All members of the Queensland Study Waders Group must abide by the the rules as set out below.
RULES OF QUEENSLAND WADER STUDIES GROUP 2014
Part 1 Preliminary matters
1. Rules made
These Rules are made by the Queensland Wader Study Group (QWSG), a special interest group of BQ.
2. Commencement
These Rules come into operation on 01/01/2015.
3. Definitions
In these Rules:
BQ means Birds Queensland (incorporated as the Queensland Ornithological Society).
Adult means an individual who is 18 or more.
Committee, see rule 7.1.
Committee member means a member of the committee.
Member, means a member of QWSG, and for a family membership includes each member of the family.
QWSG, see rule 1.
Written includes electronic communication, including for example, fax and email.
4. Objectives
The objectives of QWSG are to:
(a) conduct, coordinate and encourage census, banding, feeding studies and other scientific programs involving amateur and professional skills; and
(b) conduct educational activities (including lectures, courses, wader identification days and school visits) to promote wader identification skills, community awareness and wader conservation; and
(c) conduct research on waders, particularly in the East Asian – Australasian Flyway; and
(d) advise on policies and plans for the conservation and management of waders and their habitats.
Part 2 Membership
5. Membership classes
5.1 Membership of QWSG consists of the following classes of members:
(a) individual members;
(b) family members.
5.2 Application for membership must be accompanied by the applicable membership fee.
5.3 The committee may confer honorary life membership on a member if it considers the member has made an outstanding contribution towards achieving the objectives of QWSG.
5.4 To remove doubt, a person who receives a complimentary copy of QWSG’s newsletter is not a member.
6. Membership fees
The committee may decide annual membership fees for members, including concession fees, including, for example, for students or pensioners.
Part 3 Management
7. Management committee
7.1 QWSG must be managed by a management committee (the committee).
7.2 The committee consists of:
(a) the following office bearer positions:
(i) chairperson;
(ii) treasurer;
(iii) secretary; and
(b) other members elected by members of QWSG.
7.3 A committee member must be an adult.
8. Conduct of committee business
The committee may conduct its business in any way it decides, including conducting meetings and making decisions electronically.
9. Committee meetings
9.1 A committee meeting must be convened by the chairperson or at the request of one-third of committee members.
9.2 The committee must meet at least 4 times each financial year.
9.3 A quorum for a committee meeting is a majority of committee members.
9.4 For subrule 9.3, a member is taken to be present at a committee meeting if the member:
(a) takes part in the meeting by telephone, video link or other method of contemporaneous communication; and
(b) can be heard by other members present at the meeting.
9.5 In the case of an equality of votes, the member presiding at the meeting has a casting vote in addition to a deliberative vote.
10. Subcommittees
10.1 The committee may appoint a sub-committee.
10.2 A member of a sub-committee must be a member of QWSG but need not be a committee member.
10.3 The sub-committee must report on its activities at each committee meeting.
11. Election of committee
11.1 At each annual general meeting, all committee member positions become vacant and elections for a new committee must be held.
11.2 Written nominations for committee positions, seconded by an adult member of QWSG, must be given to the chairperson before the start of the meeting.
11.3 If there is only one nominee for a committee office bearer position, the nominee is elected to the position without a vote.
11.4 If there is no nominee for an office bearer position, nominations may be taken at the meeting.
11.5 The committee may appoint a member to fill a casual vacancy.
12. General meetings
12.1 An annual general meeting must be held within 3 months after the end of each financial year.
12.2 The committee may at any time convene a special general meeting.
12.3 Written notice of an annual or special general meeting must be given to all members at least 14 days before the date of the meeting.
12.4 A quorum for an annual or special general meeting is constituted if the number of adult members at the meeting is the same as the number of members constituting a majority of committee members.
13. Voting at general meetings
13.1 At a general meeting, each adult member is entitled to one vote.
13.2 A member who is not an adult member is not entitled to vote at the meeting.
13.3 Voting on a resolution must be by a show of hands or ballot as decided by the member presiding at the meeting.
13.4 A resolution is decided by a majority of votes of members at the meeting.
Part 4 Financial matters
14. Financial year
QWSG’s financial year ends the same day as BQ’s financial year.
15. Financial accounts
15.1 QWSG must keep its own accounting records that correctly record and explain its financial transactions and financial position.
15.2 QWSG must submit its financial accounts to BQ for an annual audit.
15.3 QWSG must publish an audited financial report in a way that is available to members, including, for example, on its website.
Part 5 Miscellaneous matters
16. Amendment of Rules
QWSG may amend these Rules by resolution passed at an annual or special general meeting.
17. Legal relationships
17.1 QWSG may apply its assets in the way it considers appropriate to achieve its objectives.
17.2 BQ’s powers under its constitution include power to enter into contracts on behalf of QWSG.
18. Termination of QWSG
If QWSG is terminated in any way, all assets acquired, and liabilities accrued, on its behalf vest in BQ.
19. Transitional provision for management committee
A committee member holding a position on the committee immediately before these Rules commenced continues to hold the
position on committee, unless earlier terminated, until the first election of the committee under these Rules.
