the renewal terms and price will be clearly presented at checkout and in your account. You may cancel future renewals in your account settings (where available) or by contacting us within a reasonable time before the renewal date.

5. Competitions and Submissions

5.1 Competition-Specific Rules

We run various poetry and haiku competitions, including junior categories. Each competition has its own set of rules and conditions (for example, eligibility, entry fees, deadlines, judging, prizes, and publication rights).

• If there is any inconsistency between these Terms and the specific competition rules, the competition rules prevail for that competition.
  • Entry fees are generally non-refundable, except as required by law or explicitly stated in the relevant competition rules.

Please read the competition rules carefully before submitting any work.

5.2 Submissions to Publications and the Site

We invite submissions to various NZPS publications and platforms, including:

• The quarterly magazine ‘a fine line’
  • The annual NZPS anthology
  • Haiku NewZ pages and related haiku resources
  • Member poems or other content published on the Site

Submission guidelines and payment/koha details are usually provided on the relevant submission page or platform (e.g., Submittable). Those guidelines form part of your agreement with us when you submit work.

6. Your Content and Licence to NZPS

“Your Content” means any material you submit or upload to us or through the Site, including poems, haiku, articles, reviews, images, biographical notes, comments, or other text.

By submitting Your Content, you confirm that:

1. You are the creator and rights holder, or you have all necessary rights and permissions to submit the material.
   2. Your Content does not infringe any copyright, moral rights, privacy rights, or other rights of any third party.
   3. Your Content does not contain defamatory, hateful, obscene, or unlawful material.

Unless otherwise stated in specific submission guidelines (which may grant us broader rights for print and digital publication), you grant NZPS a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free licence to:

• Use, reproduce, edit (for formatting, spelling, or minor typographical corrections), adapt, publish, and communicate Your Content to the public; and
  • Use excerpts or titles from Your Content to promote NZPS activities, competitions, publications, and events.

You retain ownership of Your Content and may use it elsewhere unless separate, more specific rights have been agreed for a particular publication or competition.

We may remove or decline to publish Your Content at our discretion, for example, if it breaches these Terms or our editorial standards.

7. Intellectual Property on the Site

Unless otherwise credited, all content on the Site—including text, images, logos, graphics, and design—is owned by NZPS or its licensors.

You may:

• View the Site in your browser
  • Download or print reasonable portions of the Site for your personal, non-commercial use

You must not, without our prior written consent (or the consent of the relevant copyright holder):

• Reproduce, distribute, or adapt substantial parts of the Site content
  • Use our logo or branding in a way that suggests endorsement or partnership
  • Use Site content for commercial purposes, including in other publications, websites, or services

Nothing in these Terms transfers ownership of any intellectual property rights to you.

8. Online Shop, Pricing and Payments

8.1 Products and Services

Through the Site, we may offer for purchase:

• Memberships and renewals
  • Subscriptions to ‘a fine line’ (where separate from membership)
  • Anthologies and other publications
  • Event tickets, workshops, or related services
  • Other items described in our Shop

Product descriptions, availability and prices are shown on the Site and may change at any time.

8.2 Pricing and Currency

Unless stated otherwise:

• All prices are in New Zealand dollars (NZD)
  • Prices may include Goods and Services Tax (GST) where applicable
  • Any delivery or transaction fees will be shown at checkout

8.3 Payments and Security

Payment is processed through third-party payment providers (for example, credit/debit card processors or other services). By making a purchase, you agree to be bound by the terms of any third-party payment provider used.

We do not store full card details on our own servers. However, we cannot guarantee the security of data transmitted over the internet and you provide payment details at your own risk.

8.4 Delivery, Refunds and Returns

For physical products (such as printed anthologies), we will send orders to the delivery address provided at checkout using reasonable care. Any delivery times shown are estimates only.

For digital products (such as digital editions), access will typically be provided by download link, login, or email.

Your rights under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 and other applicable New Zealand laws are not excluded by these Terms.

