CONDUCT OF MEETINGS

21.0 Society Meetings

21.1 A Society Meeting is either an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting.

(a)   A Society Meeting shall be conducted either in a physical place or by electronic medium.

21.2 The Annual General Meeting shall be held once every year between 01 April and 31 August. The Committee shall determine when and where (or how) the Society shall meet within those dates.

21.3 Special General Meetings may be called by the Committee. The Committee must call a Special General Meeting if the Secretary receives a written request signed by at least a quarter of the Members.

21.4 The Secretary shall give all Members at least 14 days written notice of:

(a)   The business to be conducted at any Society Meeting;

(b)   A copy of the Annual Report and Statement of Accounts, if the Society Meeting is an Annual General Meeting;

(c)   A list of Nominees for the Committee, and information about those Nominees if it has been provided. (The Secretary must not provide Members with information exceeding one side of an A4 sheet of paper per Nominee).

(d)   Notice of any motions and the Committee’s recommendations about those motions. If the Secretary has sent notice to all Members in good faith, the Meeting and its business will not be invalidated simply because one or more Members do not receive the notice.

21.5 All Individual and Life Members may attend and vote at Society Meetings.

21.6 No Society Meeting may be held unless at least Fifteen (15) Members attend.

21.7 All Society Meetings shall be chaired by the Chairperson. If the Chairperson is absent, the Secretary shall chair the Society Meeting. If the Secretary is also absent, the Society shall elect another Committee Member to chair that meeting. Any person chairing a Society Meeting has a casting vote.

21.8 On any given motion at a Society Meeting, the Chairperson shall in good faith determine whether to vote by:

(a)     Voices;

(b)     Show of hands;

(c)     Open ballot; or

(d)     Secret ballot.

However, if any Member demands a secret ballot before a vote by voices or show of hands has begun, voting must be by secret ballot. If a secret ballot is held, the Chairperson will have a casting vote.

21.9 The business of an Annual General Meeting shall be:

(a)   Any minutes of the previous Meeting(s);

(b)   The Chairperson’s report on the business of the Society;

(c)   The Treasurer’s report on the finances of the Society, and the Statement of Accounts;

(d)   Election of Committee Members;

(e)   Motions to be considered;

(f)    General business; and

(g)   Approval of plans for the balance of the current and next calendar years.

22.0 Motions at Society Meetings

22.1 Any Member may request that a motion be voted on (“Member’s Motion”) at a particular Society Meeting, by giving written notice to the Secretary at least 28 days before that meeting. The Member may also provide information in support of the motion (“Member’s Information”). The Committee may in its absolute discretion decide whether or not the Society will vote on the motion.

However, if the Member’s Motion is signed by at least a quarter of all Members:

(a)   It must be voted on at the Society Meeting chosen by the Member; and

(b)   The Secretary must give the Member’s Information to all Members at least 14 days before the Society Meeting chosen by the Member; or

         If the Secretary fails to do this, the Member has the right to raise the motion at the following Society Meeting.

22.2 The Committee may also decide to put forward motions for the Society to vote on (“Committee Motions”).

23.0 Committee Meetings

23.1 No Committee Meeting may be held unless more than half of the Committee Members attend.

23.2 The Chairperson shall chair Committee Meetings, or if the Chairperson is absent, the Secretary shall chair the Committee Meeting. If the Secretary is also absent, the Committee shall elect a Committee Member to chair that meeting.

23.3 Decisions of the Committee shall be by majority vote.

23.4 The Chairperson or person acting as Chairperson has a casting vote.

23.5 Only Committee Members present at a Committee Meeting may vote at that Committee Meeting.

23.6 Subject to these Rules, the Committee may regulate its own practices.