CONSTITUTION OF
CANCER INFORMATION AND
SUPPORT SOCIETY INCORPORATED
CANCER INFORMATION AND
SUPPORT SOCIETY INCORPORATED
1. The name of the society is CANCER INFORMATION AND SUPPORT
SOCIETY INCORPORATED (hereinafter called “the Society”).
2. The objects for which the Society is established are:
(a) (1) To promote and obtain through public education the legal release of humane and effective treatment for people with cancer.
(2) To secure for the physician the right to use non-toxic, beneficial therapies for all people with cancer.
(3) To give comfort, solace, information and release from fear to those with cancer. To give hope to the lay-person that measures to restore normal body chemistry, withdrawal of all known carcinogens, and use of non-toxic materials which restrain and reduce tumour growth, coupled with non-radical surgical procedures, will provide new patterns of treatment based on new research findings.
(4) To restore constitutional right to life and free choice of treatment and doctor of those with cancer and their families.
(5) To teach and otherwise disseminate information concerning the systemic, metabolic and endocrine nature of cancer.
(6) To educate the public concerning cancer-causing factors in environment, food and drink.
(7) To institute an educational cancer-prevention program for farmers, food processors, food handlers, homemakers, physicians, industrialists, etc.
(8) To foster freedom of medical and/or health research and education. To promote acquisition of new knowledge and also the correction of errors in cancerology. To further the application of research findings in the clinical treatment of cancer.
(9) To contribute to the development of and to obtain legal release of laboratory tests which can detect body chemistry alterations which indicate the presence of cancer, or which precede the malignant state.
(10) To clarify and evaluate the current methods of treatment of cancer.
(11) To teach, lecture, and otherwise disseminate information concerning the layperson’s status with regard to cancer and his/her legal rights.
(12) To write, publish and disseminate literature on all aspects of the cancer problem.
(13) To encourage a freedom of medical practice so that the physician may freely choose the treatment or modality which his/her training, research, and
experience lead him/her to believe most effective.
(14) To encourage, assist and arrange for medical practitioners, scientists and others to come to Australia or to travel abroad or to travel within Australia for the purposes of research, training and the dissemination of information concerning cancer.
(15) To encourage, arrange for, promote, establish and support hospitals, clinics, infirmaries, special dispensary facilities and other institutions for the care, treatment and convalescence of people with cancer and for the assistance of the families of those with cancer.
(b) To take over the funds and other assets and liabilities of the present limited liability company known as the Cancer Information and Support Society. Solely for the purpose of carrying out the aforesaid objects and not otherwise.
(c) To hold or arrange competitions and provide or contribute towards the provision of prizes, awards and distinctions in connection therewith.
PROVIDED that no member of the Society shall receive any prize, award or distinction of monetary value except as a successful competitor at any competition held or promoted by the Society.
(d) To establish, promote, subscribe to, become a member of and co-operate with or amalgamate with any other association or organisation, whether incorporated or not, whose objects are similar to those of the Society.
PROVIDED that the Society shall not establish, promote, subscribe to or support with its funds or amalgamate with any association or organisation which does not prohibit the distribution of its income and property among its members to an extent at least as great as that imposed on the Society under or by virtue of Clause 3 of this Constitution.
(e) To buy, sell and deal in all kinds of apparatus and all kinds of provisions, liquid and solid, required by the members of the Society or persons frequenting the
Society’s premises.
(f) To purchase, take on lease or in exchange, hire and otherwise acquire any lands, building, easements or property, real and personal, and any rights or privileges
which may be requisite for the purpose of, or capable of being conveniently used in connection with, any of the objects of the Society.
PROVIDED that in case the Society shall take or hold any property which may be subject to any trusts the Society shall only deal with the same in such manner as is
allowed by law having regard to such trusts.
(g) To enter into any arrangements with any Government or authority, federal, state, municipal, local or otherwise, that may seem conducive to the Society’s objects or any of them and to obtain from any such Government or authority any rights, privileges and concessions which the Society may think it desirable to obtain; and to carry out, exercise and comply with any such arrangements, rights, privileges and concessions.
(h) To appoint, employ, remove or suspend such managers, clerks, secretaries, servants, workmen and other persons as may be necessary or convenient for the purposes of the Society.
