HUMANIST SOCIETY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA INC. CONSTITUTION As amended by an Annual General Meeting of the Society on 9th September 2012. 1. The name of the Society shall be: The Humanist Society of Western Australia Inc. hereinafter referred as The Society. 2. Objects of the Society shall be: To support rational and humane approaches to human problems on the basis of an informed secularism free from supernaturalism and dogmatic creeds. To promote the rights of the individual in the realms of conscience, freedom of expression and civil liberties. To promote a secular and ethical system of education free from social, religious or ideological divisions and from all forms of indoctrination. To make the Society a living example of the principles of humanism in that members always treat each other with tolerance and respect and so that the Society can be seen by its public actions to be based upon reason and human dignity. To provide social, recreational, charitable and benevolent services to members of the Society and generally. 3 Powers: The powers invested in the Society are: To borrow, raise money or to undertake any fund raising activity for the purpose of carrying on or furthering the aims and objectives of the Society in such a manner as the Society shall think fit. To employ such staff or agencies as are necessary to carry out any of the aims and objectives of the Society. To purchase, take on lease or in exchange, hire and otherwise any lands, buildings, easements of property, real and personal, and rights or privileges which may be requisite for the purpose of, or capable of being conveniently used in connection with any of the aims and objectives of the Society and to sell, improve, lease, manage, dispose of or otherwise deal with all or any part of such property, right and privileges. Humanist Society of Western Australia Inc. Constitution (as amended at the AGM of 9 September 2012) Page 1
(h) To take any gift of property whether subject to any special trust or not, for any one or more of the aims and objectives of the Society. To enter into any contract or other arrangement with any government or nongovernment bodies, supreme, municipal, local or otherwise that may seem conducive to the Society s aims and objectives and to obtain from any such government or nongovernment bodies any rights, privileges or concessions which the Society may think it desirable to obtain and carry out, exercise and comply with any such arrangement, rights and privileges and concessions. To invest and deal with the money of the of the Society, not immediately required, in such a manner as may be permitted by law for the investment of trust funds. Subject to these rules to impose and collect from any member subscriptions, funds and levies or other moneys for the purpose of carrying out or furthering the aims and objectives of the Society and to apply the same for that purpose. To do all such other things as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of the aims and objectives of the Society or to the exercise of these powers or any of them. 4. Membership and Subscription: The Committee may admit to the membership any person who declares his/her support of the aims and objectives of the Society. The Committee is empowered to terminate membership, with the right of appeal to an Extraordinary General or Annual General Meeting. Each member shall pay an Annual Subscription which may be varied for different classes of persons, such classes and/or amounts to be determined by the members at Annual General Meeting or, an Extraordinary General Meeting previous to the end of the Society s Financial Year. Subject to sub-rule, a member, whose subscription for the current year is not paid within 3 months as from the 1st July, ceases, on the expiry of that period, to be a member. The Society s Operational and Financial Year shall be the 1st July to the 30th June. Life Member: One who has been a member of the Society for at least fifteen years and has been a member of the Committee for at least ten years, serving in several portfolios. The number of life members to be limited to five per cent of the current membership of the day. In the event of a death or unable to be active in the Society, this will leave a vacancy. Fees to be paid by the Society, ad infinitum. Voting rights apply. 5. Administration: The affairs of the Society shall be conducted by the Committee, which shall comprise the Executive Officers of the Society and not more than six other members, all of whom Humanist Society of Western Australia Inc. Constitution (as amended at the AGM of 9 September 2012) Page 2
shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. (h) (i) (j) The Committee may exercise all powers vested in the Society except those which according to these rules must be exercised by the Society in Annual General Meetings or Extraordinary General Meeting. A Meeting of the Committee shall be held at least four times a year and at such other times as the President or Secretary or three members of the Committee shall request. All proceedings shall be recorded in the Minutes. The Committee shall have power to fill temporary vacancies subject to confirmation by an Annual General Meeting and to appoint any delegates to any body. The Executive Officers of the Society shall be a President, a Vice-President, an Honorary Secretary and a Treasurer. The Executive shall have the power to take action with regard to any matter referred to it by the Committee or upon any matter which the Executive considers requires action between meetings of the Committee. The Committee may, from time to time, at its discretion, appoint any persons willing to be so nominated (whether members of the Society or otherwise) as Patrons, and can, at its discretion, remove any names from such a list. The Committee shall have the power to appoint sub-committees and to define their duties. If any member of the Committee be absent from three consecutive meetings without apology, his/her position shall be deemed forfeited. Except insofar as such duties are defined in this Constitution, the Committee may define the duties of all office bearers. 