AGM 2021: CONSTITUTION CHANGES As the QJA’s Constitution is what we call a “living” document, it should evolve and change as our organisation’s needs evolve and change. One of the Board’s responsibilities is to review the Constitution on a regular basis to determine if any changes are warranted. As indicated in the 2021 AGM Notice (included with this edition), the following amendments are now proposed:
RULE 22 – SUBSCRIPTION FEES Sub-rule 22(d) generally empowers the Board to determine the ordinary member subscription fee. However, other provisions of rule 22 (specifically, sub-rules 22(f) and 22(g)) serve to restrict the Board’s capacity to effectively manage the organisation’s income via the determination of subscription fees. Sub-rule 22(f) prescribes an entitlement to a particular subscription fee discount for two ordinary members residing in the same residence and subrule 22(g) prescribes an entitlement to a different fee discount for Concession Card holders. The presence of these particular sub-rules in the constitution infers that these are the only member categories to which the Board can apply non-standard subscription fee arrangements. Under these provisions, should the Board consider it appropriate to: • grant subscription fee discounts to one or more other categories of member; or • vary the discount rates for the 22(f) and 22(g) member categories; or • introduce arrangements that allow members to elect to receive differentiated QJA service packages based on differentiated subscription fee amounts; The Board is unable to implement such initiatives without first receiving permission from the membership to amend the Constitution at a general meeting or an AGM.
QJA Quarterly
As the Board is elected by the membership to be fully responsible for the financial management of the association, it is submitted that the Constitution should empower the Board to determine all matters associated with subscriptions fees and not limit its capacity to do this. Accordingly, it is proposed to amend rule 22 to remove the provisions that restrict the Board’s financial management capacity and instead provide that the details of all subscription fee categories and amounts, as determined by the Board from time to time, be contained within the QJA Regulations. It is also proposed to make incidental changes where they are required. As per sub-rule 86(c) of the Constitution, any variation to the Regulations must be published to the members on the QJA website.
RULE 80 – BRANCHES Although sub-rule 80(f) states a Branch must conduct its affairs in accordance with the By-Laws, sub-rule 80(m) prescribes a limitation on Branch meeting attendance by non-members. It is submitted that provisions regarding all Branch meeting matters, including non-member attendance, should more properly be contained within the QJA By-Laws (Branch Model Rules) instead of the Constitution. Accordingly, it is proposed to amend the Constitution to remove sub-rule 80(m) and to modify the By-Laws (Branch Model Rules) to include relevant provisions addressing the attendance of non-members at QJA Branch meetings. It is also proposed to make incidental changes where they are required. The constitution, regulations and by laws can be accessed by scanning the code on page 10.
Winter 2021| 12