(i) To establish and support or aid in the establishment and support of associations, institutions, funds, trusts and conveniences calculated to benefit employees or past
employees of the Society or the dependants or connections of any such persons; and to grant pensions and allowances; and to make payments towards insurance; and to subscribe or guarantee money for charitable or benevolent objects, or for any public general or useful object.
(j) To construct, improve, maintain, develop, work, manage, carry out, alter or control any houses, buildings, grounds, works or conveniences which may seem calculated directly or indirectly to advance the Society’s interests, and to contribute, to subsidise or otherwise assist and take part in the construction, improvement, maintenance, development, working, management, carrying out, alteration or control thereof.
(k) To invest and deal with the money of the Society not immediately required in such manner as may be permitted by law for the investment of trust funds.
(1) To borrow or raise or secure the payment of money in such manner as the Society may think fit and to secure the same or the repayment or performance of any debt,
liability, contract, guarantee or other engagement incurred or to be entered into by the Society in any way and in particular by the issue of debentures perpetual or
otherwise charged upon all or any of the Society’s property (both present and future), and to purchase, redeem or pay off such securities.
(m) To make, draw, accept, endorse, discount, execute and issue promissory notes, bills of exchange, bills of lading and other negotiable or transferable instruments.
(n) To sell, improve, manage, develop, exchange, lease, dispose of, turn to account or otherwise deal with all or any part of the property and rights of the Society.
(o) To take or hold mortgages, liens and charges to secure payment of the purchase price or any unpaid balance of the purchase price, of any part of the Society’s property of whatsoever kind sold by the Society or any money due to the Society from purchasers and others.
(p) To take any gift of property whether subject to any special trust or not, for any one or more of the objects of the Society but subject always to the proviso in paragraph (f) of this clause 2.
(q) To take such steps by personal or written appeals, public meetings or otherwise, as may from time to time be deemed expedient for the purpose of procuring contributions to the funds of the Society, in the shape of donations, annual subscriptions or otherwise.
(r) To print and publish any newspapers, periodicals, books or leaflets that the Society may think desirable for the promotion of its objects.
(s) To purchase or otherwise acquire and undertake all or any part of the property, assets, liabilities and engagements of any one or more of the companies, institutions, societies or associations with which the Society is authorised to amalgamate.
(t) To transfer all or any part of the property, assets, liabilities and engagements of the Society to any one or more of the companies, institutions, societies or associations with which the Society is authorised to amalgamate.
(u) To make donations for charitable purposes.
PROVIDED that the Society shall not support with its funds any activity or endeavour to impose on or procure to be observed by its members or others any regulations or restrictions, which if an object of the Society would make it a trade union within the meaning of the Trade Unions Act.
3. The income and property of the Society, whencesoever derived, shall be applied solely towards the promotion of the objects of the Society as set forth in this Constitution; and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred, directly or
indirectly, by way of dividend, bonus or otherwise, to the members of the Society.
PROVIDED that nothing herein contained shall prevent the payment in good faith of remuneration to any officers or servants of the Society or to any member of the Society in return for any services actually rendered to the Society or for goods supplied in the ordinary and usual way of business nor prevent the payment of interest at a rate not exceeding the rate for the time being fixed for the purpose of this
paragraph by the Constitution on money borrowed from any member of the Society or reasonable and proper rent for premises demised or let by any member of the Society but so that no member of the Committee or Governing Body of the
Society shall be appointed to any salaried office of the Society or any office of the Society paid by fees and that no remuneration or other benefit in money or money’s worth shall be paid or given by the Society to any member of such council or governing body except repayment of out-of-pocket expenses and interest at the rate aforesaid on money lent or reasonable and proper rent for premises demised or let to the Society.
4. Any addition, alteration or amendment made to or in the objects clause of the Constitution for the time being in force must be advised to the Secretary, Department of Fair Trading.
5. In the event of the Society being wound up while he or she is a member, the liability of a member is limited to the amount unpaid of membership of the Society as required by Clause 12.
