Silvia Cartwright, Governor-General
Order in Council
At Wellington this 24th day of July 2006
Present:
Her Excellency the Governor-General in Council
Her Excellency, the Governor-General of New Zealand, acting on the advice and with the consent of the Executive Council and under clause 15 of the Royal Charter of
The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, approves the (revised) by-laws of the Institute that:
(a) are set out in the attached Schedule; and
(b) were made at an extraordinary general meeting of corporate members of the Institute at Pokolbin,
New South Wales, Australia, on 26 June 2005.
Schedule
BY-LAWS
1. In these By-Laws unless there be something in the subject or context inconsistent therewith:
“Board” shall mean the Council referred to in Article
8 of the Charter.
“Central Services” shall mean the services delivered by the staff of The AusIMM from the registered office of The AusIMM.
“Congress” shall mean the body referred to in By-Law 41.
“Director” shall mean those members elected to the Board under By-Law 33.
“Strategic Plan” shall mean the plan prepared setting out The AusIMM’s goals, policies and strategies.
“The Charter” shall mean the Charter dated the 16th day of September 1955, by virtue of which The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy was incorporated, and any Supplemental Charter repealing, amending or adding to its provisions.
“The AusIMM” shall mean The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
“The Register” shall mean the registers of members maintained by the Central Services of The AusIMM.
“Year” shall mean calendar year and “month” shall mean calendar month.
Words importing the singular include the plural and vice versa.
2. In these By-Laws “member” shall be deemed to include all persons being members of any of the grades of membership hereinafter referred to, and members of The Board, Committees, Task Forces and Congress.
ORGANISATION
3. Branches may be formed throughout Australia and
New Zealand and in any other country or place, subject to the approval of the Board, either upon the request of
a sufficient number of Corporate Members, or at the instigation of the Board.
4. Members may be organised into Societies or special interest groups either on request of a sufficient number of Corporate Members, or at the instigation of the Board.
(a) Societies and professional bodies having specific interests in the minerals and extractive industries may be formed within or become affiliated with
The AusIMM subject to the approval of the Board.
(b) Recognition of professional competence may be given to members through The AusIMM granting Chartered Professional accreditation in their particular areas of expertise. The standards required and administrative procedures shall be set by the Board of Chartered Professionals elected by the body of accredited Chartered Professionals and comprised
of accredited members. A Register of those members accredited as Chartered Professionals will be established and maintained by The AusIMM. The Board of Chartered Professionals is accountable to the Board of The AusIMM.
MEMBERSHIP
5. The AusIMM shall consist of members in the grades
of Honorary Fellow, Fellow and Member who shall
be Corporate Members, and Company Members, Associates, Graduates, Students and Visiting Members.
6. All members shall be equally entitled to the
privileges of membership, except that only Corporate Members, Company Member representatives, Associates and Graduates are entitled to vote at Annual and Extraordinary General Meetings.
7. Honorary Fellows, Fellows, Members, Associates, Graduates and Students having occasion to designate themselves as belonging to The AusIMM, shall state the grade to which they belong according to the following abbreviated forms respectively: Hon FAusIMM, FAusIMM, MAusIMM, AAusIMM, GAusIMM, SAusIMM.
8. HONORARY FELLOW. The Board may elect as Honorary Fellow any person of distinction in the minerals and extractive industries, the public service, science or the arts. Persons who are elected Honorary Fellow shall have the same rights as Fellows.
9. FELLOW. All candidates for election or transfer to this grade shall:
(a) be qualified for election as Member; and either
(b) have been engaged in practising their profession
in the minerals and extractive industries or in government, educational, research, professional or commercial organisations concerned with those industries for at least ten years, during which period they shall have occupied a position of major responsibility for at least five years; or
(c) have held a position of major responsibility in the minerals and extractive industries, government, educational, research, professional, or commercial organisations concerned with those industries for
a minimum of 15 years during which time they have achieved distinction by some definite personal contribution to the science and practice of these industries either through personal participation in technical activities or through administrative direction and leadership of qualified technical personnel.
