Constitution of the Australian Cricket Society

CONSTITUTION OF THE AUSTRALIAN CRICKET SOCIETY Inc.

Adopted at the 2011 Annual General Meeting

  1. 1  The name of the incorporated association is Australian Cricket Society Incorporated (in these rules called “the society”)
  2. 2  In these rules, unless the contrary intention appears:
    1. (1)  “Committee” means the Committee of Management of the Society;
      “Financial Year” means the year ending on 30th June;
      “General Meeting” means a general meeting of members convened in accordance with Rule 11;
      “Member” means a member of the Society;
      “Ordinary Member of the Committee” means a member of the Committee who is not an officer of the Society under Rule 21;
      “The Act” means the Associations Incorporations Act 1981;
      “The Regulations” means regulations under the Act;
    2. (2)  In these Rules, a reference to the Secretary of the Society is a reference
      1. (a)  where a person holds office under the Rules as Secretary of the Society – to that person; and
      2. (b)  in any other case to the public officer of the Society.
    3. (3)  Words or expressions contained in these rules shall be interpreted in accordance with the

      provisions of the Acts Interpretations Act 1958 and the Act as in force from time to time.

Qualifications of Membership

3 (1)

A natural person who applies and is approved for membership as provided in these rules is eligible to be an Ordinary Member on payment of the entrance fee and appropriate subscription payable under these rules.

  1. (2)  A person who is not a member of the Society at the time of incorporation of the Society (or who was such a member at the time but has ceased to be a member) shall not be admitted to membership:
    1. (a)  unless he is nominated as provided in sub-clause (3); and
    2. (b)  lodged with the Secretary or Membership Officer of the Society.
  2. (3)  An application for membership of the Society:
    1. (a)  shall be made in writing; and
    2. (b)  lodged with the Secretary or Membership Officer of the Society.
  3. (4)  As soon as is praticable after receipt of an application, it shall be referred to the

    Committee.

  4. (5)  Upon an application being referred to the Committee shall determine whether to approve or reject the application.
  5. (6)  The Secretary or Membership Officer shall, upon payment of the amounts referred to in Clause 4, and upon approval by the Committee, enter the applicant’s name in the register of members kept by him, and, upon being so entered, the applicant becomes a member of the Association so long as he / she remains financial.

(7) A right, privilege or obligation of a person by reason of his membership of the Society:

  1. (a)  is not capable of being transferred to another person;
  2. (b)  terminates upon the cessation of his membership whether by death, resignation or

    failure to pay the annual subscription upon request.

(8) Members being Ordinary Life Members at the time of this category of membership was abolished automatically become Ordinary Members.

4 The Committee shall set:

  1. (1)  The entrance fee; and
  2. (2)  the subscription for Ordinary Members.

Register of Members
5 The Secretary or at the Committee’s direction, the Membership Officer shall keep and maintain a

register of members in which shall be entered the full name, address and date of entry of the name of each member and the register shall be available for inspection by members at the address of the Public Officer.

Resignation of membership

6 (1)

(2)

A member of the Society who has paid all moneys due and payable by him to the Society may resign from the Society by first giving one month’s notice in writing to the Secretary of his intention to resign and upon the expiration of that period of notice, the member shall cease to be a member.

Upon the expiration of a notice given under sub-clause (1), the Secretary shall make in the register of members an entry recording the date on which the member by whom the notice was given, ceased to be a member.

Expulsion, suspension or fining of members

7 (1)

Subject to the rules, the Committee may by resolution:

  1. (a)  expel a member from the Society;
  2. (b)  suspend a member from membership of the Society for a specific period; or
  3. (c)  fine a member in accordance with the regulations.

If the Committee is of the opinion that the member:

  1. (d)  has refused twice the Treasurer’s request in writing to pay the subscription;
  2. (e)  has refused or neglected to comply with these rules; or
  3. (f)  has been guilty of conduct unbecoming of a member prejudicial to the interests of

    the Society.

A resolution of the Committee under sub-clause (1):

  1. (a)  does not take effect unless the Committee, at a meeting held not earlier than 14 and not later than 28 days after the service on the member of a notice under sub- clause (3) confirms the resolution in accordance with this clause; and
  2. (b)  where the member exercises a right of appeal to the Society under this clause does

(2)

not take effect unless the Society confirms the resolution in accordance with this clause.

