Assessments and Gifts
- The offer of donations has to be generally communicated first to all AAIM members via email or such electronic media before additional gifts/donations are collected for a certain purpose. The full amount should be spent exclusively on that purpose only. If the donor has explicitly advised that they remain anonymous then their details will only be conveyed to the Executive Committee and a record of the cash donation will appear in the revenue side of the annual financial statement without their name.
- No special assessments may be made against members of the AAIM. Voluntary contributions may be solicited by the Executive Committee for specific purposes. A charge may be made for the AAIM’s special publications and extra copies of regular publications, and fees may be collected for use of the AAIM’s property when approved by the Executive Committee.
- Gifts and bequests may be made to the AAIM in any form or amount and for any use compatible with the purpose of the AAIM.
- A charge may (repeat may) be made to non-members for attendance at AAIM-sponsored activities; use of the AAIM’s equipment and other assets; copies of publications, and other data, and inclusion of non-members on the AAIM’s mailing list.
Disciplinary Process
- Disciplinary action under this provision must be taken only upon a majority of vote of the Executive Committee by a secret ballot. Disciplinary action must be initiated only upon written petition to the Executive Committee for disciplinary action, submitted by at least 25 members of the AAIM.
- Upon receiving such a petition, the Executive Committee must take such actions that are deemed necessary to notify the accused member or members, in writing, of the petition, and of the place, date, and time where the petition will be considered by the Executive Committee. Consistent with Clause 50 of the Act, the accused member or members have the right to speak on their behalf. Such considerations shall take place no sooner than twenty-one days and no later than seventy days after the petition is received by the Executive Committee.
Finances
- A bank account has to be opened with at least two signatures from among President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Any cheque issued for the purpose of bill payment has also to be signed by the Treasurer and one of the other three executives. In the absence of the Treasurer, the President or Secretary shall sign the cheques or other financial instruments (unlimited amount) subject to this sub-clause.
- The AAIM may acquire real and intangible property, including equipment, literature, software and other materials for use by and on behalf of the membership. Generally accepted accounting practices shall be used to account for all assets.
- The Executive Committee members have the obligation to understand AAIM accounts and financial situation. The Executive Committee must plan and organise programs/events/activities and acquire any equipment, property or assets considering the overall financial situation of AAIM. The Executive Committee must plan, budget and structure its income and expenses in a responsible way to operate within its means and financial abilities, so that the Association does not incur loss, debts, liabilities and members –
- do not have to pay excessive fees and subscriptions; or
- need to contribute towards unreasonable expenses or payments for such Executive Committee actions.
- All payments made must be appropriately listed in order of payment dates and approved by the Executive Committee within at least the next three meetings of the Executive Committee.
Publications
The AAIM may issue and distribute to the members, regular issues of a AAIM newsletter, and is empowered to issue and distribute special publications, subject to regulations governing the subject matter, publication dates, sales, and distribution as prescribed by the Executive Committee. Copies of the publications must be provided to the AAIM in accordance with AAIM policy.
Government Laws Pre-empt
The Territory and Australian Federal Government laws will pre-empt provisions mentioned herein in this document.
Common Seal
The common seal of AAIM must be kept in the custody of the Secretary.
Affixing of the common seal must be attested by the signature of the President and/or the Secretary. The Executive Committee may authorise another member of the Executive Committee to attest where necessary.
A copy of every document upon which the common seal was affixed must be tabled at an Executive Committee meeting at the earliest of once a month or alternate Committee meeting.
Custody of the Books and Documents
Subject to the Act, the Regulations and these rules, the Secretary must keep in their custody or under their control all records (with the exception of financial records which are the responsibility of the Treasurer), books, and other documents relating to AAIM.
Inspection of Books and Documents
The records, books and other documents of AAIM must be open to inspection at a place in the Territory, free of charge, by a member of AAIM at any reasonable hour mutually convenient to all parties involved. This includes documents such as the Membership Register, annual and financial reports, and minutes. The documents will be made available consistent with the Information Privacy Principals.