10. MEMBER. Every candidate for election or transfer to this grade shall:
(a) satisfy the Board that they have a tertiary degree or equivalent qualification acceptable to the Board and have been engaged in the minerals and extractive industries or in government, educational, research, professional or commercial organisations directly concerned with those industries in a capacity related to their area of tertiary study for a period of not less than three years subsequent to the award of the degree or to the acquiring of an acceptable equivalent qualification, provided that they have in the specified three years attained a position of professional responsibility. In the case of a three year degree or equivalent, the required length of experience is four years, or
(b) have achieved professional status and a position of professional responsibility through a combination
of formal post secondary education and experiential learning, over a period of at least ten years whilst engaged in the minerals and extractive industries, or in government, education, research, professional
or commercial organisations directly concerned with those industries.
(c) A candidate who has obtained a degree or equivalent by study over an extended period and who has attained a position of professional responsibility before completing the experience requirements for membership, may be admitted at the discretion of the Board after a shorter period than the specified one.
11. COMPANY MEMBER. The Board may elect as a Company Member any company or organisation whose activities have a substantial connection with the minerals and extractive industries. A Company Member shall nominate one representative who will have full voting rights, and shall be entitled to the privileges referred to in By-Law 6.
12. ASSOCIATE. All candidates for election or transfer to this grade shall have been engaged in the minerals and extractive industries or in government, educational, research, professional or commercial organisations concerned with those industries for a period of not less than two years.
13. GRADUATE. All candidates for election or transfer to this grade shall have attained the required educational and technological standard for admission to Corporate Membership as approved by the Board but lack the period of experience and/or responsibility required to qualify for Member. A Graduate Member shall not continue as a Graduate on becoming eligible for Member except at the discretion of the Board.
14. STUDENT. All candidates for election to this grade shall either be undergraduate students undertaking their first tertiary program of Board approved study or shall satisfy the Board that they are receiving such education and/or practical experience as will ultimately qualify them as either Graduate or Associate. Persons shall cease to be Students:
(a) if they cease to engage in their first tertiary program of study and/or practical experience;
(b) one year after becoming eligible to be a Graduate or Member;
(c) upon becoming eligible to be an Associate; or
(d) after a period of six years after election, except at the discretion of the Board.
15. VISITING MEMBER. The Board may elect as a Visiting Member any person of distinction in the minerals and extractive industries, the public service, science or the arts, or any person being a member of
a kindred Institute recognised by the Board, who is visiting Australia or New Zealand. The period of
a visiting membership shall be at the discretion of the Board.
ADMISSION, TRANSFER AND RESIGNATION
16. Every proposal for admission as Fellow, Member, Associate, Graduate or Student, or for transfer from one grade to another, shall be made on and in accordance with the application form prescribed from time to time by the Board.
Every proposal for admission as Company Member
shall be made on and in accordance with the application form prescribed from time to time by the Board. The Company shall nominate a representative and may change such nomination from time to time, however
any change must be notified to The AusIMM.
Every proposal shall contain an undertaking by the candidate or Company, if elected or transferred, to conform to the Charter, the By-Laws, the Code of Ethics and other Codes of The AusIMM and the rules made by the Board.
17. Every proposal for admission as Fellow, Member, Associate, Graduate, or Company Member, or for transfer from the grade of Graduate or Member to another shall be signed by not less than three Corporate Members, each of whom must certify to personal knowledge of the candidate’s professional experience. In special circumstances where the candidate cannot obtain three signatures of Corporate Members possessing personal knowledge, the Board may admit the candidate on production of satisfactory evidence as to experience.
In the case of a proposal for admission or transfer to Fellow grade, at least two of the signatory Corporate Members must be Fellows.
18. Every proposal for admission as Student shall be signed by the appropriate person under whom the Student is studying, or by one Corporate Member of The AusIMM.
19. All elections and transfers shall take place by a ballot of Board members, and if the majority of Board members vote in favour of the candidate, the candidate shall be declared elected and shall be so notified by letter.
