Home

CONSTITUTION AND STATEMENT OF PURPOSES
AUSTRALIAN SCRABBLE PLAYERS ASSOCIATION (VIC) INC.

CONSTITUTION

8th of August, 2005

1. NAME OF THE ASSOCIATION:

The name of the Association is the Australian Scrabble Players Association (Vic) Inc. It is a democratic non-profit organisation of Scrabble players who meet regularly for the purpose of playing social and competitive word games.

The aims of the Association are as listed in the Statement of Purposes.

3.1.1
Any person may, subject to the approval of the committee, become a member of the Association upon payment of an annual subscription which will be determined at the Annual General Meeting and will become due on July 1 of each year.

3.1.2
Where approved by the committee, groups with similar aims may become affiliated, on payment of an annual affiliation fee determined by the committee.

3.1.3
Affiliated groups do not have voting rights within the Association.

4.1.1
The Annual General Meeting must be held within two months of the end of the Association’s financial year, June 30th. Notification of the Annual General Meeting and notice of motions shall be provided to members, in the newsletter or otherwise in writing, at least 21 days before the meeting. Members proposing motions shall notify the Secretary at least 35 days before the meeting. The quorum at Annual General Meetings shall be twelve members. No business other than that set out in the notice convening the meeting may be conducted at the meeting.

4.1.2
Alteration of this Constitution, or of the Statement of Purposes, may only be made at the Annual General Meeting. Notice of any such proposed alteration shall be given in accordance with Section 4.1.1. A resolution for alteration to the Constitution, or of the Statement of Purposes is passed at a meeting if at least three quarters of the members at the meeting who are entitled to vote, vote in favour of the resolution.

4.1.3
A committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. The committee shall consist of no more than ten members and shall include President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Officer, Ratings Officer, Rules Officer, Publicity Officer and up to two other committee members.

4.1.4
Election of Officers and Ordinary Committee Members.

(a) Nominations of candidates for election as Officers of the Association or as ordinary members of the committee must be:
(i) made in writing, signed by two members of the Association and accompanied by the written consent of the candidate (which may be endorsed on the form of nomination); and
(ii) delivered to the Secretary of the Association not less than 7 days before the date fixed for the holding of the Annual General Meeting.
(b) A candidate may only be nominated for one office, or as an ordinary member of the committee, prior to the Annual General Meeting.
(c) Where only one nomination is received for an office, the person nominated shall be deemed elected.
(d) If more than one nomination is received for an office, a secret ballot must be held at the Annual General Meeting.
(e) If more than two nominations are received for the two committee poitions, a secret ballot must be held at the Annual General Meeting.
(f) If insufficient nominations are received 7 days prior to the Annual General Meeting to fill all vacancies on the committee, nominations can be accepted at the Annual General Meeting to fill remaining positions.

4.1.5
All offices will be held until the next Annual General Meeting. A committee position will become vacant where the committee member resigns from the committee or from the Association, or the committee may declare a position vacant due to the nonperformance of duties. In the event of a vacancy, the committee may appoint an Association member to fill the position.

4.1.6
The committee will report to members at the AGM, and using various media, on matters affecting the Association.

4.1.7
The Chairperson of the Annual General Meeting shall have an ordinary vote and, in case of votes being equal, a casting vote.

5.1
The Secretary of the Association, at least 14 days, or if a special resolution has been proposed at least 21 days, before the date fixed for holding a Special General Meeting of the Association, must cause to be sent to each member of the Association, a notice stating the place, date and time of the meeting and the nature of the business to be conducted at the meeting.

5.2
Notice may be sent -
(a) by prepaid post to the address appearing in the Register of Members; or
(b) if the member requests, by facsimile transmission or electronic transmission.

5.3
No business other than that set out in the notice convening the meeting may be conducted at the meeting. A member intending to bring any business before a meeting may notify in writing, or by electronic transmission, the Secretary of that business, and the Secretary shall include that business in the notice calling the Special General Meeting. The quorum shall be the same as for the Annual General Meeting.