6. If upon the winding-up or dissolution of the Society there remains after satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities, any property whatsoever, the same shall not be paid to or
distributed among the members of the Society, but shall be handed over to some other registered or exempted charity or charities having objects similar to the objects of the
Society, and whose memorandum of association or constitution shall prohibit the distribution of its or their income and property among its or their members to an extent at least as great as is imposed on the Society under or by virtue of clause 3 hereof, such registered or exempted charity or charities to be determined by a simple majority of the members of the Society at or before the time of the dissolution and in default thereof by application to the Supreme Court for determination.
7. True accounts shall be kept of the sums of money received and expended by the Society, and the matter in respect of which such receipt and expenditure takes place, and of the property, credits and liabilities of the Society; and, subject to any reasonable restrictions as to the time and manner of inspecting the same that may be imposed in accordance with the constitution for the time being in force shall be open to the inspection of the members. Once at least in every year, the accounts of the Society shall be examined by one or more properly qualified Auditor or Auditors who shall report to the members in accordance with the requirements of the Department of Fair Trading and the Charities Office of the Department of Gaming and Racing.
CANCER INFORMATION AND SUPPORT SOCIETY INCORPORATED.
INTERPRETATION
8. In this Constitution
“the Society” means the Cancer Information and Support Society Incorporated; “Committee” means the governing committee of the Society;
“the seal” means the common seal of the Society;
“Secretary” means any person appointed to perform the duties of a secretary of
the Society and includes an honorary secretary;
“State” means the State of New South Wales. Expressions referring to writing shall, unless the contrary intention appears, be construed as including references to printing, lithography, photography and other modes of representing or reproducing words in a visible form.
Words or expressions contained in these articles shall be interpreted in accordance with the provisions of the Interpretation Act of 1897 and of the Act as in force at the date at which these articles become binding on the Society.
9. The Society is established for the purposes set out in Clause 2 of the Constitution.
MEMBERSHIP
10. Every applicant for membership of the Society shall be proposed by a member of the Society. The application for membership shall be made in writing, signed by the applicant and the proposer and shall be in such form as the Committee from time to time prescribes.
11. At the next meeting of the Committee after the receipt of any application for membership, such applications shall be considered by the Committee, who shall thereupon determine upon the admission or rejection of the applicant. In no case
shall the Committee be required to give any reason for the rejection of an applicant.
12. When an applicant has been accepted for membership the Secretary shall forthwith send to the applicant written notice of his or her acceptance and a request for payment of his or her first annual subscription. Upon payment of this first
annual subscription the applicant shall become a member of the Society, provided nevertheless that if such payment be not made within two calendar months after the date of the notice, the Committee may in its discretion cancel its acceptance of
the applicant for membership of the Society.
13. The annual subscription payable by members of the Society shall be such as the Society in general meeting shall from time to time prescribe, provided that until the Society shall resolve the annual subscription shall be $50 for single members and $60 for couples
PROVIDED that the Committee may establish special membership subscriptions, not exceeding this amount for special shorter terms for individuals
PROVIDED FURTHER that the Committee may establish corporate or other special membership fees exceeding the above amount based on additional services offered by the Society.
14. All annual subscriptions shall become due and payable in advance on the 1st day of July in every year
PROVIDED that the Committee may offer automatic renewals of membership as an option for new members who have joined via the internet.
14A. The register of members shall be kept at the main premises of the Society.
CESSATION OF MEMBERSHIP
15. If the subscription of a member shall remain unpaid for a period of two calendar months after it becomes due then the member may after notice of the default shall have been sent to him or her by the Secretary or Honorary Treasurer be debarred by resolution of the Committee from all privileges of membership provided that the Committee may reinstate the member on payment of all arrears if the Committee thinks fit to do so.
16. A member may at any time by giving notice in writing to the Secretary resign his or her membership of the Society but shall continue to be liable for all arrears due and unpaid at the date of his or her resignation.
17. If any member shall wilfully refuse or neglect to comply with the provisions of the Constitution of the Society or shall be guilty of any conduct which in the opinion of the Committee is unbecoming of a member or prejudicial to the interest of the Society the Committee shall have power by resolution to censure, fine, suspend or expel the member from the Society.