20. All persons or organisations shall become members of The AusIMM in the grade to which they are elected upon approval of their application by the Board.
21. The Board may reject or defer any application for admission or transfer, and the Applicant shall be so advised. The Applicant may request a statement of reasons for such rejection or deferral, and the reasons shall be advised by letter. The Applicant may appeal the decision by requesting that the application be determined by an independent third party acceptable to both the Board and the Applicant.
The Board shall accept the decision of the independent third party.
22. A candidate whose application for admission or transfer has been rejected may be renominated when the matter which caused the rejection has been remedied.
23. Members of any grade in The AusIMM may resign their membership by written advice to The AusIMM, and their resignation shall be accepted by the Board.
24. The rights and privileges of a member shall cease immediately upon removal of a member’s name from the Register.
25. Every member of The AusIMM shall observe and be bound by the terms of the By-Laws, the Code of Ethics or any other Code of The AusIMM and any rule published by the Board prevailing at the relevant time.
Any alleged breach of the By-Laws, the Code of Ethics, any Code of The AusIMM or any rule published by the Board prevailing at the time a complaint is lodged shall be investigated and, if proved, shall be dealt with in accordance with By-Law 26.
COMPLAINTS
26. (1) In this By-Law, “complaint” means any complaint that a member of The AusIMM has breached an obligation in the By-Laws, the Code of Ethics or any other Code of The AusIMM, or any rule published by the Board prevailing at the time of the alleged incident which constitutes the basis for
the complaint.
(2) The Board will establish a Complaints Committee and an Ethics Committee to which responsibility for processing and adjudicating complaints will be delegated.
The Complaints Committee will consist of three Fellows selected from a panel established for that purpose, by the Board following its call for nominations, from time to time. The Complaints Committee shall elect its own Chair for a period agreed amongst its members. All complaints, whatever their nature, shall be in writing and shall initially be referred to the Complaints Committee. The Complaints Committee processes and powers shall be those determined by the Board.
The Ethics Committee will consist of four Fellows selected from a panel established for that purpose, by the Board after its call for nominations from time to time, and one Board member, nominated annually by the Board. The Committee shall include only one Board member. Three members shall constitute a quorum for meetings of the Ethics Committee. The Ethics Committee will only consider complaints alleging infringements of
The AusIMM’s Code of Ethics referred to it by the Complaints Committee. The Ethics Committee shall elect a Chair from among its members, the Board representative being ineligible to act in this role. The Board representative shall advise the Board of Ethics Committee matters which have implications for The AusIMM or for the Board.
(3) Any member, individual or organisation may lodge a complaint in respect of the actions of a member of The AusIMM. Every complaint shall be made in writing and shall, in the first instance be referred
to the Chair of the Complaints Committee. The Complaints Committee may seek legal opinion or advice from independent experts or from the Board and/or the CEO of The AusIMM. The Complaints Committee may also seek additional evidence relating to the complaint.
(4) The Complaints Committee must consider every complaint and after deliberation may:
(i) recommend the complaint be settled by alternative dispute procedures in the case of
a commercial dispute;
(ii) refer the complaint to judicial processes where a breach of the law may have been committed;
(iii) in the case of a complaint relating to a breach of either the JORC or the VALMIN codes, discuss with the relevant regulatory authority and jointly agree a process for its resolution;
(iv) deal with the complaint if deemed within the authority of the Complaints Committee;
(v) refer the complaint to the Ethics Committee if breaches of The AusIMM’s Code of Ethics are alleged or suspected;
(vi) dismiss the complaint.
The Complaints Committee may determine matters which it deems are breaches of Codes (excluding the Code of Ethics), Statutes or rules of The AusIMM, and if non-compliance is established, impose a penalty which may include a reprimand, mediation and/or counselling. Suspension of membership may not be imposed by the Complaints Committee. The AusIMM will provide, on request, a written statement setting out the reasons for the decision of the Complaints Committee.
Any decision of the Complaints Committee may be appealed to the Ethics Committee.
