Rules of BASQ |
|
| home print | |
|---|---|
| A regional group within the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union ACN 004 076 475.These rules are made under the authority granted to the Council of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union (ACN 004 076 475) under the Constitution of the RAOU. | |
| 1. Name | The group shall be known as Birds Australia Southern Queensland and is called in these rules "The Group". The Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union (ACN 004 076 475) is called in these rules "the RAOU". The Council of the RAOU has the meaning given to it in the RAOU Constitution. |
| 2. Objectives | The
major objectives of the Group are: (i) Local involvement of members in Birds Australia. (ii) Assistance with Birds Australia Projects. (iii) Involvement with Birds Australia special interest groups. (iv) Encouragement of interest in birds by the wider community. (v) Activity in conservation issues. (vi) Organisation of activities and outings. (vii) Active cooperation with other organisations with similar interests. (viii) Regular communication with members. ↑ Top |
| 3. Membership | All persons who are members of the RAOU and resident in Southern Queensland shall be members of the Group, with full voting rights at meetings of the Group. Visiting members of the RAOU from other regions of Australia, members of other bird clubs or any individuals shall be eligible to attend meetings or other Group functions but cannot vote. |
| 4. Management | The management, control and general administration of the Group shall be vested in the Committee of the Group which may conduct its affairs in whatever manner it shall from time to time decide subject always to veto by the Council of RAOU and subject to the Constitution of the RAOU. ↑ Top |
| 5. Committee | The Committee shall consist of Convenor (Chair), a Deputy Convenor (Vice-Chair), Secretary, Treasurer ( or a Secretary / Treasurer ) and up to eight Committee members. Committee members must be members of the RAOU. The Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Group by secret ballot after prior nomination on a prescribed nomination form signed by the nominee and another member of the Group. The signed nomination form should be given to the Secretary at least 48 hours prior to the starting time of the AGM. One salaried officer of the RAOU resident in Southern Queensland may be appointed by the RAOU Council as an ex officio member of the Committee. This salaried officer will cease to be a member of the Committee upon termination of employment with the RAOU. The Convenor shall have the authority to appoint no more than two additional persons as members of the Committee for a period of up to twelve months, for the purpose of providing expert advice sought by the Committee. The Committee shall meet at least twice a year in addition to attending the AGM. ↑ Top |
| 6. Elections | The election of office bearers and Committee
members shall take place at the AGM. A member may not hold more than one
office at a time except if an office or Committee position becomes vacant
between AGMs, in which case the Committee may appoint an Officer, a member
of the committee or a member of the Group to fill the vacancy up to the
time of the next AGM. Office bearers shall hold office from one AGM to
the next and may be re-elected. The office of Convenor may not be held
for more than three consecutive years unless his or her nomination is approved
by the committee of Birds Australia Southern Queensland and by the RAOU.