PROVIDED that at least one week before the meeting of the Committee at which such a resolution is passed the member shall have had notice of such meeting and of what is alleged against him or her and of the intended resolution and that he or she shall at such meeting and before the passing of such resolution have an opportunity of giving orally or in writing any explanation or defence he or she may think fit and
PROVIDED FURTHER that any such member may by notice in writing lodged with the Secretary at least twenty-four hours before the time for holding the meeting at which the resolution is to be considered by the Committee, elect to have the question
dealt with by the Society in general meeting and in that event an ordinary general meeting of the Society shall be called for the purpose and if at the meeting such resolution be passed by a majority of two-thirds of those present and voting (such vote to be taken by ballot) the member concerned shall be punished accordingly and in the case of a resolution for his or her expulsion the member shall be expelled.
GENERAL MEETINGS
18. An annual general meeting of the Society shall be held at least once in each calendar year and within the period of six months after the expiration of each financial year of
the Society. All general meetings, other than the Annual General Meetings, shall be called extraordinary general meetings.
FINANCIAL YEAR
19. The financial year shall conclude on the thirtieth day of June.
20. Any member of the Committee may whenever he or she thinks fit convene an extraordinary general meeting, and ordinary general meetings shall be convened on such requisition.
21. Fourteen days notice at the least (exclusive of the day on which the notice is served or deemed to be served, and exclusive of the day for which notice is given) specifying the place, the day and the hour of meeting and in case of special business the general nature of that business shall be given to such persons as are entitled to receive such from the Society.
22. For the purpose of clause 21 all business shall be special that is transacted at an extraordinary general meeting, and also all that is transacted at an annual meeting, with the exception of the consideration of the accounts, balance-sheets, and the report of the Committee and Auditors, the election of officers and other members of the Committee in the place of those retiring, and the appointment of the Auditors, if necessary.
PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS
23. No business shall be transacted at any general meeting unless a quorum of members is present at the time when the meeting proceeds to business. Save as herein otherwise provided five members present in person shall become a quorum. For the purpose of this article “member” includes a person representing a corporation that is a member.
24. If within half an hour from the time appointed for the meeting a quorum is not present, the meeting, if convened upon the requisition of members, shall be dissolved, in any other case it shall stand adjourned to the same day in the next week at the same time and place, or to such other day and at such other time and place as the Committee may determine, and if at the adjourned meeting a quorum is not present within half an hour from the time appointed for the meeting, the members present (being not less than three) shall be a quorum.
25. The Convenor shall preside as Chairperson at every general meeting of the Society, or if there is no Convenor, or if he or she is not present within fifteen minutes after the time appointed for the holding of the meeting or is unwilling to act, the Vice-Convenor shall be the Chair-person or if the Vice-Convenor is not present or is unwilling to act then the members present shall elect one of their number to be Chairperson of the meeting.
26. The Chairperson may, with the consent of any meeting at which a quorum is present (and shall if so directed by the meeting), adjourn the meeting from time to time and from place to place, but no business shall be transacted at any adjourned meeting other than the business left unfinished at the meeting from which the adjournment took place. When a meeting is adjourned for fourteen days or more, notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given as in the case of an original meeting. Save as aforesaid it shall not be necessary to give any notice of an adjournment or the
business to be transacted at an adjourned meeting.
27. At any general meeting a resolution put to the vote of the meeting shall be decided on a show of hands unless a poll is (before or on the declaration of the result of the show of hands) demanded –
(a) by the Chairperson; or
(b) at least three members present in person.
Unless a poll is so demanded a declaration by the Chairperson that a resolution has on a show of hands been carried or carried unanimously, or by a particular
majority, or lost, and an entry to that effect in the book containing the minutes of the proceedings of the Society shall be conclusive evidence of the fact without proof of the number or proportion of the votes recorded in favour of or against the resolution. The demand for a poll may be withdrawn.
28. If a poll is duly demanded it shall be taken in such manner and either at once or after an interval or adjournment or otherwise as the Chairperson directs, and the result of the poll shall be the resolution of the meeting at which the poll was demanded but a poll demanded on the election of a chairperson or on a question of adjournment shall be taken forthwith.
29. The chairperson of a general meeting shall not be entitled to a vote except in the case of an equality of votes, whether on a show of hands or on a poll, when the chairperson shall be entitled to a casting vote.
30. A member may vote in person or by attorney and on a show of hands every person present who is a member or a representative of a company or corporation that is a member shall have one vote and on a poll every member present in person or by attorney or other duly authorised representative shall have one vote.