(5) A complaint referred to the Ethics Committee under By-Law 26(4)(v) for hearing and determination must be referred as expeditiously as is reasonable, and the member against whom the complaint
was made shall be advised that this process
is being followed. The Ethics Committee shall
deal with all complaints directed to it by
the Complaints Committee and any appeals against Complaints Committee decisions brought before it.
(6) A member against whom a complaint alleging
a breach of ethics is made shall be entitled to
notice in writing of the grounds of the complaint and to a reasonable opportunity to be heard in respect of such complaint before the Ethics Committee, and the procedure to be adopted in respect of an ethics complaint shall be at the discretion of the Ethics Committee. The Ethics Committee may obtain independent or legal advice on evidence before it, but cannot seek additional evidence or bring an ethics complaint against any member of its own accord.
(7) At the conclusion of the hearing of an ethics complaint, the Ethics Committee may find that
the complaint has not been established, or may
find that the non-compliance or unethical
behaviour has been established, in which case
the Ethics Committee may decide to take no
further action, or it may warn or reprimand the member concerned, or resolve that the membership of the member concerned be suspended for a period not exceeding 12 months or that the member be expelled from The AusIMM. The Ethics Committee may recommend that notice of the breach be published in a publication of The AusIMM and may require recovery of costs incurred by The AusIMM from a member deemed to be in breach.
The AusIMM will provide, on request, a written statement setting out the reasons for the decision of the Ethics Committee.
(8) In relation to an appeal against a decision of the Complaints Committee, the Ethics Committee may uphold the decision of the Complaints Committee or re-classify the complaint and the manner in which it is to be handled.
(9) A decision of the Ethics Committee may be appealed.
An appeal may be made to, and considered by an independent third party acceptable to both the Board and the appellant.
(10) All deliberations of the Complaints Committee and of the Ethics Committee shall be privileged and confidential.
(11) A member about whom a complaint has been made may be represented at any hearing of that complaint or at any appeal by a duly qualified legal practitioner.
(12) When all avenues of appeal to a member’s suspension or expulsion have been exhausted and the decision of the Ethics Committee in respect
of the matters under investigation has been upheld, or if there has been no appeal, the Board shall
act on the Resolution of the Ethics Committee and direct that the member’s name be removed from
the Register for the period of suspension, or permanently, in the case of expulsion.
SUBSCRIPTIONS
27. Entrance and transfer fees and annual subscriptions shall be determined by the Board. The Board may not increase subscriptions by more than ten per cent in any year without first seeking the approval of the membership at the Annual General Meeting or at an Extraordinary General Meeting.
A member who has reached the age of 60 years and has a combined age plus years of paid subscription amounting to 95 may apply to pay a reduced annual subscription equal to 25 per cent of the annual subscription payable by the grade of member to which the member belongs.
A member with at least five years of paid subscription who has reached the age of 55 years and has retired
or substantially retired may apply to pay a reduced annual subscription equal to 50 per cent of the annual subscription for the applicable grade of membership. Substantial retirement means that professional income is less than ten per cent of the pre-retirement income, and members making application for retired status will be requested to attest to this income position.
The Board has complete discretion in approving the transfer of a member to either concessional or retired status and the payment of a reduced subscription. Payment of a reduced subscription will not result in any reduction in the benefits of membership.
The Board may, in special circumstances, agree to suspend the membership of a member who is not in arrears and who is suffering extreme hardship and reinstate the member without payment of any fee when the hardship has ceased.
28. Annual subscriptions shall be payable by 1st January each year. Any member elected on or after 1st July of any year shall pay the prescribed entrance or transfer fee and half the annual subscription for that year.
29. Any member whose subscription is three months in arrears shall not be entitled to vote, participate in any activities of The AusIMM, receive publications or sign any reports implying membership of The AusIMM until such subscription is paid.
The Board may remove the name of any member whose subscription is six months in arrears from the Register. The member may be restored to membership on payment of arrears of subscriptions or of a reinstatement fee as determined by the Board.
