16 Composition of committee 

16.1 The committee must have a minimum of 7 members and a maximum of 10, as elected in accordance with clause 17, consisting of: 

a)  the following office-bearers: 

(i)  the chairperson 

(ii) the vice-chairperson, 

(iii) the secretary, 

(iv) the treasurer, and 

b)  at least 3 ordinary committee members. 

Note - The Act, section 28 contains requirements relating to membership eligibility and composition of the committee. 

16.2 An office-bearer may hold up to 2 offices, other than both the offices of chairperson and vice chairperson, although this situation should be avoided whenever possible 

17 Election of Committee members 

17.1 Any member of the association, either group representative or individual member may be nominated or self-nominated as a candidate for Election as an office-bearer or ordinary committee member who is present at the AGM provided that: 

a)  this nomination is supported by at least 2 members of the association 

b)  this nomination has the consent of the candidate to the nomination. 

17.2 If a candidate for appointment to the committee is not able to be present at the annual general meeting, the nomination of a service representative or individual member for committee must be: a) made in writing and 

b)  signed by at least 2 members of the association, not including the candidate, and 

c)  accompanied by the written consent of the candidate to the nomination, and 

d)  given to the secretary prior to the annual general meeting at which the Election is to take place , and 

e)  the nominee is to have the Qualifications for membership set out in Qualifications for membership clause 4 herein, and 

f)   individual members so elected will have full Voting rights if elected to the committee. 

18 Qualifications of committee  

18.1 No committee member shall be appointed to any position unless they shall have and retain the qualification as set out in paragraph (18 3) hereof. 

18.2 Any office bearer breaching any of these Qualifications during his or her periods of office shall automatically forfeit his or her position as such office bearer. 

18.3 That the qualification required for membership of the committee shall be 

a)  two (2) years physical abstinence from alcohol 

b)  one (1) year physical abstinence from other drugs, other than during medical treatment prior to joining the association 

c)  Bona fide membership of a participating Illawarra and South Coast AA group for at least one (1) year and 

d)  prior to attendance at least two (2) general meetings as service representative or Individual member. 

18.4      It is considered essential that no office bearer referred to in the last preceding clause hereof, should hold any office in any other movement, body, association or institution which has for a main objective dealing with in any way with the problem of alcohol and / or other drugs, or for the providing of amelioration, treatment or amenities for persons affected by such problems. 

18.5      The association may, from time to time, by ordinary resolution at a general meeting of the association change the number of committee people to be elected, provided the minimum number of committee members in clause (16.1) is not decreased. 

19 Mode of Election for committee  

19.1 All elections of all members of the committee shall take place by ballot where there is more than one nominee for a position as office bearer or ordinary committee member and must be held at the meeting in the way directed by the outgoing committee or as agreed by 2/3rd majority of Voting members present. 

19.2 When the ballot is taken at a meeting for the purpose of conducting a ballot, the meeting shall appoint two (2) scrutineers. The ballot shall not be taken until a period of at least one-half hour shall have elapsed from the time set out for the commencement of the meeting in the Notice to member groups and affiliate members. 

19.3 If insufficient nominations are received to fill all vacancies: 
(a) the candidates nominated are taken to be elected, and 

(b) a call for further nominations must be made at the meeting. 

19.4 A nomination made at the meeting in response to a call for further nominations must be made in the way directed by the member presiding at the meeting. 

19.5 Vacancies that remain aner a call for further nominations are taken to be casual vacancies. 

19.6 If the number of nominations received is equal to the number of vacancies to be filled, the members nominated are taken to be elected. 

20 Terms of office 

20.1 Subject to this constitution, a committee member holds office from the day the member is elected until immediately before the next annual general meeting. 

20.2 A committee member is eligible, if otherwise qualified, for re-election. 

20.3 There is a limit of three consecutive terms for which a committee member may hold office as a committee member. 

21 Office bearers of the association 

22.1 Whilst all members of the committee of the association are responsible to ensure the association operates ethically according to this constitution so as to ensure the association’s primary purpose of “carrying the message to the alcoholic who still suffers”, office bearers have additional responsibilities and duties. 

