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The Australian Society for Limnology Incorporated

CONSTITUTION

Table of contents

 

1.  NAME

The name of the Society shall be the Australian Society for Limnology Incorporated.

2. OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the Society shall be to establish effective liaison between persons interested in any aspect of fresh and brackish water research in Australia and to encourage these interests and promote their study in State and Commonwealth Research Institutes and Departments, and Educational Institutions.

3. MEANS OF ATTAINING OBJECTIVES

The following means may be used to attain the objectives of the Society:

(a)                    The establishment and maintenance of a register of all persons working in fields relevant to Limnology in Australia and adjoining countries, giving details of their current interests.

(b)                    The holding of an Annual Congress which will coincide with the Annual General Meeting.

(c)                    The production of a Newsletter (which shall be distributed to all Financial Members and all Honorary and Sustaining Members) by an Editor to be appointed by the Executive Committee.

(d)                    The publication of any scientific or other information relevant to the objectives of the Society.  Scientific material shall, before publication by the Society, be considered and approved by an Editorial Board of at least two members appointed annually by the Executive Committee.

(e)                    The encouragement of interest in Limnology and support for the Society by the granting of Awards and by recognition of supporters through special categories of membership.

4. MEMBERSHIP

(a)                    The members of the Society shall be:

            (1)        Ordinary Members who shall be persons admitted to membership by the Executive Committee, who shall pay such annual subscriptions as shall be fixed from time to time.

            (2)        Student Members who shall be university undergraduates or scholars at any educational institution, who shall pay such annual subscription as shall be fixed from time to time.

            (3)        Life Members who shall be persons admitted to membership by the Executive Committee and who shall pay a fee set at the Annual General Meeting.

                           (4)     Institutional members who shall be libraries and scientific institutes, who shall pay such annual subscriptions as shall be fixed from time to time.

            (5)        Honorary members who may be elected for a limited specific period by the Executive Committee.

            (6)        Honorary life Members who may be appointed at an Annual General Meeting on the recommendation of the Executive Committee.

            (7)        Sustaining Members who may be individuals, companies or organisations, admitted as such by the Executive Committee, in accordance with the following requirements, and have the privileges indicated below:

          (i)           Any individual, company or organisation contributing the sum of $50.00 or more in any one year shall be eligible for admission as a Sustaining Member.

         (ii)           Sustaining Members who are companies or organisations shall have the right to nominate two persons who shall enjoy all the privileges of Ordinary Members, including the right to vote, but not to hold office, while Sustaining Membership is current.

        (iii)           Sustaining Members shall be acknowledged in all official publications of the society for a period of twelve months from the date of their contribution, and in any other manner as the Executive Committee may from time to time decide.

(b)                    The Executive Committee may, in its absolute discretion, refuse admittance to any classification of membership and shall be under no obligation to give any reason for its decision not to accept any candidate for membership.

(c)                    Disciplinary action may be taken by the Executive Committee against members who infringe the Constitution. Any member so charged may be expelled from the Society by the Executive Committee. A member can appeal against such action within thirty days. Appeals will be heard by a special committee of three Executive Committee members set up by the Executive Committee.

(d)                    Affiliated Bodies, Incorporated or Unincorporated Bodies and other organisations approved by the Committee may become affiliated with the Society on acceptance by the Executive Committee and on payment of such annual subscription as may be fixed from time to time.

(e)                    A register of Members and Affiliated Bodies shall be kept by the Treasurer/Membership Officer.

5.  VOTING

Each Ordinary and Student member and each of the nominees of Sustaining Members shall be entitled to one vote at a General Meeting or in a postal ballot and each Affiliated Body shall have the right to appoint a delegate who shall be entitled to one vote at a General Meeting or in a postal ballot.  Honorary Members shall not have the right to vote.  All votes shall be cast personally and not by proxy.

6. ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION

The funds for the Society will be derived from annual subscriptions, donations and such other sources as the Executive Committee determines. The annual subscription shall be due on 1 July in each year and the amount shall be fixed at the preceding Annual General Meeting.  Members whose subscriptions are not paid by the succeeding 31 December shall be unfinancial and shall forfeit all rights and privileges of membership forthwith.

7. RIGHTS OF MEMBERS

All financial members are entitled to receive current issues of the Society's Newsletter and any other publications (except special publications) free of charge, and to attend all general meetings of the Society. Special publications will be available to members by order only. The executive will determine if a charge is to be made for these publications.