THE BOARD
30. It shall be the duty of the Board to provide for the proper conduct of the business of The AusIMM and provide every possible means for the advancement of the interests and objectives of The AusIMM. The Board shall be empowered to make rules within the scope of the Charter and the By-Laws for the carrying out of the business of The AusIMM.
Any difference of opinion arising with regard to the By Laws and their interpretation shall be submitted to the Board, whose decision shall be final.
31. There will be a Board of nine (9) Directors, plus the President and the immediate Past President if not currently elected members of the Board.
The Board shall meet as often as the business of The AusIMM may require, but not less than six times per year. A quorum shall consist of five members of the Board. In the absence of a quorum the meeting shall be adjourned, notice of such adjourned meeting being issued to members of the Board, and the business listed for such adjourned meeting may be dealt with by members present at the resumed meeting. When a resolution is passed at an adjourned meeting of the Board or any Committee of the Board the resolution shall for all purposes be treated as having passed on
the date on which it was in fact passed and not on any earlier date.
The Board, and all other Committees of The AusIMM may conduct meetings, either wholly or partly, by using any appropriate means of communication, including video link and telephone conferencing, or the like, in “real time”, with votes being able to be cast in this manner.
32. PRESIDENT. The President of The AusIMM shall be elected annually from the Board of Directors by the Congress. The President shall hold the office for one year and may be re-elected for the succeeding year but shall then not be eligible for re-election as President until after an interval of one year.
If the office of the President becomes vacant, the Board shall elect a successor from among the existing Directors for the unexpired portion of the term.
A President elected under By-Law 32 to fill a vacancy during a Presidential term shall be eligible for re-election for both the succeeding year and the next.
The payment of an honorarium to the President is at the discretion of the Board.
33. ELECTION AND RETIREMENT OF DIRECTORS.
(a) Subject to By-Law 38:
(i) Directors shall be elected for a term of three years; and
(ii) No Director may serve more than two successive complete terms of three years, but a Director appointed to complete a term following a casual vacancy may serve two further terms after completion of the term in which the casual vacancy occurred.
(b) In the event of insufficient nominations being received for the vacancies in any year, the Board will use all reasonable endeavours to obtain nominations prior to the election.
34. The Directors to retire at the end of any year shall be those Directors who have served for a period of three years since their last election, or who have completed, after appointment to fill a casual vacancy, the unexpired portion of that term.
35. Only Corporate Members may be nominated to the Board.
36. (a) Directors shall be elected prior to November of each year by postal ballot by all Corporate and Company Members entitled to vote, but shall not take office till 1st January of the following year.
(b) All vacancies which arise pursuant to By-Law 34, shall be filled at the annual election.
37. Any Corporate Member may nominate a candidate for the position of Director provided that the nomination has written support of at least three other Corporate Members in the prescribed form as the Board from time to time determines. The nomination must be in writing and endorsed by the person nominated, and must be in the hands of The AusIMM not later than 1st August. The AusIMM shall, not less than forty (40) days before
the date fixed for the closing of the ballot, post to
every Corporate and Company Member, a list of all nominations received.
38. Any vacancy in the office of a Director shall be filled for the unexpired portion of the term by the candidate at the preceding election who received the next highest number of votes, or if there is no such candidate, by the Board.
39. Any member of the Board who is unable to attend a meeting of the Board as defined in By-Law 31, shall be permitted an absentee vote, but an absentee vote must
be in writing and received prior to the meeting or at the meeting through another Director who holds a proxy in writing from the absentee Director.
40. Should a Director be unable to attend to duty and fail to resign, or to obtain leave, the Board after due warning may remove that Director and appoint another person in accordance with By-Law 38.
CONGRESS
41. The Congress will be responsible for:
(a) electing the President of The AusIMM in accordance with By-Law 32;
(b) reviewing the implementation of the Strategic Plan for the current year and making recommendations to the Board for change;
(c) reviewing and approving, the Strategic Plan for the following year; and
(d) identifying and discussing any existing or emerging issues of interest or concern to the members.