22.2 Chairperson and vice-chairpersons 

22.2.1 Leadership is important for the chair and vice-chair persons, much of this being done between meetings. 

a) leadership is focusing on the purpose of the organisation, 

b) thinking of ways to improve the association in meeting its aims, 

c) sharing these ideas with the committee and others, and 

d) offering support to those working on the committee, to volunteers and others working for the association. 

22.2. 2 Role of the chairperson is to: 

a) preside at all general meetings and meetings of the , 

b) ensure general meetings including the annual general meeting, deal with business arising before new business (which needs Notice), 

c) deal with new business without Notice as General Business, 

d) alter the order of the business with the meetings consent, and 

e) does not vote at meetings, unless there is an equality of votes. 

22.2.3 If there is an equality of votes, the chairperson has a casting vote. 

22.2.4 In the absence of the chairperson, the vice-chairperson or failing the vice-chairperson, then another of the committee is responsible to perform the role of chairperson. 

22.2.5 As is the case in 23.2.3 the presiding member in the absence of the chairperson does not have a vote, unless there is an equality of votes. In the event of an equality of votes, the presiding member has a casting vote. 

22.3 Association secretary 

22.3.1 As soon as practicable aner being elected as secretary, the secretary must lodge a Notice with the association specifying the secretary’s address. 

22.3.2 The secretary is responsible for ensuring: 

a) all communication and correspondence to and from the association is managed, documented and filed appropriately, 

b) the giving of Notice for all meetings of the association, as required by this constitution, or at the direction of the committee and/or the direction of the chairperson (or vice-chairperson if appropriate), 

c) the administrative affairs of the association and of the association’s office (including safeguarding the association’s assets held by the office) are managed appropriately, 

d) liaison between the office volunteers and the committee including ensuring the documentation of association assets and statistics as required by the committee. 

e) all applications for membership of the association are accepted and referred to the committee for approval, as required by this constitution 

f) a register of members of the association is established, accessible as appropriate and maintained. 

22.3.3 The secretary is also responsible to ensure that minutes of: 

a) all elections of committee members, and 

b) the names of committee members present at a meeting of the committee or a general meeting, and 

c) all proceedings at committee meetings and general meetings are kept. 

22.3.4 The minutes must be: 

a) kept in written or electronic form, and 

b) for minutes of proceedings at a meeting, signed, in writing or by electronic means, by: 
(i) the member who presided at the meeting, or 

(ii) the member presiding at the subsequent meeting. 

22.4 Association treasurer 

22.4.1 The treasurer of the association is responsible for: 

a) the financial operations of the association (i.e. all incoming funds and all expenditure) under the guidance of the committee, 

b) providing advice to the committee to assist in budgeting and financial planning of the association’s activities, 

c) adequate public liability and other insurance cover (as directed by the committee) is organised and such cover maintained financially, 

d) monitoring cash collection from stock sales and petty cash income and expenditure as well the recording /documentation how cash monies have been accounted for, 

e) monitoring correct banking of all monies and ensuring these monies are accounted in the association’s financial records, 

f) ensuring regular inventories of literature and associated stock are completed, and advise the management committee about the monitoring and disposal of unsaleable/ slow moving stock, 

g) preparing a statement of income and expenditure to be submitted to the committee (with bank and other books for examination by the committee as required), 

h) this statement of income and expenditure is passed on a regular basis as required by the committee 

22.4.2 The treasurer of the association is also responsible for: 

a) the preparation and/or supervision, at least once in every year, of accurate documentation of the association’s annual income and expenditure, and associated balance sheets of all the association's undertakings and their submission to the auditor with supporting vouchers as may be require, 

b) ensuring the income and expenditures of the association and associated balance sheet duly audited and certified by the auditors as correct, is submitted to each annual general meeting of the association.