Constitution of the RAEME Association of Tasmania Incorporated
DEFINITIONS.
(1) In these rules, except in so far as the context or subject-matter otherwise indicates or requires:
“Ordinary member” means a member of the committee who is not an office bearer of the association, as referred to in rule 11 (2).
“Secretary” means:
a. The person holding office under these rules as a secretary of the
association, or
b. Where no such person holds that office – the public officer of the
association.
“Special general meeting” means a general meeting of the association other
than an Annual General Meeting.
(2) In these rules:
a. A reference to a function includes a reference to a power, authority and duty; and
b. A reference to the exercise of a function includes, where the function is a duty, a reference to the performance of the duty.
STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES
(3) The name of the Association is, “RAEME Association Tas. Inc.” The full
title is, “Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Association of
Tasmania Incorporated”. In these rules it is referred to as the
“Association”.
(4) The objectives of the association are to:
a. Preserve the memory of service comrades.
b. Maintain fellowship between people who are serving, and those who
have served in the Corps.
c. Promote the welfare of Corps members, former Corps members, and
their dependants.
d. Provide assistance in the case of hardship to Corps members, former Corps members, their dependants, and dependants of deceased former members of the Corps.
e. Assist and co-operate with kindred organizations.
f. Place the work of the Corps before the public in such a way that they will appreciate the efforts of the Corps.
g. Take an active and intelligent interest in Australia’s Defence.
h. Establish and maintain clubs, social institutions, information bureau etc, for the benefit of the Corps.
Do all such acts as may promote the welfare of the association.
j. The association is a non-profit organization and does not warrant an annual subscription from its members.
Note: The word Corps, in these rules, means the Corps in the Australian Army known as The Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, or abbreviated to RAEME. It includes the titles used prior to the formation of the Corps on 1st December 1942, e.g. Australian Army Ordnance Corps Mechanical Engineering Branch, and any change in title subsequent to the incorporation of this association.
MEMBERSHIP
(5). Membership Categories.
a. Ordinary member,
b. Honorary Life member, and
c. Associate member.
Ordinary Member Qualifications.
(6) Membership is open to persons who are currently serving, or have served in
either full or part time capacity in the following:
a. The Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers or the
same Corps known under a former title, including The Australian
Army Ordnance Corps (Mechanical Engineering Branch).
b. RAEME Units, as attached troops from other Corps e.g. RAAOC
Stores Section, WRAAC, RAAMC, and AACC etc.
c. Armies of the British Commonwealth of Nations in a kindred capacity
as stated in ‘a’ or ‘b’.
(7) A person is qualified to be a member of the association but only if:
a. The person has been:
1. Nominated for membership of the association as provided by
rule, and
2. Approved for membership of the association by the committee
of the association.
(8) Members leaving the state of Tasmania may retain their membership
and may belong to any number of other RAEME Associations subject to their
acceptance by these associations.
Honorary Life Member.
(9) On the recommendation of the association management committee, the
association may confer an Honorary Life membership to those persons that,
they deem to have provided outstanding service to the association.
(10) All Honorary Life members will have full voting rights within the association.
(11) Honorary Life members will not be required to pay any membership fees or
subscriptions.
Associate members
(12) Persons that would be eligible for associate membership are:
a. Other service personnel from the army, navy and air force, excluding
those personnel in rule 2a.
Associate members would be required to pay an annual fee, the same as that of an ordinary member, as set out in rule 8.
(13) Associate members would have no voting rights within the association, or be
eligible for any executive committee positions.
Application for Membership.
(14) An application by a person for membership of the association shall be:
a. Made in writing on the form set out in Appendix (A) to these rules.
b. Lodged with the secretary of the association.
(15) As soon as practicable after receiving an application for membership, the
secretary shall refer the application to the committee, which will determine
whether to approve, or to reject the application.