The committee shall meet at least three times per year. The quorum for committee meetings shall be five. Voting shall be by simple majority. The Chairperson shall have an ordinary vote and, in case of votes being equal, a casting vote. Proxy votes are not allowed for committee meetings.

7.1
President

(a) To convene and chair the Annual General Meeting, to inform members in advance of the meeting and to call for nominations for office bearers.
(b) To convene and chair committees.
To make members aware of relevant items discussed at committee meetings.
To act as spokesperson for the Association and to liaise with other organisations of Scrabble players in Australia and overseas.
To liaise with other members of the national body, and to represent the Association at national level.

7.2
Vice-President

To assist in the duties of presidency and to act in that capacity during the absence of the President.

7.3
Secretary

(a) To handle the correspondence and records of the Association.
(b) To have custody of books and documents.
(c) To keep minutes of all meetings and to notify committee members of coming committee meetings.

7.4
Treasurer

(a) To collect and receive money paid to the Association.
(b) To make payments authorised by the Association.
(c) To keep books of account.
(d) To report to the Association the Association's financial position.
(e) To arrange an annual audit of the Association’s books, by a person who is appropriately qualified and is in no way related to any member of the Committee.
(f) This audit is to take place after the end of the Association’s financial year and prior to the Association’s Annual General Meeting.

7.5
Membership Officer

(a) To collect membership fees from new and existing members, and issue written receipts for same.
(b) To keep and maintain a Register of Members.
(c) To advise the President, Secretary and Treasurer of changes to the Register of Members.
(d)To forward all monies collected to the Treasurer.

7.6
Ratings Officer

(a) To keep detailed results of all Victorian tournaments.
(b) To provide detailed results of national tournaments upon request.
(c) To liaise with the National Ratings Officer and ensure current ratings data is provided to tournament organisers.
(d) To ensure tournament computer hardware, software and associated materials are properly stored and maintained for tournament use.

7.7
Rules Officer

(a) To ensure all documents required for adjudication at tournaments are updated as required.
(b) To educate adjudicators and be available at tournaments, where possible, to assist with difficult adjudications.
(c) To accept suggestions from members regarding changes to the rules.
(d) To liaise with other members of the national rules forum.
(e) To represent the committee and members at the national rules forum.

7.8
Publicity Officer

(a) To promote the game of Scrabble.
(b) To seek sponsorship as required by the committee.

7.9
Other Committee Members

To support the above office bearers in carrying out their duties and to bring to the attention of the committee matters of interest or concern to Association members.

8.1
The funds of the Association shall be derived from registration fees, annual subscriptions, affiliation fees, donations and other such sources as the committee determines.

8.2
Association funds shall be kept in a bank account as determined by the committee. Cheques shall be signed by any two of the President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer.

8.3
In the event of the winding up or the cancellation of the incorporation of the Association, the assets of the Association must be disposed of in accordance with the provisions of the Act.

The books and documents of the Association may be inspected by any member after giving fourteen days notice in writing to the Secretary.

10.1
Subject to these Rules, if the committee is of the opinion that a member has refused or neglected to comply with these Rules, or has been guilty of a conduct unbecoming a member or prejudicial to the interests of the Association, the committee may by resolution -
ban that member from participating in tournaments run by ASPA(Vic) for a specified period: or
suspend that member from membership of the Association for a specified period; or
expel that member from the Association.

10.2
A resolution of the committee under sub-rule (1) does not take effect unless –
(a) at a meeting held in accordance with sub-rule (3), the committee confirms the resolution; and
(b) if the member exercises a right of appeal to the Association under this rule, the Association confirms the resolution in accordance with this rule.

10.3
A meeting of the committee to confirm or revoke a resolution passed under sub-rule (1) must be held not earlier than 14 days, and not later than 28 days, after notice has been given to the member in accordance with sub-rule (4).