6. Seal: The Committee shall provide for the safe custody of the seal, which shall only be used by the authority of the Committee or of a Sub-committee of members of the Committee authorised by the Committee in that behalf. Every instrument to which the seal is affixed shall be signed by a member of the Committee or by some other person appointed by the Committee for that purpose. 7. Chapters: Subsidiary bodies of the Society, to be known as Chapters, may be formed in different centres and each Chapter may appoint its own Office-Bearers. Membership shall be restricted to members of this Society. Meetings of such a Chapter shall be based on the rules of the parent Society. Each Chapter of the Society may elect a representative to the parent Society Committee. Humanist Society of Western Australia Inc. Constitution (as amended at the AGM of 9 September 2012) Page 3
8. Conduct of Annual General and Extraordinary General Meetings: An Annual General Meeting shall be held between 1st July and 30th September each year. An Extraordinary General Meeting must be held if a requisition in writing be made for such to the Secretary by not less than six members. At least thirty days notice of Annual General Meeting and fourteen days notice of Extraordinary General Meeting must be given by the Secretary, to every financial member. The business of the Annual General Meeting shall include: (i) (ii) Reception of reports from the President and/or Secretary. Reception of an audited financial statement from the Treasurer. (iii) Election of Officers for the ensuing year as stated in Sections 5 and 5 of this Constitution. (iv) Election of the Auditor for the ensuing year. (v) Any other business. Nomination for Office-Bearers shall be called for in the notice of Annual General Meeting [Section 5] and shall be received up to the time of the ballot of the Annual General Meeting. The method of voting in any ballot shall be determined by the Meeting. The quorum for a Committee Meeting shall be three, one of whom shall be a member of the Executive. For an Annual General meeting, a quorum shall be eight members; if a quorum is not present, the meeting shall be adjourned to a date not less than fourteen days ahead, when, providing all members of the Society have been notified, business may be concluded. The provision of the Constitution may be amended by an Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting, for which at least fourteen days notice has been given, such notice to include details of such proposed amendments to the Constitution. Changes to the Constitution can only be made if two thirds or more of the votes cast are in the affirmative. 9. Financial: The duties of the Treasurer shall be: To receive all monies and pay them in the Society s name into financial institutions approved by the Committee. To pay all accounts when passed for payment by the Committee. To keep all books and accounts that may be found necessary for showing fully and Humanist Society of Western Australia Inc. Constitution (as amended at the AGM of 9 September 2012) Page 4
correctly the affairs of the Society. To submit all books, papers and documents for inspection by the Auditor whenever called upon to do so. To explain and balance all accounts and shall deliver up all monies, books, papers, documents or other property of the Society in his/her possession with such time as the Committee shall direct. All cheques shall be signed by any two of the following: Treasurer, President, Secretary and/or other members of the Society whom the Committee may authorise. 10. General Rules: The income and property of the Society whencesoever derived shall be applied solely toward the promotion of the aims and objectives of the Society and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly by way of a dividend, gift, bonus or otherwise howsoever by way of profit to the persons who at any time are or have been members of the Society or to any of them or to any person claiming through any of them, PROVIDED that nothing herein contained shall prevent the payment in good faith of remuneration to Officers or Employees of the Society or to any member of the Society or the representative of a member or other persons in return for any services actually rendered to the Society, nor prevent the payment of interest on money borrowed from or lawfully due to any member of the Society nor of reasonable out-ofpocket expenses properly incurred by a member or representative of a member employed under the authority of the Committee in matters relating to its concerns. If upon the winding up or dissolution of the Society there shall remain after the satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities any property whatsoever, the same shall not be paid to or distributed among members of the Society, but shall be given or transferred to a non-profit organisation having aims and objectives similar to the aims and objectives of the Society to be determined by the members of the Society, at or before the time of dissolution and in default thereof by such Judge of the Supreme Court of Western Australia. ENDS Humanist Society of Western Australia Inc. Constitution (as amended at the AGM of 9 September 2012) Page 5