(16) Where the committee determines to approve an application for membership, the secretary shall, as soon as practicable after that determination, notify the applicant of that approval within the period of twenty eight (28) days after receipt by the applicant of the notification. The Membership Member shall enter the applicant’s name in the register of members and upon the name being so entered, the applicant becomes a member of the association.
THE COMMITTEE
Powers of the Committee.
(17) The committee shall be called the committee of management of the
association and, subject to the Act, the Regulation and these rules and to any
resolution passed by the association in general meeting:
a. Is to control and manage the affairs of the association, and
b. May exercise all such functions as may be exercised by the association
other than those functions that are required by these rules to be
exercised by a general meeting of members of the association, and
c. Has power to perform all such acts and do all such things as appear to
the committee to be necessary or desirable for the proper management
of the affairs of the association.
Constitution and Membership.
(18) Subject in the case of the first members of the committee, the committee shall consist of:
a. The office-bearers of the association, and
b. Four (4) to ten (10) ordinary committee members, each of whom shall be elected at the annual general meeting of the association
pursuant to rule (15).
(19) The office-bearers of the association shall be:
a. The President
b. The Vice-President
c. The Treasurer
d. The Secretary
e. The Membership Officer
(20) Each member of the committee is, subject to these rules, to hold office until the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting following the date of the member’s election, but is eligible for re-election.
(21) In the event of a casual vacancy occurring in the membership of the committee, the committee may appoint a member of the association to fill the vacancy and the member so appointed shall hold office, subject to these rules, until the conclusion of the annual general meeting next following that date of the appointment.
Election of Members.
(22) Nominations of candidates for election as office bearers of the association or as ordinary members of the committee:
a. Must be made in writing, signed by two (2) members of the association and accompanied by the written consent of the candidate (which may be endorsed on the form of nomination), and
b. Must be delivered to the secretary of the association at least seven (7) days before the date fixed for the holding of the annual general meeting, at which the election is to take place.
(23) If insufficient nominations are received to fill all vacancies on the committee, the candidates nominated are taken to be elected, and further nominations are to be received at the annual general meeting.
(24) If insufficient further nominations are received, any vacant positions
remaining on the committee shall be deemed to be casual vacancies.
(25) If the number of nominations received is equal to the number of vacancies to be filled, the persons nominated are taken to be elected.
(26) If the number of nominations received exceeds the number of vacancies to be filled, a ballot is to be held.
(27) The ballot for the election of office-bearers and ordinary members of the
committee is to be conducted at the annual general meeting in such usual and proper manner as the committee may direct.
Secretary.
(28) The Secretary of the association must, as soon as practicable after being appointed as secretary, lodge notice with the association of his or her address.
(29) It is the duty of the secretary to keep minutes of:
a. All appointments of office-bearers and members of the committee,
b. The names of members of the committee present at a committee
meeting or a general meeting, and
c. All proceedings at committee meetings and general meetings.
(30) Minutes of proceedings at a meeting must be signed by the chairperson of the meeting or by the chairperson of the next succeeding meeting.
Treasurer.
(31) It is the duty of the treasurer of the Association to ensure that:
a. All money due to the Association is collected and received, and that all
payments authorized by the association are made, and
b. Correct books and accounts are kept showing the financial affairs of
the Association, including full details of all receipts and expenditure
connected with the activities of the association.
FUNDS – MANAGEMENT.
(32) Subject to any resolution passed by the association in general meeting, the
funds of the association are to be used in pursuance of the objects of the
association in such manner as the committee determines.
(33) All cheques, money transactions, drafts, bills of exchange, promissory notes and other negotiable instruments must be signed by either two (2) members of the committee of the association, being members authorized to do so by the committee.
(34) Re-imbursement will be paid in good faith to officers and servants of the
association, or other persons in return for expenses actually incurred on behalf
of the association.
(35) The association will appoint an Auditor at the general meeting, and all
accounts will be submitted for audit before presentation at the next annual
general meeting.
MEETINGS AND QUOROMS
(36) The committee shall meet at least three (3) times in each period of twelve (12) months at such place and time as the committee may determine.