31. A member who is of unsound mind or whose person or estate is liable to be dealt with in any way under the law relating to mental health may vote, whether on a show of hands or on a poll, by his or her Committee or by his or her trustee or by such other person as properly has the management of his or her estate, and any such committee, trustee or other person may vote by attorney.
32. No member shall be entitled to vote at any general meeting if his or her annual subscription shall be more than one month in arrear at the date of the meeting.
33. DELETED 18 March 2017 (related to proxies)
34. DELETED 18 March 2017 (related to proxies)
35. The instrument appointing a power of attorney or other authority, if any, under which it is signed or a notarial certified copy of that power or authority shall be deposited at the registered office of the Society, or at such other place within the State as is specified for that purpose in the notice convening the meeting, not less than forty-eight hours before the time for holding the meeting or adjourned meeting at which the person named in the instrument proposes to vote, or, in the case of a poll, not less than twenty-four hours before the time appointed for the taking of the poll and in default the instrument shall not be treated as valid.
36. A vote given in accordance with the terms of an instrument of proxy or attorney shall be valid notwithstanding the previous death or unsoundness of mind of the principal or revocation of the instrument or of the authority under which the instrument was executed, if no intimation in writing of such death, unsoundness of mind or revocation as aforesaid has been received by the Society at the registered office before the commencement of the meeting or adjourned meeting at which the instrument is used.
THE COMMITTEE (INCLUDING OFFICE-BEARERS)
37. The office-bearers of the Society shall consist of a Convenor, a Vice Convenor, an Honorary Secretary and an Honorary Treasurer, all of whom shall be members of the Society.
38. The Committee shall consist of the office-bearers and five other members of the Society all of whom shall be elected as herein provided.
39. At the annual general meeting of the Society in each year the office-bearers and other members of the Committee shall be elected from among the members and such office-bearers and other members of the Committee shall hold office until the next annual general meeting when they shall retire but they shall be eligible for re-election. There is no maximum number of consecutive terms for which a committee member may hold office.
40. The election of office-bearers and other members of the Committee shall take place in the following manner:
a. Any two members of the Society shall be at liberty to nominate any other member to serve as an office-bearer or other member of the Committee.
b. The nomination, which shall be in writing and signed by the member and his or her proposer and seconder shall be lodged with the Secretary at least fourteen days before the annual general meeting at which the election is to take place.
c. A list of the candidates’ names, drawn by lot, with the proposers’ and seconders’ names, shall be posted in a conspicuous place in the registered office of the Society for at least seven days immediately preceding the annual general meeting.
d. Balloting lists shall be prepared (if necessary) containing the names of the candidates only in alphabetical order, and each member present at the annual general meeting shall be entitled to vote for any number of such candidates
not exceeding the number of vacancies, provided that for multi-member positions, voting shall be by the quota preferential method of proportional representation.
e. In case there shall not be sufficient number of candidates nominated the Committee may fill up the remaining vacancy or vacancies.
41. The Society may from time to time by ordinary resolution passed at a general meeting increase or reduce the number of office-bearers or other members of the Committee.
42. The Committee shall have power at any time, and from time to time, to appoint any member to the Committee, either to fill a casual vacancy or as an addition to the Committee but so that the total number of office-bearers or other members of the Committee shall not at any time exceed the number fixed in accordance with this Constitution. Any office-bearer or other member of the Committee so appointed
shall hold office only until the next following annual general meeting.
43. The Society may by ordinary resolution of which special notice has been given remove any office-bearer or other member of the Committee before the expiration of his or her period of office, and may by an ordinary resolution appoint another person in his or her stead; the person so appointed shall hold office only until the next following annual general meeting.
44. The office of a member of the Committee shall become vacant if the member:
a. becomes bankrupt or makes any arrangement or composition with his or her creditors generally.
b. becomes of unsound mind or a person whose person or estate is liable to be dealt with in any way under the law relating to mental health.
c. resigns his or her office by notice in writing to the Society
d. for more than six months is absent without permission of the Committee from meetings of the Committee held during that period.
e. holds any office of profit under the Society.
f. ceases to be a member of the Society; or
g. is directly or indirectly interested in any contract or proposed contract with the Society.