  1. (3)  Where the Committee passes a resolution under sub-clause (1), the Secretary shall, as soon as practicable, cause to be served on the member a notice in writing:
    1. (a)  setting out the resolution of the Committee and the grounds on which it is based;
    2. (b)  stating that the member may address the Committee at a meeting to be held not

      earlier than 14 and not later than 28 days after the service of the notice;

    3. (c)  stating the date, place and time of the meeting;
    4. (d)  informing the member that he may do one or more of the following:
      1. (i)  attend that meeting;
      2. (ii)  give to the Committee before the date of that meeting a written statement

        seeking the revokation of the resolution;

      3. (iii)  not later than 24 hours before the date of the meeting, lodge with the

        Secretary a notice to the effect that he wishes to appeal to the Society in general meeting against the resolution.

  2. (4)  At the meeting of the Committee held in accordance with sub-clause (2), the Committee:
    1. (a)  shall give to the member an opportunity to be heard;
    2. (b)  shall give due consideration to any written statement submitted by the member;

      and

    3. (c)  shall by resolution determine whether to confirm or to revoke the resolution.
  3. (5)  Where the Secretary receives a notice under sub-clause (3), he shall notify the Committee and the Committee shall convene a general meeting of the Society to be held within 21 days after the date on which the Secretary received the notice.
  4. (6)  At a general meeting of the Society convened under sub-clause (5):
    1. (a)  no business other than the question of the appeal shall be transacted;
    2. (b)  the Committee may place before the meeting details of the grounds for the

      resolution and the reasons for the passing of the resolution;

    3. (c)  the members shall be given an opportunity to be heard; and
    4. (d)  the members present shall vote by secret ballot on the question whether the

      resolution should be confirmed or revoked.

  5. (7)  If at the general meeting:
    1. (a)  two-thirds of the members vote in person or by proxy in favour of the confirmation of the resolution, the resolution is confirmed; and
    2. (b)  in any other case, the resolution is revoked.

Annual General Meetings

8 (1) (2) (3) (4)

The Society shall in each calendar year convene an annual general meeting of its members. The annual general meeting shall be held on such day as the Committee determines.
The annual general meeting shall be specified as such in the notice in convening it.
The ordinary business of the annual general meeting shall be:

(a) to confirm the minutes of the last preceding annual general meeting and of any general meeting held since that meeting;

(b) to receive from the Committee reports upon the transactions of the Society during the last preceding financial year;

(c) to elect officers of the Society and the ordinary members of the Committee; and

(d) to receive and consider the statement submitted by the Society in accordance with Section 30 (3) of the Act.

  1. (5)  The annual general meeting may transact special business of which notice is given in accordance with these rules.
  2. (6)  The annual general meeting shall be an addition to any other general meetings that may be held in the same year.

Special General Meetings
9 All general meetings other than the annual general meeting shall be called special general

meetings.

10 (1)

(2) (3)

(4)

(5)

General 11 (1)

(2) (3)

The Committee may, whenever it thinks fit, convene a special general meeting of the Society and, where but for this sub-clause, more than 15 months would lapse between annual general meetings, shall convene a special general meeting before the expiration of that period.

The Committee shall, on the requisition in writing of members representing not less than 5% of the total number of members, convene a special general meeting of the Society.

The requisition for a special general meeting shall state the objects of the meeting and shall be signed by the members making the requisition and be sent to the address of the Secretary and may consist of several documents in a like form, each signed by one or more of the members making the requisition.

If the Committee does not cause a special general meeting to be held within a month after the date on which the reqisition is sent to the address of the Secretary, the members making the requisition, or any of these, may convene a special general meeting to be held not later than 3 months after that date.

A special general meeting convened by members in pursuance of these rules shall be convened in the same manner as nearly as possible as that in which those meetings are convened by the Committee and all reasonable edxpenses incurred in convening the meeting shall be refunded by the Society to the persons incurring the expenses.

Meetings notice

The Secretary of the Society shall, at least 14 days before the date fixed for holding a general meeting of the Society, cause to be sent to each member of the Society at his address appearing in the register of members, a notice by pre-paid post stating the place, date and time of the meeting and the nature of the business to be transacted at the meeting.

No business other than that set out in the notice convening the meeting shall be transacted at the meeting.