10.4
For the purposes of giving notice in accordance with sub-rule (3), the Secretary must, as soon as practicable, cause to be given to the member a written notice –
(a) setting out the resolution of the committee and grounds on which it is based; and
(b) stating that the member, or his or her representative, may address the committee at a meeting to be held not earlier than 14 days and not later than 28 days after the notice has been given to that member; and
(c) stating the date, place and time of that meeting; and
informing the member that he or she may do one or both the following –
attend that meeting;
give to the committee before the date of that meeting a written statement seeking the revocation of the resolution;
(e) informing the member that, if at that meeting, the committee confirms the resolution, he or she may not later than 48 hours after that meeting, give the Secretary a notice to the effect that he or she wishes to appeal to the Association in general meeting against the resolution.

10.5
At a meeting of the committee to confirm or revoke a resolution passed under sub-rule (1), the committee must –
(a) give the member, or his or her representative, an opportunity to be heard; and
(b) give due consideration to any written statement submitted by the member; and
(c) determine by resolution whether to confirm or to revoke the resolution.

10.6
If at the meeting of the committee, the committee confirms the resolution, the member may, not later than 48 hours after that meeting, give the Secretary a notice to the effect that he or she wishes to appeal to the Association in a general meeting against the resolution.

10.7
If the Secretary receives a notice under sub-rule (6), he or she must notify the committee and the committee must convene a general meeting of the Association to be held within 21 days after the date on which the Secretary received the notice.

10.8
At a general meeting of the Association convened under sub-rule (7) –
(a) no business other than the question of the appeal may be conducted; and
(b) the committee may place before the meeting details of the grounds for the resolution and the reasons for the passing of the resolution; and
(c) the member, or his or her representative, must be given an opportunity to be heard; and
(d) the members present must vote by secret ballot on the question whether the resolution should be confirmed or revoked.

10.9
A resolution is confirmed if, at the general meeting, not less than two-thirds of the members vote in person, or by proxy, in favour of the resolution. In any other case, the resolution is revoked.

11.1
The grievance procedure set out in this rule applies to disputes under these Rules between:-
(a) a member and another member; or
(b) a member and the Association.

11.2
The parties to the dispute must meet and discuss the matter in dispute, and, if possible, resolve the dispute within 14 days after the dispute comes to the attention of all the parties.

11.3
If the parties are unable to resolve the dispute at the meeting, or if a party fails to attend that meeting, then the parties must, within 10 days, hold a meeting in the presence of a mediator.

11.4
The mediator must be –
(a) a person chosen by agreement between the parties; or
(b) in the absence of agreement –
(i) in the case of a dispute between a member and another member, a person appointed by the committee of the Association; or
(ii) in the case of a dispute between a member and the Association, a person who is a mediator appointed or employed by the Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria (Department of Justice.

11.5
A member of the Association can be a mediator.

11.6
The mediator cannot be a member who is a party to the dispute.

11.7

The parties to the dispute must, in good faith, attempt to settle the dispute by mediation.

11.8
The mediator, in conducting the mediation, must –
give the parties to the mediation process every opportunity to be heard; and
allow due consideration by all parties of any written statement submitted by any party; and
ensure that natural justice is accorded to the parties to the dispute throughout the mediation process.

11.9
The mediator must not determine the dispute.

11.10
If the mediation process does not result in the dispute being resolved, the parties may seek to resolve the dispute in accordance with the Act otherwise at law.

1. The name of the proposed incorporated association is Australian Scrabble Players Association (Vic) Inc.

2. The purposes for which the proposed incorporated association is established are: 2.1
To provide Victorian members with an opportunity to meet at suitable venues.

2.2
To publish a regular newsletter and supply information to all players wishing to know more about word games.

2.3
To encourage regular social and competitive activities for its members, to assist clubs in the organisation of tournaments and to hold an annual Victorian Championship.

2.4
To encourage interest and involvement of its members in activities throughout Australia and overseas.

2.5
To develop standards and ethics of play.

2.6
To encourage and assist local clubs.


  Footnote: at the direction of Consumer Affairs Victoria, members are advised that the Association Rules (Constitution) are to be read in conjunction with the Model Rules for an Incorporated Association.