(37) Additional meeting of the committee may be convened by the President or by any member of the committee.
(38) Oral or written notice of a meeting of the committee must be given by the secretary to each member of the committee at least 48 hours (or such other period as may be unanimously agreed upon by the members of the committee) before the time appointed for the holding of the meeting.
(39) Notice of a meeting given under clause (3) shall specify the general nature of the business to be transacted at the meeting and no business other than that business shall be transacted at the meeting except business which the committee members present at the meeting unanimously agree to treat as urgent business.
(40) Any three (3) members of the committee constitute a quorum for the transaction of the business of a meeting of the committee.
(41) No business is to be transacted by the committee, unless a quorum is present and if, within half an hour of the time appointed for the meeting, a quorum is not present, the meeting stands adjourned to the same place and at the same hour of the same day in the following week.
(42) If at the adjourned meeting a quorum is not present within half an hour of the time appointed for the meeting, the meeting is to be dissolved.
(43) At a meeting of the committee:
- The president or, in the president’s absence, the vice-president is to preside, or
- If the president and the vice-president are absent or unwilling to act, such one of the remaining members of the committee as may be chosen by the members present at the meeting is to preside.
Delegation by Committee to Sub-Committee.
(44) The committee may, by instrument in writing, delegate to one or more subcommittees (consisting of such member or members of the association as the committee thinks fit) the exercise of such of the functions of the committee as are specified in the instrument, other than:
a. This power of delegation.
(45) A function the exercise of which has been delegated to a sub-committee under
this rule may, while the delegation remains unrevoked, be exercised from time
to time by the sub-committee in accordance with the terms of the delegation.
(46) A delegation under this section may be made subject to such conditions or
limitations as to the exercise of any function, or as to time or circumstances,
as may be specified in the instrument of delegation.
(47) Despite any delegation under this rule, the committee may continue to
exercise any function delegated.
(44) Any act or thing done or suffered by a sub-committee acting in the exercise of
a delegation under this rule has the same force and effect as it would have if it
had been done or suffered by the committee.
(48) The committee may, by instrument in writing, revoke wholly or in part any
delegation under this rule.
(49) A sub-committee may meet and adjourn as it thinks proper.
Voting and Decisions.
(50) Questions arising at a meeting of the committee or of any sub-committee
appointed by the committee shall be determined by a majority of the votes of
members of the committee or subcommittee present at the meeting.
(51) Each member present at a meeting of the committee or of any sub-committee
appointed by the committee (including the person presiding at the meeting) is
entitled to one vote but, in the event of an equality of votes on any question,
the person presiding may exercise a second or casting vote.
(52) Subject to rule 20 (5), the committee may act despite any vacancy on the
committee.
(53) Any act or thing done or suffered, or purporting to have been done or
suffered, by the committee or by a sub-committee appointed by the
committee, is valid and effectual notwithstanding any defect that may
afterwards be discovered in the appointment or qualification of any member
of the committee or subcommittee.
Auditor
(54) An Honorary Auditor shall be elected at the time and in the manner herein before provided for the election of General Committee, and shall submit his report to the next Annual General Meeting. All books of account and record shall be produced to the Honorary Auditor by the Secretary or Treasurer on demand. The Honorary Auditor shall not be a member of the committee.
Financial year
(55) The financial year shall end on 30th June of each year.
Income and property
(56) The income and property of the Association shall be applied solely towards the promotion of the objectives and purpose of the Association and no part thereof shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly in any way to members of the Association or any other person provided that nothing herein contained shall prevent the reimbursement or remuneration of any officer or member of the Association for expenditure incurred on behalf of or services rendered to the Association.
APPENDIX
- A. Application for Association membership
President:
(Printed Name) R.CLARK Signature:
Date: November 2015
Secretary:
(Printed Name) A. BRITTEN Signature:
Date: November 2015
Treasurer:
(Printed Name) S.ROLLINS Signature:
Date: November 2015