PROVIDED always that nothing in this paragraph shall affect the operation of clause 3 of the Constitution of the Society.
POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE COMMITTEE
45. The business of the Society shall be managed by the Committee who may pay all expenses incurred in promoting and registering the Society, and may exercise all such powers of the Society as are not, by this Constitution, required to be exercised by the Society in general meeting, subject, nevertheless, to any of these clauses, and to such regulations, being not inconsistent with the aforesaid clauses, as may be prescribed by the Society in general meeting;
PROVIDED that any rule regulation or by-law of the Society made by the Committee may be disallowed by the Society in general meeting and
PROVIDED FURTHER that no resolution or regulation made by the Society in general meeting shall invalidate any prior act of the Committee which would have been valid if that resolution or regulation had not been passed or made.
46. The Committee may exercise all the powers of the Society to borrow money and to mortgage or charge its property, or any part thereof, and to issue debentures and other securities whether outright or as security for any debt, liability, or obligation of the Society.
47. For the purposes of clause 3 of Constitution the rate of interest payable in respect of money lent by members of the Society shall not exceed the lowest rate paid for the time being by banks in the State in respect of term deposits.
48. All cheques, promissory notes, drafts, bills of exchange and other negotiable instruments, and all receipts for money paid to the Society shall be signed, drawn, accepted, endorsed or otherwise executed, as the case may be, by any two members of the Committee or in such other manner as the Committee from time to time determine.
PROVIDED that all payments in excess of $100 made by the Society shall be paid by cheque, signed by two of the Society’s authorised persons, or by electronic funds transfer or other means paid by one of the Society’s authorised persons in accordance with a voucher approved by two authorised persons including the Convenor, Vice-Convenor, Secretary or Treasurer.
PROVIDED FURTHER that payments to Office Bearers and Committee Members of greater than $100 in value for the purchase of an Asset or the engagement of external suppliers and / or contractors must be supported by a firm, written Quotation and / or a Suppliers Invoice for consideration by the Committee before any such expenditure is approved.
All accounts shall be presented to and passed for payment at a committee meeting and full details of all such approvals shall be entered in the minute book.
49. The Committee shall cause minutes to be made
a. of all appointments of officers and servants;
b. of names of members of the Committee present at all meetings of the Society and of the Committee; and
c. of all proceedings at all meetings of the Society and of the Committee.
Such minutes shall be signed by the Chairperson of the meeting at which the
proceedings were held or by the Chairperson of the next succeeding meeting.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE
50. The Committee may meet together for the dispatch of business, adjourn and otherwise regulate its meetings as it thinks fit. A member of the Committee may at any time, and the Secretary shall on the requisition of a member of the Committee, summon a meeting of the Committee.
PROVIDED that the Committee may convene a meeting whereby absent members are in contact by electronic means such as voice or video link.
51. Subject to these articles questions arising at any meeting of the Committee shall be decided by a majority of votes and a determination by a majority of the members of the Committee shall for all purposes be deemed a determination of the Committee. In case of an equality of votes the Chairperson of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.
52. Subject to article 44(g) a member of the Committee shall not vote in-respect of any contract or proposed contract with the Society in which he or she is interested, or any matter arising thereout, and if he or she does so vote his or her vote shall not be counted.
53. The quorum necessary for the transaction of business of the Committee as provided in clause 38 shall be a majority of the total Committee or three, whichever is the greater or such greater number as may be fixed by the Committee.
54. The continuing members of the Committee may act notwithstanding any vacancy in the Committee, but if and so long as their number is reduced below the number fixed by or pursuant to these articles as the necessary quorum of the Committee, the continuing member or members may act for the purpose of increasing the number of members of the Committee to that number or of summoning a general meeting of the Society, but for no other purpose.
55. The Convenor shall preside as Chairperson at every meeting of the Committee, or if there is no Convenor, or if at any meeting he or she is not present within ten minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting, the Vice-Convenor shall be Chairperson or if the Vice-Convenor is not present at the meeting then the members may choose one of their number to be Chairperson of the Meeting.
56. The Committee may delegate any of its powers and or functions to one or more sub-committees consisting of such member or members of the Society as the Committee thinks fit. Any sub-committee so formed shall conform to any regulation that may be imposed by the Committee and subject thereto shall have power to co-opt any member or members of the Society and all members of such subcommittees shall have one vote.