42. The Congress will consist of:
(a) the Chair, or a nominee of the Chair, of each Branch;
(b) the Chair, or a nominee of the Chair of the Board of Chartered Professionals, of each Society, and of the Minerals Industry Consultants Association Inc.;
(c) the Chair, or a nominee of the Chair, of each Committee and Task Force of The AusIMM;
(d) one student and one young professional who are members of The AusIMM;
(e) Directors; and
(f) one member representing overseas members, other than those members represented by Branches.
43. If there is any inconsistency between a resolution or decision of Congress and a resolution or decision of the Board, the resolution or decision of the Board will prevail.
44. The proceedings of Congress shall be governed as far as practicable as if a meeting of the Congress was a General Meeting of The AusIMM. The Board may make additional rules not inconsistent with these By-Laws for the conduct of meetings of the Congress.
45. Each member of Congress shall be entitled to exercise one vote except that if a member represents more
than one eligible party, as set out in By-Law 42, they may exercise a vote on behalf of that additional eligible party. Appointment of a proxy will be accepted if in writing, and received prior to the meeting.
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
46. A Chief Executive Officer with suitable qualifications shall be appointed by the Board. The Chief Executive Officer shall undertake the management of The AusIMM under the direction of the Board.
AUDITOR
47. An Auditor shall be appointed by the members at the Annual Meeting. The Auditor shall verify and sign
the annual statement of accounts before it is submitted by the Board to the Annual General Meeting.
MANAGEMENT
48. The management and control of the business and affairs of The AusIMM shall be vested in the Board, which
(in addition to the powers and authorities conferred upon it by these By- Laws) may exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things as are within the scope of the Charter and are not hereby or by statute expressly directed or required to be exercised or done by The AusIMM in General Meeting but subject nevertheless to all applicable laws and subject also to these By-Laws; provided that no By-Law shall invalidate any prior act of the Board which would have been valid if such By-Law had not been made. The Board shall exercise its powers either itself or through its appointed Committees.
49. The Board may appoint Committees and Task Forces for such periods and for such purposes as may be determined by the Board. The duties and responsibilities of the Committees and Task Forces shall be determined by the Board.
50. The Board shall appoint an Audit and Compliance Committee, which shall consist of a Chairman elected from the Directors, two other Directors and, when required, an external appointment of particular expertise. Two Board members of the Audit and Compliance Committee shall constitute a quorum. The Board shall define the duties and responsibilities of the Audit and Compliance Committee.
51, The President shall be an ex officio member of every Committee appointed by the Board.
52. The affairs of every Branch, Committee, Task Force
and Society formed within The AusIMM shall be administered under the direction of the Board and
in conformity with the Charter and the By-Laws. Committees appointed under By-Laws 54 and 55
and Committees and Task Forces appointed by the
Board shall exercise such powers and perform such functions as the Board may delegate.
The affairs of each affiliated Society shall be administered within each Society consistent with the basis on which the Society was affiliated.
BRANCHES AND SOCIETIES
53. Branches shall be authorised by the Board and only one Branch shall be authorised in one locality. The Board shall define a Branch’s locality, from time to time.
54. Each Branch shall be managed by a Branch Committee, elected annually by the members of that Branch.
55. Each Society shall be managed by a Society Committee, elected annually by the members of that Society.
56. A Chair and a Secretary of each Branch and Society shall be elected annually by the Committee of every such Branch and Society respectively.
57. Each Branch and each Society may, subject to the rules of The AusIMM then prevailing, make rules for its own governance. Such rules are subject to the approval of the Board, and the Board may annul, amend or add to these rules.
58. Branches and Societies shall forward to the Board, reports and audited accounts as at 31st December each year.
59. No Branch, Society or Committee shall represent any matter as the policy of The AusIMM, without it having been approved by the Board.
A Branch, Society or Committee may comment publicly on matters which are relevant to its activities, provided these are not represented as The AusIMM’s policy, do not conflict with The AusIMM’s policy and are within the competence of the Branch, Society or Committee making the comment.
