Governance and Constitutional Committee Report - 16 June 2006
Report of a meeting of the Governance and Constitutional Committee Meeting held 8 June 2006, INZ Office in Auckland.
Present: Chris Streatfield (Chair), David Harris, Mark Harris, Michael Wallmannsberger
In attendance: David Farrar, Keith Davidson, Jordan Carter.
Apologies: Rick Shera, Colin Jackson, Michael Wallmannsberger (lateness)
Items
for discussion:
- Proposed Changes to Membership fees and structure:
- Voting structure
- Informational Paper for the Membership
- Constitutional Wording changes.
Voting structure
The committee discussed the issues around the voting structure. The Members may wish to vote for a fee change but not the structural changes, which are reflected in the Constitutional changes so we need to ensure that the Members have the opportunity to vote on the fees separately. Slightly complicated because there are different thresholds required for the separate issues. The Constitutional changes require a 66.67% majority to be achieved while the fee structure requires a 50+% majority to be achieved.
It was agreed by the Committee that we should offer a three-part vote:
constitutional changes (requires a 66.67% majority)
If the Member votes “yes” to the above then a vote to:
set the fees for new classes of membership (requires a 50+% majority)
And independent of the other votes:
reduce the individual membership fees (requires a 50+% majority).
Informational paper for the Members
The Committee went on to discuss the informational background paper explaining to the Members the Council proposals.
Keith noted that there is a draft Membership plan put together by the office and the Committee agreed that this paper, with the Constitutional wording changes appended could be used explaining the background. Using the plan would allow for inclusion of the various benefits attached to each of the classes as additional information to the Members. The paper will be included in the package being distributed for the AGM and will be made available on the web site as soon as possible.
Constitutional wording changes
The draft that had been circulated to the Committee was discussed at length, in particular issues surrounding the Organisational Member nominee structure. Various changes were proposed and the draft was adjusted accordingly.
Other items noted during the discussion:
allowing people to join for multiple years
allowing for a direct debit option for automatic renewal of membership
Meeting closed at 2.40 pm.
Recommendations: That the Report be accepted.