8. MANAGEMENT

The Society shall be managed by an Executive Committee consisting of the President, the immediate Past President (ex officio), the Vice President, the Secretary, and the Treasurer/Membership Officer, together with not less than five and no more than eight other Committee Members, all of whom shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting.  The position of Secretary and Treasurer/Membership Officer may be held by the one person.  This Executive Committee shall implement the Society's general business, and a simple majority shall decide all questions at Executive Committee Meetings.  If voting is equal, a motion is lost.  A quorum at Executive Committee Meetings shall be four. Casual vacancies on the Executive Committee may occur by a committee member resigning, by a committee member becoming insolvent under the companies' code or by a committee member ceasing to belong to the Society. In the event of such casual vacancies the Committee may appoint any suitable member of the Society to the vacant position.

9. FINANCE

The financial year of the Society shall cover the period 1 July in any year to 30 June of the following  year.

(a)                    All funds received by the Society shall be banked in the name of the Society.  Separate accounts may be established for specific purposes at the discretion of the Executive Committee.

(b)                    All bills or accounts shall be certified as to their correctness by the Treasurer/Membership Officer and shall be paid by cheque.  All cheques shall be signed by any two of the President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer/Membership Officer.

(c)                    No bill or account shall be paid without the prior approval of the Executive Committee, which approval may be obtained at a meeting of the Committee or by mail.  Expenditure of a general nature may be approved in advance during any one financial year.  Any commitment to expenditure entered into by the Executive Committee which has not been paid by the date of the Annual General Meeting shall be drawn to the attention of the Annual General Meeting in the Financial Statement together with any amounts owing to the Society.

10. GENERAL MEETINGS OF THE SOCIETY

The Annual General Meeting shall determine the date and place for the next Annual General Meeting.  A Special General Meeting may be called at the discretion of the Executive Committee and shall be summoned as soon as practicable following receipt of a request to do so signed by not less than twenty (20) members entitled to vote.  Special General Meetings shall be called by notice in writing, specifying the business to be considered, and notices must be posted to all Financial Members not less than fourteen (14) days prior to the proposed date.  No business shall be conducted at any Special General Meeting other than that specified in the notice convening the Meeting.

11. QUORUM FOR GENERAL MEETING

At all General Meetings, twenty (20) or one half of members entitled to vote, which ever is less, shall consititute a quorum, and a simple majority shall carry a motion.

12. ANNUAL REPORTS

An Annual Report and Financial Statement shall be submitted to the Annual General Meeting, and the Financial Statement shall be audited by a person appointed at the previous Annual General Meeting.  In the event that the Annual General Meeting is held prior to the end of the financial year, a separate Financial Statement covering the period of the financial year shall be prepared by the Treasurer/Membership Officer and the Auditor shall certify as to its correctness.  Such audited report shall then be published in the Newsletter, or otherwise distributed to members as soon as practicable after the close of the financial year.

13.  AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION AND STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES

Amendments may be made to the Constitution and statement of objectives of the Society at an Annual General Meeting, or at a Special General Meeting, or by a postal vote.  Any proposed amendments shall be submitted in writing over the signature of any two members of the Executive Committee which shall either:

(a)        refer them for consideration at the next ensuing Annual General Meeting, or

(b)        call a Special General Meeting, for the purpose of considering the proposed

            amendments, or

(c)        conduct a postal ballot of all Financial Members.

A proposed amendment shall be carried by a 3/4 majority of votes polled.  At least 3 weeks' notice shall be given to all members by the Executive Committee of any proposed change to the Constitution.  Any amendments or alterations to the Constitution and the objectives of the Society shall be made in accordance with the Associations Incorporation Act 1981.

14. SEAL

(a)        The common seal of the Society shall be kept in the custody of the Secretary

(b)        The common seal of the Society shall not be affixed to any instrument except by the authority of the Executive Committee and the affixing of the common seal shall be attested by the signature of two members of the Executive Committee.

15. CUSTODY OF RECORDS

Except as otherwise provided in this Constitution all resources, books, documents, securities and documentations of the Society shall be kept at the Society, and shall be available for inspection by the members.

16. WINDING-UP OF SOCIETY

The Society shall not be wound up except:

(a)        on a three-quarters vote in favour of doing so at an Annual General Meeting or at a Special General Meeting called for this purpose, and in either case at least 21 days' notice of the proposal shall have been given to all Financial Members, or

(b)        in the event of membership being less than five persons.

The last General Meeting shall decide how the assets of the Society shall be disposed of but this must be done in accordance with the aims of the Society and Individual Members shall not receive any benefit.