57. The Committee may appoint one or more advisory boards consisting of such member or members of the Committee as the Committee thinks fit. Such advisory boards shall act in an advisory capacity only. They shall conform to any regulations that may be imposed by the Committee and subject thereto shall have the power to co-opt any member or members of the Society and all members of such advisory boards shall have one vote.
58. A sub-committee may meet and adjourn as it thinks proper. Questions arising at any meeting shall be determined by a majority of votes of the members present, and in the case of an equality of votes the Chairperson shall have a second or casting vote.
59. All acts done by any meeting of the Committee or of a sub-committee or by any person acting as a member of the Committee shall, notwithstanding that it is afterwards discovered that there was some defect in the appointment of any such member of the Committee or person acting as aforesaid, or that the members of the Committee or any of them were disqualified, be as valid as if every such person
had been duly appointed and was qualified to be a member of the Committee.
60. A resolution in writing signed by all the members of the Committee in Australia for the time being entitled to receive notice of a meeting of the Committee, shall be as valid and effectual as if it has been passed at a meeting of the Committee duly convened and held. Any such resolution may consist of several documents in like forms, each signed by one or more members of the Committee.
POSTAL and ELECTRONIC BALLOTS
60A. The Society may hold a postal or electronic ballot to determine any issue or proposal.
SEAL
61. The Committee shall provide for the safe custody of the seal which shall only be used by the authority of the Committee or of a sub-committee of members of the Committee authorized by the Committee in that behalf, and every instrument to which the seal is affixed shall be signed by a member of the Committee and shall be countersigned by the Secretary or by a second member of the Committee or by some other person appointed by the Committee for the purpose.
ACCOUNTS
62. The Committee shall cause proper accounting and other records to be kept and shall distribute copies of every profit and loss account and balance sheet (including every document required by law to be attached thereto) accompanied by a copy of the Auditors report thereon
PROVIDED, however, that the Committee shall cause to be made out and laid before each annual general meeting a balance-sheet and profit and loss account made up to date as of the thirtieth day of June.
63.The Committee shall from time to time determine in accordance with clause 7 of the Constitution at what times and places and under what conditions or regulations the accounting and other records of the Society shall be open to the inspection of members.
AUDIT
64.A properly qualified Auditor or Auditors shall be appointed.
NOTICE
65.Any notice required by law or by or under this Constitution to be given to any member shall be given by sending it by post to him or her at his or her registered address, or (if he or she has no registered address within the State) to the address, if any, within the State supplied by him or her to the Society for the giving of notices to him or her. Where a notice is sent by post, service of the notice shall be deemed to be effected by properly addressing, prepaying, and posting a letter containing the notice, and to have been effected in the case of a notice of a meeting on the day
after the date of its posting, and in any other case at the time at which the letter would be delivered in the ordinary course of post.
66. (1) Notice of every general meeting shall be given in any manner hereinbefore authorised to –
(a) every member except those members who (having no registered address within the state) have not supplied to the Society an address within the State for the giving of notices to them; and
(b) the auditor or auditors for the time being of the Society.
(2) No other person shall be entitled to receive notices of general meetings.
INDEMNITY
67. Every member of the Committee, auditor and any other officer for the time being of the Society shall be indemnified out of the assets of the Society against any liability arising out of the execution of his or her duties which is incurred by him or her in defending any proceedings, whether civil or criminal, in which judgement is given in his or her favour or in which he or she is acquitted.
GENERAL
68. No books, articles, materials or publication of any kind shall be distributed or sold at meetings of any kind organised by the Society unless approved by the Committee.
69. No person may hold himself or herself out as an official representative of the Society or issue a statement of policy on behalf of the Society unless so authorised by the Committee.
70. No person shall make commitments, financial or otherwise, on behalf of the Society without the approval of the Committee.
AMENDMENT OF RULES
71. These rules may be amended by a resolution passed by a three-quarters majority of members present at any annual general meeting at which 21 days notice of the proposed amendment shall have been given or at a special general meeting convened for such purpose.
Date of this printing: 20 March 2017
Signed by : ……………………………………
Last amended : Adjourned Annual General Meeting, 18 March 2017