A member, desiring to bring any business before a meeting may give notice of that business in writing to the Secretary, not less than 21 days before the date fixed for that meeting, the Secretary shall include that business in the notice calling the next general meeting after the receipt of the notice.

12 (1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

All business that is transacted at a special meeting and all business that is transacted at the annual general meeting with exception of that specially referred to in these rules as being the ordinary business of the annual general meeting shall be deemed to be special business.

No item of business shall be transacted at a special general meeting unless a quorum of members entitled under these rules to vote is present during the time when the meeting is considering that item.

25 members personally present (being members entitles under these rules to vote at a general meeting) constitute a quorum for the transaction of the business of the general meeting.

If within half an hour after the appointed time for the commencement of a general meeting, a quorum is not present, the meeting is convened upon the requisition of members shall be dissolved and in any other case shall stand adjourned to the same date in the next week at the same time and (unless another place is specified by the Chairman at the time of the adjournment or by written notice to members given before the date to which the meeting is adjourned) at the same place and if at the adjourned meeting the quorum is not present within half an hour after the time appointed for the commencement of the meeting, the members present (being not less than 15) shall be a quorum.

The President, or in his absence, the Vice President, shall preside as Chairman at each general meeting of the Society.

If the President and the Vice President are absent from a general meeting, the members present shall elect one of their number to preside as Chairman of the meeting.

Chairman 13 (1)

(2)

Adjournment

14 (1)

(2) (3)

The Chairman of a general meeting at which a quorum is present may, with the consent of the meeting, adjourn the meeting from time to time and place to place, but no business shall be transacted at an adjourned meeting other than the business left unfinished at the meeting at which the adjournment took place.

Where a meeting is adjourned for 14 days or more, a like notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given as in the case of the general meeting.

Except as provided in sub-clause (1) and (2), it is not necessary to give notice of an adjournment or of the business to be transacted at an adjourned meeting.

Voting
15 A question arising at a general meeting of the Society shall be determined on a show of hands and

unless before or on the declaration of the show of hands a poll is demanded, a declaration by the Chairman that a resolution has, on a show of hands, has been carried or carried unanimously or carried by a particular majority or lost, and an entry to that effect in the Minute Book of the Society is evidence of the fact without proof of the number or proportion of the votes recorded in favour of, or against, that resolution.

16 (1)

17 (1)

exercise a second or casting vote.

If at a meeting a poll on any question is demanded by not less than 15 members, it shall be taken at the meeting in such manner as the Chairman may direct and the resolution of the poll shall be deemed to be a resolution of the meeting on that question.

Upon any question arising at a general meeting of the Society, a member has only one vote.

  1. (2)  All votes shall be given personally or by proxy.
  2. (3)  In the case of an equality of voting on a question, the Chairman of the Meeting is entitled to

(2) A poll that is demanded on the election of a Chairman or on a question of an adjournment shall be taken forthwith and a poll that is demanded on any other question shall be taken as such time before the close of the meeting as the Chairman may direct.

18 A member is not entitled to vote at any general meeting unless all moneys due and payable by him to the Society have been paid, other than the amount of the annual subscription payable in respect of the current financial year.

Proxies
19 (1) Each member shall be entitled to appoint another member as his proxy by notice given to

the Secretary no later than 24 hours before the time of the meeting in respect of which the proxy is appointed.

(2) The notice appointing the proxy shall be in the form set out in Appenix 2.

Committee – Powers

20 (1) (2)

The affairs of the Society shall be managed by a Committee of Management constituted as provided in Rule 21.

The Committee shall:

  1. (a)  control and manage the business and affairs of the Society;
  2. (b)  subject to these rules, the regulations and the Act, exercise all such powers and

    functions as may be exercised by the Society other than those powers and functions that are required by these rules to be exercised by general meetings of the members of the Society;

  3. (c)  subject to these rules, the regulations and the Act, have power to perform all such acts and things as appear to the Committee to be essential for the proper management of the business and affairs of the Society;
  4. (d)  set the:
    1. (i)  entrance fee; and
    2. (ii)  subscription for Ordinary Members;
  5. (e)  appoint honorary members for up to one year as is appropriate for persons who have assisted the Society;
  1. (f)  Co-opt members up and until the next annual general meeting to the committee for special projects and give them full voting rights on the Committee;
  2. (g)  nominate honorary life members of the Society with full voting rights;
  3. (h)  terminate unfinancial members’ membership of the Society.