In the event this ballot and endorsement is not affirmative, the person
may be re-elected to the office of Convenor after a gap of at least one
year. A person cannot be a member of the Committee for more than six consecutive
years, including as an office bearer unless before the elections take place
his or her nomination is approved by a ballot of the Committee and endorsed
by the Council of the RAOU. In the event this ballot and endorsement is
not affirmative, the person may be re-elected to membership of the Committee
after a gap of at least one year. ↑ Top |
| 7. Methods of Voting by Members of the Group | Votes of members of the Group at AGMs and Extraordinary General Meetings shall be taken in the first instance by secret ballot in lieu of a show of hands. A secret ballot shall be conducted in such a manner as the Committee directs. Every member will be entitled to one vote on each issue to be voted upon by being present at general meetings, or by appointing a proxy. An instrument appointing a proxy shall be in writing signed by the appointer or his/her attorney. This instrument of proxy shall be in the hands of the Secretary of the Group not less than twenty-four hours before the start of the meeting. Any person, whether a member of the Group or not, may be appointed a proxy. A vote given in accordance with the terms of an instrument of proxy shall be valid providing that: (a) the appointer of the proxy has not died prior to the meeting at which the vote is cast; or (b) the Secretary of the Group has not received prior to the meeting a signed written statement from the appointer of the proxy which revokes the power of the proxy. No instrument of proxy shall be valid after twelve months from its date of execution. ↑ Top |
| 8. Annual General Meeting | The Annual General Meeting shall be held in March, at a time and place to be set by the Committee. The purpose of the meeting shall be to receive reports from the Convenor and Committee on the progress of the Group during the past year, to receive the financial report for the year ending 31 December, to elect office bearers and Committee members for the coming year, to appoint an auditor for the coming year, and to conduct any other business. |
| 9. Extraordinary General Meeting | The Committee may call an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) to discuss any matter of urgent importance, and shall be bound to do so on receiving a written request signed by twenty financial members of the Group. |
| 10. Notice of Meeting | At least fourteen days' notice
of an EGM and twenty-one days' notice of an AGM shall be given to members,
and the notice shall specify the business to be transacted and the day,
hour and place of meeting. |
| 11. Quorum | The quorum for meetings shall be: . AGM and EGM - fifteen members . Committee - four members No meeting shall be abandoned for want of a quorum until thirty minutes after the time appointed for the start of the meeting. ↑ Top |
| 12. Subscriptions | The RAOU may decide to charge annual subscriptions for members of the Group in addition to the subscription fees payable for membership of the RAOU. Any such annual subscriptions shall be decided by the RAOU Council after consultation and the agreement of the Committee of Birds Australia Southern Queensland and will be payable directly to the RAOU. |
| 13. Funds | The Group may raise funds from any source which is not contrary to the overall aims and objectives of the RAOU. All funds received shall be paid into the Group's accounts but are beneficially owned by the RAOU. The Treasurer shall be responsible for receiving, paying and handling funds, and for keeping books of the Group's finances. At the AGM, the Treasurer shall present the past year's audited accounts for the Group. The accounts shall be audited annually. |
| 14. No Financial Advantage for Members | Nothing in these rules shall permit any member to derive personal pecuniary profit or advantage from the transactions of the Group. The Committee may, however, pay an honorarium salary to any member performing services for the Group, as it sees fit. |
| 15. Financial Accounts | At the end of each financial year of the RAOU, the Group shall submit its annual financial accounts to the RAOU for inclusion in the RAOU annual financial accounts. ↑ Top |
| 16. Functions | The Committee, or members delegated by the Committee, may arrange periodic meetings, talks, functions, birdwatching outings and campouts, and other activities connected with birdwatching, obtaining funding or for other purposes that help achieve the Group's objectives. Attendance at such functions should not be limited to members of the Group. |
| 17. Sub-committees | To assist with aspects of its work, the Committee may set up Sub-committees with a Convenor and members, all of whom shall be members of the Group, although not necessarily members of the Committee. Sub-committees shall not commit the Committee to any policy or expense, but may make recommendations within their terms of reference to the main Committee. |
| 18. Group Representation | The Committee may appoint a member or members of the Group to represent the Group on any body or at any meeting that invites such representation or, the Committee feels needs such representation. The Group representative shall not commit the Committee to any policy or expense without prior approval by the Committee. <↑ Top |
| 19. Amendment of Rules | These rules may be amended: |
| 19.1.1 | by the RAOU; or |
| 19.1.2 | at an AGM or EGM of the Group provided that the RAOU has first approved the proposed amendments; and a Notice of Motion, signed by two financial members of the Group and detailing the proposed changes, is sent to all members of the Group at least twenty-one days before an AGM or EGM, and. the motion has been carried at the AGM or EGM by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members present at the meeting. |
| 20. Property of the Group | The Group may only acquire property and assets on behalf of the RAOU. Any property and assets given to or held by or held on behalf of the Group is the property of the Union. |
| 21. Termination of the Group | If the Group is terminated under the provisions of the RAOU Constitution or otherwise, all property and assets held by or on behalf of the RAOU by the Group shall, after payments of outstanding liabilities, be returned to the RAOU. |
| ↑ Top | |