Any public statement which could be construed as
a comment from The AusIMM must have the prior approval of the CEO or President.
60. The Board may investigate any alleged or apparent irregularity or unconstitutional act of any Branch, Committee or Task Force of which it becomes aware.
If the Board is satisfied that a breach of any Code, By Law or rule of The AusIMM has been committed, the Board shall notify the offending body to that effect, and may dissolve the Committee or Task Force and appoint another Committee to carry out the duties.
61. The Board shall, if requested, contribute from its funds to the expenses of any Branch, Society or group of members where the interests of The AusIMM are furthered by the contribution.
BALLOTING
62. The election of Directors shall be decided by postal ballot of all members entitled to vote. Information concerning the candidates together with a ballot paper shall be posted to each such member at the address currently included in the Register.
Any ballot paper received after forty (40) days from the date of posting from The AusIMM shall be deemed to be invalid. All ballot papers received within forty (40) days shall be opened and examined by two independent Electoral Officers appointed by the Board who shall report the results to the Board. If a candidate for a Director vacancy so requests, a scrutineer may be present, subject to that scrutineer maintaining the confidentiality of the ballot. The Electoral Officers shall deliver the result to the Chief Executive Officer and destroy the ballot papers.
The names of all candidates for election to the
Board shall be listed on the ballot paper in random lot.
A voter shall mark with an “X” the box against the
name of each candidate the voter wishes to see elected, the number of boxes marked not to exceed the number
of vacancies. The vote will not be deemed invalid if the voter marks a lesser number of boxes than the number
of vacancies.
Accompanying each ballot paper shall be full and complete instructions on how the ballot paper should be completed to ensure the vote is valid.
63. The Board may authorise a ballot on any matter, which in the opinion of the Board affects the welfare or policy of The AusIMM. Such a ballot may be either postal or electronic, or a combination of both, provided that all eligible members have an opportunity to vote. For any such ballot, the Board shall prepare and make available to all members eligible to vote, a statement setting out the reasons for the proposition and the arguments for and against, and this statement will be forwarded to members together with a ballot paper.
All ballots shall be in the prescribed form approved by the Board and shall be completed in accordance with guidelines set out by the Board. Any completed ballot paper which does not comply with the approved guidelines shall be deemed invalid.
In voting for proposals, the ballot paper shall contain
the questions to be decided together with boxes for the words “Yes” and “No”. The voter shall mark the preferred box with an “X” otherwise the vote is invalid. Accompanying each ballot shall be full and complete instructions on how the ballot should be completed to ensure the vote is valid.
64. The candidates elected or questions decided shall be those receiving the greatest number of votes.
65. Members shall be advised of the result of a ballot within forty (40) days of the report of the result to the Board.
MEETINGS
66. NOTICES OF MEETINGS. There shall be in the course of the year:
(a) An Annual Meeting of The AusIMM; and
(b) At least one Meeting of Congress.
At least thirty (30) days’ notice of Annual and Congress Meetings shall be sent to members. The non-receipt of a notice by any of the members of the meeting shall not invalidate any resolution passed by such meeting.
67. ANNUAL MEETINGS. The Annual Meeting of The AusIMM shall be held in the first six months of each year. The Meeting shall be for the purpose of receiving and considering the report of the Board and the certified statement of accounts to the end of the preceding year, and for any other business dealing with the affairs of The AusIMM. The quorum for an Annual Meeting shall be twenty (20) members who are eligible to vote, present in person.
68. CONGRESS MEETINGS. Meetings of Congress may be called by either:
(a) the Board; or
(b) a simple majority of those members of Congress who are not Directors.
The quorum for a Congress Meeting shall be eight members of Congress who are not Directors.
69. EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING. The Board or Congress may at any time call an Extraordinary General Meeting for a specific purpose relative to the concerns of The AusIMM; and the Board shall be bound to do so within sixty (60) days of the receipt by The AusIMM of a requisition in writing from not fewer than twenty-five (25) members who are eligible to vote. This requisition shall specify the nature of the business to be transacted. Notice of an Extraordinary General Meeting shall be posted or transmitted electronically to all members entitled to vote at least forty (40) days before the date on which it is to be held, together with a form of proxy for each such member to sign. The notice shall state the business for which the meeting is called, and no other business shall be transacted at such Meeting.