Constitution

21 (1)

The officers of the Society shall be:

  1. (a)  President
  2. (b)  Immediate Past President
  3. (c)  Two Vice Presidents
  4. (d)  Treasurer
  5. (e)  Secretary

22 (1)

Subject to Section 23 of the Act, the Committee shall consist of:

  1. (a)  the officers of the Society; and
  2. (b)  six (6) ordinary members each of whom shall be elected at the annual general

    meeting of the Society in each year.

23 (1)

Nominations of candidates for election as officers of the Society or as ordinary members of the Committee:

(a) shall be made in writing, signed by two members of the Society and accompanied by the written consent of the candidate (which may be endorsed on the form of nomination); and

  1. (2)  The provision of Rule 23 so far as they are applicable and with the necessary modifications, apply to and in relation to the election of persons to any of the officers mentioned in sub- clause (1).
  2. (3)  Each officer of the Society shall hold office until the annual general meeting next after the date of his election but is eligible for re-election.
  3. (4)  In the event of a casual vacancy in any office referred to in sub-clause (1) the Committee may appoint one of its members to the vacant office and the member so appointed may continue in office up to and including the conclusion of the annual general meeting next following the date of his appointment.
  1. (2)  Each ordinary member of the Committee shall, subject to these rules, hold office until the annual general meeting next after the date of his election but is eligible for re-election.
  2. (3)  In the event of a casual vacancy occuring in the office of an ordinary member of the Committee, the Committee may appoint a member of the Society to fill the vacancy and the member so appointed may continue in office up to and including the conclusion of the annual general meeting next following the date of his appointment.

(b) shall be delivered to the Secretary of the Society not less than 28 days before the

date fixed for the holding of the annual general meeting and nomination forms shall be circulated at least 7 days prior.

  1. (2)  If insufficient nominations are received to fill all vacancies on the Committee, the candidates nominated shall be deemed to be elected and further nominations shall be received at the annual general meeting.
  2. (3)  If the number of nominations received is equal to the number of vacancies to be filled, the persons nominated shall be deemed to be elected.
  3. (4)  If the number of nominations received exceeds the number of vacancies to be filled, a ballot shall be held.
  4. (5)  Where such a ballot is necessary, the Secretary, or if the Secretary is under challenge, a Returning Officer not under challenge, appointed by the Clairman, must:
    1. (a)  within 7 days of the close of nominations, provide a copy of the constitution and a list of current financial members, their addresses and telephone numbers where possible to all candidates;
    2. (b)  within 14 days of the meeting infom the membership that a ballot is to be held and provide them with proxy forms which must be returned to the Returning Officer no later than 24 hours before the scheduled meeting in accordance with Clause 19.1;
    3. (c)  the ballot for the election of officers and ordinary members of the Committee shall be conducted at the annual general meeting in such usual and proper manner as the Committee may direct. However, nominees for all positions shall have the right to address members at that annual general meeting for a period no exceeding 5 minutes.

Ground for termination of Office
24 For the purpose of these rules, the office of an officer of the Society or of any ordinary member of

the Committee becomes vacant if the officer or member:

(1) (2)

(3)

Quorum 25 (1)

(2) (3)

(4)

ceases to be a member of the Society;

becomes an insolvent under administration within the meaning of the Companies (Victoria) Code; or

resigns his office by notice in writing given to the Secretary.

and procedure at meetings

The Committee shall meet at least 3 times in ech year at such place and such times as the Committee may determine.

Special meetings of the Committee may be convened by the President or by any four (4) of the members of the Committee.

Notice shall be given to members of the Committee of any special meeting specifying the general nature of the business to be transacted and no other business shall be transacted at such a meeting.

Any four (4) members of the Committee constitute a quorum for the transaction of the business of a meeting of the Committee.

  1. (5)  No business shall be transacted unless a quorum of is present and if within half an hour of the time appointed for the meeting a quorum is not present, the meeting shall stand adjourned at the same place and at the same hour of the same day in the following week unless the meeting was a special meeting in which case it lapses.
  2. (6)  At meetings of the Committee:
    1. (a)  the President or in his absence the Vice President shall preside; or
    2. (b)  if the President and the Vice President are absent, such one of the remaining

      members of the Committee as may be chosen by the members present shall preside.