As a general guideline (subject to any more specific policy we publish on the Site):

• We will replace or refund products that are faulty, damaged in transit, or not as described, in accordance with New Zealand consumer law.
  • For change-of-mind situations, incorrect choices, or competition entries already submitted, we are generally not obliged to provide refunds, although we may do so at our discretion.

If you have an issue with a purchase, please contact us promptly with your order details.

9. Third-Party Services and Links

The Site may link to third-party websites or services, including:

• Submission platforms (such as Submittable)
  • Payment processors
  • Partner organisations and poetry resources
  • Social media or external content sites

These third-party sites and services are not controlled by us. We are not responsible for:

• Their content, privacy practices, or security
  • Any loss or damage you may suffer by using them

Your use of third-party services is at your own risk and subject to their own terms and privacy policies.

10. Privacy and Cookies

We collect, use, and store personal information in connection with:

• Memberships and renewals
  • Competition entries and submissions
  • Purchases from our shop
  • Email subscriptions and correspondence
  • Website analytics and cookies

Details of how we handle personal information are set out in our Privacy Policy (when published), which forms part of these Terms. By using the Site, you consent to our handling of your information in accordance with that policy and applicable New Zealand privacy law.

We may use cookies and similar technologies to improve your experience on the Site and to understand how the Site is used. You can adjust your browser settings to refuse cookies, but this may affect some Site functionality.

11. Behaviour and Community Standards

We aim to foster an inclusive, respectful community around poetry.

You agree that any interaction with the Site, including comments, submissions, or communications, will:

• Be respectful and not harassing, hateful, or discriminatory
  • Avoid offensive, obscene, or defamatory language
  • Not promote illegal activity or incite harm
  • Respect the privacy and dignity of others

We may moderate, edit, or remove comments or content that we consider inconsistent with these standards, and/or restrict access for users who breach them.

12. Disclaimers

To the maximum extent permitted by law:

• The Site and its content are provided “as is” and “as available”, without warranties of any kind, express or implied.
  • We do not guarantee that the Site will be uninterrupted, error-free, secure, or free from viruses or other harmful components.
  • Information on the Site is provided in good faith for general purposes only. It is not professional, financial, legal, or other advice.

We do not accept responsibility for any loss or damage arising from:

• Your reliance on information or material on the Site
  • Your interactions with other users, organisations, or third-party services
  • Any delay, interruption, or unavailability of the Site

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits any rights or remedies you may have under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 or other non-excludable New Zealand laws.

13. Limitation of Liability

To the extent permitted by law, NZPS (including its trustees, officers, volunteers, contractors, and agents) is not liable for:

• Any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential loss or damage; or
  • Any loss of data, goodwill, or opportunity

arising from or in connection with your use of the Site, our services, or these Terms.

Where we are liable to you and cannot lawfully exclude that liability, our total liability in respect of any claim or series of related claims will be limited, to the extent permitted by law, to:

• The amount you paid us for the relevant product or service; or
  • If the claim does not relate to a purchase, NZD $100.

14. Indemnity

You agree to indemnify NZPS against any loss, liability, damage, cost, or expense (including reasonable legal fees) arising from:

• Your breach of these Terms;
  • Your infringement of any third-party rights; or
  • Your misuse of the Site or services.

This indemnity survives termination of these Terms and your use of the Site.

15. Suspension and Termination

We may, at our discretion and without prior notice, suspend or terminate your access to the Site or your account if we believe you have:

• Breached these Terms;
  • Misused the Site or services; or
  • Acted in a way that may harm NZPS, our members, or our community.

You may stop using the Site at any time. If you wish us to close your account, please contact us.

Termination does not affect any rights or obligations that have already accrued, including any licences granted to us for Your Content, or any rights we have under law.

16. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms are governed by the laws of New Zealand.

You and we submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the New Zealand courts in respect of any dispute arising out of or in connection with these Terms or the Site.

17. Contact Us

If you have any questions about these Terms or the Site, please contact us at:

Email: info@poetrysociety.org.nz
Post: New Zealand Poetry Society

PO Box 5283,

Wellington 6140, New Zealand