ABF AGM and Management Committee Meeting April 18-19, 2015

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ABF AGM and Management Committee Meeting April 18-19, 2015

Council Members & Committees

Peter Kahler (A.C.T) and Pam Nunn (N.T.) retired from Council. Council thanks them both for their valuable and generous contributions.

Council welcomed Marian Bookallil (A.C.T.) as a Councillor. The second N.T. Councillor’s position is currently vacant.

Council elected David Morgan from Victoria as a Supplemental Councillor, enabling the Management Committee to appoint him as Chairman of the Tournament Committee. We thank him for taking on this important role, and Laurie Kelso for taking on this role on an interim basis prior to the AGM.

Some other changes to Committee membership were made, and details are on the web site at www.abf.com.au/about-abf/committees/.

ABF Constitution & Governance

Six Constitutional amendments were proposed. Five were passed, received the necessary three-quarters of Council votes, and the ABF Secretary will now write to States and Territories for their approval. One did not, falling short by one vote. The details are appended to this communique.

Council also adopted a PDF File Statement of Expectations covering the roles of the Council and the Management Committee.

Council asked the Governance Committee to look further at the ABF Committee structure, if appropriate to include removing unnecessary details from the Constitution and By Laws.

Australian National Championships

The AGM did not do the draw for the Interstate Teams. It will be done at the Autumn National Open Teams in Adelaide at the beginning of May. By then we expect to know exactly how many entries there are from each State and Territory.

Tournament Calendar

The AGM accepted Queensland’s request to move the Barrier Reef Congress to the beginning of May from 2016. This has been forced by the new Queensland Government’s decision to cancel the June long weekend. The impact on the Autumn National Open Teams is regretted but no alternative can be seen, and will hopefully the impact will be lower than the previously clash with the VCC.

Youth Committee

To improve engagement with States and Territories, the Youth Committee will be constituted with a representative from each S & T.

Dealing with Behavioural Problems

General Counsel is in the process of reviewing ABF regulations in this area, to include guidelines for Tournament Organisers, Directors and Recorders to follow where a player’s behaviour may require further action to be taken.

In such cases it is important that action be taken quickly so that necessary evidence can be collected and any procedure is fair to the person in question. General Counsel invites Tournament Organisers, Directors and Recorders to contact him directly if such a situation arises. He will be happy to advise on the best procedure.

Insurance – coverage for Tournament Directors

The ABF has renewed the Public Liability Insurance policy provided by Allianz Insurance through Tony Bemrose Insurance Brokers. The full insured title has been expanded to include Bridge Directors:-

Australian Bridge Federation Inc in conjunction with New South Wales Bridge Association Ltd & Bridge Federation Act Association Ltd, Victorian Bridge Association Ltd, Queensland Bridge Association Inc, South Australian Bridge Federation Inc, Bridge Association of W.A. Inc, Tasmanian Bridge Association Inc, Northern Territory Bridge Association of W.A. Inc, and all Bridge clubs affiliated with these state associations, the Australian Bridge Directors Association and members, and Bridge Directors who are members of clubs affiliated with the Australian Bridge Federation Inc.

TBIB has also arranged with AIG insurance to similarly include Bridge Directors in our Professional Indemnity policy.

Feedback & Future Meetings

The Management Committee welcomes feedback and suggestions on the above matters or other subjects.

The next ABF MC meeting is June 13-14, 2015. The draft agenda will be circulated.

ABF Council confirmed the midterm General Meeting date as November 7 2015 in Sydney.

The MC suggests the date for the 2016 Annual General Meeting be set as May 21-22, 2016. Councillors should please advise the ABF Secretary if that date is a problem.

ABF Management Committee:

Bruce Neill (President), Allison Stralow (Secretary), Roy Nixon (Treasurer),
Dallas Cooper, Simon Hinge (MC Members)
Russel Harms (General Counsel), Keith McDonald (President Emeritus)
Jane Rasmussen (Executive Secretary)

23 April 2015.

 

Appendix – Constitutional Amendments presented to the AGM

Motion 1, Accepted by Council

To amend Clause 9 (2)(b) of the Constitution by adding immediately after the word “Committee” and before the words “(an Extraordinary Meeting)” the words:

“or at the request of any three State Associations addressed to the Secretary”

To amend Clause 9 (5) of the Constitution by adding immediately after the words “Management Committee” the following words :

“or in the request of the State Associations”

 

Motion 2Accepted by Council

To amend Clause 9 of the Constitution by adding a further subclause 9 (11) as follows:

“9(11)        The Council may impose from time to time such limitations as it sees fit on the capacity of the Management Committee to enter into any contractual obligations on behalf of the ABF or to commit the ABF to any future liability.”

 

Motion 3Defeated by Council, 12 “yes” votes to 5 “no”

To amend Clause 10 of the Constitution by adding a further sub-clause 10 (9) as follows:-

“10 (9)       An officer shall, at the expiration of any term of election or appointment, be eligible for re-election or re-appointment save that no person may serve as an officer in the same capacity for more than eight (8) consecutive years except by a specific resolution of Council authorising such re-election or re-appointment notwithstanding the provisions of this clause.”

 

Motion 4, Accepted by Council

To amend the Bylaws by adding the following By-Law after By-Law 4.13 as follows:

“4.14.        Subject to the Constitution and these By-Laws, the Council or the Management Committee may create and make appointments to such other committees or sub-committees as either may see fit from time to time. Any such committee may be constituted in such manner and by such persons as the Council or management Committee see fit and will report to, and be directed by, the body which created it. Nothing herein contained shall enable the creation of a committee whose duties and responsibilities conflict with the duties and/or responsibilities of other committees created by the Constitution or by these By-Laws”.

 

Motion 5, Accepted by Council

To amend the Bylaws:

By deleting the following words from By-Law 4.4 “is chaired by a Councillor and”

By replacing the words “is chaired by a Councillor and its members” from By-Law 4.5  with the word “must”

By replacing the words “is chaired by a Councillor and contains” from By-Law 4.8 with the words “must contain”

 

Motion 6, Accepted by Council

To amend the Bylaws by adding Bylaw 4.15 as follows:

Governance Committee

“4.15         The Governance Committee must be chaired by a Councillor and must include at least one other Councillor as a member. The function of the Governance Committee is to report directly to Council and make recommendations to it on matters of governance, including recommendations relating to the implementation of contemporary standards in best practical governance for incorporated associations.  Notwithstanding the provisions of Bylaws 4.1 and 4.9 the members of the Governance Committee may only be appointed or removed by the Council.”

 

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