Constitution
Title
The name of the association shall be Broomball Australia, herein referred to as the association.
Purpose
The purpose of the association is to develop and promote the sport of broomball in Australia to gain acceptance, recognition and support in the wider sporting community.
Objectives
- to regulate and administer participation of members in national and international competitions
- to establish an effective framework for the sport and provide necessary support to established and prospective members of the association
- to encourage national participation in the sport by all peoples whilst introducing programmes to attract, retain and develop the skills and enjoyment of these players
- to liaise with local broomball associations and to ensure programs are in place to promote and develop the sport in their region
- to establish a network of suitably qualified and experienced officials and administrators by providing opportunities for improvement through training and recognition
- to establish a network with international broomball associations, seeking and collecting an invaluable base of information, resources and other required assistance, and to make this network of information available to all members of the association
- to ensure that the sport continues to develop at all levels
Membership
Membership shall comprise those local incorporated associations accepted into membership at a general meeting of the association and that are fully paid up members of the association; these members shall be known as ‘full members’. Full members of the association must be legally recognised as an association/incorporation in their state or territory. Established communities of players that are not tied to a particular full member, or are not yet legally recognised as an association/incorporation in their state or territory, shall be recognised by the association as ‘associate members’, and shall have no right to bear office or vote at any meetings until such time that they become full members. Each full member association will be entitled to two votes at the Annual General Meeting (AGM).
Disciplining of Members
The Executive Committee may initiate disciplinary proceedings towards any member or delegate where it deems these proceedings to be warranted, on the basis that the offending member(s) or delegate(s) have not acted in the best interests of the association. Any such disciplinary proceedings shall be regulated by the appropriate policies of the association.
Finance
a) All full and associate members of the association shall pay an annual registration fee, which shall be calculated annually using a formula deemed appropriate by the association.
b) The financial year shall start January 1 and end on the following December 31.
c) Registrations shall be due on January 1 each year.
Custody of Common Seal
At all times, the custody of the common seal of the association shall reside with the President. The National Council shall regulate use of the common seal.
The National Council
The purpose of the National Council is to uphold the values and objectives of the association, and to ensure equal and fair voting rights, in all cases, for all full members of the association. Each full member shall be entitled to two representatives on the Council, both of whom shall be elected by whatever means deemed necessary by that member. From the elected Council, one representative from each full member shall also be selected to fill that member’s position on the Executive Committee. That representative elected to the Executive Committee shall remain a voting member of the Council.
i) All representatives are entitled to one vote in any meeting of the Council, with votes by proxy eligible.
ii) In the case of a tied vote, the representative who is selected as President shall be entitled to a second and deciding vote.
iii) Each full member of the association will be required to elect its two representatives to the Council at least one month before the association’s AGM.
The Officers.
a) the officers of the association shall be:
i) the president
ii) the vice-president
iii) the secretary
iv) the treasurer
v) for any additional full member of the association that may join from time to time, an additional officer’s position will be added, with its title
and duties to be decided by the National Council
b) each full member of the association is obliged to fill one position from its representatives on the National Council, this selection being that member’s only entitlement to office
i) this selection will be done at the discretion of each full member of the association, by whatever method it deems necessary
c) the responsibilities of each officer’s position will be alternated annually between selected representatives of each full member of the association
d) the officers may be ex-officio members of all committees with powers to vote
e) the officers shall be eligible for re-election to the executive committee
f) the officers shall not be eligible to occupy any one position for more than one consecutive year
g) a vacancy, caused by death, illness, resignation, or vote of no confidence, may be filled at the discretion of the National Council
Annual Alternation of Officer’s Positions
The responsibilities of each officer’s position will be alternated annually between elected representatives of each full member of the association. The system of annual alternation is designed to provide each full member association the opportunity to fill each office position on a timely basis. The order of alternation will be decided by the individual incorporation date of each full member of the association, and work in chronological order from the member incorporated first to the member incorporated last. Each new full member of the association
will begin its system of annual alternation from the bottom-most office position, where the President position is considered to be uppermost position.
Duties and Responsibilities of Officers
At all times, officers are expected to be positive representatives of the association; to uphold and work towards the values and objectives of the association; and to behave in a manner becoming of their position.
a) President
i) to retain custody of the association’s common seal
ii) to cast the second and deciding vote in the case of a tied vote in a meeting of the National Council
b) Vice-President
i) to act in place of the President at times deemed necessary by the National Council
c) Secretary
i) to retain custody of the association’s books and documents
d) Treasurer
i) to administer the bank account of the association whilst following appropriate policy
ii) to allow for the inspection of the association’s books by any full member of the association
The Annual General Meeting (AGM)
a) An Annual General Meeting shall be held at least once each calendar year and shall:
i) receive the balance sheet and accounts for the previous year ending December 31
ii) receive each full member’s two representatives to the National Council
iii) oversee the selection of the officers
iv) ratify the status of all full and associate members of the association and, if necessary, approve any changes in status of current and potential members
v) appoint the auditors
b) Each full member of the association is entitled to be present at the AGM, with its representatives to the National Council carrying its right to vote. Each National Council representative is entitled to one vote.
c) Each associate member of the association is entitled to be present at the AGM, but has no right to bear office or vote.
Executive Committee
An Executive Committee, charged with the responsibility of guiding the association under its objective, shall be selected annually at the AGM. The executive Committee will include one representative from each full member of the association, selected from the National Council. The Executive committee shall consist of the officers of the association, each with power to vote in accordance with the rest of the National Council.
a) The executive committee shall:
i) convene at least once every three months by whatever means necessary
ii) be responsible for the day-to-day running of the association
iii) establish policy and procedures to ensure the efficient management and continued development of the association in all its aspects, as outlined in the objectives of the association
iv) establish sub-committees, if such action is deemed necessary
v) report to the National Council on a timely basis
Sub-Committees
The National Council or Executive Committee shall establish sub-committees, as and when they are deemed necessary. The roles and responsibilities of any sub-committee will be regulated by policy of the association.
Conduct of Meeting
a) The place and date of the next meeting of the National Council, Executive Committee, or any sub-committees, shall be decided at each meeting.
b) The National Council, Executive Committee, and any sub-committees of the association may meet by whatever means necessary, with provisions to be made for proxy votes if necessary.
c) The quorum for each meeting shall be 50% of the entire membership plus one.
d) A special or extraordinary general meeting may be called by the written requisition of three full members, to consider such matters as are referred on the notice of requisition. Such a meeting shall be called within one calendar month of the receipt of such a requisition. Any such requisition is to be received by the National Council.
e) The Secretary must receive items for the agenda at least three weeks prior to the meeting.
f) The agenda for a meeting shall be circulated at least two weeks prior to the meeting, by whatever means deemed necessary by the Secretary.
Alteration of Constitution
No rules of the association shall be altered or rescinded, or any new ones made, unless one calendar month’s notice has been given to each constituent body and then only by a two-thirds majority of these present and entitled to vote. Voting at an AGM or a special or extraordinary general meeting general meeting must include full notice of the alterations proposed.