(a) Twenty (20) members eligible to vote, present in person shall constitute a quorum; and in the event of a quorum not being present within thirty (30) minutes of time advised for the Meeting, the Meeting shall be adjourned for one week at a time and place to be determined at the Meeting, when the eligible members present, whatever their number, shall constitute a quorum.
(b) Any proposal moved at an Extraordinary General Meeting shall be decided by the vote of those present in person or by proxy. However a proposal may be decided by a ballot of members eligible to vote if the Board so resolves or if twenty-five members present at the meeting so determine
(c) If a vote by ballot is required in accordance with paragraph (b) of this By-Law, the Extraordinary General Meeting shall be adjourned for at least sixty (60) days. The AusIMM shall send a notice of
the adjourned Meeting, containing particulars of the proposals to be decided, and a voting paper, to all members eligible to vote at least forty (40)
days before the date of the adjourned Meeting.
A member, desiring to vote, shall record the vote
on the voting paper and return it to The AusIMM.
At the adjourned Extraordinary General Meeting
the voting papers received by The AusIMM shall be handed to scrutineers appointed by the Meeting, who shall examine them and report the result of their scrutiny to the Meeting. At such adjourned Meeting the members present, whatever their number, shall constitute a quorum. Where a resolution is passed at an adjourned meeting of The AusIMM the resolution shall for all purposes be treated as having been passed on the date on which it was in fact passed and not on any earlier date.
(d) Notwithstanding any other By-Law and subject to approval by the Board, the ballot may be conducted by post or by electronic means or by a combination of these methods, subject to the rules and processes established by the Board.
70. The President may take the chair or appoint the chair at any meeting of The AusIMM
PAPERS AND PUBLICATIONS
71. The AusIMM may publish papers in appropriate publications.
72. The AusIMM shall not be responsible for the statements advanced in papers or discussions at its meetings or in its publications.
73. The copyright of each paper produced by or assigned
to The AusIMM shall be vested in it unless agreed otherwise by the Board.
ALTERATIONS TO BY-LAWS
74. These By-Laws or any other By-Law for the time being in force may, subject to the provisions of the Charter, be added to, revoked, altered or amended. Written notice of any proposed additions or amendments shall be sent to the Board which shall call an Extraordinary General Meeting as provided in By-Law 69.
SEAL
75. The Board shall provide for the safe custody of the common seal, and the common seal shall never be used except by the authority of the Board previously given and in the presence of one member of the Board at least, who shall sign every instrument or document to which the common seal is affixed, and every such instrument and other document shall be countersigned by the Chief Executive Officer or some other person appointed by the Board.
NOTICES
76. A notice may be served by The AusIMM upon any member either personally, by e-mail, facsimile or post, directed to a member’s last known address or by posting to a member at the address in the Register of The AusIMM. Any notice sent by e-mail shall be deemed to have been served on receipt. Any notice sent by post shall be deemed to have been served when the letter containing the same would have been delivered in the ordinary course of the post. In proving service of
a notice by email or post it shall be sufficient that the notice was properly addressed and e-mailed or posted.
INDEMNITY
77. If any Director or any officer of The AusIMM shall become personally liable for the payment of any sum primarily payable by The AusIMM, The AusIMM
shall indemnify the person or persons against any loss in respect of such liability except insofar as the liability arises from a breach of civil or criminal law or an act
of negligence, and in doing so the Board may execute or cause to be executed any mortgage, charge or security over or affecting the whole or any part of the assets of The AusIMM.
78. Every Director and every officer of The AusIMM
acting in good faith shall be indemnified out of the
assets of The AusIMM against any liability incurred by any of them arising out of the conduct of their office in defending any proceedings, whether civil or criminal.
DIANE MORCOM, Clerk of the Executive Council.