  3. (7)  Questions arising at a meeting of the Committee or of any sub-committee appointed by the Committee shall be determined by a show of hands or, if demanded by a member, by a poll taken in such manner as the person presiding at the meeting may determine.
  4. (8)  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 and, in the event of an equality of votes on any question, the person presiding may exercise a second or casting vote.
  5. (9)  Written notice of each committee meeting shall be served on each member of the Committee by delivering it to him at a reasonable time before the meeting or by sending it by pre-paid post addressed to him at his usual or last known place of abode at least two business days before the date of the meeting.
  6. (10)  Subject to sub-clause (4) the Committee may act notwithstanding any vacancy on the Committee.

Minutes
26 The Secretary shall keep or cause to be kept details of the resolutions and proceedings of the

Committee in a book provided by the Committee and duly set aside for that purpose.

Moneys 27 (1)

(2)

The Treasurer of the Society:

  1. (a)  shall collect and receive all moneys due to the Society and make all payments authorised by the the Society; and
  2. (b)  shall keep correct accounts and books showing the financial affairs of the Society with full details of all receipts and expenditure connected with the activities of the Society.

The accounts and books referred to in sub-clause (1) shall be available for inspection by members.

Removal of Committee membership
28 (1) The Society in general meeting may by resolution remove any member of the Committee

before the expiration of his term of office and appoint another member in his stead to hold office until the expiration of the term of the first-mentioned member.

(2) Where the member to whom a proposed resolution referred to in sub-clause (1) makes representations in writing to the Secretary or President of the Society (not exceeding a reasonable length) and requests that tey be notified to the members of the Society, the Secretary or the President may send a copy of the representations to each member of the Society or, if they are not so sent, the member may require that they be read out at the meeting.

Signing of negotiable instruments
29 All cheques, drafts, bills of exchange, promissory notes and other negotiable instruments shall be

signed by two members of the Committee.

Common Seal
30 (1) The Common Seal of the Society shall be kept in the custody of the Secretary.

(2) The Common Seal shall not be affixed to any instrument except by the authority of the Committee and the affixing of the Common Seal shall be attested by the signature either of two members of the Committee or of one member of the Committee and of the Public Officer of the Society.

Alterations of Statements of Purposes and Rules
31 These rules and the statement of purposes of the Society shall not be altered except in accordance

with the Act.

Service of Notices

32 (1) (2)

A notice may be served by or on behalf of the Society upon any member either personally or by sending it by post to the member at his address shown in the register of members.

Where a document is properly addressed pre-paid and posted to a person as a letter, the document shall, unless the contrary is proved, been seemed to have been given to the person at the time at which the letter would have been delivered in the ordinary course of post.

Winding up
33 That any and all assets remaining after full settlement of all debts and liabilities incurred by the

Society shall be disposed of to authorities or institutions with similar objectives to those of the Society.

Custody of books and other documents
34 Except as otherwise provided in these Rules, the Secretary shall keep in his custody or under his

control all books, documents and securities of the Society.

Source of funds
35 The funds of the Society shall be derived from entrance fees, annual subscriptions, donations and

such other sources as the Committee determines.

APPENDICES

APPENDIX 1 – Application for Membership of the Australian Cricket Society

I ………………………….. of ………………………………………………………………………
desire to become a member of the Australian Cricket Society. In the event of my admission as a member, I agree to be bound by the rules of the Society for the time being in force.

Signature of Applicant ……………………………………

I ………………………….. a member of the Society, nominate the applicant who is personally known to me, for membership of the Society.

Signature of Nominating Member ………………………………..

I ………………………….. a member of the Society, second the nomination of the applicant who is personally known to me, for membership of the Society.

Signature of Seconding Member ………………………………..

APPENDIX 2 – Form of Appointment of Proxy

I ………………………….. of ……………………………………………………………………… being a member of

the Society, hereby appoint ………………………………. of ……………………………………………………….. being a member of the Society, as my proxy to vote for me on my behalf at the general meeting of the

Society to be held on ……………………. and at any adjournment of that meeting.
My proxy is authorised to vote in favour of / against (delete as appropriate) the resolution (insert details).

Signed ………………………………..