Service of Notice
For the purposes of these rules, a notice may be served by or on behalf of AAIM upon any member either personally, by publication relevant newsletters, by posting on AAIM’s web page or by sending it by post to the member at the member’s address shown in the register of members.
Where a document is sent to a person by properly addressing, prepaying and posting to the person a letter containing the document, the document will, unless the contrary is proved, be deemed for the purposes of these rules to have been served on the person at the time at which the letter would have been delivered in the ordinary course of post.
Confidentiality
Subject to this clause, any member of the Executive Committee and the Public Officer must not, without a prior written approval from the President on behalf of the Executive Committee, make public or disclose to any person, any organisational or Executive Committee confidential information relating to its operations or deliberations.
In the event that written approval is given, the President may impose such terms and conditions that in the President’s opinion are appropriate. The President must inform the Executive Committee of this approval at the immediate next meeting of the Executive Committee.
Each Member of the Executive Committee and the Public Officer must ensure that they execute a Confidentiality Agreement that spells out their obligations in this regard.
Privacy
In performing their duties, responsibilities or functions, all members of the Executive Committee and the Public Officer must not do or perform any act or engage in any practice that would breach any of the Information Privacy Principles contained in the 1988 Privacy Act.
All the members of the Executive Committee and the Public Officer agree to comply with all the directions, guidelines, determinations and recommendations referred to in, or relating to matters set out in these rules, and other policies and procedures adopted by AAIM to the extent that they are consistent with the Information Privacy Principles.
Any member of the Executive Committee or the Public Officer that suspects that they have breached or possibly breached any of their obligations under the 1988 Privacy Act must immediately notify the President of AAIM to deal with the issue.
Publicity
All members of the Executive Committee and subcommittees must not make any media or press releases or announcements relating to the work of AAIM without the prior approval of either the President, Vice President or Secretary on behalf of the Executive Committee, in the first instance, to decide whether or not to go to the public with the issue, and if so, the form, timing, content and manner of the announcement or release.
Dispute Resolution Process
In the event that a dispute or controversy arising from any aspect of the operations of AAIM cannot be resolved within a period of 21 days of the dispute being first notified to all parties involved, consistent with Clause 50 of the Act, the Executive Committee may appoint an agreed unbiased person as a mediator to make an attempt to mediate a resolution and to decide a satisfactory outcome for all parties.
In accordance with the rules of natural justice the aggrieved member (or potential member) will be provided an opportunity to state their case to an independent mediator. The appointed mediator must not be a member of AAIM, but could be a professional mediator who is not connected with any of the people who are a party to the dispute.
If the mediator fails to reach a resolution that is mutually acceptable to both the aggrieved member (or potential member) and the Executive Committee, the final decision will be made by the Executive Committee and provided to the member in writing.
Conflict of Interest
All members of AAIM must not be in any conflict of interest situation whereby they:
a) pursue objectives that have the real or perceived potential of harming or running counter to the objectives of AAIM;
b) use the organisation to promote any individual interests that are outside the objectives of AAIM or attempts to promote or personalise the organisation for their own benefit – including personal political campaigns;
c) engage in activities that they (or close relatives) become financial or promotional beneficiaries of AAIM advice, projects or activities; or
d) engage in activities to impose any specific ideology or divisive, exclusionary views or ideas on the organisation that run counter to its objectives and purpose.
e) Members of the Executive Committee must warrant to the best of their knowledge, after making diligent enquiries, no conflict of interest exists or is likely to arise in the performance of their duties and in undertaking their obligations as members of the governance group of AAIM.
All members of the Executive Committee must use their best endeavours to ensure that a situation does not arise that may result in a conflict of interest. Where a conflict of interest, or a potential conflict of interest, arises in the discharge of their responsibilities they must inform the President of AAIM and take any steps the Executive Committee or President reasonably require to address (or otherwise deal with) the conflict of interest, or potential conflict of interest. See Section “Conflict of Interest in Executive Committee Meeting”.
The Executive Committee must maintain a Conflict of Interest Register.
This will be adopted as the Constitution of the AAIM at the Inaugural General Meeting held on in Canberra.