In 2025, the DSPANZ Board commissioned an independent review to ensure DSPANZ remains sustainable, member-focused and well positioned in a rapidly digitising operating environment.
The review recommended that DSPANZ move to a clearer operating model that better aligns resourcing, costs, member services and strategic priorities, while ensuring the organisation can operate effectively within its financial capacity.
Key outcomes
As a member-based organisation, a core tenant remains that DSPANZ must remain financially sustainable and deliver practical value to members while maintaining a credible and constructive voice with government, regulators and key stakeholders.
The main points of the review included the need to:
Strengthen DSPANZ’s governance framework
The review identified a need to modernise governance arrangements, clarify Board roles and responsibilities and ensure DSPANZ’s
constitution supports the organisation’s future operating requirements.
Refresh the Board and leadership model
The review highlighted the need for DSPANZ Board to be more Strategically focussed and less reliant on Directors being responsible for operational activities. It was also recognised to make this transition investment needs to be made in DSPANZ leadership and to develop the right mix of skills, experience and capacity to guide the next phase of renewal and support stronger execution.
Clarify DSPANZ’s strategic priorities and member value proposition
The review recommended a sharper focus on the activities that deliver the greatest value to members including our policy and general advocacy work with government, industry engagement activities and practical support for members operating in a changing regulatory and digital environment.
Improve operational discipline and day-to-day administration
The review identified the need for clearer operational processes, improved reporting, stronger financial and membership administration, better coordination of stakeholder engagement and a more structured approach to Board support and decision tracking.
Develop a sustainable future operating model
The review identified that DSPANZ has an important and continuing role to play, but that changes are required to strengthen the organisation and support its longer-term sustainability, and ensure it remains well positioned to support members, represent the industry effectively and respond to a changing operating environment.
What's Next?
After a decade of operation and rapid digitisation of the eco-system that DSPANZ and our members operate within, the Board recognised there was need to take a clear, evidence-based review of DSPANZ’s operating model, governance settings, resourcing, financial sustainability, and member value proposition.
The Board has endorsed the outcomes of the review and has commenced acting on the Recommendations. A General Meeting was held on 20 April 2026 for members to consider and endorse a Motion proposing changes to the DSPANZ constitution and Board - members can read the outcomes from this meeting here.