The New Zealand Songwriters Trust was established with a clear vision: to celebrate and promote original songwriting talent in Aotearoa. Its initial focus was the creation and management of the MLT Songwriting Awards, a prestigious event held as part of the MLT New Zealand Gold Guitar Week in Gore - an iconic celebration of country music in New Zealand.
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In 2011, the Trust entered into a significant partnership with APRA AMCOS, the Australasian Performing Right Association, which marked a new chapter for country music recognition in the country. This collaboration led to the merging of two major events: the MLT Songwriting Awards and the New Zealand Country Music Awards. This new combined event - now known as the Country Music Honours - brings together the very best of both worlds, shining a spotlight on the creative work of songwriters as well as the polished performances of recording artists.
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Each year, the Country Music Honours offers an unforgettable night of music, storytelling, and celebration, recognising the depth and diversity of New Zealand’s country music scene and the people who bring its songs to life.
The New Zealand Songwriters Trust Personnel​
Committee members
Vanessa Harvey (Chairperson)
Julie Mitchell (Treasurer)
Cheryl Anderson (Secretary)
Jeff Rea
Jenny Mitchell
Steven Hamlin
Mallory Hood​
Life members
Philip Geary
​Jeff Rea
Barbara MacKay
Coral McCauley
Statement of Expectations
At the Country Music Honours, we want everyone to feel welcome, respected, and safe. We ask all who are part of our event, whether you’re a performer, nominee, guest, volunteer, or supporter, to treat others with kindness and respect. There’s no place for discrimination, bullying, harassment, or harmful behaviour of any kind. We celebrate and value diversity in all its forms - culture, ethnicity, religion, disability, age, gender, and sexual orientation.
Our promise is to act with integrity, professionalism, and courtesy, and we ask the same from everyone who joins us. Together, we can create an environment where country music and community thrive. If you ever feel uncomfortable or see something that doesn’t align with these values, please speak up.
Reach out to:
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Vanessa Harvey, Chairperson & Event Director – info@countrymusichonours.co.nz
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Jenny Mitchell, Communications – comms@countrymusichonours.co.nz
For extra support, you can also contact:
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SoundCheck Aotearoa – www.soundcheckaotearoa.co.nz/#Safety
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MusicHelps / Backline Wellbeing – https://musichelps.org.nz/backline/wellbeing/
Judging Process
For the MLT Songwriting Award, the New Zealand Songwriters Trust brings together a panel of five songwriters from across Aotearoa to form the initial judging panel. They listen to every entry (often more than 125 songs) and create a shortlist of 20.
An additional three music industry professionals then join the panel to review and rank the shortlisted songs from 1–20, which determines our top 10 finalists. Once the finalists are announced, all judges then rank the songs from 1–10 to decide the runner-up and the winner. Judging is managed through the Akudos platform.
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All judges evaluate the entries without knowing who wrote/composed each song/work – they are simply given the song title, song lyrics, and audio file. Judges cannot enter the awards themselves and must declare any conflict of interest before final decisions are made.
The New Zealand Songwriters Trust committee members have no role or influence in the judging of any category
Complaints Process
Making a Complaint
If you have a complaint about any aspect of the New Zealand Songwriters Trust or the Country Music Honours, please make your complaint in writing and send it to Vanessa Harvey - info@countrymusichonours.co.nz
Your complaint should include:
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Your name and contact details, or those of your organisation (please note: we cannot investigate anonymous complaints)
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A clear description of the issue and the reason for your complaint
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The outcome you would like to see
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Any supporting information or material
How We Handle Complaints
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We will acknowledge your complaint within 7 days of receiving it.
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If another person is involved, we will share the complaint and any supporting material with them so they have the opportunity to respond.
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We will provide you with a written response within 14 days of acknowledging your complaint, or as soon as practicable after receiving any comments from the other party (if relevant).
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A register of all complaints and responses will be maintained.
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Our response will outline next steps and give you the opportunity to take the matter further.
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You will have 21 days to provide any comments or a response to our reply.
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If you are not satisfied with the outcome, you will have an additional 14 days to request that the matter be referred to an alternative dispute resolution process.