Notice of Special General Meeting
of
AFL North West NSW Inc.
11am on Sunday 28th October 2018
Wests Leagues Club, Phillip Street, Tamworth
Notice is given that a Special General Meeting of AFL North West NSW Inc. (the League) Registered No. Y2616326 will be held at 11am on Sunday, 28th October 2018.
Ordinary Business
- 1. Confirmation of minutes of previous AGM
- 2. Special Resolution – Changes to Constitution
a) AFL NSW/ACT has identified, as part of its State Community Football Review, a need to review and enhance the affiliation arrangements relating to community football throughout New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. This has included an opportunity to enhance community league governance to ensure best practice governance requirements and to facilitate consistency across community football leagues.
b) AFL NSW/ACT has provided the League with:
i. 12 months’ notice that the existing Affiliation Agreement will terminate with effect from 1 November 2018; and
ii. a new Affiliation Agreement that will commence prior to the 2019 Season (the New Affiliation Agreement).
c) It is a pre-condition of entering into the New Affiliation Agreement for all AFL NSW/ACT leagues to have in place certain governance requirements. These requirements include:
i. junior and senior alignment (i.e. the league governing all competitions in the region);
ii. clubs and special interest groups (i.e. umpires association) as the only voting members of the league;
iii. a minimum number of three (3) AFL appointed independent Board/Committee members (assuming no more than nine (9) Board/ Committee members if this also includes netball representatives); and
iv. constitution approved by AFL NSW/ACT,
(the Governance Conditions).
d) The New Affiliation Agreement sets out the benefits to the League of affiliation with the AFL NSW/ACT. Some of the key benefits of affiliation include:
i. access to the support and guidance provided by regional, state and national AFL staff including across football operations, umpiring, facilities, government, talent, coaching, club development, participation, legal, marketing etc;
ii. access to the AFL’s Australian Football National Risk Protection Program (currently operated through JLT Insurance) consisting of public liability insurance (general & products liability), club management insurance, and personal injury – silver base cover including players, coaches, trainers, volunteers etc.
iii. access to databases operated by Sports TG – including fixturing, results, team sheets, websites and other competition management activities
iv. access to AFL facility and grant funding;
v. the right to use AFL intellectual property;
vi. opportunity to participate in League Representative Football matches involving AFL managed or affiliated leagues;
vii. access to AFL NSW/ACT accreditation programs such as coaching courses, umpire courses etc;
viii. support for the implementation of AFL NSW/ACT Regulations and generic By-Laws, which includes access to appeals processes;
ix. access and support to AFL and AFL NSW/ACT associated regulations and policies such as the AFL National Player Transfer Regulations, National Vilification and Discrimination Policy and National Player Deregistration Policy etc; and
x. numerous other affiliation benefits – see: http://aflnswact.com.au/community-football/benefits-of-affiliation/.
e) In order to continue to receive these benefits flowing from affiliation with AFL NSW/ACT, the Executive Committee has resolved to propose to members changes to the League’s Constitution to incorporate the adapted Governance Conditions.
Proposed Constitution Rule Changes
a) It is proposed to alter the rules in the manner reflected in the mark-up attached as Annexure 1.
b) Specifically, the changes relate to:
i. clarification at rules 5, 28 and 31 that member clubs and teams are the only League members eligible to vote at general meetings of the League;
ii. amending rule 16 to outline that the Executive Committee may appoint a Competition Management Committee of the League to manage operational matters;
iii. amending rule 16 to clarify that the Executive Committee appoints the public officer;
iv. amending rule 17 to provide for the AFL NSW/ACT nominees to be included in the Executive Committee;
v. amending rule 17 to provide that the elected Executive Committee positions are the President, Secretary and 2 ordinary members;
vi. amending rule 17 to provide that the Executive Committee will appoint the Vice President, Treasurer and Football Manager from the ordinary members and AFL NSW/ ACT Representatives;
vii. amending rule 18 to provide for the nomination process for the AFL NSW/ACT Executive Committee nominees and to provide for a process in the event of a casual vacancy in the AFL NSW/ACT Executive Committee nominees;
viii. amending rule 22(3) to provide that that 4 of the 7 voting members of the Executive Committee constitutes quorum;
ix. amending rule 22(1) and (3) to clarify that Executive Committee members can be present at meetings by telephone or other electronic means;
x. removing the committee of management in rules 23 and 24 to reduce duplication in administration and increase Executive Committee independence;
xi. amending rule 26(1) to amending rule 22(1) and (3) to clarify that members of the League can be present at general meetings by telephone or other electronic means; and
xii. other consequential amendments.
Recommendation:
The Executive Committee recommends to the members of the League that the proposed amendments to the League’s Constitution be made.
Special resolution:
In accordance with rule 32 of the League’s Constitution and section 39 of the Associations Incorporation Act 2009 (NSW), the League’s Constitution is amended in the manner set out in Annexure 1.
- 3. Other Matters
To consider any other matters as needed.
Proxies
In accordance with rule 31 of the League’s Constitution, each member shall be entitled to appoint another member as proxy by notice given to the Secretary no later than 24 hours before the time of the meeting in respect of which the proxy is appointed. Member clubs or teams shall be entitled to appoint another club or team member to act as proxy for their nominated delegate to the League.
By order of the Executive Committee:
___________________
Joshua McKenzie
President – AFL North West NSW Inc.
4th October 2018
Last Modified on 04/10/2018 20:29